tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8259548213422016482024-03-21T19:42:47.146-07:00Hibernian American News and ViewsTo provide an open forum of, for, and by Hibernian Americans to exchange ideas and render opinions on issues that may be of importance to them and others sharing the same interests.Jack Meehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203889952799013157noreply@blogger.comBlogger272125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825954821342201648.post-31592862115709106572015-03-18T08:02:00.003-07:002015-03-18T08:02:36.926-07:00Taoiseach dampens hopes of US visa deal for Irish illegals<span style="background-color: transparent;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;">Kenny in Washington: Contentious
US immigration reform ‘somewhat intractable’ </span></b></span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Irish Times - 18 March 2015</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Taoiseach Enda Kenny used
his annual St Patrick’s Day trip to </span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_location=Washington&article=true"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">Washington</span></span></a><span style="font-size: small;">
to press for help for illegal Irish immigrants but said there was “an issue”
around lifting long-term travel bans stopping “undocumented” people travelling
back and forth to </span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_location=Ireland&article=true"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ireland</span></span></a><span style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Speaking at the annual St
Patrick’s Day breakfast for Mr Kenny hosted by vice-president </span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Joe%20Biden&article=true"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">Joe Biden</span></span></a></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial bold"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">, the Taoiseach said the issue of immigration
reform “may well be somewhat intractable”.</span></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Later, after meeting US
president </span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Barack%20Obama&article=true"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">Barack Obama</span></span></a><span style="font-size: small;">
at the Oval Office, Mr Kenny described as “a disappointment” the legal stalling
of Mr Obama’s executive action designed to bypass the Republican-led Congress
and aiming to protect up to five million illegal immigrants from deportation.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">The measures were expected
to assist illegal Irish unable to return home for family occasions such as
weddings and funerals and emergencies without being blocked on their return to
the US.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">In the Oval Office, Mr Kenny
said that he discussed with Mr Obama the possibility of visa waivers that would
allow illegal immigrants to return to Ireland
without facing three- or 10-year travel bans for illegally overstaying old
visas on their return to the US.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Legal route</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">He also raised the prospects
of the new E3 visa which would give new emigrants a fresh legal route to live
and work in the US.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mr Kenny said that “our real
problem” was securing permission for illegals to travel back and forth to Ireland in the
absence of a wider agreement.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">“And also there’s an issue
about [the] waiver scheme and the way it applies,” he added.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mr Obama said he and Mr
Kenny shared the view that one of the great strengths of the </span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_location=United%20States&article=true"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">United States</span></span></a><span style="font-size: small;">
has been “its willingness to welcome new immigrants to our shores”.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Praising the strong ties
between the two countries, he said: “Nobody has contributed more to the growth
and dynamism of the US
economy than our Irish immigrants. That continues to be the case.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">The US president,
wearing a green tie, described the St Patrick’s Day “annual affair” as “always
one of my favourites”.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">“It allows me to trot out my
Irish heritage and brings back incredibly fond memories of my visits to Ireland,” he
said.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Speaking at his breakfast,
Mr Biden said “genius” was required “on all sides to lock down” the Stormont
House Agreement and resolve the ongoing impasse between Northern Irish parties
over welfare reform.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Asked after meeting Mr Obama
what the president had said about </span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_location=Northern%20Ireland&article=true"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">Northern
Ireland</span></span></a><span style="font-size: small;">, Mr Kenny replied: “He expressed his understanding that
there’s a bit of an obstacle here, but I explained to him that I expect this
can be dealt with.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">“It’s a case now for the
executive politicians in Northern
Ireland and the leadership to sit down now
and sort out whatever little obstacles are there.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Taoiseach was speaking
ahead of the traditional shamrock-giving ceremony at the </span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_organisation=White%20House&article=true"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">White House</span></span></a><span style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Greeting Mr Kenny at his
residence in the morning, Mr Biden, who is well known for his gaffes, told
reporters gathered for the arrival of Mr Kenny and his wife Fionnuala: “Anyone
wearing orange is not welcome in here . . . only joking.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial bold"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Comment:</span></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">It appears that we are back
to “square one” with regard to immigration reform not only for the Irish, but
for all undocumented persons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, the
proposed Irish E-3 temporary work permits appear to be “dead in the water”.
There will be no waivers to allow undocumented Irish nationals to travel outside
the U.S.
until a wider agreement is reached. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where we go from here is anybody’s guess, but the
information in this article is less than encouraging, to say the least, for any
new developments to take place in the foreseeable future. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jack Meehan, National
President Emeritus</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ancient Order of Hibernians
in America</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Boston Irish Group</span></span></div>
</span>Jack Meehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203889952799013157noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825954821342201648.post-23207392962969573322015-03-17T11:56:00.001-07:002015-03-17T11:56:36.286-07:00Kenny is ‘not in a position’ to dictate to US on immigration reform<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Taoiseach to raise issue of undocumented Irish in St Patrick’s Day meeting with Obama</b><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said he will raise the issue of the undocumented Irish when he meets US president Barack Obama at the White House on St Patrick’s Day but will not adopt an “aggressive stance” with the American administration.<br /><br />New York-based publisher Niall O’Dowd recently called for pressure to be put on the US Government, adding that it did not respond to politicians “being nice”.<br /><br />However, Mr. Kenny said his Government would negotiate but was not in a position to dictate to the American administration on the issue of immigration reform.<br />“I don’t agree that arriving up on Capital Buildings and being very aggressive is going to yield any more beneficial results,” Mr Kenny said on Monday.<br />“And I understand that Niall O’Dowd has a long experience of dealing with this, but politicians have to negotiate with each other.”<br /><br />Mr Kenny said the most important thing for undocumented Irish was to ensure they could travel to Ireland and back to the US while a “path to legitimacy or legalisation” was being formulated.