Alex McCrory is scathing of Sinn Fein's West Belfast welcome to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. 

It's long past time to call a spade a spade. Basically, I blamed a previous leadership for diverting the struggle away from Republican objectives for short term political gain. It seemed to me that personal ambitions had replaced any desire to contemplate a political course based on traditional principles of opposition and non-conformity. What materialised was a compromise of historical proportion that objectively positioned Irish Republicanism on the side of British rule. Hence a proud revolutionary movement was ideologically castrated and, effectively, neutralised.

During the course of the past twenty years, Republicans have had to swallow many bitter pills as they witnessed one climb down after another. Outward signs if this behaviour have been evidenced by Royal handshakes; attendance at British ruling class banquets; the courting of American influence and, more recently, extending the hand of friendship to the modern day descendants of the counter- revolutionary Blueshirts. A record as cynical as it is shameful.

But to get to the point of this criticism. For too long, I have been willing to give the ordinary members of Sinn Fein the benefit of doubt. Naively, I had been holding out the prospect that with each new departure from tradition something within their collective consciousness would awaken them to the long term dangers of Sinn Fein political strategy. And yet, in my heart of hearts, I knew this to be a furlong hope. For leaders must ultimately rely on the compliance and unquestioning loyalty of their flock. A good Shepard knows that his sheep will always follow him, even over the edge of the precipice

And so, to learn that the membership of Sinn Fein welcomed Leo Varadkar to the heart of West Belfast with raucous applause came as no surprise. Are we in the grip of collective amnesia after more than 40 years? Do we forget what this man's party stood for since the time of Partition? Fine Gael was, and continues to be, the party of conservative, capitalist Ireland.

Under Eoin O'Duffy the Blueshirts represented a proto-fascistic ideology of the Catholic middle class. It's conception of Republicanism was both confessional and right wing. Indeed, and this the greatest irony, it sent young men off to Europe to overthrow the government of the Spanish Republic, whilst other young Irishmen fought and died to uphold it.

Fine Gael, with the support of it's Tweedledum counterpart, Fianna Fail, is driving forward the neoliberal program of austerity dictated to it by the European troika. Consequently, the effects of austerity have been very damming in terms of the economic wellbeing of the working class; sections of the middle class have suffered also. Parties in government, whoever they may be, do not have a choice other than to administer this shock treatment to the economy. Indeed, the one country that did try to resist, Greece, was bullied into submission even though under a left-wing government.

Finally, I have a question to ask of those who clapped like performing seals for our own brand of Irish conservatism: Are they unable to grasp to where this must all lead to in the future? If so, I have a piece of advice for them free of charge. They would do well to ponder the fate of several parties that provided support for either one of the big two in past coalitions: Labour, Progressive Democrats, Democratic Left. For it will be too late to complain whenever the big boys wipe the shite of their shoes on you as they walk through the door.

As for a reconversion to any expression of radical Irish Republicanism. Well now! I have given up on that idea, for sure.


Alec McCrory is a former republican prisoner and blanketman.

Performing Seals

Alex McCrory is scathing of Sinn Fein's West Belfast welcome to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. 

It's long past time to call a spade a spade. Basically, I blamed a previous leadership for diverting the struggle away from Republican objectives for short term political gain. It seemed to me that personal ambitions had replaced any desire to contemplate a political course based on traditional principles of opposition and non-conformity. What materialised was a compromise of historical proportion that objectively positioned Irish Republicanism on the side of British rule. Hence a proud revolutionary movement was ideologically castrated and, effectively, neutralised.

During the course of the past twenty years, Republicans have had to swallow many bitter pills as they witnessed one climb down after another. Outward signs if this behaviour have been evidenced by Royal handshakes; attendance at British ruling class banquets; the courting of American influence and, more recently, extending the hand of friendship to the modern day descendants of the counter- revolutionary Blueshirts. A record as cynical as it is shameful.

But to get to the point of this criticism. For too long, I have been willing to give the ordinary members of Sinn Fein the benefit of doubt. Naively, I had been holding out the prospect that with each new departure from tradition something within their collective consciousness would awaken them to the long term dangers of Sinn Fein political strategy. And yet, in my heart of hearts, I knew this to be a furlong hope. For leaders must ultimately rely on the compliance and unquestioning loyalty of their flock. A good Shepard knows that his sheep will always follow him, even over the edge of the precipice

And so, to learn that the membership of Sinn Fein welcomed Leo Varadkar to the heart of West Belfast with raucous applause came as no surprise. Are we in the grip of collective amnesia after more than 40 years? Do we forget what this man's party stood for since the time of Partition? Fine Gael was, and continues to be, the party of conservative, capitalist Ireland.

Under Eoin O'Duffy the Blueshirts represented a proto-fascistic ideology of the Catholic middle class. It's conception of Republicanism was both confessional and right wing. Indeed, and this the greatest irony, it sent young men off to Europe to overthrow the government of the Spanish Republic, whilst other young Irishmen fought and died to uphold it.

Fine Gael, with the support of it's Tweedledum counterpart, Fianna Fail, is driving forward the neoliberal program of austerity dictated to it by the European troika. Consequently, the effects of austerity have been very damming in terms of the economic wellbeing of the working class; sections of the middle class have suffered also. Parties in government, whoever they may be, do not have a choice other than to administer this shock treatment to the economy. Indeed, the one country that did try to resist, Greece, was bullied into submission even though under a left-wing government.

Finally, I have a question to ask of those who clapped like performing seals for our own brand of Irish conservatism: Are they unable to grasp to where this must all lead to in the future? If so, I have a piece of advice for them free of charge. They would do well to ponder the fate of several parties that provided support for either one of the big two in past coalitions: Labour, Progressive Democrats, Democratic Left. For it will be too late to complain whenever the big boys wipe the shite of their shoes on you as they walk through the door.

As for a reconversion to any expression of radical Irish Republicanism. Well now! I have given up on that idea, for sure.


Alec McCrory is a former republican prisoner and blanketman.

43 comments:

  1. Alex

    I think it good you put pen to paper to question the reception the FG leader received. You are the only one to have done so that I have seen. I would be more mindful of its behaviour toward Nationalists since 69 and throughput the conflict than even it's fascist roots. But in terms of SF they seem to have embraced Ulsterisation rather than unification.

    You seem to miss the answer to your own question... people want less radicalism rather than more. It is interesting that you use the term radical because when I heard a couple of dissidents, on separate occasions, praise Islamic atrocities I just thought how disgusting.

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  2. I can't even begin to imagine how difficult it must be for people like Alex who participated in the Blanket Protests to come to terms with how events have unfolded. Indeed, there were momentous climb-downs and many exceedingly bitter pills swallowed.

