Galway Advertiser 2000/2000_07_27/GA_27072000_E1_027.pdf 

Extracted text

Letters

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U N ' S ECONOMICS SANCTIONS TERRORISM CONTINUES TO DIVIDE THE NORTH
Dear Editor, These are only three of the many acts of terrorism that are The recent resurrection of the Good Friday Agreement has committed routinely against the Catholic population of occupied suggested that peace has finally come to British-occupied Ireland. They are rarely reported in the international media Ireland. And yet, there are certain elements within the Unionist which much preferred to highlight and label Provisional Irish genocide. It is true that Saddam Hussein had no constituency of David Trimble that continue to engage in acts of Dear Editor, Republican Army activities as "terrorism" during the years the I was so delighted to read Niall Andrew's let right to invade Kuwait and do the dreadful things terrorism against the Catholic/nationalist population. latter waged guerrilla warfare against British rule in the North of ter re UN sanctions on Iraq in July 18's Irish that he is purported to have done. But who armed In June two arson attacks on Catholic churches were perpe Ireland. Times. I think it gives the lie to Mr Cowen's him? Did he become too powerful for his one trated by Unionist bigots who would have been very comfort If these acts of terrorism against the Catholic population of time allies? Are the sanctions supporting the description of us as "isolationists". There are a the North continue, of what real value is the GFA? How can it greed of the US for cheap oil and gasoline as able in the American Ku Klux Klan. lot of Irish people who are very upset about these In County Antrim, attack tyres were piled up outside the door be said that "there is peace when there is no peace" Surely, it is same sanctions. Certainly having watched John Tom Gumbleton, the Bishop of Detroit, thinks? time for "perfidious Albion" to leave Ireland in order that true of St Mary's church in Cushendall before being set alight The Whatever the reason, we, as Irish people Pilger's documentary on ITV Paying the Pricepeace, peace with justice, will finally come to the people of a should not be supporting this policy. We are in a blaze spread into the sacristy, causing part of the roof to fall in killing the Children of Iraq one could not but be united Ireland. before it was spotted around 4am. good position to lead a campaign against it. Our upset. On June 5, St John the Baptist Catholic church on the NGOs are highly respected world-wide. We I cannot think of any Irish person who wants Garvaghy Road was also damaged in an arson attack, which Yours sincerely, to be part of an organisation which is causing the weren't a colonising country and we have a good damaged the foyer. Barbara Fink, relationship with Iraq. deaths of 5,000 children under five every month. One is reminded of the arson attack of July 12, 1998 on a barbaraiink @ hotmail.com, Hopefully, Brian Cowen will take a leaf out of And yet we are part of the UN whose sanctions 319 Winnebago Avenue, Catholic home in Ballymoney in which three boys aged eight are causing these deaths. The UN Security Niall Andrews' book and indeed another out of through 10 were burned to death. Fortunately, there were no Menasha, Wl 54952 his friend Albert's book and do his utmost to Council which is controlled by the United States, fatalities in the arson attacks discussed above. Germany, Britain, France and China, has among bring pressure on the other members of the UN other things blocked the repair of water, power, to lift these barbarous sanctions. Having failed for the last 10 years they are surely not going to and sewage systems. It has limited the imports of work now! Also we, the plain people of Ireland, foodstuffs and medicines. According to Denis J ion. But we cannot tar all Christians with the same brush. Mr should join our voices in protest with those who Dear Editor, Halliday who resigned his post as assistant gen are already doing so. Oh dear. Until I read Mr Oliver Martyn's reply to my letter. I Martyn, can you not in your heart extend the same courtesy to eral secretary of the United Nations in order to Yours sincerely, thought that we could simply have an honest adult exchange of those among us who choose, for many different reasons, to walk a speak publicly on the effect of these economic views, agree to differ, and happily leave it at that. I didn't expect road less-travelled? People must be allowed to follow their souls sanctions there is evidence of genocide. He is May Lynam, Justice Co-ordinator, this to turn into