<br /><br />Pointing to the balance of power in the US, Mr Kenny said: “There’s a new administration obviously here in the States now with the Republicans in charge in the Senate and in the House, as it were.”<br /><br />He said it was a matter for the American administration to decide what it wanted to do. Mr Obama’s executive action on immigration announced last November had been strongly supported by the Government.<br /><br />It would bring “limited benefit to different sectors”, Mr Kenny added.<br />“So the administration now needs to sit down and decide how best it sees that it should do this and that’s why we negotiate with them from our perspective as to what we want.”<br /><br />Mr Kenny expressed sympathy with the plight of undocumented Irish in the US.<br />“The reason that they’re undocumented is that many of them might have overstayed their welcome on ordinary visas or whatever, but it’s the human consequences of that that interest me,” he said.<br />“And you know the stories of people who have died at home and those who are here can’t go back.”<br /><br />Mr Kenny said those stories would form part of the case the Government would make to the US administration in the hope that a process to help so-called illegals could be secured.<br />“I don’t agree that having a more aggressive stance would bring results any faster. We’re not in a position to dictate to the American administration what to do here,” he said,<br />“We are in a position to negotiate with them in respect of the 50,000 that we know are undocumented here in the States from Ireland.”<br /><br />Mr Kenny praised the new US Ambassador to Ireland Kevin O’Malley who said had a good understanding of the issues involved.<br />“The really important thing from an Irish point of view is that once a process is put in place that our people would have the opportunity to be able to travel over and back while that path to legitimacy or legalization is actually achieved.<br />“That’s the really important issue for us.”<br /><br />Comment:<br /><br />Niall O’Dowd is absolutely wrong in suggesting that the Irish Taoiseach should take a militant stance with the American government regarding a possible resolution to the plight of the undocumented Irish nationals currently residing in the U.S. The fact is that Mr. Kenny represents a very minute portion of the total number of undocumented persons in this country. Although we, as Americans of Irish heritage have strong feelings of sympathy for Irish immigrants, the decision makers do not necessarily share those feelings. Most of them consider a person’s immigration status to be far more important than his/her country of origin. They hear Americans of many ethnic backgrounds advocating for immigrants from their countries of origin and in the end it becomes a case of “an immigrant is an immigrant”. So, when Mr. Kenny is trying to get special consideration for Irish immigrants, he would be well advised to think in terms of “a pat on the back goes much further than a kick in the shins”.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><br />Jack Meehan, National President Emeritus<br />Ancient Order of Hibernians in America<br />Boston Irish Group</span>Jack Meehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203889952799013157noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825954821342201648.post-24536995179034311242015-03-16T08:45:00.003-07:002015-03-16T08:45:37.374-07:00Parade clash of wills forecast for Southie Some Catholics boycott over gay marchers<span style="background-color: transparent;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.bostonherald.com/users/owen_boss"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Owen Boss</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">, </span><a href="http://www.bostonherald.com/users/jordan_graham"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Jordan Graham</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> - Sunday,
March 15, 2015</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">A massive showdown is
brewing for today’s South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade, with defiant
conservative Catholic groups lining up on one side and gay rights advocates and
members of the state’s political establishment on the other.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Two Catholic organizations
that planned to march in the parade, Harvard’s Immaculate Heart of Mary School
and the state council of the Knights of Columbus, have announced that they will
not be participating in the wake of the South Boston Allied War Veterans
Council’s groundbreaking decision to include two gay pride groups in this
year’s parade.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">“We don’t believe that any
Catholic organization should be part of a parade that is promoting a homosexual
lifestyle and same-sex marriage and that is their agenda,” Immaculate Heart of
Mary School principal Brother Thomas Dalton told the Herald. “They want to get
people used to that and acceptant of that ... and they’re trying to get the
cloak of the Catholic Church to cover them and the Church just isn’t going to
do that.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Catholic Action League
Executive Director C.J. Doyle is urging other Catholic groups to boycott today
as well.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial bold"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial bold"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">“St. Patrick was
not a figure of mythology. He was a Catholic bishop and is a Catholic saint,
and he was not a proponent of gay rights,” Doyle said, slamming the inclusion
of OUTVETS — a group of openly gay veterans — and gay pride organization Boston
Pride in this year’s 114th annual parade for the first time. “Call it the
Evacuation Day Parade. Call it the South Boston
Irish Pride Festival. Call it whatever you want — but don’t debase the name of
St. Patrick by associating it with the tawdry circus that will take place on
Broadway tomorrow.”</span></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mayor Martin J. Walsh, who
made headlines last year when he refused to march in the parade because
organizers wouldn’t allow gay marchers, touted this year’s “inclusive parade” —
and shrugged off the boycotters.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">“If they don’t want to
march, they don’t have to march, the parade is going to go on,” Walsh said.
“I’m very happy about the fact that it’s an inclusive parade. It’s been a
battle for 20-plus years for the gay community to march in the parade. ... It’s
2015, it should be a positive message.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">The parade was the subject
of a Supreme Court case that decades ago gave the council the right to exclude
marchers who displayed gay rights banners. This year is the first they will be
included.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">“This year the message is
inclusivity, and that’s been great to see,” Maura Healey — the state’s first
openly gay attorney general — said yesterday. “I do hope that people embrace this
as a real sign of progress, a sign of inclusivity, a sign of we’re all equal in
this, and that’s what this really is about.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">“I’m honored and thrilled to
be able to march in the parade,” Gov. Charlie Baker said. “I think the
organizers made some changes that made it more inclusive, and we made our
decision to march and we’re looking forward to marching.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Noting that they “deeply
regret that some have decided to use this occasion to further the narrow
objectives of special interests,” the Knights of Columbus announced Friday they
were backing out of the parade.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yesterday at the Cathedral
of the Holy Cross in the South End, after celebrating Mass, Father Kevin
O’Leary told the Herald the church will observe St. Patrick’s Day on Tuesday,
and noted the archdiocese isn’t affiliated with the parade.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial bold"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Comment:</span></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial bold"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">The die is cast and the
genie is out of the bottle. Shamefully, decades of effort to prevent groups who
seek to promote their sexual preferences rather than their Irish heritage from
participation in parades intended to honor St. Patrick, the Patron Saint of
Ireland and the cities of Boston and New York have come to an
end. Despite favorable decisions in several courts including the U.S. Supreme
Court, relentless, militant, alternative lifestyle groups and self serving
politicians who pander to them because of their proactive attitude toward
politics and their strong voting record have <strong>come out</strong> (excuse the pun) on top.
