The Cedar Lounge Revolution

I know that cross posting from other blogs is not usually the done thing. But, I saw an interesting point made over on Crooked Timber on the occasion of the 91st anniversary of the ending of WWI, and I will stick my neck out and break that protocol this once:

The cataclysm of the Great War brought forth monsters like Hitler and Stalin, who killed millions. But the War itself, with the millions and tens of millions of lives it took, directly and indirectly, was loosed on the world by political leaders more notable for mediocrity than for monstrous greatness.

The names of Asquith,  Bethmann-Hollweg, Berchtold and Poincare are barely remembered, yet on any reasonable accounting they belong among the great criminals of history. Not only did they create the conditions for war, and rush (eagerly in most cases) into it, they carried on even as the death toll mounted into the hundreds of thousands and beyond. Even as the original grounds for war became utterly irrelevant, they continued to intrigue for trivial postwar benefits, carving up imagined conquests among themselves. Eventually, most were displaced by leaders who were marginally less mediocre, and more determined to win at all costs (Lloyd George, Clemenceau, Ludendorff, Hindenburg and others).

How could such ordinary, seemingly decent, men pursue such an evil and self-destructive course, and yet, in most cases, attract and retain the support of their people? I find it hard to understand.

Balladeer; Citizen of the World; Internationalist & Socialist

Comrade John McDermott

of Clydebank & Partick, Glasgow, Scotland

17th April 1944 – 9th November 2009

A TRIBUTE

We regret to inform comrades and friends of the death of Comrade John
McDermott of Partick, Glasgow, Scotland who died on Monday 9th November 2009. Born in Clydebank, Scotland, John was a committed Socialist, an Internationalist and a valued member of the Workers’ Party of Ireland for almost five decades.

A comrade of integrity and loyalty John was part of the development of the
party from a narrow nationalist movement to a class conscious party of the
working class. Whether under attack from narrow sectarian bigots or under
threat from opportunists one always knew that John McDermott could be relied upon to defend the party. Always very clear as to his political allegiance John took great pride in recalling the words of another famous
Irish/Scottish revolutionary James Connolly who stated “It is not the extent
of your march but the direction in which you are marching which ultimately
matters”.

John recognised, as did James Connolly and the great Scottish revolutionary
John McLean, that the working class struggle to win freedom and justice
would be long and difficult. Despite setbacks and betrayals John McDermott
never lost his optimism and confidence that the working class of the world
would achieve this victory. Over the past decade John worked along side
many wonderful comrades whom he admired greatly as they in turn admired him, comrades such as Liam McMillan, Malachy McGurran , Jim “Solo” Sullivan, Peter Kane and Cathal Goulding.

Through his music and songs, most particularly with the Laggan Folk Group,
John McDermott brought great pleasure and enjoyment to many thousands of people throughout the world. He was part of that great international
movement of solidarity in the 1960s with the people of South Africa fighting
the repressive Apartheid regime, in support of the Vietnamese people against US imperialism and always, up to the day he died, he was a firm and
steadfast supporter of the Cuban people and party in the struggle against
the reactionaries in the United States who sought to defeat the Cuban
revolution.

Whether the struggle was in Scotland, Ireland, Africa, Asia or Latin
America, wherever reaction and repression raised its head, John McDermott
was on the side of the oppressed and for Justice and Freedom. His password was that of the French Revolution, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. He
held these principles and ideals to be constant and until they were realised
the struggle would continue.

His death leaves a large gap in our ranks. For us, his comrades and
friends, we owe it to his memory and his lifelong struggle to intensify our
activities in every area of life, to win new members and supporters so that
we fill John’s place in our ranks with hundreds of new comrades who will
make the aims and principles of John McDermott’s life a reality in our time.

A fierce opponent of sectarianism which had been fostered and promoted for generations in Scotland and Ireland by the ruling class of church and State, John McDermott recognised that the unity of the working class of all
countries was the most important weapon in our struggle.

John was one of the founders of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights
Association in Scotland. He saw the potential of NICRA to mobilise and
unite people around the Civil Rights Programme and he played a major role in building a strong support organisation in Scotland for Civil Rights in
Northern Ireland.

We convey our deepest sympathy to his partner Meg who was his devoted
companion, friend and comrade for many, many years.