    And yet many have come to terms with this and a majority remain loyal to the leadership, comfortably donning the constitutional garb of the SDLP with a duplicitous ditching of the broad black brimmer.
    Eventually, with lots of remedial help, most of the slow learners have caught up and caught on; caught on to the realities of the past, the realities of the present and those of the future. Deep down in most, albeit still in the realm of the pre-conscious, there's a tacit acceptance that the Proclaimed Republic was only a myth, always was, still is and forever will remain an ethereal notion. And as Christy suggests radicalism has been made redundant.

    What's your workable alternative Alex? Give me another credible strategy that's likely to garner sizable support and I'll gladly give you an ear. In the meantime though I'll settle for more performing seals rather than more dead fish!

    Christy ... In light of Justice Colton's (onetime SDLP candidate in Mid-Ulster) direction in the DD McLoughlin trial, I'm sure you in particular will agree, Ulsterisation is more than a good enough outcome.

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  3. HenrJoy

    I think it is what it is. Though I do not think it is good enough, i had thought the sluts and skanks (not gender refs) in SF might not have been so unreservedly slutty by grovelling to the DUP or trying to ingratiate themselves with Brit elite when they could. I think SF ought to have done more to try and get or keep people like Alex on board but at same time It is clear that Alex maybe called it right when he did. However use of violence played right into SF"s hand and destroyed any alternative voice of reason that could have effectively stood up to SF. That was ground lost to SF that currently looks like it is lost forever. Not to mention the futility of sapping the energy of more families by creating a new prisoner population that achieved nothing and never would have from the outset.

    When one takes an overall view of the peace process it is pretty evident that tried and tested Brit strategy prevailed; their strength has always been to find willing indigenous 'partners' to rule in their apparent absence; hence Ulsterisation. It is hard to dismiss the idea that high numbers of informers and agents of influence within IRA and SF leaderships ensured the success of Brit strategy. That same strategy also requires the erratic knee-jerk reaction of extremists or radicals to set a contrast that makes something like Ulsterisation appear to be the best option or as you put it good enough.

    When SF was trying to make inroads into elections in the 26 counties someone summed their irrelevance to southern voters very well, "people in Ballymun don't care about doors being kicked in Ballymurphy" in otherwords they have their own daily problems. Alex has not realised that people in Ballymurphy aspire to not having their doors kicked in and that is all he is offering.

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  4. Christy

    I can't see how people like Alex could have been kept on board without a large degree of duplicity and mendacity. The alternative would have had to have been a night of the long knives. In fairness to those who navigated the transition this was skillfully avoided. History suggests there was a real possibility of internecine feuding among Republicans.

    Rather than saying that SF has embraced 'Ulsterisation', which has a connotation within 'Ulsterisation, Normalisation and Criminalisation', it might be more accurate to state that they have accepted partition and have accepted it on the basis of allowing for a possible achievement of an agreed Ireland sometime in the future. This has always been the position of the SDLP and indeed of the other Irish constitutional nationalist parties. Through the GFA it is also has the expressed support of 4/5 citizens on the island.

    Those who oppose GFA have been singularly lacking in imagining an alternative, attractive or workable history. And those who have opposed partition have also failed in providing an alternative hopeful narrative.

    (And then to cap it all when Drogheda local council bestow freedom of the town on Seamie Mallon the local Sinn Féin boyos don't even turn up! Crazy or what?)

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  5. Henry Joy

    You are probably right that Alex may have been in that percentile who could never be persuaded. We now know that the Brits had written some of Adams' speeches so it is not unreasonable to think that the US and/or the Brits had advised them on how to minimise the risk of a feud.

    SF now contribute to the normalisation of Diplock Courts. They argue in defence of Diplock trials that they are now used more sparingly as result of their influence. I say the potential for injustice is ever greater now by having fewer Diplock trials because the stigma and bias against the accused is even greater. SF are fully engaged with maintaining Brit institutions and if a united Ireland should happen all well and good... funny how that was their opinion of the SDLP'S approach.

    You are spot on about those, or most of those, opposed to GFA have put no viable alternative forward. I think a large reason for that was because violent dissidents, and the egos of the alphabet soup brigades, stymied the chances of any coherent opposition to SF policy or strategy. Even when the Belfast Telegraph published a series of well articulated articles from respected republican opponents of SF strategy the dissidents refuse to listen to voices of reason. In effect republicanism is fucked and hardline knuckleheaded violent dissidents ensured that regardless of their complaints about SF doing it.

    What people like Alex seem to fail to grasp is they are trying to use the same old useless tactics in a completely new environment. They have simply fallen into the convenience of doing only so much as what they know rather than adapting or improvising. They are completely incapable of sidestepping the curveball SF tossed them.

    And well put about the preference to being a performing seal than dead fish.

    As for Mr Justice Colton's recent judgment... a diplock judge criticism of the Gardai may have been spot on but there is not the same enthusiasm to be as critical of those involved in abuse within the criminal justice system around him. Besides he did not do anything exceptional when you consider the weakness upon which that prosecution had been based on. He did not criticise the prosecution service for wasting public resources and the court's time in bringing such an unarguable case. He deflected attention from the PPS.

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  6. Christy

    your points on Mr Justice Colton's judgement are well made. Yet I'd be reluctant not to acknowledge the significance of his direction. I think we're better served settling for improvement rather than constantly chasing illusive perfection. Chasing perfection after all is what the rigid idealists like Alex do.

    Real life doesn't roll out like that. Contented living generally requires more nuanced evaluations, a more pragmatic and flexible mindset.

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  7. Henry JOY

    I don't actually think the judge did anything outstanding. A statement was obtained by coercion and someone different was on trial based on the hearsay of that. That was a none runner and why the PPS SHOULD have been taken to task for it. I think Mr justice Weir's judgment in the Hoey case was of greater significanc so their has not been any real improvement since.

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  8. Christy,

    in matters of jurisprudence I'll happily defer to your experience and studies in this domain. The thrust of my commentary is and has been to point out the futility of unworkable solutions that Alex and his like continue to propose.

    Until recent years I would have held positions not that much different from Alex's. I would have castigated groups and individuals who participated within the system as collaborators and would have been irrationally attached to my position. Thankfully with some remedial help, limited travel and exploration of other cultures, and through debate and discussion I've become more flexible in my thinking.

    People say "you can't put an old man's head on a young man's shoulders" ... I can forgive the youth but its pathetic to see and to hear middle-aged and older men pushing such archaic, obsolete and provenly dangerous analysis. Republicans need to fess up to the truth of the matter and that we got it terribly wrong.

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  9. Christy/Henryjoy...

    "You are spot on about those, or most of those, opposed to GFA have put no viable alternative forward. "

    If you mean by "everything" like civil war, marching for civil rights, sectarian tit for tat murders...up to and including political fudges like The GFA and Brexit, I will go along with that line but what Connolly said even if you put a green flag on Dublin Castle, you will still be controlled by her bankers, landlords etc... That hasn't been tried.

