A great distortion
A chairde,
A Great Hatred (Channel 4, Wednesday 15 October) was aptly named,
not because it produced any evidence of anti-Semitism on the part
of Irish republicans - it didn't - but because it revealed the
depth of the ``great hatred'' that the programme makers have for
Irish republicans. The programme was so full of distortions,
misrepresentations, lies and bigotry that I am amazed that it
could be broadcast without any opposing view to give some
semblance of balance.
If Channel 4 had really wished to find evidence of fascism, it
should look at those opposed to the kind of left-wing
republicanism represented by Sinn Féin. Those right-wing clerics
who ranted against Jews in Limerick in 1904 (before Sinn Féin was
even founded!) also excommunicated republicans who opposed the
Treaty which established partition in 1922. Arthur Griffith, who
preached anti-Semitism, also opposed republicans in the Civil War
and went on to set up the precursor to Fine Gael - a party that
one ``Great Hatred'' contributor, Eoghan Harris, has advised and
assisted.
In the lead-up to World War 2, while Irish republicans, and IRA
Volunteers like Frank Ryan in particular, went to Spain to defend
democracy, republicanism and socialism alongside fellow
republicans in the International Brigade, Fine Gael leader
General O'Duffy established the fascist Blueshirts to assist,
along with Hitler, fellow dictator General Franco.
It is true that IRA leader Russell went to Germany to try to
secure the release of Frank Ryan and to try to get guns to fight
Britain's occupation of Ireland. To suggest that this indicates
anti-Semitism is akin to asserting that Britain supported the
actions of Saddam Hussein or the Argentinean generals just
because the British Government sold weapons to them. Anyway, the
Officials/Workers' Party/Democratic Left, which have been
supported by many contributors to ``Great Hatred'', used to claim
to be more directly descended from Russell's IRA than the
Provisionals who broke away because of the Stalinism of the
Officials and their failure to defend nationalist areas from
Loyalist and RUC killings and burnings in 1969 at the start of
the Troubles. Many of those protagonists now support the ``Peace
Train'' organisation, whose leader, Chris Hudson, got a standing
ovation at a PUP/UVF rally in Belfast last week. The UVF (and the
Orange Order, which is also advised by Eoghan Harris) have
marched alongside anti-Semitic, fascist organisations like the
National Front and Combat 18.
The reversal of reality in this programme was illustrated by its
claim that ``Sinn Féin imposed its will'' on the Falls area of West
Belfast.
How, then, are 8 of the 10 councillors elected (by secret ballot)
for that area from Sinn Fein? Is it not the British Army (with
the support of their apologists in ``Great Hatred'') who are
imposing their will on the people of the Falls, over 80% of whom
want an end to British occupation?
I suggest that Channel 4 correct this blunder by making a program
which examines the right-wing, fascist connections of some of the
contributors to ``Great Hatred''.
(Dr) Sean Marlow.
Dublin 11
PS Sinn Fein does not mean Ourselves Alone - indicating exclusion
of ``outsiders''- but We Ourselves, indicating the ability and the
right of the Irish people to run our own affairs.
When in Rome...
A chairde,
``A night of shameful, inexcusable police brutality, witnessed by
the whole world, on a group of innocent civilians''. The actions
of this so-called civilised police force cannot, and should not,
be excused. It was plain to see from the television pictures
flashed across the world that the police were intent on causing
injury and were not concerned about violating the human rights of
those who protested their innocence.
Many politicians have called, quite rightly, for a full and
thorough independent inquiry into the actions of the police on
that night, but will we ever learn the truth? Will the officers
who wielded those batons with such ferocity ever be brought to
justice for their actions or will a cover-up ensue?
Even after the beatings the crowd were hemmed in like animals and
told that they would only be let out when it was safe to do so.
When you live by the sword, you die by the sword. Stop crying
Britain and get your own house in order before condemning someone
else. The events outlined above took place on the Garvaghy Road
on 6 July 1997, not in Rome on 11 October 1997. You showed the
world that might is right so if you can't stand the heat then get
out of the kitchen.
Garvaghy Road Resident
Partitionist hypocrisy
A Chairde,
Following her own leader's lead, Fine Gael presidential candidate
Mary Banotti has decried the Alliance Party leader's call on Mary
McAleese to withdraw from the presidential race. Why, because he
- like Gerry Adams - is from the Six Counties and should not
intervene in 26 County elections.
Will Ms Banotti therefore criticise her own leader, John Bruton,
even if only retrospectively, for launching a forthright call on
northern nationalists not to vote for Sinn Féin in the elections
there? Or is it the case that the role of the Six County
population is to play a bit part in the inter-party rivalries of
Southern politics and to be patronised mightily by people like
John Bruton and his double-dealing advisors? Northeners are to be
told how to vote but are not to have the temerity themselves to
suggest who should be supported in Southern elections. What
partitionist hypocrisy.
I think that those who recently attempted to manipulate public
opinion to the extent that they set up a Fifth Column within the
campaign of Derek Nally, to the ultimate benefit of Ms Banotti,
have a lot to answer for. Ms Banotti on Questions and Answers
attacked Mary McAleese for being a northerner. Derek Nally
followed up a week later on the same programme, at the prompting
of Fine Gael advisor (and Donald Duck supporter) Eoghan Harris,
with an attack on Mary McAleese's role in helping to create the
conditions for a new IRA ceasefire.
As a result of their activities (and as someone who has never in
his life voted for a Fianna Fáil candidate) I am about to change
the habit of a lifetime and give Ms McAleese my number 1 vote.
Michael Finnegan,
Dublin 7.
Criminal offence
A chairde,
If, as we are now being told, taking documents from the
Department of Foreign Affairs was a ``criminal offence'' surely
those who accepted the documents, published and benefited from
them should be considered accessories to the act and treated
accordingly? Or does receiving and benefiting from an old lady's
stolen handbag merit the tile of accessory while receiving and
benefiting from the government's stolen documents does not?
Des Wilson,
Belfast.
Connswater
A chairde,
In his typically self indulgent post mortem on the Connswater
pantomime, David Ervine stated, ``The scenes were disgraceful and
this was not the way to win friends and influence people in the
United Kingdom.'' Obviously attempting to transfer a maniac who
murdered a teenager in a Glasgow shopping centre in broad
daylight is a much more productive venture.
Dara Uí Coigcigh.
![[An Phoblacht]](http://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/aprn.gif)