11/07/2017
Since the acquittal of the Jobstown Defendants, there has been a media frenzy not dissimilar to what occurred in the UK since the election of Corbyn as the leader of the Labour Party
160 years ago when the democratic franchise was much more limited, mainstream media would rail against any new media outlet which highlighted the brutality of the existing regime. The United Irishman was one such paper its premises and press broken up by the police, it's editor, John Mitchell, gaoled, tried, and deported and the United Irishman banned. Some months later one of its contributors, our own James Fintan Lalor, set up The Felon with John White. Again the premises was smashed up by Police, White the Editor was arrested tried, convicted and deported although JFL admitted he was the author of the “offensive articles”. Lalor's final article for The Felon before it was outlawed had written: “Remember.... somewhere and somehow, and by somebody, a beginning must be made........ and strike the first blow for freedom.” We are almost there again.
Today's media seems to be behaving in a very similar fashion to the media of yore. We also note the mainstream narrative today, reflects the ideology of this government which is out of kilter with its citizens, but very much in tune with National and International Elites. The destruction of our Health Services, our Public Transport infrastructure, our Schools and Universities, the increased homelessness, the lack of Local Government and Socially Affordable Homes and many more equally important issues that are rarely discussed and even less seldom acted upon. This is the suppression of reality, replaced with flights into fantasy, the creation of falsehoods, built on propaganda and lies. An Taoiseach talks about an enquiry into the trial, which unanimously acquitted the initial 7 Jobstown Defendants. Rather than the need for an enquiry into the attempted perversion of Justice. It's because of this trial we now need an enquiry. Why did the DPP allow this case go to trial? Why have none of the witnesses who testified under oath been arrested and charged with perjury? There was a conspiracy by at least 3 senior Gardai who Lied under oath, All claimed to have heard Paul Murphy TD say "will we keep her here for the night". The video evidence, which is extensive, conclusively proves that these words were neither spoken by Paul or anybody else. Hmmmmm.......
ROSA is an active campaigning group fighting for women's right to choose and for the separation of Church and State. it has gained nationwide support since its launch 3 years ago. ROSAs position on the Repeal of the 8th Amendment was vindicated last April when the Citizens' Assembly voted overwhelmingly for women to have the right to abortion in Ireland. In 2016, 3265 Irish women travelled to the UK for abortions with an estimated 30% more giving a British address. More recently the UN Human Rights Committee has ruled in the second case this year taken against Ireland by a woman who received a diagnosis of a fatal foetal anomaly and was denied access to a termination. For a second time, it has found that our state violated a woman’s rights to privacy, discriminated against her and subjected her to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, in contravention of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Darkness into Light has highlighted the awful tragedy of su***de in Ireland. With Mental Health Services having lost 30 million last year and unlikely to ever get it back. Leaving a lot of ordinary people with problems which seem insurmountable. We need the Minister for Health to face up to the facts and to start with the most vulnerable in our society.
