Monday, March 31, 2008
Speaking truth unto power gets awkward…
A free press is not exactly a prerequisite for a free society, but it’s absence is (or should be) extremely worrying. In all of the comment in the MSN last week, this aspect of the climbdown of the Andersonstown News after pressure was applied over an article the paper published from its erstwhile columnist/humourist, Squinter seemed largely to be missed. It’s all the more puzzling since Gerry Adams is sitting on the fourth safest majority in the House of Commons with a whopping 68.6 per cent of the popular vote. On Thursday Alex Maskey expressed the hope that the paper’s response to his party’s concerns should be an end to the matter. Over at the Guardian, I’ve argued that there that both reflects badly on his paper and raises questions about just how ready Sinn Fein is to live with the vigorous scrutiny of a courageous and free press.
Mick Fealty @ 09:17 AM
“The police and their inability to do the job for which they are paid for are solely responsible for this.”
I don’t think so. Who trained them to throw stones & petrol bombs at PSNI landrovers?
The PSNI are still routinely attacked by youths in West Belfast, that is quite normal.
Posted by on Apr 01, 2008 @ 02:03 AM“The people know the truth. They may not all be part of your e-chattering masses, but they use their vote, and THEY will decide our future. “
Far out,
problem is maybe they don’t know the truth.
and if trendy Ms Ruane says there are absolutely no sex offenders in our schools, it would presumably be a completely painless process to ban the sex offenders concerned, who are as SF would have it, are not in the schools anyway.
I’m not actually asking them (if Ruane is to be taken at her word) to put any sex-offenders out of work.
SF speak with forked tongue.
Is my guess.
G.
Posted by on Apr 01, 2008 @ 03:25 AM<quote>If the administration of Slugger O’Toole deleted all record of your post of 11:04 PM sharing your honest opinion and your relevant experiences, would it be censorship? </quote>
susan, the administration of sluggerotoole delete many posts everyday and do operate a kind of censorship
Posted by on Apr 01, 2008 @ 06:30 AM>>just how ready Sinn Fein is to live with the vigorous scrutiny of a courageous and free press.<<
Considering that they have had to deal with a media biased against them for as long as they have existed, this statement is completely disingenuous. As pol has pointed out it was community pressure that forced an apology, and Dec has pointed out some of the more obvious anti SF media attacks, notwithstanding the many and varied attacks witnessed on slugger day and daily from admin through bloggers to commentators. Witness Pete’s opportunism earlier. Of course what squinter had to say was much overdue, and perhaps in a back handed way forced Gerry Adams to take notice, but as a personal attack it was erroneous.
The idea of a free press is a joke, right?
Posted by on Apr 01, 2008 @ 08:54 AMIf Mairtin O was a benevolent publisher more concerned with doing the right thing regardless of cost or consequence he would have funded La Nua out of his own pocket.
He’s a hoorible capatalist who is driven by profit over moral relevance. I can understand that and so can my banker
As a former editor of La Nua, I would like to point out that the Belfast Media Group has funded the publication of the paper to a large extent - you’re talking upwards of £300,000 since purchasing the title in 1999. Sure it received grant aid from Foras na Gaeilge - eventually - but it was carried by the BMG/ANG and it wouldn’t have got through its most recent crisis except for the continuing generosity of BMG and other shareholders in the face of blind indifference from Foras na Gaeilge, the cross border body whose understanding of publishing is qualified by its abject failure to publish annual accounts and an annual report since 2003.
It has to be pointed out that La Nua has carried articles tranchantly attacking SF’s failure to live up to its own promises re the Irish Language, the failure to legislate an Irish Language Act, the axing of the Irish Language Broadcast Fund on the watch of Sinn Fein being two prime examples of this, both of which were highlighted prominently in La Nua.
Posted by on Apr 01, 2008 @ 08:58 AMare you blind?, we’re all well aware some posts are deleted at Slugger. Most often it is because of legal concerns or violations of the site’s “play the ball, not the man” rule, but there are occasions when I find the enforcement of that rule arbitrary. Does that answer your concern?
Pól Deeds posted under his own name, and gave specific examples of why and how he disagreed with the cut and thrust of “Squinter”‘s opinion piece. He then challenged the columnist and the ATN to “expand upon and justify” the claims that angered him and that he found unwarranted and unfair.
