Friday, June 15, 2007

PARTITION/WOMEN'S GHETTO/A ROUGH BEAST.


'THE QUESTION OF PARTITION' .
From 'The United Irishman' newspaper, January 1958 .

" The question of Partition is , of course , a burning political issue which can be determined only by democratic action , " states Arthur G. Bottomley, British Labour M.P. , writing in 'The Belfast Telegraph' newspaper on December 4th , 1957 .

" The ultimate decision on Partition , " he continues , " rests with the Irish people themselves , who will determine this issue by their votes in the ballot-box . " Fair enough , Mr. Bottomley . Now ask your Government why they don't allow us "...to determine this issue by (our votes in) the ballot box.." ? To satisfy his Tory-Unionist hosts no doubt , Mr. Bottomley adds this rider :

" Certainly United Kingdom public opinion would not support a policy which was for taking the initiative in urging the people of Northern Ireland (sic) to leave the United Kingdom and through this the Commonwealth of Nations ." Isn't that a contradiction , Mr. Bottomley ?
[END of 'THE QUESTION OF PARTITION']
(Next : 'The True Position In Occupied Ireland ?' - from the same source)



OUT OF THE WOMEN'S GHETTO .......

By INEZ McCORMICK.
A review of Margaret Ward's book - 'Unmanageable Revolutionaries:Women and Irish Nationalism' .
From 'FORTNIGHT' magazine , October 1983.

This book's lesson is that women's issues can easily be pushed to the sidelines , and women's rights , once won , have to be constantly protected , used and extended or they will be eroded . Let women organise anything and it will be ignored by most men . Yet , if successful , it will be taken over by them and the history of its origins rewritten .

There is nothing more calculated to drive men off in search of refreshment than a discussion of 'the women question' that does not threaten male power . Once it does , they queue up at the platform to speak on it , pledge undying support for women's rights , lecture women on how best to get them - and then cast their votes for the maintenance of male privilege and power .
[END of 'OUT OF THE WOMEN'S GHETTO']
(Next : 'A Day At The Rent Court' - from the same source)


WHAT ROUGH BEAST IS THIS , ITS HOUR COME ROUND AT LAST.......?

By JOHN WATERS.
From 'IN DUBLIN' magazine, 'Election Special' , 1987.

There are a lot of good things about Charlie Haughey : there's his record as a minister in various departments over the years , for example . ('1169...' Comment : Whatever 'good things' the man done were placed in the shade by the man himself by virture of how he used those "various departments" to further his own enrichment.)

Haughey is into populism and patronage not ideology , but he never forgot that he came from the wrong side of the tracks . But also , on a personal level , on the odd occasion when he lets his guard slip , there is the faintest inkling that behind the facade there is , just possibly , something approaching a heart of gold . ('1169...' Comment : It's verbal clap-trap like this that explains why the Haughey's of this corrupt Statelet can plunder as they do - journalists , for the most part , are no threat to them.) He quite often shows signs of genuine warmth when he is with people he likes and trusts .

You could see , for example , on the election campaign trial , that he has a lot more time for Dr. John O'Connell than he has for Seamus Brennan: he has also shown himself to have some sense of objective morality in public life , as evidenced by his response to the Belgrano sinking, something which could not be said of by any means of every Irish politician at that time ('1169...' Comment : .....a classic opportunity for Haughey to play 'the Green Card' , which he duly did . However , some journalists were fooled...).......
(MORE LATER).