They have gotten their foot in the door and, rest assured, they will return in
succeeding years in ever increasing numbers. Sadly, many of the offending
politicians claim to be Catholic and should be aware that the homosexual lifestyle
is against the teachings of the Catholic Church. Maybe it is time to remove all
references to St. Patrick from these parades and convert them to <strong>secular events</strong>
with no association to religion or religious figures.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jack Meehan, National
President Emeritus</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ancient Order of Hibernians
in America</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Knights of Columbus – 4</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><sup>th</sup></span><span style="font-size: small;"> Degree</span></span></div>
</span>Jack Meehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203889952799013157noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825954821342201648.post-43780911656774803312015-03-08T08:16:00.001-07:002015-03-08T08:16:11.955-07:00Sinn Fein votes to support abortion in cases of Fatal Fetal Abnormality (FFA)<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Irish Independent – 7 March
2015</span></span><br />
<section class="body ">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Sinn
Fein delegates have voted to allow termination in cases of Fatal Fetal
Abnormality (FFA) at the party’s Ard Fheis in Derry.</span></b><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span> </div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">The motion, backed by the party's leadership and central council, was
endorsed by a comfortable majority of delegates. <strong>Sinn Fein leader Gerry
Adams and deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald voted for motion 122</strong> from the
stage of the auditorium. </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">The adoption of the motion meant that another motion, seeking the blanket
right to abortion wherever a woman seeks one, automatically fell. A similar
motion asking Sinn Féin to maintain the status quo - where abortion is allowed
only when the mother's life is at risk - also
lapsed.</span></span></div>
<div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></b></div>
<div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However delegates adopted a
separate motion calling for the repeal of the 8th Amendment to the Constitution
of Ireland, which equates the lives of the mother and unborn child and which
restricts the circumstances under which abortion is
permissible.</span></span></span></b></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mary Lou McDonald said that allowing women and couples, whose unborn
children suffered from fatal fetal abnormality, was the "republican" thing to
do. “For me, the decent thing, the right thing, the republican thing to do is to
support the motion 122 and afford those women, their partners and their families
the dignity and small measure of comfort that choice represents for them,” she
said.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;">She added those women and
couples should be shown compassion and care, </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">"but
above all, choice".</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">The discussion on abortion was among the most widely-debated issue at the
two-day conference in Derry's Millennium
Forum.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">One delegate from Cork said unborn children suffering from fatal
fetal abnormalities deserved to be allowed to live for as long as their
conditions allowed.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Meath West TD Peadar Tóibín, who was disciplined for failing to vote with
his party in favor of proposed X case legislation in 2012, indicated earlier in
the day that he would not be voting in favor of the motion.
</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">After the motion was carried, the party's health spokesman Caoimhghin Ó
Caoláin said; “I welcome the passing of this motion. It provides certainty and
clarity in terms of Sinn Féin's position.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">“The motion recognizes the gravity and complexity of fatal fetal
abnormality which requires great compassion.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">“It also highlights the difficulties women face who are forced to travel
abroad to access services because the law prevents women with fatal fetal
pregnancies to access legal abortion in Ireland, both North and
South."</span></span></div>
<div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span></b> </div>
<div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Comment:</span></span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span></span> </div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The passage of this resolution
by the Sinn Fein Ard Fheis removes any confusion or doubt that people may have
had about the party’s official position on the issue of abortion. </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">They
are a pro-abortion party</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> and anybody who acts on
behalf of the party is required to abide by the their official position. They
will argue that it only applies in certain cases, but they have,in fact, taken
the first step down the slippery slope to </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“abortion
on demand”.</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> This is a sad day, indeed,
for Catholic Irish republicans. </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span> </div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jack Meehan, National President
Emeritus</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ancient Order of Hibernians in America</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Knights of Columbus – 4</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><sup>th</sup>
Degree</span></span></div>
</section>Jack Meehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203889952799013157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825954821342201648.post-52734636596404739412015-02-28T08:22:00.000-08:002015-02-28T08:23:33.446-08:00Simple Solution to an Old Problem<span style="background-color: transparent;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Since Irish Central
<a href="http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Irish-American-man-buys-all-of-Walmarts-offensive-t-shirts-will-return-them-March-18.html"><span style="color: windowtext;">first published a story about Kevin Westley’s mission</span></a>
to buy up stereotyping Irish t-shirts from Walmart in the lead up to <a href="http://www.irishcentral.com/topic/st-patricks-day.html"><span style="color: windowtext;">St. Patrick’s Day</span></a> and return them March 18,
the Long Island, NY Irish dance instructor and
radio host has been overwhelmed by the response.</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial bold"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Never in my
wildest dreams did I think it would get this big of a reaction,” he said during
a catch up phone call.</span></b></span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-size: large;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>
</span><div style="line-height: 15pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The <a href="http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Irish-American-man-buys-all-of-Walmarts-offensive-t-shirts-will-return-them-March-18.html"><span style="color: windowtext;">initial interview with Kevin</span></a>, published on
Thursday, has received almost 8,000 shares and over 200 comments. His story was
picked up by <a href="http://www.abc6onyourside.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/Irish-Man-Takes-On-Wal-Mart-For-quot-Offensive-quot-St-Patrick-39-s-Day-Shirts-91552.shtml" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext;">ABC</span></a> and <a href="http://myfox28columbus.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/Irish-Man-Takes-On-Wal-Mart-For-quot-Offensive-quot-St-Patrick-39-s-Day-Shirts-91552.shtml" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext;">FOX news</span></a>, and a
camera crew from <a href="http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/02/26/long-island-man-takes-on-walmart-over-st-patricks-day-themed-t-shirts/" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext;">CBS</span></a> paid a visit to
his home. He also has a series of interviews lined up with radio programs in Ireland for
Monday morning.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">This marks the
second year that Westley has taken a stand against the sea of green t-shirts
that appear in stores before St. Patrick’s Day, stereotyping the Irish as
drunks and linking Irishness to alcoholism.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: 15pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Fed up with a
lack of response from the Walmart stores and the corporate channels he
complained to, Westley decided to take matters into his own hands – buying as
many of the t-shirts as he could carry, keeping them in boxes and the trunk of
his car and, per Walmart’s exchange policy, returning them all on March 18.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: 15pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial bold"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">He had two aims in
sharing his story. “My first goal was to get the t-shirts off the shelves, the
second was to get people talking about this.</span></b></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: 15pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">“At least people
can now read the story and make their own decision – is this guy just a retired
nut who has too much time on his hands or is he concerned about stereotypes?”</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Westley takes the
issue very seriously, recalling an uncle who died of cirrhosis and the stories
his grandfather told about the “No Irish Need Apply” signs he saw growing up in
Boston. “It’s
nothing to make fun of,” he said.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: 15pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Unlike last year,