a "mine's bigger than yours!" type squabble (I to find their own land of heart's desire. I respect your choice of justice @ mercy west .iol.ie basing his judgement on surveys carried out by worship; why can you notrespectours? speak for myself here). Mercy Sisters Western Province, various organisations of the UN itself eg, Finally, I take the strongest exception to his gross rhetorical "Paganism has in the past been involved with animal and Suaimhneas, UNICEF and WHO. When the US Ambassador human sacrifice." Note the key phrase "in the past". Every other statement of "Who among pagans believes in the institution of to the UN can say that she believes that the Ballyloughaun Road, Pagan I know is either a vegetarian or a vegan, supports Amnesty marriage?" I have never been lucky enough to find a partner to killing of the Iraqi children is "worth it" to con Renmore, International and espouses various environmental causes, so the join me in this sacred institution, but for those among us who have Galway, tain Saddam Hussein then we know we have rites of human and/or animal sacrifices are something none among taken these most serious vows in the eyes of their own deities, it is us condones. That Pagans once did so is a matter of record; that sacrilegious, sectarian, and strikes at the very core of their spiritu they were "immoral" in the strict Christian view is also true. But ality. none of us is guilty of the crimes of others, and there is as much a Yours sincerely, gap between ancient and contemporary Pagans as there is between Adrian Martyn, chase a guesthouse specifical Dear Editor, early andYou asked modern Christians. To strike a balance, there are plenty Athenry, , ly to accommodate homeless if it could be that I have of examples of "Christians" behaving in the most immoral fash Co Galway In response to William women and children. Tiiis has something to hide. Indeed, Commins's letter in the not happened and I want to like everyone else I'm sure, July 20: know why. At a recent semi my skeletons rattle away now with no disrespect to the nar on the housing needs of and again but what they're Simon Community they are which is both appropriate and sincere. First, the partisan remark: Dear Editor, women in Galway city and rattling about is hardly your not, as the writer suggested, I hope you will permit me to use the letters page to express had my appeal not appeared on these pages and aroused the con county, organised by the business. dealing "quite adequately science or the concern of a number of readers, my bag (and its my deep gratitude to those responsible for the return of my Simon Community, the only Yours sincerely, with the problem of homeless abducted leather shoulder bag, which, as my original letter stat contents, would now, no doubt, be quietly decaying in some public representative was Helen Mortimer, women". They have cam ed, was stolen from Charlie Byrne's Bookshop almost a fort obscure or insalubrious spot What can we deduce from die fact Catherine Connolly. How can Headford, paigned vigorously for the that it is not? That people read the Galway Advertiser Letters night ago. needs of homeless women to Galway Corporation fulfil Co Galway To my astonishment and delight, the bag was back on the page with an altogether laudable avidity. their obligation to draw up an Editor's Note: Helen be addressed by the powersAnd now the more lofty conclusion, which is taken from the that-be and for the planning of action plan to tackle home- Mortimer's letter Friday after the publication of my letter, although the books and lessness when they are not "Gendered-Homelessness" notebook were still AWOL. However, the following week I Gospel of Luke, Chapter 15, verse 32 (quietly emended by services to be done in an open even listening to the voluntary and accountable way, but they was not signed; therefore received a phone call from a thoughtful and sharp-eyed individ yours truly): "It is fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your bag was dead, and is alive; it was lost, and is found." would be the first to acknowl agencies who are working at the printed letter on July 13 ual who had located these items as well. Yours very gratefully, the coalface? Finally, to clari only stated her email. Mr Editor, I am sure you will allow me one unashamedly par edge that facilities for home less women are inadequate. fy, Mr Commins, I did not Also, the mystery thickens. tisan remark before I conclude with a well-known passage J O'Connell, Of various fixed abodes. choose to hide behind an William Commins has missed It appears (see Correction p the point of my original