Monday, August 27, 2007

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1. Garibaldy,

   I can see where your perception is coming from but can assure you éirígí’s Republicanism is very much Connollyite, it sees no point in creating a Republic not based on principles of Socialism and social justice.

   We are talking about a party in the very earliest stages of development. As more campaigns and policies are rolled out, as time and growth permits, hopefully your concerns will be addressed. Then the real balance between these issues that exists internally will be manifest to external observers.

   I know there is an intention to expand the areas addressed and while I can see how you perceive a weighting towards anti-imperialism, at present, this will be ironed out in time. To me the balance between supporting the main Left campaigns and anti-imperialism is clear but as you note the individual, unique social campaigns aren’t strongly represented at present. Social policy is considered of equal value and intrinsically linked to the Republican policy.

   Give it time, you can’t expect perfection after a few short months as a political party.

   Posted by  on Aug 28, 2007 @ 05:11 PM

2. Looking for a home,

   One need only look at contributions from Éirigí members to discussions on unionism to see what I mean about their views of unionism. Nevertheless, here are some quotes from the group’s website.

   Willie Frazer, who I have no time for, is described as representing “the most bigoted, sectarian and fascistic element of the pro-British population”. I’m interested here in the description of unionists as “the pro-British population”. This is the attitude of the past, which saw unionists merely as the extension and puppets of London, rather than independent people with beliefs and traditions of their own. Not even PSF thinks like this anymore, and the GFA is a recognition of the need for an internal solution to the division of the people of Ireland.

   Here are segments from another gem from last July which discusses unionist attitudes to the BNP:

   “Brutal Sectarian Attack in North Belfast 05/07/07
   However, éirígí spokesperson Dáithí Mac An
   Mháistir called the attitude of the main unionist
   parties hypocritical in the extreme. “Indeed, the
   Ulster Unionists were, for 50 years, in control
   of a one-party system that would be the envy of
   the BNP and all other racists.�

   Dáithí continued: “The DUP and UUP know exactly
   why fascist groupings like the BNP are attracted
   to the Orange marching season – because it amounts
   to a festival of sectarian hatred.” “

   Again, not even PSF speak like this anymore, acknowlegding even at the height of the marching season that less than 20 of 3000 marches were controversial.

   I also note the absence of any condemnation of sectarian attacks against Protestants, such as the one in Ballymena a few days ago.

   So it seems that the Dublin-based leadership of Éirigí in its wisdom has decided that unionists are puppets and unreconstrcuted bigots and racists with little or no difference from the BNP. If this is not a cartoonish view of unionism then what is? It certainly makes the glancing nod on the website of the need to recruit from NI Protestants appear to be a token gesture of political correctness. It suggests that Éirigí’s view of the north is at best incredibly narrow and at worst profoundly sectarian.

   Posted by  on Aug 28, 2007 @ 05:57 PM

3. Risen,

   I see what you’re saying about the youth of the party. However, it makes much of its claim to be based on experienced political activists from within PSF and the broader left. So I’m not sure it’s a valid excuse to say that it hasn’t had a chance to work out its positions on social issues.

   I have to say that my confidence in its socialist credentials were dented at the start by its coming out of an avowedly nationalist party and that campaigns like these have done nothing to prove my suspicions wrong. Maybe however you are correct and this will change.

   Posted by  on Aug 28, 2007 @ 06:02 PM

4. The hard working Eirigi party will now further drain Dublin SF of its best activists, as Eirigi continues to poach republicans of the caliber of Bernhard Fox.

   If Stadler and Waldorf don’t hand over the leadership baton soon, Dublin SF will be reduced to Dumbo on death row....

   Posted by  on Aug 29, 2007 @ 02:17 PM
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