Westley said, he has received a lot of positive feedback, with people from <a href="http://www.irishcentral.com/topic/new-york.html"><span style="color: windowtext;">New
York</span></a> on down to Florida
saying they're going to do the same thing.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">But there have
been naysayers and detractors, people saying things like “I hope they charge
you for re-shelving” or “I hope they don’ t take [the t-shirts] back.”</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Why act like
that about it?” Kevin asked. “Why can’t we just have an intelligent, polite
conversation?."</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: 15pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">He has also heard
from the manager of a local Walmart in connection with one of the complaints he
had lodged, though the phone call wasn’t entirely productive.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“When I stated to explain everything to his
fellow he didn’t seem to have a clue what I was walking about. ‘What shirts do
you mean?’ he asked, etc. I said ‘you may not see them there because I have
them all in the trunk of my car but you'll see them on March 18 when I return
them!’”</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: 15pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Westley said that
he is unconcerned about Walmart changing its return policy in light of the
publicity his campaign has received.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">“They can't do it
retroactively, they have the 90-day return policy printed on their receipts and
on signs above the customer service desk,” he said. “The shorts have not been
worn and the tags will be on them when I bring them back.”</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Still, he added,
“my wife keeps looking at me saying you're on the hook for $400 dollars if they
don’t.”</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: 15pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><b>Comment:</b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: 15pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">My hat is off to
this Brother Hibernian who has come up with this simple solution to a problem
that has been a concern to us for years. There have been many brothers who have
made attempts to solve this problem by writing threatening letters to business
people who manufacture and sell these offensive items. This approach has met
with limited success at best. Suggestions to boycott businesses that sell these
items have also met with limited success. The reason is simple, as long as
there is money to be made these methods simply don’t work. Congratulations to
this Brother who has come up with this very simple, no cost, and very effective
solution to a long standing problem.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: 15pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Jack Meehan,
National President Emeritus</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Ancient Order of
Hibernians in America</span></div>
</span>Jack Meehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203889952799013157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825954821342201648.post-60322949796938992782015-02-22T12:09:00.001-08:002015-02-22T12:09:12.840-08:00Obama has no backup plan on immigratio<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/author/brian-hughes"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Brian Hughes</span></a>
| February 21, 2015 </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial bold","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Critics say Obama lacks both the
legislative and political means to deal with challenges to his executive order.
</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">President Obama, who has
hammered Republicans repeatedly for lacking an alternative to his most
controversial policies, now finds himself in a similar predicament: </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial bold","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He has no plan B if the courts invalidate his executive
action on immigration.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The White House is now
putting all its efforts into getting an emergency stay on a Texas federal
judge’s order temporarily blocking Obama’s unilateral push to shield up to 5
million undocumented immigrants from deportation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Obama wants his
immigration plan to proceed while judges weigh a broader appeal by his
administration to the ruling by U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen, which upended
a centerpiece of his second-term agenda.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Beyond those legal
maneuverings, however, the White House has no fallback plan for how to move
past a possible legal defeat that may be coming, according to court observers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Multiple White House
officials were unable to provide the Washington Examiner with a contingency
strategy for how they would grant the type of deportation relief long demanded
by immigration activists if the courts block Obama's current blueprint.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And one element of the
president's proposed reforms was to ensure that our enforcement activities were
focused on felons and not on families. We believe that these efforts should be
focused on rounding up and deporting individuals that have a criminal history.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But as long as Obama’s
executive action remains stuck in legal limbo, the administration cannot issue
work permits to undocumented immigrants banking on new protections from the
federal government. Even more problematic, an unsuccessful appeal could kill
those efforts altogether.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Obama would then
undoubtedly struggle to answer a simple question: What’s next?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It’s an unwelcome twist
of fate for a White House that has mocked Republicans for supposedly lacking ideas
beyond repealing Obamacare and rolling back the president’s immigration power
play.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">To date, the White House
narrative has been that Republicans have nothing to offer other than
obstructionism and red meat for the conservative base. The natural counter now
from GOPers is that Obama is only offering a legally-suspect executive action.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Obama faces a similar
liability as the Supreme Court prepares to examine the constitutionality of
Obamacare subsidies for individuals purchasing health plans through federal
marketplaces.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On both immigration and
healthcare, the White House insists that the onus is on Republicans to provide
an alternative because so-called benefits would be taken away from Americans.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial bold","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But critics say that Obama is now
paying the price for lacking either a legislative strategy or the political
capital to move an immigration bill through both chambers of Congress.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“This is what happens
when you basically ignore the legislative branch,” a House GOP leadership aide
told the Examiner. “He has nothing to fall back on. It’s not like he can make a
new legislative push on immigration. </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial bold","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The way this is playing out right now is the White House’s worst
nightmare.”</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Such complaints extended
beyond conservative circles.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This is why the
president should have done more on immigration in his first term,” said a
veteran immigrant-rights advocate who has met numerous times with White House
officials. “This could be a really lengthy legal battle. If we lose, we’re
toast — he doesn’t have enough time left to do something major.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial bold","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Some progressives argue that Obama
should have acted on immigration when Democrats controlled both chambers of
Congress during his first two years in office. However, the president expended
all of his political capital on the passage of Obamacare, leaving immigration
on the back burner for years.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">To be clear, Obama’s
supporters insist they’ll prevail in a judicial challenge to the Hanen
injunction. The Justice Department is expected to file its requested stay by
Monday.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Still, those sympathetic
to Obama acknowledge very real legal hurdles, particularly on the broader
appeal to the ruling from the South Texas court. Most troublingly for Obama’s
cause, the United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit in New Orleans,
which will hear the challenge, is made up primarily of conservative judges.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In addition to his legal
troubles, Obama has a new messaging problem that could undermine his attempts
to paint Republicans as the do-nothing party.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Until they start
wanting to walk and not just talk, we’re going to keep offering the American
people something better,” Obama said of Republicans at the Democratic National
Committee winter meeting on Friday.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Republicans were quick
to issue a retort, thanks in large part to Obama’s judicial setback.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Pretty soon, all he
could have left on immigration and Obamacare is talk,” said the House GOP
leadership aide. “And does anyone really believe he’s tried to ‘walk the walk’
on getting anything done with us?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial bold","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Comment:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Obama’s challenge to