Among many of John’s interests in life politics, music, love of the
Highlands ranked near the top. He took every opportunity to be in and part
of the highlands. For instance, on the Saturday two days before he died he
left his hospital bed to travel with his partner and friend Meg for one
last time, as he well knew, to his beloved Glencoe. Here he met old friends
and spent the day with them enjoying their company and the great beautiful
tranquil setting of Glencoe.

The past few weeks have been very difficult ones, for John realised that it
was too late to defeat the illness that had come upon him. He was not
afraid to die and he was surrounded by a loving family, loyal and generous
friends and comrades. He will be long remembered for his kindness, his
sharp wit and humour, and his concern for so many others with whom he had lived and worked with over many years. Knowing him as we did over a
lifetime he would not want any of us – family, friends and comrades to be
mournful or sad at his passing. We will grieve for him but let us celebrate
his life as a very worthwhile contribution to the continued development of
humanity in the long struggle for emancipation. The famous Wobblie song
tells us how we should honour John McDermott.

Mourn not the dead that in the cool earth lie

Dust unto dust

The calm sweet earth that mothers all who die

As all men must;

But rather mourn the apathetic throng -

The cowed and the meek -

Who see the world’s great anguish and its wrong

And dare not speak!

- Workers’ Party Ard Comhairle

- We will be organising a memorial evening in December

- for our friend and comrade John McDermott

Thanks to the WP for forwarding this…

I had another laugh today, rereading Finfacts overview of the OECD Economic Survey of Ireland.

The OECD’s Economic Survey of Ireland was launched in Dublin today by Angel Gurría, Secretary General of the Paris-based OECD, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development – - the think tank for 30 mainly developed countries – - and the Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan. The Minister welcomed what he termed the OECD’s fair and balanced assessment of the Irish economy and said it should be “compulsory reading” for understanding the challenges the country faces. The Minister warned about “false economic scientists” and told Finfacts at the launch press conference that he supported administrative transparency on public spending and cited the merit of publishing politicians’ expenses.

Well, that’s a mighty interesting comment, is it not, about ‘false economic scientists’. What on earth can he mean? Are they somehow not real? Or is it that they disagree with him? Or could it be that he thinks they are lying? For the want of a follow-up question – eh?

Meanwhile, you’ve got to love his comment on the ‘fair and balanced assessment’ from the OECD which should apparently be ‘compulsory reading’… Really Minister? Perhaps he should mosey along to the OECD online bookshop where he will discover that the price of said document is a far from inconsiderable €39… €39 in e-book/PDF format?

Feck’s sake.

How much again is the weekly Jobseekers Benefit… what’s that you say?

Dayschool on Capitalist Crisis and the Left Alternative

Saturday November 7th, 10am – 4pm

Central Hotel, Exchequer St, Dublin

Hosted by the Irish Socialist Network and Fourthwrite

Sessions:

10am – 10.30am – introduction

10.30am – 12pm – Latin America’s New Left

Speaker: Jose Antonio Gutierrez (Chilean left activist)

Many on the international Left have looked to Latin America with hope in the last few years. Powerful social movements have challenged the dominance of neo-liberalism in many parts of the continent, while governments have been elected with promises of radical reform and talk of going “beyond capitalism” in countries like Venezuela and Bolivia. Yet the recent coup in Honduras, and the plans to establish new US bases in Colombia, should remind us that conservative forces are determined to stop the so-called “pink tide” from challenging the unjust social order in Latin America.

Chilean activist Jose Antonio Gutierrez will open up a discussion on the strengths and failings of Latin America’s new left.

12pm – 1.30pm – The financial crisis and the Left

Speakers: Andy Storey (Afri), Chekov Feeney (WSM), Tommy McKearney (Independent Workers’ Union)

Over the last year capitalism has experienced a crisis greater than anything since the Depression of the 1930s – and despite the hype about “green shoots of recovery”; it’s a long way from being over. The Irish government has forked out billions of Euro of public money to the banks and has just passed legislation establishing NAMA, the biggest transfer of wealth from Irish workers to the super-rich in the history of the State. Working-class people have been told to expect years of high unemployment, wage freezes and savage cuts in public services, while the bankers and property developers responsible for the crisis are being protected from its effects.