    What is wrong with simply telling Westminster and The EU cabal to simply "fcuk off"..and trying what Connolly advocated? What I have learnt about life after 50 yrs on this rock is life is easy to navigate, people make it complicated.

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  10. Frankie,

    talk to Alex about any Year Zero projects. He'll likely give you a hearing

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  11. Frankie
    Few could dispute that Connolly had been spot on about the capitalist system. However, realistically there will be trade off's under any system. I am not advocating that capitalism is good or the better model. But one has to consider it's prominence and how it responds when countries go "rogue'. How could Ireland cope if it were isolated? I don't think we have either the resources or technology to be self sufficient to a reasonable standard we have now... say the first thing we do is improve the health system... would we have the same access to medicines and equipment that we have now? Would we be able to import the same varieties of foods that people have come to take for granted? I am not saying these sort of things are insurmountable. But if we look at the Brexit fiasco as a taster we can see how confused and perplexed the leading Tory party is because they are suddenly confronted with realities and problems they never even contemplated.

    If we consider Ireland's current social services from a human rights perspective for example Ireland has signed up to various international protections of the child yet many of resources that ought to be available just aren't there because we can't afford them. Ireland has difficulty attracting and retaining psychiatrists. It's not just the money but having the infrastructure also. Earlier in the week I was at a conference in Dublin 'My Rights My Lawyer' about young people and the law. An ex inmate of Oberstown described what he experienced particularly the poor standard of legal representation and he asked would he have suffered the same experience had his parents been able to pay for their own Lawyers? It is all well and good aspiring to Connollys ideals but the realities and practicalities are issues unaddressed. I hear people who can recite, with expertise, everything Connolly had to say but that is only regurgitation. I would be fearful of the type of authoritarian society dissidents would like to subject us too, I find they are not as fairminded and reasonable people they think themselves to be. Were Connolly alive he might well observe why get rid of the Brits to have Gestapo?

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  12. Henry,

    I have no need to talk to Alex about his views. I have been reading them for a long time. What I am trying to understand is your views about anyone opposed to the GFA having no viable alternative... From my reading of Irish history everything except Connolly idea has been tried, tested and failed...That's why the island is in the mess it is...

    What's wrong with taking a leaf out of our Viking neighbour's book and having no central bank? Jailing corrupt bankers. Forcing the President to resign because he hides money in a save haven on some tropical island?

    Why don't the unreformed RUC investigate themselves and jail their former colleagues who were involved in murder?

    Why are people like Scap. allowed to roam this rock freely?

    Why shouldn't ordinary working class at least get some crumbs from the table...? We both know there will never be a big rally on the streets to force MLA's back to work. People will march for LGBT rights, free Tommy Robinson but never for basic human rights. I didn't see the big rally to help Billy Calderwell get his CBD oil to keep him alive....But I do hear voices like yours calling for people to respect the GFA because there is no plan B.

    What's wrong with Ireland ruling itself instead of having unelected whoevers in some office in Brussels making decisions for me, you and a boy named Sue...

    What you advocate is bending over and taking one for the team.

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  13. Frankie

    comparing Ireland to Iceland is comparing apples and oranges. Iceland having its own currency gave it greater options ... geothermal and hydro sources of power affords fuel independence that Ireland doesn't have.

    You're a dreamer and an entertaining fantasist Frankie. Maybe yourself, Alex and Grouch ought link up? See how that works out. Good luck with all your daft and juvenile ideas. In the meantime the realists contribute by baking bread and crushing the grapes.

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  14. Frankie

    A corrupt banker has been jailed only this week. I'd say there's not enough of them jailed. You should not overlook that because of the EU human rights in Ireland have improved. The hygiene and safety standards in food and work place are better. Environmental protection exist that probably would not.

    I think you also miss the point Henry JOY is making... There is no viable alternative to the GFA violent dissidents ensured that. Another ancient writer wrote a manual on the art of war and his advice was that after suffering a defeat you don't fragment your dwindling forces even more but consolidate them... run away and live to fight another day. He also had advice about having too many chiefs and not enough Indians... the burden of having too many unashamed egos

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  15. Christy,

    If we consider Ireland's current social services from a human rights perspective for example Ireland has signed up to various international protections of the child yet many of resources that ought to be available just aren't there because we can't afford them

    The human rights that Ireland and Britian have signed up to, look good and are impressive on paper until put into practice. They, the human rights UN endorsed lines on a page that this island signed, don't mean a thing, neither has it to do with having no money, no matter what you are told. They simply don't give a fcuk. What about your human rights when you got arrested and charged for something you didn't commit? How were they proctected by the British Army, RUC, PO's, Judges and some of your learned friends...? Maybe I am wrong but my understanding is, you protected and defended your own human rights by getting yourself tooled up and understanding legalise amongst other things. What is the true state of the rendition flights that flew over and landed on these two island's? How exactly were the human rights of whoever was on board protected? Or 'our' very own hooded men, hunger strikers, Castlereagh. Why didn't both Dublin and London go all out to ensure the human rights, that they signed up to were enforced? What about the human rights of whoever on this island dying of parkinsons or other, whose family are simply watching a loved one waste away. What kind of life is that? If I had a German Shepard who's hind legs were poxed, I'd have to take it to a vet and put the beast of out its misery otherwise I run the risk of being brought before a judge charged with animal cruelty. But a human being slouching and drooling in a wheel chair being spoon fed by a family member, we'll just let them wither away in agony while the family suffer in silence.

    Just very recently Charlotte Caldwell was advised to let her son slip into a coma because as She said "He was of more value to them dead than alive, a brain to dissect, a science project."

    Christy, it's not that there isn't any money around to enforce 'Ireland's current social services from a human rights perspective', the money is managed arse about face and not directed at those who it is intended for. The human rights that these two islands have signed up to like I said, look great on paper and nothing more. Isn't it closer to the truth to say, when you are born your human rights go out the window because they own your strawman, unless you are a dog.

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  16. Henryjoy/Christy....
    Let's get back to Connollys vision. Firstly, I have no doubt that you know lots of people who can recite every word Connolly penned in much the same way as Wolfie can quote the Bible chapter and verse. I think some people forget what was happening on this rock when Connolly was alive and forget he smelt and lived in the slums of Glasgow, Dublin and New York. He had to of known that the creation of the US Federal Reserve on Christmas eve 1913 was a bad move for the working class (and knew who the original movers and shakers were) and knew the WC weren't going to get a crumb never mind crumbs. I wonder what he would have made of The Anglo Irish tapes and how Dublin allowed EU Central banks to financially rape people and leave them homeless? Wouldn't be surprised to hear he is saying "Told you so", somewhere in another dimension. A resource based economy that another visionary Jacques Fresco advocated isn't much different to Connollys vision on how to redistribute the wealth more equally, end poverty of this rock and help mankind evolve into a civilised race we aspire to be.

