Ni dieu ni maître. Ni patrie, ni patron.
A Party political broadcast from the Socialist Party – Northern Ireland Assembly and local elections 5 May 2011
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This is a good broadcast, which makes its points clearly and effectively. Party Political Broadcasts by the socialist left are slowly getting more professional looking.
As far as the election itself goes, good luck to the Socialist Party candidates (and good luck also to other candidates standing against cuts and sectarian division). Other than McCann, I would expect most of the votes to be very modest, but it’s still worth raising the red flag.
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Yep, a very good broadcast. Doesn’t over do it, makes it’s point very coherently.
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a good campaign for the socialist party and look more professional.
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Lads how can those who run this blog be contacted, is there an email?
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There’s a “contact us” address down below the blogroll: worldbystormATeircomDOTnet
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This is an honest question, not looking to cause a row. What is the view of the SP, or the SWP-PBP, and/or the ULA on the forthcoming British royal visit? I am dubious about the value of stunts and protests, I don’t think people really care, but I have heard Sinn Fein’s view and Eirgis, and all the right-wing Queen lovers, but nothing from the left. What is the line comrades?
(I presume there will be v. low key protests at Obama- he is even more popular than the Queen!)
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PANA, http://www.pana.ie, is gearing up for the Obama visit. He is after all the main warlord of the West. PANA is hopeful that the numbers will be large.
Personally I loathe the royal parasites. I detest even more the Irish crawlers. We will probably get even more of the Bruton cringe (is it on facebook)when Charlie boy visited.
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Quite right Jim which is why it is so important that the ULA vigorously oppose both of these visits
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There are several attitudes to the Queen’s visit in ULA circles, as far I can see, ranging from protest against British Imperialism to ‘who GIVES a fuck, if it was Quenn Beatrix would we even notice?’. It is not a matter that the ULA are in a position to address yet. My own suggestion – for which there is no real means of forwarding up – would be to have a gathering at the Dublin-Monaghan bombing memorial (the dates coincide) to remember those who died and to demand full disclosure of all the documents and facts.
Obama may be more popular, but, unlike the Queen, he has direct executive responsibility for wars in a growing number of coutries. He cannot be let smile through without some show of opposition from among the Irish people.
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‘who GIVES a fuck, if it was Quenn Beatrix would we even notice?’
+1
Like I tell my kids, sometimes it’s best to just ignore. Whatever about the history, there are other things to be getting on with. Lizzy is not the biggest oppressor of the working class in this state, she’s not even at the races. If it was Cameron then yes, worth a protest. But the British royals, really, who cares? They’re just fodder for celebrity TV and Hello magazine at this stage.
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Ignore it? Thats crazy logic LATC. Dont fall for the ‘little old lady’ propaganda!
Opposing her visit is not about history its about the present day and the future. Its about the continuing role of British Imperialism around the world including here in Ireland.
The monarchy is sectarian, undemocratic and anti-working class
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‘who GIVES a fuck, if it was Quenn Beatrix would we even notice?’
Were you out protesting against Dutch imperialism Nicola?
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Sorry, not “were you”, I meant “would you be”.
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That’s a really good idea about the Dublin-Monaghan bombings, as it supports the current demands of family members.
I don’t think the Queen is entirely irrelevant as some here do. Whatever about her lack of input into day to day politics, she is still the British head of state and as such represents its foreign policy as much as McAleese would ours. If Irish troops were currently engaged in killing people in Afghanistan and Libya I would think it quite legitimate to protest our President’s visit.
The protests could also express solidarity with the anti-cuts protests in the UK, carried out by a government for which the Queen is the figurehead. This would also make it clear that any protest is anti-the British elite and not anti-British.
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Quite right in terms of not being anti-British. That auld nonsense gets thrown about as if those protesting or against the visit are anti-British, same as those protesting against Iraq war etc were accused of anti-americanism and those protesting against Israel are regularly demonised as anti-jewish or anti-semitic.
Bottom line, opposing windsor has nothing to do with being anti-british nor more than opposing the govt is being anti-irish
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So you wont be out protesting against US Imperialism then LATC?
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I will. The US president’s role is not one of ceremonial tourist attraction. Apples and oranges. As I said above, I’d protest against Cameron, but I wouldn’t cross the road for Lizzy any more than I would for any other celebrity.
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She is not a “celebrity”. She is the British Head of State and Head of the British army who continue to occupy Afghanistan and part of Ireland.
She is not just a “ceremonial” head – she has vast powers through the secretive privy council. She has used them to overturn rights granted to the Chagos islanders to return from to the islands surrounding Diego Garcia from which they were ethnically cleansed in the 60’s in order to allow the US military to build a massive base.
The monarchy itself is sectarian. It is completely anathema to any right thinking socialist as it is based completely on the notion of workers being their subjects and their right to rule based on birthright.
I hope that the ULA will either join the protests or organise their own protests against the royal visit. It would be shameful for them not to do so
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Nice bit of trolling there from Nicola.
Personally, I’m with Danton and Cromwell when it comes to monarchs and I’m opposed to the visit by the British Queen. I have no intention of going anywhere near any of the protests I’ve seen announced to date however, because they’ll all be orgies of howling nationalism aimed at shoring up the support of republican splinter factions.