In other words, Pól Deeds spoke to and for the residents of West Belfast as if they were adults.
The ATN response—deleting all record of the column and all points of view of the West Belfast residents who sharply agreed or disagreed with the column—was the opposite. Call the response censorship, call the response Big Brotherism, call it intimidation, call it infantilising over-reaction, call it what you will—the deletion of the debate and discussion was wrong and unnecessary.
A party that speaks for the people lets the people speak. Restore the deleted column and the deleted residents’ posts to the sites in question. Let the politicians have their say. Let the constituents have their say. Argue the answers fiercely, but agree on the right to ask the questions.
Posted by on Apr 01, 2008 @ 09:01 AM“Pól Deeds spoke to and for the residents of West Belfast”
Susan, at most, Pól can speak for Andersonstown Sinn Fein.
Posted by on Apr 01, 2008 @ 09:25 AM>>The ATN response—deleting all record of the column and all points of view of the West Belfast residents who sharply agreed or disagreed with the column—was the opposite.<<
Susan
I’m not sure if those who responded positively or otherwise on-line were West Belfast residents or otherwise. Since blogs like this one do not take note of residents addresses, I no not what the ATN policy is on publishing actual printed letters.
Nevin
>>at most, Pól can speak for Andersonstown Sinn Fein.<<
Who in turn are supported at every turn by a massive majority of the electorate.
Posted by on Apr 01, 2008 @ 09:32 AMPol,
Can I also thank you for your thoughtful contribution. Timely and much appreciated. I wish we had more contributions from real political activists on the site, it make make for greater civic and intelligent engagement.
The issues this episode throws up are important, but there always the possibility (as some like Dec clearly believe I have done) that the case for press freedom can be overstated. Precision and truly open debate are of the essence.
From my own personal point of view it’s critical that parties like SF, who have been a target of systematic state censorship in past, help (where it is practical) underwrite a new openness in the new dispensation.
Posted by on Apr 01, 2008 @ 10:13 AMEoghan, I’ve already posted on the limitations of a ‘moral’ electorate ;)
Posted by on Apr 01, 2008 @ 10:54 AM“Precision and truly open debate are of the essence.”
Some people daren’t take a chance on the legal cost liabilities, Mick. Consider the fate of Christine Alexander. I understand her freedom to speak freely has been severely curtailed.
Posted by on Apr 01, 2008 @ 11:02 AMPrince
Who in turn are supported at every turn by a massive majority of the electorate.
At the last Assembly election in West Belfast, the Provos received 23,631 votes out of an electorate of 50,792. Far from a “massive majority”, that’s actually a minority!
Posted by on Apr 01, 2008 @ 11:42 AMConcur
I realize that he has invested rescources into La Nua but it was recieving the grants that allowed it to continue publishing. He won’t sink untold amounts of money into a project with out the likely hood of a pay off at some point. That would be bad business
Neither will he strip his existing papers of circulation and advertisers just to make some people who believe in the moral journalism hyperbole happy, of course thats just my opinion I could be wrong
Posted by on Apr 01, 2008 @ 12:05 PMSorry for the spelling of your name Concubhar O Liathain the remembery isn’t what it used to be
Posted by on Apr 01, 2008 @ 12:07 PMIn response to Longlakes comments:
Sinn Fein and the various ‘safety groups’ have a paranoid view of what constitutes crime or at least of which issues need to be publicised and highlighted. A prime example was the arrest of a man in Crossmaglen on Friday. He has been charged with G.B.H. with intent, threatning to kill and arms offences yet we haven’t heard one word from those usually so vocal when, for instance, a window is broken. Would it be because the man in question is a well known shinner? Surely not!! This is another example of S.F. censorship, when the facts hurt say nothing!!Read about it at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7320375.stm
It looks like Gerry Adams not only has the power to censor ATN but the BBC. A long standing SF member from Crossmaglen was arrested on Friday for GBH, threatening to kill, possessing an unlicenced AK47 rifle etc etc. He is rushed through Newry court on Saturday (obviously to avoid the daily newspapers getting hold of the story) Incredibly he manages to get bail for possession of an AK47!!
The story appears fleetingly on the BBC NI News website on Saturday and is gone by Sunday. Other stories with lesser political implications for the ‘peace process’ remained on site throughout the weekend.