    This the 21st century and we still apply 18th century laws to keep the divide between the have and have not's wider, deeper and fewer between. Is there enough brain power to be able to build a few green houses around Cork and Kerry to grow the exotic veggies and fruits we have all come to love. Yep. Does the island have more than enough natural resources to give us free energy or are there enough beasts on farms to make sure we all have fresh bacon rashers with our fry's. Answer to both again is yes. It really depends on how anyone looks at problems take these Welsh Villagers who dug their own trench after waiting for a mutli national to do the job, using their collective resolve and found the best solution to a problem. There wont be a Cuba style embargo anymore than there would be Irianian or NK sytled sanctions. The Irish American vote wouldn;t allow it and that vote is crucial.



    Christy I read about the outcome. Very lenient sentences considering the untold damage they done to families across the island. How many suicides were there again because of corrupt bankers illegal repossessions and only a few years in prison?

    "Former Anglo executive Mr McAteer, 65, was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison while his former colleague Mr Bowe, 52, received a sentence of two years."

    We still have a long way to go before we catch up with the Vikings....

    "Relatively few bankers have been criminally penalised for their role in the global financial crash so far, although Iceland has jailed 29 financial bosses for their role in the event which crippled the county’s economy."

    What about a working class families human right not to be screwed by the people they put their trust and money with.....?

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  17. Henryjoy,
    It wasn't that long ago the island had it's own currency. It was called The Punt. Bring it back, we both know the Euro is going no where. Here is visionary idea for you to dream about Henry, after telling both London and Brussels to kindly fcuk off and leave us alone, we simply pay everyone in "bit coins" or some other crypto currency, by passing every Central Bank that BRICS can build. Chances are we will be doing what they do in completing Block Chains goto 17mins 30secs and watch until the end, 15mins of your life HJ, explains everything you need to know, maybe we will get a loaf instead of merely crumbs. After all everything else on this rock is AI, we are verging on a contactless, cashless society after all.

    This Capitalist system that some heads keep saying is the best show on the road, up there with what Brendan Hughes called the Got Fuck All , is it only based on wars and famine, rich and poor, if so it doesn't look like a great deal from where I am sitting. Wars based on lies, some kid in deepest darkest Africa not even getting a pea nut a day to live on.

    Henry, what do you think are the chances of Mary Lou attending the up coming inter Gov something, and doing away with the hand shake protocol, phoning Megan and Kate asking if the wanted a girly lets be friends night out, knowing it wont cost them a penny and the PR would be a proganda coup.. Its not beyond the realms.

    Anyway you dress things up there is either too much lithium and fluoride in the water or we are only cave men in HD.

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  18. Frankie,

    the gravitational pull of the 'cave man' is always there.

    The European Project was an attempt to break out of that gravitational pull. Remember Frankie its less than eighty years since the unleashing of unspeakable horrors across a sizeable portion of the planet.
    I had the privlidge to spend a few days in Warsaw recently. I visited 'The Warsaw Uprising Museum', walked through the Warsaw Ghetto and spent some time in the the reconstructed Old Town which the Nazi's obliterated and left worse than Aleppo. And all that as the Red Army cynically waited and watched from across The Vistulla River. It is a cautionary reminder how fragile peaceful co-existence can be. Rather than constantly focusing on the negative flaws of the EU we surely must acknowledge its positive aspects and intentions too.


    And yes more female involvement helps curtail male competitiveness and brings balance to any endeavour. So what, if Mary Lou were to go on a girlie night out with the Royals.
    In similar vein, I was heartened to see Arlene Foster at the Ulster Final in Clones, sitting along side Minister Heather Humphries with Michelle O'Neill directly behind. One little bit of footage caught the three ladies chatting and smiling in the afternoon sunshine: what in the name of goodness could be wrong with that?
    I was so delighted that I phoned Arlene's office in Enniskillen the following morning to leave my congratulations for having attended!


    We've come a long way form the 1913 lock-outs ... even Connolly would be surprised at the changes. Though things are far removed from what he aspired to I'm certain he would see the merit and value of societies having moved forward towards equalising opportunities of access to decent standards of housing, greater equalisation in access to education and thus leading to more equal opportunities for individual advancement. If he were to consider the overall history, to include how things panned out with the Soviet Union and in China he might rightly conclude that evolution towards equality of opportunity rather than demanding equality of outcomes is as likely to be as good as it gets.

    Our efforts, both nationally and internationally, ought be rigidly fixed on consolidation at this fractious time.

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  19. HenryJoy,

    " Rather than constantly focusing on the negative flaws of the EU we surely must acknowledge its positive aspects and intentions too."

    I prefer to concentrate on the realities of the mess the EU was allowed to get itself in. These positive aspects. Such as the financial rape of Ireland, crippling the economy of Greece, letting an immigration crisis they created get so far out of control they can't even paper over the cracks anymore. Give me a few positive things HJ the EU has done. Their intentions are simple to understand, they ( the elites, for want of a better description) simply want to screw everyone around them and they don't care about the cost on any level ( money, social deprivation, unemployment figures or why more young people have died in these six counties in a shorter space of time than died in the conflict.). The EU and Brexit is all about control of your life nothing more. Fcuk the lot of them.

    "I had the privilege to spend a few days in Warsaw recently. I visited 'The Warsaw Uprising Museum', walked through the Warsaw Ghetto"

    I don't need to get on a plane, train or automobile and go Poland All I have to do is walk the ghettoed streets of Belfast and Derry or the highways and byways of Fermanagh, Tyrone, Down and Armagh to understand mans inhumanity. It wasn't that long ago when Dragons Teeth were sown here. Click the link and scroll to the 5th paragraph until you see the line..."The post-1968 violence dwarfs any previous conflict in scale, intensity and duration" and read what Bernadette C. Hayes from the Department of Sociology (Queens) and Ian McAllister, Research School of Social Sciences (Australian National University) had to say when they prepared a paper for the meetings of the Political Studies Association for the London School of Economics and Political Science......

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  20. Henry....

    "I was so delighted that I phoned Arlene's office in Enniskillen the following morning to leave my congratulations for having attended!"

    Did you also tell her to get off her fat arse and go and do the well paid job she was elected for instead of going to watch a GAA football match with Michelle, so they could have a paparazzi taking pics of them giggling? DId you ask her what exactly was the extent of her part in the RHI scandal...? We know you said "Fair play to Arlene for going to watch a GAA football match...."

    One little bit of footage caught the three ladies chatting and smiling in the afternoon sunshine: what in the name of goodness could be wrong with that?

    Loads. It was done for the optics and nothing else. If you want the space between your ears filled with a photoshoot, it's your space, not mine. I will call it for what it was. A PR stunt that went no where.