stay the Texas federal judge’s ruling must be appealed to the 5<sup>th</sup>
District Appellate Court in New Orleans. This court has a reputation for being
one of the most conservative in the United States. The overwhelming opinion is
that the court could very well uphold the ruling by the Texas judge. If so, any
action on the President’s Executive Order could be held up for several months. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Jack Meehan, National
President Emeritus</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ancient Order of
Hibernians in America</span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Boston Irish Group</span>Jack Meehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203889952799013157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825954821342201648.post-26664047696891108072015-02-20T13:46:00.001-08:002015-02-20T13:46:36.813-08:00Obama to hold immigration town hall meeting in Miami <br /><b><span style="background-color: transparent;"></span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span style="background-color: transparent;"><a href="http://thehill.com/author/jesse-byrnes"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Jesse Byrnes</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
-<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>February 20, 2015</span></span></b></div>
<b><span style="background-color: transparent;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">President Obama will hold a
town-hall meeting next week in Miami to push
back on a Texas
judge's injunction that temporarily blocked his executive action on
immigration. <br />
<br />
Obama's Feb. 25 town hall, hosted by Telemundo and MSNBC host José Diaz-Balart,
will give the president a chance to show that immigration reform remains a
priority, White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Friday on Diaz-Balart's
show.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The president maintains that
the law is on his side in the court fight over immigration. Administration
officials say his November action to defer deportations and offer work visas
was well within his prosecutorial discretion.<br />
<br />
Republicans have seized on the Texas
ruling as evidence that the president overstepped his powers.<br />
<br />
It's unclear how the judge's move will impact the fight in the Senate over
funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the primary agency charged
with carrying out Obama's actions. DHS funding is set to run out on Feb. 28,
and Democrats have blocked Republican legislation that would provide funding
while rolling back Obama's executive actions. <br />
<br />
The White House said Tuesday that it was weighing its response to the Texas injunction,
including potentially asking another court to nullify the decision. <br />
<br />
U.S. District Court Judge Andrew Hanen filed a temporary injunction against
Obama's executive actions Monday, after Texas
and 25 other states sued the administration. In response, the DHS suspended
plans to accept new applications for the expanded deferral and visa programs.<br />
<br />
Earnest reiterated Friday that the White House was "not surprised" by
the court's decision, noting that Hanen has previously been critical of Obama's
actions. <br />
<br />
</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial bold"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The televised event will give the president a
platform to reach those in the Hispanic community across the country,</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Earnest said, as well as those in Miami.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial bold"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Comment:</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Is there anybody on this
planet who seriously believes that Obama’s executive order was meant to benefit
immigrants of all ethnicities? If so, this article should put that belief to
rest. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial bold"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">His interest in this issue is clearly “ethnically
specific” and is meant to primarily benefit undocumented Hispanic immigrants. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jack Meehan, National
President Emeritus</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ancient Order of Hibernians
in America</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Boston Irish Group</span></span></div>
</span></b>Jack Meehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203889952799013157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825954821342201648.post-73684069536517116192015-02-18T15:57:00.000-08:002015-02-18T15:57:03.876-08:00White House puts immigration plans on hold after ruling<span style="background-color: transparent;"></span><br />
<div>
<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Associated
Press writers Eric Tucker in Washington and
Juan Lozano in Houston
</span></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama administration put its new deportation-relief
program on hold Tuesday on the eve of its launch, complying reluctantly with a
federal judge's order that roiled immigrant communities nationwide and seemed
to harden an already-tense stalemate on Capitol Hill.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">President
Barack Obama promised an appeal and predicted he'd prevail. But for tens of
thousands of immigrants in line to begin applying Wednesday for work permits
and deportation stays under his directives, their plans were canceled, at least
temporarily.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Talking to
reporters in the Oval Office, Obama said he disagreed with the ruling by U.S.
District Judge Andrew Hanen of Texas
that the administration had exceeded its authority. But he said that, for now,
he must abide by it.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">"We're not
going to disregard this federal court ruling," Obama said, but he added
that administration officials would continue to prepare to roll out the
program. "I think the law is on our side and history is on our side,"
he said.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">On Capitol
Hill, the Homeland Security Department stood 10 days away from losing funding,
but Hanen's ruling made a compromise on that dispute look more distant than
ever. Republicans are blocking funding for the agency unless Democrats agree to
cancel Obama's immigration orders, and they seized on the ruling as validation
for their position.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Congress
must reassert its waning power. We must re-establish the constitutional
principle that the people's representatives control the purse," said Sen.
Jeff Sessions of Alabama,
a leading immigration hardliner.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yet Senate
Democrats, who have been blocking a House-passed bill that would fund the
department but also undo Obama's actions, said the ruling from Hanen did nothing
to budge them.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Democrats
remain united in our belief that funding for the Department of Homeland
Security should not be used as a ransom by Republicans, period," said
Chuck Schumer of New York.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">The agency's
$40 billion budget runs out Feb. 27, and with Congress now on recess lawmakers
will have only a few days to reach an agreement once they return to Washington next week.
One possibility is a short-term extension of current funding levels, but House
Speaker John Boehner said over the weekend that the House had done its job and
he would "certainly" let a shutdown occur if the Senate didn't act.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">If the
political impasse seemed severe, so were the implications for millions of
immigrants in the country illegally who have cheered Obama's executive directives
in the face of congressional inaction.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">"We feel
powerless but not defeated, sure that it will all work out," 46-year-old
Claudia Ramon, a native of Colombia,
said at a rally in Houston, one of dozens nationwide where immigrants and their
advocates vowed to continue with preparations under Obama's programs.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Obama's
directives would make more than 4 million immigrants in the United States
illegally eligible for three-year deportation stays and work permits. Mostly
those are people who have been in the country for more than five years and have
children who are U.S.
citizens or legal permanent residents. Applications for the first phase were to
begin Wednesday, when as many as 300,000 immigrants brought illegally to the
country as children could begin applying for an expansion of Obama's 2012
program aimed at the younger immigrants known as Dreamers.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yet there was
also palpable anxiety, with their apparent White House gains under attack on
Capitol Hill and in the courts. Advocates pledged to redouble their efforts to
sign up as many people as possible.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">"It's
extremely important for the community to understand from a legal perspective it
is on solid legal footing and actually the larger numbers of people who come
forward to apply, the more likely we can protect the expansion," said
Marielena Hincapie, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hanen's ruling
late Monday night, in a case brought by 26 states led by Texas, said that Obama and his Homeland
Security Department lacked the authority to take the actions they did.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">"No
statute gives the DHS the discretion it is trying to exercise here," wrote
Hanen, and he issued a stay blocking the actions from taking effect. His order
was not a big surprise from a Republican-appointed judge who has showed a hard
line on border issues.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Obama administration
could seek a stay of his order in addition to appealing to the 5th U.S. Circuit
Court of Appeals in New Orleans.