What can the Left be proposing as an alternative way out of the crisis? If we say “no to NAMA”, what should be we demanding in its place? Academic Andy Storey of Afri, Tommy McKearney of the Independent Workers’ Union, and Chekov Feeney of the Workers’ Solidarity Movement will give their views.

1.30pm – 2.30pm – lunch

2.30pm – 4pm – Building a 21st Century Left

Chair: Mick O’Reilly

Speakers: Murray Smith (New Anti-Capitalist Party, France), Cieran Perry (independent councillor for Cabra / Glasnevin)

In Ireland, there has been a recent surge in support for Labour as people look for an alternative to the failed neo-liberal agenda of Fianna Fail. Yet many on the Left are rightly sceptical about the Labour Party as they see its leaders refuse to support action taken by workers in opposition to cutbacks. Elsewhere in Europe, social-democratic parties have lost support from workers as they implement the same neo-liberal policies that are to blame for the current recession.

All over the continent, activists from trade unions and other social movements have been asking themselves the same question: how can we fill the gap left by the old left-wing parties as they move to the right or slide into irrelevance? Some promising examples of new political movements have emerged in continental Europe, among them the New Anti-Capitalist Party in France. Murray Smith, who has been active on the French radical Left over the past decade, will give an outline of the French experience. Recently-elected independent councillor Cieran Perry will also be speaking about local resistance to cutbacks, with Mick O’Reilly chairing the debate.

For more information email dublindayschool@yahoo.ie

NOVPOSTA3

Thanks to John O’Farrell for forwarding the following:

Attached is a downloadable pdf version of the second campaign special edition of The Union Post, produced in association with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.

Václav Klaus is no fan of the EU. Not at all. He’s likened it to the USSR. He’s argued that it’s a ‘failed and bankrupt entity’, he’s even argued for its abolition and replacement by a free-trade “Organisation of European States”.

Given that those are his publicly expressed views then wouldn’t one expect that he, as the man with the ability to stymie it – whose very signature is necessary to initiate Lisbon (some strange coincidence at work there surely?), would go the extra mile.

This isn’t in any sense to cast aspersions on those who sincerely hold those views, or indeed even on him, for he seems pretty sincere as far as I can tell. It’s just why not go the whole distance, why not cause a break or a rupture.

In fairness, as noted on wiki, he said in 2008 that if it were a case where all else had signed and he was the last he said he wouldn’t not sign… or words to that effect.

But this to me provides one of the puzzles of our relationship, such as it is, with the European project. On the one hand when it flares into prominence it provides such heat, such… well… fear is perhaps not too strong a word, while antagonism might be a little more appropriate. And then… the moment, or the election, or referendum is past and suddenly all is calm again.

For an existential issue that’s mighty strange.

And for what it’s worth, I think that the underlying reason for Klaus is that he can see that imperfect as the process is there is some democratic legitimation provided by its bizarre wending. Note I say some. The crushing margin of the Irish referendum. The fact a constitutional court in his own nation has, is it twice now, returned with the same finding. The small matter that a man who is not directly elected to the Presidency of his own nation is not entirely in a position to complain about political elites forcing the Treaty through ratification by parliamentary votes rather than referendum.

In some ways I’d almost hazard that the Lisbon Treaty has been fortunate – and this is surely the most retrospective of retrospective analyses – in its enemies. Ganley I was a political colossus (I exaggerate – slightly). Ganley II less so. Ganley III, the less said about the better. UKIP. And so on.

That reasoned debate and analysis often got drowned out in all that is something those on all sides might like to consider. But I’m not sure what better way there is. Still, some small sense of satisfaction for those of us who tread the narrow band between euroscepticism and europhilia. No one will be keen to bring any new referendum provoking measures before the polities of Europe any time soon.

In the last week or so, the news from France reminded us just how bad we are in Ireland  when it comes to criminal pursuit of criminal behaviour by politicians. Over the lasten we have seen three politicians dealing with different stages of the French criminal process:

• Former Interior Minister Charles Pasqua has been sentenced to a year in jail following conviction for his role in illegal arms sales to Angola;
• Former Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin is awaiting a verdict in his triafor abusing the criminal process in 2004 in an attempt to smear President Sarkozy; and
• Former President Jacques Chirac has been sent for trial on charges concerning creating false jobs while he was Mayor of Paris.