    " And yes more female involvement helps curtail male competitiveness and brings balance to any endeavour."

    Bollicks. For all their collective faults at least when McGuinness, Trimble, Mallon, Robinson, Paisley, Blair, Ahern (all men) etc were running the show it kinda worked and for the most part they spoke to each other across a table and Ministers actually signed off proposals. Now we have May, Foster, O'Neil, Bradley, Long, Kelly and Mary Lou (all women) who can't even decide what colour lipstick to wear.

    even Connolly would be surprised at the changes. Though things are far removed from what he aspired to I'm certain he would see the merit and value of societies having moved forward towards equalising opportunities of access to decent standards of housing, greater equalisation in access to education and thus leading to more equal opportunities for individual advancement

    Henry what housing equality? Such as the one where I linked about housing equality to you previous reply to you. Explain why Catholics take six moths longer to be housed than Protestants. As for the decent standard of living. Go to any working class community in the north, either divide and tell me all about the nice flower beds on peoples lawns, surrounded by white picket fencing you see. What happens with this great edcuation system we have today, apart from churning out 25year old snowflakes with degree's that aren't worth the paper it was printed on and in debt up to the eye ball's. Whats wrong with a free education? And teaching tomorrows leaders how to think for themselves instead of spewing common purpose

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  21. Frankie

    Ireland loves to sign up to international agreements but can't or won't honour them. Ireland cannot fund a lot of services and in particular fundamental services for children, disabled and the elderly. It is not just the money Ireland cannot attract enough psychologist because Ireland does not have the infrastructure to provide the live conveniences and pursuits they want. Parts of Ireland are still rated as 3rd world standards.

    As for human rights. There is no human right to a cure. However we can all enough a basic level of medical care which can involve longer than reasonable waiting time. As for justice. I Fact is people can expect a better chance in and It court thanpossibly most other courts in the world. The phenomena of miscarriage of justice is not something that exists in UK us or Ireland. Such a thing is not an issue at all in other countries because their legal systems are so bad or corrupt. Under the various dissident groups I would be fearful of living in the sort of authoritarian regimes that they would impose in the name of Connolly.

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  22. Frankie

    the article you linked to from the Belfast Telegraph offered reasonable explanations as to why there are differences in allocations in different areas. Read it again.

    As someone who has lived sixty plus years on, as you put it, this rock my thinking has mellowed and, I'd like to think, has matured somewhat from the heady idealism of youth. The longer one survives the easier it is to reference events in a longer time frame and hence in a broader context. You on the other hand, like Alex, seem to be entrenched and stuck in perfectionist expectations (which ironically predisposes the idealist to continuous disappointment). You guys just can't seem to get past the fact that hierarchical structures are inevitable. There will always be small fry and big fish. And sometimes the big fish will gobble the fry. The world is oft times a harsh and cruel place Frankie. Our ability to change it is greatly restricted save but to change ourselves: to rise above previously fixated ideas, to take a longer view and see a broader context.
    In the broader context the vast majority of average citizens in the West are living lives, or have the potential and freedom to live one, beyond the dreams of medieval princes and princesses. We are all the descendants of peoples who have survived plagues, famine and feudal warfare. The challenge is to make new mistakes and learn from those mistakes rather than endlessly repeating old patterns.
    We must continue to evolve. To do that we must acknowledge some realities. Realities such as hierarchies. There will always hierarchies. They are hard-wired into us after-all. The best we can aspire to, and practise, is benevolent ones of competency rather than repeatedly sustaining hierarchies of power ... which of themselves have an inevitable tendency to self-corrupt and collapse.

    Patience my man, find time to review your youthful idealism ... and settle for evolution as opposed to revolution.

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  23. Henry,
    the article you linked to from the Belfast Telegraph offered reasonable explanations as to why there are differences in allocations in different areas. Read it again.

    When you read any news headline do you ever try to get behind the story or do you accept the things you read as the whole story? Next time you re-read the piece, keep this in mind. The important part of the link was The Equalities Commission Report. Not the politically correct jargon about Abdul getting a house and now he is happy because he feels free to be able to give it the habdulla's five times a day. What the Tele didn't say was in North Belfast there is land that was ear marked for social housing and it would have put a big dent in everything from paying benefits, going someway to solving a homeless crisis, bringing in employment, putting structures in place so tomorrows leaders don't end up burnt out by the time they are 30 because of their opiate addiction. The Tele also forgot to mention that the DUP deputy leader and MP for the area, Nigel Dodds and the PUP mustered forces in opposition to homes for families on the site because there would be too many catholic families living there. Just up the road from the space at Hillview, the NIHE are 5 years into transforming the oxymorons that carve up Belfast. And it's going no where. Henry, now you are mellowing in your twlight years of three score plus ten think about this. Today the UK is championing the revolutionary idea's of Aneurin Bevan and the NHS and on this part of equation the six counties doesn't have a health minister to make sure the buget's that are meant to be signed off are signed off never mind sorting out the mess the NHS is in and coming up with concrete policies to reduce waiting lists. That's some of the realities that you champion Henry by way of your vocal support of the GFA, a non functioning assembly and housing discrimination. I can't speak for any one but myself. I will never champion that hypocrisy.

    You on the other hand, like Alex, seem to be entrenched and stuck in perfectionist expectations (which ironically predisposes the idealist to continuous disappointment).

    I am with Fresco and having a world with out money and if being paid in bit coins brings us closer to that idea, whats wrong with that.? But unfortunatley most people still buy into the line about bit coins are bad because they fund terrorism, drugs, guns. The crimes that are committed by banks the world over with Green Backs, Euro etc are no different to the crimes paid for by crypto's on the Deep Web. Big difference is with banks, they can decide if they want to give you your money and you don't have a say while with crypto's the money stays in your wallet and virtually untraceable.

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  24. Henry,

    We are all the descendants of peoples who have survived plagues, famine and feudal warfare.

    All for Leo's vision of Ireland 2040 .

    "The challenge is to make new mistakes and learn from those mistakes rather than endlessly repeating old patterns"

    Then why are there still wars, famines, political fudges, seems to me that mankind is still endlessly repeating old patterns and not learning much from past mistakes. The hierarchies, big fish eating smaller fry that you say will always be in place because thats the natural order of things and being subservient is the best anyone can hope for is gay. If you want to bend over and take one for the team, it's your ass not mine.

    Patience my man, find time to review your youthful idealism ... and settle for evolution as opposed to revolution.

    Henry, unless people actually wake up and look around whats happening there wont be a next generation filled with 'youthful idealism' to inspire us to evolve.

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  25. shit fein are definitely taking one for the team frankie -

    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DhXD0JeW4AAELMn.jpg


    the land of the gaels is now the land of the gaylords.