Attorney General Eric Holder said Tuesday that the Justice Department was
deciding its next move.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">He said,
"I've always expected that this is a matter that will ultimately be
decided by a higher court - if not the Supreme Court then a federal court of
appeals."</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">The drama
played out with the 2016 presidential contest getting underway and candidates
of both parties eager to win over Latino voters. One potential Republican
candidate, Jeb Bush, weighed in with a post to his Facebook page declaring that
Obama had overstepped his authority and "hurt the effort toward a
common-sense immigration solution."</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Now, more
than ever, we need President Obama to work with Congress to secure the border
and fix our broken immigration system," Bush wrote.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Comment:</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">The beat goes
on. Where do we go from here? It seems that all parties agree that immigration
reform is a necessary move that must be made sooner rather than later. Would it
not be to the advantage of all of them to knock off the partisan nonsense and
sit down and resolve the problem? That is what they were all elected to do and
it is high time that they did it instead of shooting arrows across the aisle at
each other.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jack Meehan,
National President Emeritus</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ancient Order
of Hibernians in America</span></span></div>
</span>Jack Meehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203889952799013157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825954821342201648.post-6056522023727694442015-01-18T12:25:00.003-08:002015-01-18T12:25:29.493-08:00Sinn Féin abortion policy compatible with my Catholicism says Martin McGuinness<div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 25.5pt; margin: 6pt 0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 24.5pt; letter-spacing: -0.75pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.2pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">16
January 2015 <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.2pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<strong><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Sinn
Féin's support for a woman's right to an abortion in certain limited
circumstances is not incompatible with Catholicism, Martin McGuinness has
said.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 6pt 0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: small;">He was responding to a comment from the leader of the Catholic Church in
Ireland, Archbishop Eamon Martin.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 6pt 0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Archbishop Martin had said any Catholic politician who supported
abortion would not be "in communion with the
church".</strong></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 6pt 0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: small;">The deputy first minister spoke to BBC's Inside Politics on
Friday.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 6pt 0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: small;">"I try and be the best Catholic I can be," Mr McGuinness
said.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 6pt 0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: small;">"The Catholic Church is made up of people who have different opinions on
different issues."</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 6pt 0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: small;">Mr McGuinness repeated that Sinn Féin is opposed to abortion on demand
but said he had been moved by meeting Sarah Ewart, a woman from Northern Ireland
who had to travel to England for an abortion because her baby had no chance of
survival. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 6pt 0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: small;">He said:"I think, in the context of my responsibility as a government
minister and other government ministers who have a duty to pass legislation,
when we're faced with the case of</span><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-24458241"><b><span style="color: #1f4f82; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Sarah Ewart</span></span></b></a><span style="font-size: small;">, we have to deal with
that in the most compassionate way possible."</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.2pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">'Own
choice'</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 6pt 0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: small;">Northern Ireland's Department of Justice is consulting on whether
abortion should be made legal in cases of "lethal fetal abnormality" and
pregnancy as a result of rape.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 6pt 0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: small;">On Thursday, Archbishop Martin met Justice Minister David Ford to discuss
proposals for amendments to two aspects of Northern Ireland's abortion
laws.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 6pt 0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: small;">He said </span><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-30831196"><b><span style="color: #1f4f82; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="color: #400040; font-size: small;">the church remained against any change to the existing
laws.</span></span></b></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 6pt 0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: small;">The deputy first minister said he disagreed with people who believed a
change in the laws would lead to an "opening up of the
floodgates".</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 6pt 0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: small;">He said: "I totally and absolutely contradict those people. I think what
we need to do is recognise our responsibilities to support women when they make
the choice.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong>"This
is not about women being forced to do anything, they should be able to make
their own <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">choice.
I absolutely respect the right of people to do that."</span></strong>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 6pt 0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><strong>Comment:</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 6pt 0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">It
would appear that the Deputy First Minister of the Stormont government and
oftentimes spokesman for the Sinn Fein party is somewhat confused about the
Catholic Church's firm position on the issue of abortion. Essentially, as
Catholics we believe that life begins at the moment of conception and any
measures taken to terminate a pregnancy is murder. pure and simple.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 6pt 0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Jack
Meehan, National President Emeritus</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 6pt 0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Ancient
Order of Hibernians in America</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 6pt 0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Knights
of Columbus - 4th Degree</span></div>
</span></div>
Jack Meehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203889952799013157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825954821342201648.post-3310648943667618152014-10-13T19:26:00.001-07:002014-10-13T19:26:29.566-07:00IRA informer names senior Provo in charge of gang who murdered Paul Quinn<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Suzanne Breen, Sunday Life - October 13,
2014</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">An informer within IRA ranks has come forward with
crucial new information about the murder of South
Armagh man, Paul Quinn, seven years ago. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The disillusioned Provo has told gardai the name of the senior
republican from the border area whom he alleges led the gang who brutally beat
the 21-year-old to death in a barn in Co Monaghan. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Sources close to the investigation said the IRA
veteran has recently been quizzed by detectives leading the murder inquiry as a
result of this information. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Paul Quinn died in hospital shortly after he was
savagely assaulted on 20 October 2007. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">His family and friends will gather in Cullyhanna next
weekend for a Mass and commemoration to mark the seventh anniversary of his
murder. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">In an interview with <i>Sunday Life</i>, Paul's
father, Stephen Quinn, accused Sinn Féin of continuing to shield his son's
killers but he warned that the gardai investigation remained very active.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">"We believe we'll secure justice. This isn't a case
the gardai has put on the back burner. It's open and progressing all the time.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">"Those who murdered my son may think they've got away
with it but they shouldn't sleep easily in their beds. Their past will catch up
with them," he said. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">A source close to the investigation said the senior
local Provisional went voluntarily to Carrickmacross garda station to be
interviewed in the presence of his solicitor after hearing detectives had been
searching for him. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">"Information that this man led the IRA gang who beat
Paul Quinn with cudgels and iron bars has been conveyed to gardai.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">"They have been told he stood in the barn, giving the
instructions to Paul's assailants," the source said.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The senior Provisional, who is in his 50s, has
previously served a prison sentence and is well known in the south Armagh and north Louth area. He has held position within
Sinn Féin. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Police on both sides of the border believe he was one
of three IRA men involved in the November 1994 murder of Newry post office
worker, Frank Kerr, but he has never faced charges in connection with that
incident. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Kerr, the first person the IRA killed after its
ceasefire, was shot in the head as he struggled with the gang robbing the mail
office. They escaped with £130,000. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The republican questioned about Paul Quinn's murder
is known as a 'heavy' for the Provos. He was one of those who knocked on the
doors of Real IRA members to issue death threats against them in 1998.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Although more than 20 people have been arrested
during the Quinn murder investigation – including Padraig 'Paudie' Treanor, a
former driver of Sinn Féin Newry and Armagh MP Conor Murphy. None has been
charged. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The gardai investigation reveals a high degree of
planning on the day of the murder. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Phone records examined by detectives showed the
mobiles of around eight key suspects were turned off at the same time that
afternoon. They were then almost simultaneously turned on after 6pm following
the beating. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The IRA targeted Paul Quinn for clashing with several
local Provos
over minor matters in the months before his killing.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">After the murder, Conor Murphy MP said he had spoken
to the IRA and was satisfied they weren't involved. He branded Paul "a criminal"
and linked his murder to a feud among criminals. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Former Irish Foreign Minister, Dermot Ahern, and the
SDLP both asserted that Paul wasn't a criminal. Stephen Quinn said: "Seven
year's after Paul's murder, we appeal to Conor Murphy, as a politician and a
father, to withdraw his disgraceful slur against our son."
