North Korea Increases Aid to Russia, Mos... Tue Nov 19, 2024 12:29 | Marko Marjanovi?
Trump Assembles a War Cabinet Sat Nov 16, 2024 10:29 | Marko Marjanovi?
Slavgrinder Ramps Up Into Overdrive Tue Nov 12, 2024 10:29 | Marko Marjanovi?
?Existential? Culling to Continue on Com... Mon Nov 11, 2024 10:28 | Marko Marjanovi?
US to Deploy Military Contractors to Ukr... Sun Nov 10, 2024 02:37 | Field Empty
Anti-Empire >>
A bird's eye view of the vineyard
Alternative Copy of thesaker.is site is available Thu May 25, 2023 14:38 | Ice-Saker-V6bKu3nz
Alternative site: https://thesaker.si/saker-a... Site was created using the downloads provided Regards Herb
The Saker blog is now frozen Tue Feb 28, 2023 23:55 | The Saker
Dear friends As I have previously announced, we are now “freezing” the blog.? We are also making archives of the blog available for free download in various formats (see below).?
What do you make of the Russia and China Partnership? Tue Feb 28, 2023 16:26 | The Saker
by Mr. Allen for the Saker blog Over the last few years, we hear leaders from both Russia and China pronouncing that they have formed a relationship where there are
Moveable Feast Cafe 2023/02/27 ? Open Thread Mon Feb 27, 2023 19:00 | cafe-uploader
2023/02/27 19:00:02Welcome to the ‘Moveable Feast Cafe’. The ‘Moveable Feast’ is an open thread where readers can post wide ranging observations, articles, rants, off topic and have animate discussions of
The stage is set for Hybrid World War III Mon Feb 27, 2023 15:50 | The Saker
Pepe Escobar for the Saker blog A powerful feeling rhythms your skin and drums up your soul as you?re immersed in a long walk under persistent snow flurries, pinpointed by
The Saker >>
Interested in maladministration. Estd. 2005
RTEs Sarah McInerney ? Fianna Fail?supporter? Anthony
Joe Duffy is dishonest and untrustworthy Anthony
Robert Watt complaint: Time for decision by SIPO Anthony
RTE in breach of its own editorial principles Anthony
Waiting for SIPO Anthony
Public Inquiry >>
Voltaire, international edition
Voltaire, International Newsletter N?114-115 Fri Jan 10, 2025 14:04 | en
End of Russian gas transit via Ukraine to the EU Fri Jan 10, 2025 13:45 | en
After Iraq, Libya, Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, the Pentagon attacks Yemen, by Thier... Tue Jan 07, 2025 06:58 | en
Voltaire, International Newsletter N?113 Fri Dec 20, 2024 10:42 | en
Pentagon could create a second Kurdish state Fri Dec 20, 2024 10:31 | en
Voltaire Network >>
national |
anti-war / imperialism |
opinion/analysis
Tuesday January 27, 2004 18:10
by Tempis Fugit
printable version
Digg this
del.icio.us
Furl
Reddit
Technorati
Facebook
Gab
Twitter
View Comments Titles Only
save preference
Comments (4 of 4)
Jump To Comment: 4 3 2 1Observer
Can you not just stay in reading the Sunday Indo, where you can snort and chortle along with Jim Cusack, Breden O' Connor, and the rest of that ilk. Your all probably right though, the Gards are great, great lids...and shore, wit is der point in prootasting, begor? Dats fer hippies, so whet ef pipple are dying in wars, shore?!?
You are all very sensible people.
However, let me ask you this, seriously now. Do you or do you not agree that certain events can compel a large body of people, not the whole country mind, just a large group, to assemble on the street and march?
Do you not think that history shows a number of mass actions have instigated change in certain areas?
Whether you agree or not, my point is that "mass mobilisation" is not just some fanvy leftist soundbite, but an actual phenomenom. If does not always involve violence, and it does not always involve change.It is indicative of a wide variety of groups, circumstance and context.
However, empirical evidence shows that it is a sometimes succesful occurence.
Though it would probably disappear if we engaged in the seemingly proto cynical mindset that seems to be yourself.
Anyway, haw!haw! There is nothing wrong with anything. If you say otherwise, you can easily be catogorised as a moany leftist/ anarchist,/trot/ maoist,/strasserite/ ring wing gun nut hiding in a shack in Idaho...
Chirly MayCrivvy is grit.
Willy O'Dea doesn't put on any pretence of liberalism or anti-imperialism, and you know where you stand with the guy.
On Thursday, 30 January last year Willy said this in the parliament about Shannon protesters: "...I do not doubt the sincerity of those who are protesting peacefully in Shannon at present. While I do not condone criminal damage, I admire the fact that they are so sincere...."
He was defending the Minister for Foreign Affairs against the accusation made (by someone in the Greens of Labour?) the previous evening that he has "blood on his hands". His argument was stated clearly too, without any false sympathy for Iraqi people or anyone else: "We did not create the impasse between America and Iraq and can do nothing to stop it. If we refuse the Americans the right to refuel, it will not stop the war in Iraq." i.e. What America wants, America gets.
You obviously have a good knowledge of the stupid rural people of this island. Unfortunately for your cogently argued case, O'Dea happens to represent one of the more urban constituencies in the state; Limerick East. No dobut you will have to amend your post to include some ignorant abuse of the citizens of Limerick.
He'll get elected all the same, either through that electronic vote system, or just the plain oul' rural mentality of his constituents.
Not meaning to run down country folk, but the truth is, all dem folk care about is whether or not their previous lad got dem dere firestation/cop shop/ whatever built.
The real change will come through the mass mobilisation of civil society on crucial issues. Mass society is fickle, and only gets awakened from it's slumber by the likes of Primetime, etc.