It’s permissible to welcome historic election
Posted By: May 12, 2022
IRISH CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING
Distributed to Congress by Irish National Caucus
It’s permissible to welcome historic election
Fr. Sean Mc Manus. President, Irish National Caucus.
Letters to Editor. Irish News. Belfast. Thursday, May 12, 2022
The result of the Northern Ireland election – which made Sinn Féin the largest party and also qualifies Michelle O’Neill to be First Minister – spells out one thing above all: the residue of British Empire and racist/sectarian construct of Northern Ireland are over. And, no, this is not triumphalism – just a statement of fact and the welcoming of equality, fairness, and solidarity.
The dynamics of injustice and oppression all over the world are, at root, essentially the same. The oppressed are told they must accept their lot and not resist. And, then, when they make progress and succeed, they are told they must not be too pleased – that it’s unbecoming for the second-class citizens to be seen celebrating and rejoicing; that’s only proper for first-class citizens.
However, consider this: if a constituency in America that was rigged/gerrymandered to permanently exclude black people from power eventually attains a democratic majority, are black people forbidden to welcome the coming of justice and equality? Are they not allowed to utter the hallowed words famously quoted by Dr Martin Luther King Jr. – “Free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty we are free at last”?
Today, black people, thank God, would have the political confidence and self-esteem to utter those words in this example. Black people know the last shackle of oppression is to try and blackmail people into not rejoicing in equality and freedom… And that’s why black people – and I along with them – were overjoyed by the election of the admirable President Obama. So, yes, nationalists/republicans/Catholics are allowed to welcome this historic moment – just as long as they do not parade and swagger (backed up by police/military force) through poor Protestant areas blaring out Irish rebel songs, which I would be the first to condemn.
Now, as a Fermanagh man, I know full well this election does not yet mean full freedom for Ireland. But it is most surely a historic moment. That is why the Irish National Caucus internet ‘One Ireland Petition’ is still as relevant as ever: ‘Ireland, too, has the right to be One Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.’
Please sign right away in Truth, Justice, Love, and Freedom – www.change.org/IrelandOneNation.
‘Peace is the fruit of solidarity.’
END.
