Society

A nod and wink is not accountable democracy

Pete Baker on October 19, 2004, 5:02 pm

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In the Irish Times, Fintan O’Toole dissects the hypocrisy of the IRA’s private, and secretive, ‘investigation’ into their murder of 15-year-old Bernard Teggart 30 years ago. He contrasts Sinn Fein’s calls for public inquiries on other murders with their silence on this and concludes that, despite the spinning by the two Aherns: The sickness that allowed the IRA to murder a mentally handicapped child in the name of Irish freedom won’t be cured until the so-called republican movement is willing …

Hate crime debate

Mick Fealty on October 15, 2004, 6:41 pm

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The tellparliament.net online consultation. The discussion has ranged over a number of subjects and viewpoints, from full blooded advocacy of legislation to the more sceptical view that it’s just one law to further clog up an increasingly ineffectual statute book. Others simply relate their own experiences.Here’s a couple of recent contributions: “…nothing has ever prepared me for the prejudice and hate I have had to face for being gay. Many heterosexual men feel that they have a right to punish …

Abortion Law Must be Clarified

Pete Baker on October 8, 2004, 5:00 pm

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After a long battle through the courts, today “in Belfast three senior judges ordered the Department of Health to draw up guidelines on when abortions can be carried out under existing law.” The time and the cost of this legal argument, between the Family Planning Association and the Department of Health, to simply produce guidelines on the current legal position is an indictment of our politicians, of almost all parties, who have obstructed, directly and indirectly, any progress on this …

A Right to Dignity

Pete Baker on October 7, 2004, 6:25 pm

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Tying in with our ongoing debate on the Charter of Rights, two cases currently in the media evidence the absence in that debate of one right that some would describe as the most fundamental of all Human Rights – the right to die with dignity.While the parents of a 11-month old child, who “is fed through a tube because she cannot suck from a bottle and she needs a constant supply of oxygen”, await a court ruling on medical advice …

Strange allies…

Mick Fealty on October 6, 2004, 9:06 pm

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Not sure of the authentic nature of this story but according to the Libertarian blogger at Squander Two there have been some strange alliances being made recently. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty

Council argues over intimidation…

Mick Fealty on October 5, 2004, 9:25 pm

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Sinn Fein refused to sign a motion in Belfast City Council chamber censuring an alleged campaign of intimidation of Protestants in North Belfast out of their homes, on the basis that it didn’t recognise similar incidents against Catholics. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty

What happened to our National Park…?

Mick Fealty on October 5, 2004, 5:09 pm

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A few years back there was some speculation about two new national parks, one in Scotland and the other in the Mournes. Well the Scots have their park, but where’s ours? Reader Stephen asks: Is this the product of a failed executive, or just an indication of how much less efficient sectarian politics will always be? Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and …

Churches examine racism…

Belfast Gonzo on October 1, 2004, 11:29 pm

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THE latest edition of the magazine of the Evangelical Contribution on Northern Ireland, ‘Lion and Lamb’ has a special feature on the rise of racism here. Among the contributors are Presbyterian Moderator Ken Newell, while Anna Rankin interviews a Nigerian woman who has settled into life here. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com

Church to blame for breakdown of families?

Mick Fealty on September 30, 2004, 6:13 pm

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When I met Eammon McCann for the first time at Leviathan last week I discovered, much to mine and the audience’s surprise, that he retains a deep and abiding interest in Ancient Greek and the Cannon Law of the Catholic Church – even if there’s little affection for the latter. This week he argues that the Catholic church has had a more corrosive effect on family life than the current target of the Christian right in the US, the sex …

All-Ireland Proposals All Can Welcome?

Pete Baker on September 27, 2004, 8:22 pm

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Moves are being considered to enable the implementation of an All-Ireland Free Travel scheme for pensioners and other groups. The BBC quotes Irish Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Mary Coughlan, “The use of this type of smart card [to be introduced next year] may hold the key to resolving many of the administrative difficulties in operating the proposed All-Ireland Free Travel scheme on both sides of the border”According to Minister Coughlan, “Issuing these new smart cards to pensioners and …

Society must be built on direct communication

Mick Fealty on September 27, 2004, 3:36 pm

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Roy Garland argues that whatever positive effect of public dialogue events, there is nothing to compare with the direct and blunt communication between people from opposing traditions that take place, off camera. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty

Civil partnerships: civil right or gay marriage?

Mick Fealty on September 27, 2004, 2:27 pm

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Two things worthy of note in last week’s Hearts and Minds: the degree of agreement in the round table discussions at the beginning; and the lively discussion on civil partnerships – Steven King who argues that the expected UK legislation should be extended to NI with a minister who believes it’s the thin end of the wedge for a longer term agenda to legitimise gay marriage. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts …

Solicitor ruled out on nationality grounds

Mick Fealty on September 22, 2004, 4:42 pm

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Maggie O’Conor, a Dublin born solicitor has applied for a judicial review of a decision by the Department of Finance and Personnel to withdraw an invitation to interview her for the post of legal assistant. The position had been designated a “public service post” requiring UK nationality. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, …

Car Free Day in the Republic

Mick Fealty on September 22, 2004, 3:49 pm

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It’s European Car Free Day today – or at least it is in twenty towns and cities in the Republic. It has yet to catch on in Northern Ireland at all! Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty

EU €3.0 Million

Ambrose Uprichard on September 22, 2004, 8:31 am

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The Scottish newspaper, The Herald, carries news that the EU is to fund a skill-sharing initiative in Northern Ireland.After the apparent unwillingness to co-operate for the common good shown by our politicians in Leeds Castle, It’s good to see that at grass-roots level communities can work together. €3m over the next few years from the EU’s Peace and Reconciliation Fund will fund the “Focus Farm Programme.” The initiative is aiming to inject cash, divided between farmers across the religious divide, …

Optimist – Changing Attitudes More Important Than Political Posturing

Ambrose Uprichard on September 21, 2004, 6:02 pm

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A survey reported in today’s Irish Independent suggests that the “vast majority of those under 45 now favour allowing abortion in some circumstances”.In a second article, Eilis O’Regan writes “The latest report, compiled by researchers at the Royal College of Surgeons for the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, shows that only 8pc believe abortion should not be permitted in any circumstances. Around 12pc say that a woman should be able to choose abortion if she is not married and 9pc say it …

The Oracle at Derry?

Pete Baker on September 18, 2004, 4:29 pm

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While not exactly proof of Delphic powers, Eamonn McCann’s article in the Belfast Telegraph earlier this week is looking more prescient as the day, and the talks at Leeds Castle, go by.The link between the Agreement of 1998 and the increasing polarization that Eamonn McCann sees and foresees, when there is a case to be made for that polarization being the deliberate policy of certain parties, is, I believe, not quite as clear-cut as he appears to claim. He does …

Living further apart…

Mick Fealty on September 14, 2004, 4:43 pm

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The SDLP‘s former Finance Minister, Sean Farren considers one of the problems that remains outside the remit of political negotiations and has been largely left for civil society to consider and worry away at – the polarisation of the two communities in Northern Ireland in both rural and urban areas. Here he draws on his experience of his own North Antrim constituency.By Sean Farren From a community viewpoint most of our towns, villages and townlands are ghettoes, or consist of …