letter, email. My name not appear 26) that William Commins ing after my first letter was an which was that Government did not write the letter! funding was provided to pur omission on the part of the people. Dear Editor, Let's get another thing straight, the smuggling in of bogus I would like to thank Mr Connolly for his useful contribution to the debate about asylum seekers. Mr Connolly is of the opin asylum seekers is a very lucrative trade, and the proceeds are ion that "everyone has the right to come to this country to used to finance international drug gangs. Trafficking in asylum seekers is controlled by international criminal gangs, this has improve their lives". So he obviously wants an open door policy for asylum seekers, he wants to let everyone in, let them all in. been confirmed by police and intelligence reports. Put simply, How many does he want to let in - 50,000 a year, 100,000 a the more bogus asylum seekers that get in, the more money year, 200,000 a year, 500,000 a year, 1 million a year, 2 million these international drug gangs make. It's all done for money. a year, etc. If we operate an open door policy in this country, This money is then pumped into drug trafficking which is used Ireland would become an international target for asylum seekers to poison young people in Ireland and Europe and this in turn makes more money and so on. The Irish Independent had an world-wide, we would have 400,000 to 500,000 asylum seekers article July 18, 2000 about this entitled "Crackdown on crime arriving every year. The system would be swamped. We do not have die resources to deal with 400.000 to 500,000 asylum gangs trafficking in bogus refugees". There is no comparison many people would delight in "churches and Dear Editor, between this criminal racket in bogus asylum seekers and the seekers every year. So what does Mr Connolly and the anti-nazi chapels overflowing with the faithful and the In response to the "One Love" letter featured in league really want - 8 million asylum seekers in Ireland and 3.5 emigration of Irish people to America, Australia, etc, over the the JulyRomanwas truly and Protestants joining million native Irish? Maybe we are getting close to their real 20, I Catholics years. together in procession..." but who in their right amazed to see the naivety shown regarding the agenda here! A country with no identity, no culture? I believe in cultural diversity and I believe it could benefit mind could ever believe for a minute that this situation in Northern Ireland. I am not blaming the asylum seekers for the homelessness Ireland but we have to draw the line somewhere. I have friends would happen? This is not a rational course of I also live in Australia and endeavour as much who are genuine asylum seekers who have been granted resi and poverty of native Irish people. The Government and the dis action being suggested. I am sorry to be the as possible to keep up to date with the events in tribution of resources are to blame. As we all know, resources dency here and they condemn the bogus asylum seekers who bearer of a reality check but I do fear that Mr Northern Ireland but it seems that Mr Rands are limited and I believe that all Irish people at home and are taking the place of genuine asylum seekers. It's time fur] hasn'treada newspaper or listened to interna Rands is living in a fantasy world, albeit a abroad should be given first preference in the distribution of common sense on this whole issue and not the hidden agendas tional news in quite a while. Decades in fact. It desirable one, one that will not come to such resources. It is not racist to encourage looking after the of secretive groups. fruition. is absurd to suggest that a possible course of welfare of the Irish people first. It's time to use the resources of Yours sincerely, action is, for both Catholics and Protestants to the so-called Celtic Tiger to alleviate the distress of these Irish Pud rain Sheridan, joyously parade around the streets in harmony. Yours faithfully, Valerie Sheeran, I understand that faith can be a very strong and NSW 2031, powerful weapon but it seems almost an insult The editor reserves the right to edit letters submitted for publication. Australia to suggest that faith can cure all. I am sure

ARE COSTING LIVES

PAGANISM: IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK

WHO'S LISTENING TO THE PROBLEM?

GALWAY ADVERTISER.

GALWAY ADVERTISER,

THE RETURN OF THE BAG

T h e real refugee p r o b l e m : b o g u s a s y l u m s e e k e r s

'One Love' = Many problems

GALWAY ADVERTISER,

L tes to t e Editor: et r h

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