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Living in a small rural community, the Quinns
regularly come face-to-face with the men who killed Paul, Stephen said: "There's
not a day I don't meet those who were involved in some way. Whether they ordered
or directed it or beat him, they all have blood on their hands."
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">He accused Martin McGuinness and Gerry Adams of
failing to help their campaign for justice: "These two could come to south
Armagh and secure justice for us within an hour
because it's prominent members of the provisional movement who murdered our
son." </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Breege
Quinn is still haunted by the horrific memory of seeing her dying son in
hospital seven years ago. </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">"Paul was
lying on the bed with a ventilator tube protruding from his mouth, his eyes half
open. His head was swollen and there were gashes on his face.
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">"His right
ear was torn off. Every major bone below his neck was broken. The doctors said
nothing could be fixed. </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">"What mother wouldn't be destroyed seeing the child
she gave birth to and reared in that pitiful state? But I'd still rather be
Paul's mother than the mother of the people who murdered him," she says.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Up to a
dozen masked men wearing black military style clothing were involved in the
savage assault in a farm near Oram, Co Monaghan.
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">From
Paul's toes to his groin, they battered him with iron bars. They used
nail-studded cudgels on his upper body. </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Two friends of Paul's had been working at the farm
that day. IRA members arrived, beat the young men and tied them up in a shed.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The lads were then forced to phone Paul and lure him
to the farm by claiming they needed a hand shifting cattle.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Paul drove from south Armagh with another friend to help. When they arrived,
Paul's friend was taken to the shed were the other two young men were tied up.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Paul was brought to another barn. His friends heard
him screaming loudly as the beating began, begging for mercy. As the assault
continued, his voice grew weaker and eventually faded away.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Paul had several previous run-ins with senior
Provisional IRA figures, their associates and relatives.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">He punched the son of the local IRA commander after
he had forced Paul's car off the road. After the incident, the wife of the IRA
commander threatened Paul with a hammer and warned: "There'll be a body in a bin
bag at the side of the road for this." </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Paul assaulted another IRA member who had insulted
his sister in a taxi depot. He was told he would be shot for that.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Stephen Quinn said: "Had he been given a thump for
clashing with the Provos, we wouldn't have complained. But what
happened was wicked beyond belief."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></b> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Comment:</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I have nothing but the highest level of sympathy and
admiration for Paul Quinn’s parents and family. Conversely, I have nothing but
the highest level of revulsion and disgust for the perpetrators of this heinous
and cowardly act of cold blooded murder. I don’t care what their political
affiliation or ideology is or anything else about them other than they are the
lowest form of cowards and deserve to be hunted down and punished to the full
extent of the law as should any of their enablers before or after the
fact.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Jack Meehan, National President
Emeritus</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Ancient Order of Hibernians in America</span></div>
Jack Meehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203889952799013157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825954821342201648.post-36522220065475798652014-09-21T11:20:00.001-07:002014-09-21T11:20:12.640-07:00Lifting the veil on Ireland's fastest-growing religion<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Irish Independent – 20 Sept
2014</span></span><section class="body ">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lorraine O'Connor
has had to get used to the "go back to where you come from" taunts. They occur
more frequently than she cares to think about - on the street, in the park, at
the supermarket. </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">But the Dubliner who proudly wears the Muslim headscarf, the hijab, every
day never lets a verbal attack go unanswered. "I say to them 'I'm from Coolock.
Where are you from?' You should see the look on their faces. They weren't
expecting to have abused an Irish woman."</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Lorraine</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> converted to Islam 17
years ago at a time when Muslim numbers in Ireland were in
the thousands rather than the tens of thousands of today. "There are definitely
more of us now," she says. "And more and more Irish people are finding that
Islam is what they have been searching for."</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">The immigration of the Celtic Tiger years helped swell numbers to an
estimated 65,000 (the 2011 Census lists the number of Muslims here at 49,204)
but so too has the numbers of Irish who are now converting. Muslim leaders here
insist that as many as 500 Irish are embracing Islam each year. "Like me, people
are looking for a simple message and Islam provides that," Lorraine says.
