Garda News hails RUC chief
The Garda News, magazine of the Association of Garda Sergeants and
Inspectors, gives an alarming insight into the thinking of many in
that force. The October/November 1998 issue referred to gardai
``working like blacks''. This was compounded by an `apology' in the
following issue of the magazine which referred to the ``pompous
politically correct person in Trinity College'' who made the
complaint.
It seems that the editorial staff at Garda News are slow learners. In
the current edition they include this little `joke': ``We are all
walking on metaphorical eggshells in this age of PC, so full marks to
the member who came up with the following when attempting to refer to
a member of the itinerant class: `This man is a traveller - but not
of the commercial variety!'''
It is very appropriate, therefore, that the current Garda News also
has an interview with RUC Chief Ronnie Flanagan. The magazine hit the
streets at the time of the murder of Rosemary Nelson. While the
United Nations, the U.S. Congress and the European Parliament all
added to the international disrepute of the RUC, the gallant Garda
News rode to the rescue with a sycophantic article by editor Austin
Kenny. Flanagan was not, of course, asked about collusion or
shoot-to-kill, threats to solicitors or plastic bullets. The only
remotely critical question was the following: ``The RUC has been
accused in a perjorative sense, of engaging in a `charm offensive'
but Mr Flanagan again rejected any unwarranted implications in the
reference.''
The irony of that question is lost on the Garda News staff, who could
never be accused of having a sense of humour. The whole Garda News
article is a perfect example of Flanagan's continuing charm
offensive, which is rapidly becoming a rearguard action as opposition
to the RUC grows.
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