This reminded me about our political convict, Frank Dunlop, whose six month marker in jail comes up later this month. Dunlop, you will recall, was convicted (on his guilty plea) for being the middle man in a set of 16 corrupt deals involving councillors. Since then, I haven’t heard a word about those misdeeds, and I think that silence is Not A Good Thing. There a re a few points that lead me to think this.

First, it’s worth repeating: Dunlop was a middleman. And his crime was not that he inserted himself illegally between two other parties  going about their lawful business, but that he brought the three parties — himself and, on the one hand, councillors and, on the other hand, developers, together to conduct illegal business (sixteen times). So, if Dunlop, committed a crime, then at least two others also committed crimes. I also assume that at least some of the other parties are alive. I find it hard to imagine that with all of the evidence which  has been brought out at the tribunals, the only cases pursued against Dunlop happened to be those in which all of the other parties had since died. (Although, now that I mention that, maybe it is not so far fetched to think that the powers that be in the wonderful State of our would spare the blushes of the living by selecting cases not involving them for the token ritual lamb.)

Second, as far as I know, nobody else has yet appeared in court for their role in any of the sixteen cases for which Dunlop pleaded guilty.

Third, I may have I missed it, but I haven’t seen any news report that the Gardaí have interviewed anybody else in relation to these crimes. It may be that nobody has been interviewed or it may be that they have been but word hasn’t leaked out. Either option is unsatifactory, the first for the obvious reason that it means nothing has been done, the second because the Gardaí quite regularly let the media know that “a man is helping them with their inquiries” and I don’t see why the Dunlop cases should be any different.

You won’t be surprised to learn that I see a problem. The question, though, is what might be done about it. Here are some suggestions.

First, a backbench TD might put down a parliamentary question:

To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform concerning the corruption charges to which Mr Dunlop pleaded guilty and was subsequently sentenced in May 2009, the number of people, other than Frank Dunlop, who have been interviewed by the Gardaí or on whom files have been submitted by the Gardaí to the DPP, and in the case of files submitted to the DPP, the latest situation with those files.

Heck, if any of you who are reading this is a TD, please do feel free to copy that PQ and submit it.

Then, if that proves unsatisfactory — I think the turn-around time for a PQ is about a week — Plan B might be for Eamonn Gilmore to emulate a former Labour Leader and take himself down to a Garda Station and report a crime, with the details that he or a party reaserch officer can put together from the proceedings of the Tribunal or the publicly available records from the Dunlop charges. It strikes me that provided all of the other criminals in the cases have not left the State or died, the Garda task is straightforward enough: Dunlop has pleaded guilty, has the key evidence, is at a known location, and did not contest his own charges. Getting the evidence will be easy.

Finally, I have a Plan C that an opposition leader or justice spokesperson might be able to invoke if Plan B produces no progress for unsatisfactory reasons. We now have an independent Garda Ombudsman and a Garda Inspectorate. If the Gardaí were to be slow or inadequate in their investigation following the reporting of a crime, then I could see a role for either or both of those bodies. In fact, I suspect the Inspectorate could begin work even now: how adequate are the Gardaí systems for following up evidence of corruptio by politicians?

Slow news weekend. So far anyhow. As an agnostic theist (trust me, there’s no fun in that. Or much consolation to be had either) I had to applaud the Archbishop of Tuam, Dr. Michael Neary’s pithy comment on the latest events, or should that be non-events, at Knock. For in the aftermath of its sudden location as a potential site of matters miraculous he said:

“It is not healthy, does not give glory to God and . . . is not good witness to the faith to be looking for extraordinary phenomena,” he said.

This was in the wake of the prediction by Dublin man Joe Coleman, self-designated “visionary of our Blessed Mother” that 50,000 people would turn out at Knock to see said vision.

Sadly his prophetic powers were a little off…

Up to 10,000 people gathered this afternoon in Knock in the hope of witnessing [the] visitation from the Virgin Mary.

And of the vision?

Mr Coleman left the shrine before 4pm, claiming he had witnessed an aparition, as he had anticipated. He said he had received communication from the Virgin Mary but insisted that he was as yet unprepared to reveal the nature of the message. 


But in fairness he had previously allowed himself an out… for:

…he warned that the visitation would only be visible “to people who come with an open heart”. 


That’s the… er [Holy] spirit…

I’ll get my coat.