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I agree that monarchy in general is anathema. However, itt doesn’t alter my alignment with one of the positions D_D enumerated originally, that people wouldn’t get excited about protesting a visit of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands for example, so other than nationalist historical sentiment clouding the situation what’s the big deal about the British monarch visiting?
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Now there’s a first, I’m with Mark P on this one.
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It’s a sign that He is returning at last!
Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn!
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Brilliant 🙂
Someone should really do a crossover between socialism and that mythos in story/comic and/or other.
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“Socialist Party TD Clare Daly tells us that she will protest against the forthcoming State visits by both Queen Elizabeth and Barack Obama: “I’d imagine we’ll probably be protesting. People can’t meet their mortgages, people on social welfare, and we’re spending millions on this visit. Also from the point of view of the role of the British army, and she is head of the British Army in Afghanistan, in Iraq and so on. Yeah, we would be opposed to the visit on that basis.””
http://www.hotpress.com/news/7751926.html
So it looks like the SP will be protesting the visit. Does Daly not share Mark P’s aversion to “orgies of howling nationalism”?
🙂
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There will be plenty enthusiastically bending their knees to Lizzy – many officials of a so-called Republic. If liz (and monarchy is all about symbolism – the symbolism of dominance, subjugation and ultimately class distinction) ain’t worth a protest, then the knee-bending lackies are worth a protest if one can’t somehow find historical precedents for this waste of tax payer money.
As for the big O. If nobody showed up displaying their mock adoration to an Empire whose corporations we servilely act for as a tax dodging haven, well, that would tell its own story.
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Anon-anon,
indeed too many will pretend obsequious means mature reconciliation.
We are an emotionally crippled country in the main I fear.
Btw off topic or is that on topic nice video.
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Sad to see some who profess themselves as socialist afraid to oppose this visit.
And don’t use the excuse of not attending someone else’s protest for your unwillingness to protest. If that’s your problem then why not organise your own protest?
Some of those who don’t want US troops going through Shannon (rightly so – I dont either) on the other hand think its perfectly ok for British troops to continue to occupy the six counties!!
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Nobody is “afraid” of anything here, Nicola. I just don’t share the skewed priorities of the little ultra-nationalist sects.
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I’m always a bit dubious when something like this is used as a litmus test for ‘true’ socialism.
There’s an array of views on the left as regards this issue, but simply because some people don’t believe that protests are the right way forward on this isn’t indicative of them not being socialist.
It’s too self-serving an argument to suggest otherwise.
I’m no fan of the monarchy, quite the opposite, I’m a republican socialist, but I’m not going to diss people who take whatever line on this.
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“Ultra Nationalist Sects”?????? Who the hell are they?
Why not organise your own protests against her and this visit?
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Nicola, you’re made your position very clear. You’ve also been very pointed in your criticism of others here. Too pointed.
People disagree on these issues from positions of sincerity. You’re not going to change their minds and they won’t change yours.
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I am just curious who these mythical “ultra nationalist sects” that I think it was mark mentioned? Would you view Marks criticisms of others too pointed?
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You’re late to the feast clearly. I’ve told him so on a number of occasions over the past few years.
But in fairness to him you’ve been making comments here all day which decry others for lack of revolutionary fervour on this issue.
It’s unsurprising that some will take offence or push back.
I don’t take offence, nor do I push back. I simply wonder what the point of the exercise is.
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I apologise for that WBS. Just Marks dismissive and insulting reply to comments I had made to others pissed me off.
I know I should not have reacted to it at all. Ignoring such comments are best policy I know.
I sincerely hope that the ULA will not let this visit slip by without any protest from them.
They are big enough (a fairly significant & very welcome force in Irish politics now) to organise their own demo’s on this so Mark need not worry about attending protests organised by other people. In fact they could take the lead on this issue.
Anyway thats my two cents. Apologies to you once again WBS
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No reason at all to apologise Nicola, simply to keep in mind that here because of the broad number of people contributing with a range of opinions from the left and beyond it’s usually best to make a completely valid case as in your instance in a way which is respectful to others who take a different line. Don’t let this stop you commenting, you’re not just welcome, it’s essential that your viewpoint adds to the range of opinion…
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I’m a bit late coming into this discussion, I know, but I think this is a fairly basic question of democracy. If you’re left wing at all you believe that political power in this country, from Cork to Belfast, should be in the hands of the people. An unelected figure holds some power in part of this country due purely to inherited wealth and privilege. This is something for socialists to protest against.
If the Queen of the Netherlands or anywhere else also tried to wield power in any part of this country, that too would be cause for us to protest. I hope I’m not being ultra-nationalist in refusing to regard Belfast, Derry, etc. as a foreign country.
If people believe Mrs. Windsor is no more than a figurehead, why make her visit a reason to protest about the Dublin/Monaghan bombings? If she has no effective responsibility for the actions of the British state, then it’s nothing got to do with her, has it?
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She is not just a “ceremonial” head – she has vast powers through the secretive privy council. She has used them to overturn rights granted to the Chagos islanders to return from to the islands surrounding Diego Garcia from which they were ethnically cleansed in the 60′s in order to allow the US military to build a massive base.
I think it would surprise most observers to suggest that Queenie was the figure behind the Diego Garcia scandal and the role of Privy Council Orders in it. Harold Wilson and Jack Straw the usual suspects here.
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