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  26. Christy,
    "Ireland loves to sign up to international agreements but can't or won't honour them. Ireland cannot fund a lot of services and in particular fundamental services for children, disabled and the elderly."

    The island is a wash with money both sides of the border to pay for whatever it wants. Take for instance the £9million found to keep MLA's paid for a job they aren't doing added to the almost £400,000 found given so the local hoods don't burn tyres on the 12th July or by giving the DHLA something else to do, other than stealing cars and death driving like go to a festival in West Belfast add to the list the £100,000 spent to go to Amsterdam by Belfast City Council and incase you want a bit more Christy, why not dig into next years freebie to Cannes in the South of France. They have already voted to increase their slush fund by £20,000 .

    They can find, give or take £10 million when they want. How many services for kids do you think that could provide? How many doctors, teachers, fire fighters could be invested in or community bus services put on so the elderly or disabled can get about? How many pot holes could be filled? Because there is no minister to sign off on any deal Derry airport could very well close in the not to near distant future.

    "A report compiled by the council's head of finance Alfie Dallas, which has been seen by the BBC, says the airport is "seeking immediate access to the £2.5million Route Development Fund."

    Which almost makes what you said a self fulfilling prophecy....

    It is not just the money Ireland cannot attract enough psychologist because Ireland does not have the infrastructure to provide the live conveniences and pursuits they want

    Christy, I have shown you how at least £10 million is being either pissed against a wall, paying MLA's for gardening leave or keeping secterianism alive dressing it up expressions of cultural identidy. There is money, lots of it.................................

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  27. AM

    Is it acceptable to express those sort of homophobic comments by Grouch on this forum?

    I stress I do not seek to censor any arguments but all I ask for is civility.

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  28. Barry, if it was not acceptable the comments would not be accepted. If you are not trying to have him censored what is it you are trying to do by objecting to the comments? Brendan O'Neill of Spiked Online previously described the phobia tag as an attempt to pathologise dissent. I don't subscribe to them. That said, should you not be pleased when an adversary is reduced to what you regard as such a bilious stance. Rather than engage with a rant simply ignore it. You won the argument a long time ago.

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  29. hahahahahahhahaahahahahhahahahaaha


    the man who is okay with abortion on demand finds the word - gaylord - something worth getting his knickers in a twist. barry - 'all I ask for is civility' you say - well then stop supporting abortion. you've just stripped a group of your fellow human beings of their right to life. yet you crave civilty. nuts. you wont get any civility from this grouchy bastard.

    as for homophobia - thats a nonsense word and a bullying tactic. and bullying is what cultural marxism is all about - bullying, shutting down debate and intimidating others.

    as you know baby girls are targeted for death in the womb now in some countries. what if there was some test the 'doctors' could do which would determine the likely sexuality of an unborn child? what if macho countries like Brazil started aborting baby boys and girls who were likely to be gay when they grew up.
    WOULD YOU CIVILITY CRAVERS BE CLAIMING THEN THAT IT WAS STILL A CHOICE???????????
    I mean everything is a choice now isnt it????? Can i not choose to end the life of my potentially gay child.

    I AM NOT HOMOPHOBIC (whatever that means) BUT I CERTAINLY WILL TAKE THE PISS OUT OF THE GAY MAFIA WHO HAVE TAKEN OVER POLITICS AND THE MEDIA HERE. TIL MY LAST BREATH. AND BOY HAVE THEY TAKEN OVER THE PARTY MANY READING THIS WOULD ONCE HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIVES UP FOR. SF are a cross between Fine Gayle and the Village People now. its fun to stay at the YMCA SF LGBTQ HQ (ie sfs falls road head office). young man, theres a place you can go...........

    as for your claim Anthony that 'you won the argument a long time ago' - neither barry nor the odious doctor grimes nor una doolally nor killy holland won ANY arguments either a long time ago or recently on this issue. you won the propaganda war alright and you won the referendum but you didnt and you wont win any 'argument'.

    my Grouch my choice. Grouchily autonomy. care compassion Grouch. i trust Grouchmen. Grouchita. thats all you came out with.

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  30. Grouch what was that link about? I have looked at a few times and with a couple of heads I know and apart from the sound of a kid and voices in the back ground we can't make head nor tail of it. Enlighten us

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  31. frankie, im not sure, is it the one with gerry kelly blowing on a butt-plug?

    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DhXD0JeW4AAELMn.jpg

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  32. Christy,
    As for human rights. There is no human right to a cure. However we can all enough a basic level of medical care which can involve longer than reasonable waiting time

    The GFA that you and a host of others say is the only viable show on the road, give vocal support, can you explain to Charlottle Caldwell how hers sons human rights are being protected. And why the British Goverment will allow the NHS to administer medical grade heroin to end his life in a hospital but refuse him medical grade cannabis oil to keep him alive, in the comfort of his own home.

    The agreement marked a commitment to “the mutual respect, the civil rights and the religious liberties of everyone in the community” and Britain agreed to incorporate the European Convention of Human Rights into the law of Northern Ireland.

    As for justice. I Fact is people can expect a better chance in and It court thanpossibly most other courts in the world. The phenomena of miscarriage of justice is not something that exists in UK us or Ireland.

    Is that what you tell yourself Christy every day you look in the mirror, knowing you were sent to prison for a crime you didn't commit. Somehow I don't think the Tony Taylor's of these islands tell themselves that or the Guildford four, Birmingham six, Maguire seven's of yester-year told themselves each morning there is " no miscarriage of justice " on these island's. What about John Stalker, set up by MI5 because he was doing his best to un ravel the truth about shoot to kill., he had no chance for a fair hearing first time around but that's all the time Special Branch/Mi5 needed to hide human rights abuses. Why are the Scaps and Gary Haggarty's allowed to excape justice?

    The document that you and others voted for, lend vocal support has slush funds that do nothing to eradicate poverty denies the human right to life, supports sectarianism by ways of expressing cultural identidy. Another legacy of the GFA is more young people have died than died in the conflict over a shorter space of time. Not a great deal anyway you look at it.

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  33. Frankie

    your points about inequality are well made but to declare that unless we embrace more radicalism there won't be a next generation fired up with youthful idealism is wide of the mark. Yes youth will have its fling but on the other hand youthful political action must mature if it is to have continuing impact. Political movements, if they are to survive, must transcend idealistic aspiration and embrace constraints and realities when they come against superior forces. That is why in this country partition has come to be essentially accepted. Most rational people accept, albeit reluctantly by a majority, that 13/16th's of the loaf was to be better than no bread; the price of pursuing the 'full loaf' eventually became too great. I'm not suggesting this is something to like, yet I believe my interpretation is a closer approximation of how such matters tend to work and how things pan out in the lived world.

