Demonizing Will Backfire   Father Sean Mc Manus, Irish National Caucus • 25 April 2004 Irish-Americans are alarmed by the recent U-turn by the American, British and Irish governments, resulting in their concerted attempt to blame everything on Sinn Fein -- thereby giving Paisley the perfect chance to stonewall and, by doing so, finish off Trimble and the UUP. One of the dividends of the peace-process, which meant so much to me personally, was that it not only meant the end to The Troubles, but that it ended the "Civil-war-mentality", which played itself out in America by bitterness between Irish organizations and the Irish government (dramatically personalized by Sean Donlon when he was the Irish ambassador to Washington). I had thought the bad old days were over.. . But now I fear -- with the rantings of Justice Minister, Michael Mc Dowell (who like his grandfather, Eoin Mac Neill, is trying to countermand Republicans, only this time Mc Dowell is trying to deny Sinn Fein's mandate to move the peace-process forward, North and South) and the seeming disengagement of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern (for whom I have deep respect) -- that we may be sliding back to the bad old days. And that would break my heart. But, equally, it would make me all the more determined not to be silent and to make sure Irish-Americans will not disengage. All three governments must finally realize that the more they unfairly try to demonize Sinn Fein (and, thereby, demonize the majority of Catholics in Northern Ireland) the more Irish-Americans will rally to the Cause. Irish-Americans realize that Sinn Fein may have its faults (which political party does not?) but they rightly see that Sinn Fein is making a historic contribution to equality, justice and peace on the island of Ireland.                                   Index: Current Articles + Latest News and Views + Book Reviews + Letters + Archives

All censorships exist to prevent any one from challenging current conceptions and existing institutions. All progress is initiated by challenging current conceptions, and executed by supplanting existing institutions. Consequently the first condition of progress is the removal of censorships. - George Bernard Shaw Index: Current Articles 29 April 2004   Other Articles From This Issue:   Pragmatic Politics Liam O Ruairc   Hard Times Brian Mór   Every Picture Tells A Story Anthony McIntyre   Demonizing Will Backfire Sean Mc Manus   Tangled Wed Which Stretches from the New Lodge to Iraq Eamonn McCann   Glossary of the Iraqi Occupation Paul de Rooij   The Letters page has been updated.   • 23 April 2004 •   It Hasn't Gone Away You Know Anthony McIntyre   PPSNI Brian Mór   We're on the One Road Tommy McKearney   Easter Week in Derry and the Lazarus Complex Eamon Sweeney   Time for the Dead Mick Hall   POWs and the Challenge of Partnership Aoife Rivera Serrano   'A Real Sensuous Pleasure' Liam O Ruairc   The Letters page has been updated.

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