For the above reasons (and more), that's why I'll be voting 'NOTA' on Friday 26th October 2018 in the State presidential election - one of the other reasons is to do with the actual Office, the position, itself : I don't believe it should exist, full stop : it serves no useful purpose to the man/woman in the street, except as a sweetener for the 'establishment' to place one of their own in, in safe-keeping as a reward for 'services rendered' or as a propaganda stunt for, again, one of their own, that they are seeking to promote for their own benefit in later years.
'In a sense, 'none of the above' is a formal vote of protest. It's a rejection of the current parties and ideologies that dominate the political system. While many who are displeased with all of the candidate options choose not to vote altogether, a lot of time their lack of participation is written off as apathy. By selecting 'none of the above', voters can indicate that they both care and pay attention, but they are not happy with business as usual...'none of the above' could become a valuable tool to more accurately gauge the wishes of voters..' (from here).
There are six candidates who desire to obtain a life of idle pleasure from seven years of 'work' - four of those candidates are either millionaires already or are at least financially very comfortable, and will be for the rest of their lives, and bravo to them for that! Their good fortune can become even better with this opportunity but they will be powerless to improve the on-the-ground situation/position of those that voted for (or against) them but that fact won't be acknowledged by those that vote for them until after they have got your vote. Fool me once (although I can in good conscience state that I never once voted for any of them in the past and nor will I in the future), shame on you, fool me twice - shame on me.
There is huge disquiet here (temporary, unfortunately), and rightly so, in relation to the taxpayer-supplied riches available to the incumbent, some of which need not be receipted/vouched for, yet most of those who are outraged at how that incumbent is living the highlife at their expense want to vote him out of office and insist on voting in someone else who will have access to that same taxpayer-funded lifestyle! That can't be just an 'Irish thing', can it?
"I figure voting for (any of them) is just as silly as them running for office. That's as silly as me running for office. What is not silly is the power of the people's vote. I think the people should use it to vote for none of the above! What I'm saying is I think only an idiot would vote for me. I'm here to talk to you about 'none of the above'. You know how, at election time, you decide not to vote because the candidates are so repulsive? Repulsive's not the word. We're all full of shit. Write in 'none of the above' on your ballot. Don't vote for any of us. We're assholes. We'll only make things worse..." (from here).
"Under democracy, a candidate always devotes their chief energies to trying to prove that the other candidates are unfit for office — and they commonly succeed, and are right." (...apologises to H.L. Mencken [he was right, too, about the White House...] for the editing!) Don't hesitate - vote NOTA on the 26th October 2018. A plague on all their selfish desires and their (big) houses.
From 'The United Irishman' newspaper, October 1954.
Mr. J. Power of the Waterford Corporation said that many people were getting a fine living in this country out of selling foreign Sunday newspapers, but has Mr. Power ever considered how many more people would get 'a fine living' if we produced our own newspapers here? We now produce about five percent of our reading matter, but other countries produce about ninty-five percent and import the other five percent. Why shouldn't we? Why should we leave thousands to emigrate when they could be given employment here in a flourishing publishing industry? Surely the prospect of providing a few thousand Irish people with the employment for which they are crying out for should be an adequate reason for ending the present import of foreign publications.
With regard to Mr. Griffin's statement that "..when we see anything very seriously wrong we will have the Christian humility to ask for the guidance of our priests.." I need only quote the words of Father Benedict OCD in a sermon at Knock - "We must not continue to allow the minds and souls of our youth to be poisoned and perverted by bad so-called 'comic' papers imported from America and by objectionable cross-channel Sunday newspapers. The sooner we get alarmed into action against those two great evils, the better. To spend even one threepence on such newspapers is something we should consider a very serious matter."
Many of the Bishops drew attention to the dangers of the foreign Press in their Lenten Pastoral Letters and Most Rev. Dr. Walsh, Archbishop of Tuam, spoke at length on this subject in his sermon at Westport on the day of the pilgrimage to Croagh Patrick in July. We call on our readers to take action now by supporting worthy Irish publications and by boycotting objectionable foreign comics, magazines and newspapers.
Fe coimirce Muire thus,
Cait Chambers, Leas Rúnaí, An tEagarthoir, An tÉireannach Aontuighthe.
(END of that 'Letter to the Editor' : next, from the same source - letter re 'Jailed Nationalists', from a Dublin reader.)
From 'The United Irishman' newspaper, February 1955.
Mrs Daly and her family had been staunch supporters of the Republican Movement in the 'Black and Tan' days and continued to give every possible help after the Treaty of Surrender. Her home was burned down by British forces in May 1921 but was re-built and became an open house for members of the Republican Movement and was constantly raided and ransacked by Free State troops. Right up to the time of her death the soldiers of the Irish Republican Army found a ready welcome in her home and many, including some of those now serving sentence in Crumlin Road Jail were as honoured to accept her hospitality and help as she was proud to give it.
Her funeral was of huge proportions : friends from all over Kerry and many of the adjoining counties attended, as did former comrades of Charlie and Tom, and a Guard of Honour was formed. The oration was given by John Joe Sheehy, Tralee, County Kerry. Ar dheis laimh De go raibh a anam.
('1169' comments : a different IRA man, also named Charlie Daly, a Cork man, was shot dead in cold blood in early March 1921 by undercover RIC men in a case of mistaken identity - more here. Also, detailed piece here re Charlie Daly, Kerry - 'It was the summer of 1920. Republican forces in Munster, particularly in Cork and Kerry, were being hard pressed by the British, and were carrying more than their share of the struggle. The Western Brigades were doing their best to ease the situation, as were Limerick, Waterford, Dublin and other parts of Leinster. But pressure on the extreme South was very great. Cork had been declared a Martial Law area. So had Kerry. Thousands of British troops were concentrated in these two counties, and if the war against was to be carried out at all, there had to be an easing of the pressure, temporarily at any rate. IRA General Headquarters in Dublin reviewed the situation. Then they took a decision. Ulster was too quiet. The Ulstermen must be organised and brought into the fight on a more widespread scale, so Headquarters appointed a Kerryman to carry out the job. His name was Charlie Daly...')
(END of 'MOTHER OF CHARLES DALY DIES' : next, from the same source - 'Waterford News'.)
COLUMBIA : NO IRISH NEED APPLY...
By Paul O'Brien. From 'Magill' magazine, July 2002.
Gearoid O Loingsigh (34), a Dubliner, is a member of the Irish-based 'Latin America Solidarity Centre', and is now back in Bogota, where Sembrar continue to review his security and that of other foreigners with the organisation. This is his second stint working with Sembrar, having worked there in 1995 as well, and he is scheduled to continue working in Colombia until October.
Despite his scare, he says he has no intention of leaving sooner - "I have no plans to cut short my stay, despite the security risks, though if things get very hot and heavy, I will leave. I am willing to be in a dangerous situation but I am not willing to do stupid things and neither is Sembrar."
(END of 'COLUMBIA : NO IRISH NEED APPLY' : next, from the same source - 'Buycotts and Beans', by Oisín Coghlan.)
Thanks for reading, Sharon.