Conor Murphy lost a lot of support in South Armagh as a result of the murder of Paul Quinn. His denials of SF/IRA involvement in the murder and his accusations against Paul Quinn were pathetic. No wonder this latest episode is being hushed up.
Here we have once again a South Armagh Sinn Feiner doing what he knows best. The most pathetic and shameful thing of all is the silence from the press and politicians on the matter.
Political censorship at its worst.
Posted by on Apr 01, 2008 @ 12:22 PM>>Eoghan, I’ve already posted on the limitations of a ‘moral’ electorate ;)<<
Good God Nevin! I’d have thought you might have wanted to keep quiet about your previous outlandish/outrageous claims lol. Anyhow, ‘morality’ is often found wanting across the spectrum.
Willow
>>At the last Assembly election in West Belfast, the Provos received 23,631 votes out of an electorate of 50,792. Far from a “massive majority”, that’s actually a minority!<<
Don’t be a bore auld chap, the Provos weren’t standing as well you know.
http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/awb.htm
Posted by on Apr 01, 2008 @ 01:21 PMAlways have to think petty pedantry when dealing with yoursel Willow. So for the sake of completeness, and knowing you may well attempt to make a mountain out of a molehill. SF did indeed receive 23,631 votes out of an electorate of 50,792. However only 34,238 valid Votes were cast. Which in anyone’s language makes a massive majority.
*groans*
Posted by on Apr 01, 2008 @ 01:27 PM“Of course what squinter had to say was much overdue, and perhaps in a back handed way forced Gerry Adams to take notice, but as a personal attack it was erroneous.”
I don’t particularly like Squinter, but it was obvious at the Harry Holland vigil that Gerry Adams had simply lost the plot.
We were given a group-think lecture, I fully accept that SF people may simply not be able to tell the difference anymore.
It was exactly like Pravda making ‘a mistake’.
and the party told a journalist is off to a party health resort in the Crimea for a few injections ‘to fix his head’.
The funniest thing about it, was the sense of hurt, these doubleplusgood eejits, clearly swallow their own propaganda.
G.
Posted by on Apr 01, 2008 @ 01:35 PM“Always have to think petty pedantry when dealing with yoursel Willow. So for the sake of completeness, and knowing you may well attempt to make a mountain out of a molehill. SF did indeed receive 23,631 votes out of an electorate of 50,792. However only 34,238 valid Votes were cast. Which in anyone’s language makes a massive majority. “
Gerry Adams is at best a Joe Devlin, he is a apparatchnik who was able to better the other party hacks to get to the top.
Maybe the IRA can declare a ceasefire and we can beep our horns, and look forward to a forever and forever type of relationship with Big Brother No1, what do you think?
Gerry Adams is an embarassment. Voting for him made me feel like a complete eejit. I had to stop doing that. SF need a little humility.
G.
Posted by on Apr 01, 2008 @ 01:50 PM>>Maybe the IRA can declare a ceasefire and we can beep our horns, and look forward to a forever and forever type of relationship with Big Brother No1, what do you think?<<
What do i think? Fill yer boots man!
Why in God’s name you needed to cut’n'paste my comments to have a rant about Gerry Adams and SF I don’t know. You are preaching to the converted if you are indeed arguing(somewhere amongst your posts) that SF and GA need a shake up.
Posted by on Apr 01, 2008 @ 02:22 PM‘Outlandish’ only in the eye of the beholder, Eoghan ;)
The ‘moral’ electorate would vote for a donkey if it was decorated in the right colours - maybe even a turkey ...
Posted by on Apr 01, 2008 @ 02:31 PMNevin
That would certainly explain the unionists choices inandidates
Posted by on Apr 01, 2008 @ 04:24 PMchoices in candidates
gees i think somebody moved the keys on my keyboard
Posted by on Apr 01, 2008 @ 04:33 PMSteve, I’m drawing no distinctions on this one - on the grounds of equality ;)
Posted by on Apr 01, 2008 @ 04:55 PMPrince
So for the sake of completeness, and knowing you may well attempt to make a mountain out of a molehill. SF did indeed receive 23,631 votes out of an electorate of 50,792. However only 34,238 valid Votes were cast. Which in anyone’s language makes a massive majority.
A “massive majority” of those who voted, but that is not what you said. You made a point of saying they had a “massive majority” of the electorate. That is quite something else, and it is not true.
Posted by on Apr 01, 2008 @ 04:57 PM