    We could hurl from the ditch on this forever and a day but history suggests that stability requires compromises. Of necessity many are unpalatable ones. McCracken predicted that the rich would always betray the poor; onto which my late father placed the addendum 'and so it will be until the end of time'. Although my father's words rankled with me at the time I have come to see the wisdom therein. Sure Frankie we ought attempt curb the excesses of the rich and powerful but we ought be realistic in our appraisals, according to timing and context, to what's achievable and to what price we and our companeros are prepared to pay.

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  34. Henryjoy,

    Is this idea too radical. In a few months time kids all across the island will be going back to school. How about keeping the maths and science subjects, keep the literature and language subjects, totally revise the history that is taught and tell them what really happened and maybe the next generation will think for themselves. Instead the system sends them to Uni and turns out snowflakes with worthless degrees. Why are kids never taught about Ancient Mesopotamia and The Sumerians or how the demise of the Egyptian empire was in large part cause by the Sea Peoples. Instead they fill kids heads with stories how a bastard child was nailed to a cross for someones sins and how Kings and Queens have absolute power. Hows about teaching them along side the family feud called World War 1, companies like Rockerfella's Standard oil were secretly stoking the flames for their own nefarious ends and screwing as many people and countries over a possible. They'd end up with a better understanding of the Palestinian conflict and the real reasons for the partition of Ireland than the scripted nonsense MSM or their teacher spout.

    So 'youthful political action must mature' and be corrupted absolutely by absolute power? Thats exactly what happens. Superior forces, such as, who has the biggest gun, a bigger stick than you, most money in the bank. What about political movements simply giving people what they promised to give back if elected? What have the superior forces of Sinn Fein, DUP, Tory Gov given back? Apart from the GFA and annexe's like St. Andrews not forgetting everyones pet subject of the moment Brexit.

    For who Henry? Did the Irish population in the partitioned six counties get a great deal from the 3/16ths that was left? Do the Irish living in the partitioned 26 county state masquerading as an independant Republic really have a good deal? We already know from recent history they don't have real democracy when push comes to shove. How democratic was Lisbon 2? If Soros and Barnier have their way May will force a new referendum on the British and spin it. And Leo will hail it as a success

    Things pan out the way you say only because people are brain washed into thinking that way. Do you want to know the real reason why Ireland can't afford a full loaf Henyjoy...It is because the banks and corrupt landlords that Connolly, Mc Cracken and the rest warned us about, think we are nothing more than a vegetable called an onion and know all about the rash 'you' got. History, no matter where the cut off point is shows, not suggests, we haven't leant a thing from past mistakes.

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  35. Frankie

    The Caldwell case is a sad example of bureaucracy. Peoples human rights are abused regularly. They are not officially breached unless a court with juridiction says so... there can be many reasons why a case might get no formal declaration.

    Regardless of my own predicament I am conscious that the legal systems and prisons in other countries can be many times worse in other countries. There are jails so over crowded that the inmates have to take turns sleeping. While not another country; I have been involved with several family/child law cases down here... a child accused of serious crime has fewer rights or protections than adults had in Diplock Courts. For instance an adult can remain silent, or not during garda interogations... so can a child but a child is then subjected to prolonged 'supervision' by nazi social workers who never heard of the presumption of innocence... in fact the whole family gets pulled apart during the 'supervision'. The court hearings are in secret (in camera) and the same judge was involved in all the cases and he was savage -i have never encountered a diplock judge as obnoxious and savage as one particular family court judge. Speaking privately with another family court judge he agreed with me and then referred to the impossibility of establishing what imapct the social workers had on the criminal proceedings.

    I have no hesitation in saying that I could put up a better fight in a diplock court than being a kid charged with a serious offence in the southern legal system. The role, or interference, that social workers play is left out of consideration. It is not dissimilar from closed material proceedings. Social workers can get away with just about anything ... so long as they say the magic words "It's in the best interests of the child" the value of those words are comparable to a diplock judge referring to the accused as a "fenian bastard" during the trial.

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  36. Christy,
    It is good to see Billy Caldwell back in the comfort of his own home but it wasn't because 'a court with juridiction says so' it has more to do with what SDLP MLA for West Tyrone Daniel McCrossan said

    “I am glad common sense has finally prevailed and that Billy can get access to this life saving oil at home, surrounded by his friends and family, and not 80 miles away in Belfast,"

    Isn't that what common law is based on common sense. And Ireland still hasn't broken from Britian from the things Connolly warned about such as the banks, legal system, education system. Irelands laws aren't based on Irish needs but British wants. And as I said earlier Christy, isn't it closer to the truth to say....." when you are born your human rights go out the window because they own your strawman."

    "The Republic has a common-law legal system with a written constitution that provides for a parliamentary democracy based on the British parliamentary system" (from wiki)

    Is that what it is all about Christy? Irish laws based on a British system. When most of those laws were made, we both know what the British were getting up to all over this rock. All that has happened since, is the laws have been updated so people can be screwed over digitally. Why didn't the police arrest Tyson Fury for putting coke up his nose yet they will bust some 25yr old snowflake for having a badly cut 2grms in his pocket? Same crime. Is that because as you were asked in a forum you attened recently, all down to how big your bank balance is, how big of a celebrity your are? Doesn't sound fair if true.

    "I am conscious that the legal systems and prisons in other countries can be many times worse in other countries. There are jails so over crowded that the inmates have to take turns sleeping. "

    Null and void argument, thats like comparing chalk and cheese, water and oil. You have to compare like with like and in the Western world, it is much of a muchness in rule of law index.

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  37. cont...

    a child accused of serious crime has fewer rights or protections than adults had in Diplock Courts. For instance an adult can remain silent, or not during garda interogations... so can a child but a child is then subjected to prolonged 'supervision' by nazi social workers who never heard of the presumption of innocence...

    While the adult charged under Diplock lawa (not common law) is locked up for 23 hours a day, refused basic nedical needs, refused access to lawyers and for good measure sometimes kicked in the groin by the nazi screws in prison. I know that because every so often prisoners from Roe House have pieces on here, explaining what is happening. And lawyers like yourself do your best to defend their human rights

    Social workers can get away with just about anything ... so long as they say the magic words "It's in the best interests of the child" the value of those words are comparable to a diplock judge referring to the accused as a "fenian bastard" during the trial.

    I am sure if a diplock judge never uttered those words in court, they sure as hell thought about it while sending knowingly innocent men and women further along the Castlereagh conveyer belt to the blocks. Social workers are just another piece of the amoury the state has to beat people up with. I know how social workers work, I know how they work in France. I told three of them to "fcuk off", dismissed my lawyer and told the judge she is applies French Law differently between native French and immigrants like me. I walked out of court and paid no attention to the decision the court made. Today I am glad I made that choice and so are my kids.

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  38. Frankie

    Common law and its procedural rules is not bad legal model; its human element is usually the problem. I was only speaking of the pretrial process that children and their families encounter. If a parent took themselves ad their children out legal proceedings as you say you did then in this part of the world there would be very real likelihood that the Gardai would accompany social workers to serve a care order and the kids would be taken away ...at least until the parents agree to engage in the proceedings again.

