OBAMA- SYMBOLISM GOOD FOR IRELAND

Posted By: March 29, 2013

CAPITOL HILL. NOVEMBER 5, 2008

“The powerful symbolism of an African-American being elected President of the Unites States has to be, in principle and of its very self, good for the Irish peace- process, which at its core is about human rights, equality and
justice. Because to paraphrase and to slightly invert Martin Luther
King’s famous dictum, “ A victory for justice anywhere, is a victory
for justice everywhere”. (King had said:” “Injustice anywhere is a
threat to justice everywhere”).

That is how the president of the Capitol Hill-based Irish National
Caucus. Fr. Sean Mc Manus, summed up Irish-American reaction to the
election of US Senator Barack Obama. (D-Il).

“ But we are not just talking about symbolism”, said Fr. Mc Manus.
“President-elect Obama has taken a bold stand on two highly emotive
Irish-American issues: Supporting an independent inquiry into the
State-sponsored assassination of Pat Finucane and calling for a
review of the Spicer Contract”. (For details see Tom Griffin’s
article below).
Fr. Mc Manus went on to point out that Vice President-elect, Senator
Joe Biden (D-DE) has had a long record of involvement in the Irish
issue: “ Irish-Americans can rejoice that we have good friends in
the White House and that therefore America will continue to stand up
for equality and justice in the North of Ireland”.