    Some of Connolly's obervations have been spot on but in terms of realisation they are not much different than the theories of teleportation to other planets; we can grasp the concept but the practicalities have been holding us back.

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  39. Frankie

    once again thanks for your fulsome reply. I think the main differences in our positions are reflective of those that often separate the idealists from the pragmatists.

    I ndeireadh na dála a Phroinséas, our disappointments are invariably proportionate to our expectations. Unfortunately we're wanting beings. We all want for more of something: some more money, some more power, some more security, some more freedom, some more autonomy, some more connection, some more love, some more peace, some more justice, some more equality, some more fairness and so it goes on and on. Everyone pursuing more and more of something. We're hardwired for it.

    Every adult is a broken-hearted idealist. The pragmatic man or woman matures to accept limitation and to place their 'suffering' in a wider context. They learn to make comparisons with more unpleasant possible outcomes, to imagine alternative histories, to develop gratitude and continuously update their internal maps so that they may navigate life's vicissitudes more skillfully. They overcome thier childish condition of low-frustration tolerance. They acquire the wisdom of allowing themselves to be content with feeling discontent occasionally. They outgrow their sense of victim-hood and persecuted status or latch on to coping strategies to overcome their babyishness. They make friends with impermanence and uncertainty.

    Religion, which you seem to deride, is one such mechanism:

    "Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people." Karl Marx


    (The fundamental anti-theists would do well to bare that in mind. Ironically, many of that cohort are unconscious ideologues and theists too.)


    You have every right to remain a "rock-a-billy" on the fringes Frankie. My concern is, if everybody did that, who'd crush the grapes?

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  40. HenryJoy,
    It is pointless quoting Marx to me. My thoughts on Marx are, he is like Jazz music, far to complicated for most people to understand whats going on. Thats why I love Rockabilly music, a guitar, slap bass and a snare drum. By keeping things simple Henry and not over complicating things, the message, whatever it is, gets heard.

    You have every right to remain a "rock-a-billy" on the fringes Frankie. My concern is, if everybody did that, who'd crush the grapes?

    Who would crush the grapes? At a guess the same or similar type of machines that make cars. This is the 21st century. How long are we out of the caves? Somewhere between 100,000's and Wolfies 6,000 years and we still wipe are arses on toilet paper. On the June 30, 2018 at 8:23 PM, I replied to you and posted a link about about a resourced based economy. It's a ten minute video, watch it. Having one of those would eliminate most of the crime, poverty, corruption on this rock. What people have to do is stop equating everything to a monetary value and start to use their collective brain power to advance as a race, species whatever.

    As things stand from where I sit, the powers that be are doing their best to sell everyone a pup from the minute you wake up each day. All you have to do is look at the six counties. It's a joke. Same faces every 18mths/2yrs canvass for votes to increase slush funds, take bribes in the form of holdays to the tune of £100k , some miss opourtunties to vote to advance their cause of a 32 democratic island because the wont swear an oath to a family they have tea and cuccumber sandwiches with. You couldn't make it up.

    "We all want for more of something: some more money, some more power..."

    What about wanting a fair deal, not to be screwed....told the truth. And whats with this about pragmatic people dreaming about an alternative history...

    They learn to make comparisons with more unpleasant possible outcomes, to imagine alternative histories,

    Henryjoy do you imagine that like Hitler, fascism was also a big loser in WW2 or the Easter Rising ignited the Irish people to finally force the British off the island for good. Why waste time and energy thinking about how history might have been and the odd if only thrown in for good measure. What about looking back atit and saying "Were we that primitive?" We don't have to look back that far...

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  41. Christy,
    I detest social workers, family courts as a rule...strong arm tactics and from my own experience and listening to others, the kids voice gets drowned out with all the squabbling and in fighting. I mentioned here on this blog a few years ago. (11:50 PM, June 17, 2014) what happened. I wasn't going to listen to two social workers telling me whats best for my kids when they never met them. Neither was I going to listen anymore to a Judge, who also never met my kids, tell me when I could or couldn't see them. If my kids want to see or talk to me, that's their call and no one else's.......

    Some of Connolly's obervations have been spot on but in terms of realisation they are not much different than the theories of teleportation to other planets; we can grasp the concept but the practicalities have been holding us back.

    The only thing from preventing us realising anything Connolly talked about is ourselves. The practicalities that held the Connolly's of this world back from doing their best to make sure everyone got something are the same reasons today. The only difference is people are more informed but do nothing about readdressing the imbalance. Everyday Christy you do your best to stop people getting screwed over by the system in a court room. What about in between the court apperences Why don't laywers instead of talking with Judges and proscecution foes about distant cases over beer on a Friday, meet up in the chambers on a Monday and remove the laws that are slowing the system down, screwing people over unnessecessarily, seperating familes, forcing people from their homes. And if you can't remove them at least agree on never applying laws that are wrong on every level ever again....Become conscientious objectors of sorts, so people at least have a fighting mans chance against the system.

    Christy, or anyone.... what do you think Connolly would have thought about the great socialist leaders of the 20th century like Arafat, Castro, Adams.....all having bank accounts that read like telephone numbers?

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  42. "I was so delighted that I phoned Arlene's office in Enniskillen the following morning to leave my congratulations for having attended! One little bit of footage caught the three ladies chatting and smiling in the afternoon sunshine: what in the name of goodness could be wrong with that?"

    Henry,
    So you believed Foster and Salfords P.R. stunt. Christopher Stalford MLA for part of South Belfast has a constituency office on the Sandy Row. Now less than two minutes walk from there, there is a hostel. And this morning the outside walls were and still are covered in black spray paint (some of the lettering is several feet high, rules out 8yr old kids) saying TAIGS OUT, GET OUT S/R (Sandy row). Now the RUC have known about it from at least 8am this morning. So far a no show. Belfast City Council and the NIHE know about it and so far the expressions of cultural identity are still visble for people to see.

    Now if they had painted Jews out, Muslims out etc it would at least be a foot print in the Belfast Telegraph, News Letter..30seconds on BBC Radio Ulster by now.

    So while Chris and Arlene went out on a day trip for the optics, Salfords voters want taigs out. I have photos to prove it.....And people still want me to believe everyone is loved up and sectarianism is dead..

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  43. Frankie

    I did have a look at that video ... and have looked at it again. A resource based economy is all very aspirational and though set out after initial truisms about changes in robotics and decreasing labour requirements in manufacturing it then takes a highly speculative jump, and I might add a still unproven and unlikely one, that there will be no hierarchies in your "Walden Two" world.

    Its just more wishful thinking of another idealist that has little chance of fruition.

    Done on this one ... over and out, HJ.

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