</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">The mother of four daughters - "they all wear the hijab, by choice" - is
steeped in the country's new Islamic tradition. She is the founder of the Muslim
Sisters of Éire - a group where like-minded Muslim women go swimming or for
picnics together - while her husband, Abdul Haseeb, is the "project
co-ordinator" of the Clongriffin Mosque development. If completed, this north
</span><a href="http://searchtopics.independent.ie/topic/Dublin,_Ireland"><span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dublin</span></span></a><span style="font-size: small;">
mosque and conference centre will be the biggest of its type in
Ireland with the capability of
accommodating 3,000 people. </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">"When I converted to Islam, my family and friends were supportive and I
would say that the majority of Irish people have a live-and-let live attitude to
Muslims," Lorraine says. "But there are people on the
street who think it's OK to shout 'terrorist' at a Muslim, for instance, or to
assume that the behaviour of fundamentalists abroad is in some way supported by
Muslims here."</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">She is also bothered by Islamaphobia of a more low-level variety,
including those liberals who believe that the modest dress expected of devout
Muslim women is a form of male oppression. "It's Western women who are
oppressed," she says. "They feel they have to be size zeroes and show off as
much skin as possible. I feel very liberated that I wear the hijab and those of
my friends who wear the burka [the full head-dress covering everything except
the eyes] also feel liberated. They are comfortable with who they are and they
don't feel they have to conform to western
norms."</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's a view shared by another Irish convert, Liza Caulfield, who is now
known by her Muslim name Aishah. "I wear it because it's a sign of my devotion
to God," she told the </span><a href="http://searchtopics.independent.ie/topic/Irish_Independent"><span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="font-size: small;">Irish Independent</span></span></a><span style="font-size: small;"> recently. "It shows humility with my husband and with the male members
of my family. It's a way of sharing your faith with people, of saying: 'Don't be
afraid of us - we're all human, we all come and go the one
way'.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">"I always dressed modestly. I was never comfortable with showing the
figure off. We're living in a society where people feel threatened because I
choose to not show my body, whereas you have girls as young as 11 or 12 looking
at Rihanna. She has a video and she's barely covering her nipples. And there are
ladies twerking and pole-dancing. Girls are looking at that and going: 'Yeah,
I'm going to get a husband if I do that.' You should be valued for your soul and
your personality, not because of how much flesh you show - that's private, and
that's your beauty."</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thanks to the hijab, women tend to be more readily identified as Muslim
than their male counterparts and that has made them more susceptible to
Islamaphobia. </span><a href="http://searchtopics.independent.ie/topic/James_Carr"><span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="font-size: small;">James Carr</span></span></a><span style="font-size: small;">
from the University of Limerick has extensively researched discrimination
against Muslims in Ireland and notes that a greater
proportion of females to males suffer abuse. "I visited 14 towns and cities in
Ireland as part of this work and
found that 44pc of Muslim women said they experienced hostility directed to them
as a result of their faith as opposed to 28pc of Muslim
men.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">"While men get called 'terrorist' and 'suicide bomber', women are
sometimes called 'Osama's wife'. I spoke to two younger Muslim women who had
been physically attacked by a group of young men. They had been approached by
the group and asked if they were upset that their father was dead - they were
referring to Bin Laden because this happened in the days following his
death."</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Carr says the abuse tends to be verbal but it can go beyond that too.
"People have had bottles thrown at them and women have had their hijab pulled
from their faces.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Another thing that I often hear is the sense that many Muslim people do
not feel as though their identity is valued in Irish society. You also find
Irish people who have converted to Islam have difficulty being accepted by other
Irish people, some of whom taunt them with the 'terrorist'
line."</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Since the beheading of American journalist James Foley at the hands of
Isis jihadists, some Muslim men in Ireland have experienced a heightened
rise in the abuse. Two north African men who worship each day at the Dublin
Mosque on the city's South Circular
Road agreed to speak to Weekend Review on the
condition of anonymity. </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Most people are good to me," one says. "But every single day I get
called a terrorist by someone, usually someone in a car who pulls over as I walk
down the street. It has got a lot worse this year because of Isis and it's particularly bad now that they are executing
Western people. </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">"I am a man of peace and I abhor what Isis is doing, but some people are looking at these
fundamentalists and thinking that all Muslims are like that. And nothing could
be further from the truth."</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">His friend says he has been asked straight out if he agrees with
Isis practice by members of the public.
</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">"People have stopped me in the street and asked if I will condemn the
murders. They are almost surprised when I say 'of course I do' - Isis are
barbarians who do not represent all true Muslims and, what's more, it is mainly
other Muslims who they are killing. What is very worrying though is the fact
that this organisation seems to be able to reach out to disaffected Muslims in
the West as we can all see on the news when we hear this guy 'Jihad John'
speak."</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Interpol believes up to 25 Irish jihadis may have joined the ranks of
Isis at present, but one of Ireland's Muslim leaders, Dr Ali
Selim, insists that "every effort" is being made to ensure that impressionable,
disaffected young Irish Muslims are not seduced by the organisation's
sophisticated propaganda. </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">"The actions of Isis are reprehensible
and cannot be justified in any way. They have caused huge damage to how Muslims
are perceived around the world and their use of the phrase 'Islamic State' is an
outrage."</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dr Selim insists that the Muslims he meets every day are appalled by the
actions and hope that non-Muslims can see that "the behaviour of these
extremists bears no relation to the lives of Muslims here".
</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">He says Irish people have been "very accepting" of the Muslim way of life
which has been borne out in the international surveys that point to this country
as one of the most tolerant in the world for being Muslim.
</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Your country never invaded anywhere else and your people have emigrated
for many years," he says. </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">"People here are welcoming because they themselves may have gone to make
a living in another country or seen a loved one emigrate and know how
challenging it can be.</span></span></div>
<div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">"For those who are fearful, don't be: we come in
peace."</span></span></b></div>
<div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span></b> </div>
<div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Comment:</span></span></b></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span> </div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">This article should open the eyes of anybody in the Irish diaspora who
continues to believe that Ireland remains the way it was in the
“Quiet Man days”. The days when nearly every family in Ireland,
especially in rural areas, went to Sunday Mass together are fast disappearing.
Immigration to Ireland by people of other faiths and the growth of secularism
have had a profound effect on Irish Catholicism in a country that was considered
the most Catholic in Europe only a generation ago. Attendance at Sunday Mass is
dismal at best, All Hallows Seminary which sent Irish priests all over the world
is now closed and it was reported in the news just last week that it is being
sold. Times are changing in Ireland and many who claim Irish
heritage would be of the opinion that the changes are not for the better.
</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span> </div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jack Meehan, National President
Emeritus</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ancient Order of Hibernians in America</span></span></div>
</section></div>
Jack Meehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203889952799013157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825954821342201648.post-58341065995536972802014-09-18T11:06:00.001-07:002014-09-18T11:06:11.959-07:00Shed no tears for a man who spent years fuelling hatred
<div class="ww2" style="margin: 1em 0in;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thursday 18 September 2014</span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: small;">It was a simple, unceremonious and dignified end to a momentous and
turbulent life. Paisley was one of the most
divisive, complex and iconic political figures on this island.
</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: small;">The tributes were fulsome this week but for many, particularly people of
my generation, for years he cast a dark, sinister and ominous
shadow.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Paisley</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
railed against most supposed 'evils' he saw in the modern world - sexual
permissiveness, homosexuality and the Pope. </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: small;">But he reserved his most vicious and hateful tirades for Catholics in the
North. Time and time again this so-called man of God used his office as a church
minister to denigrate and vilify Catholics. </span></span></div>
<div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span></b> </div>
<div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Shameful</span></span></b></div>
<div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span></b> </div>
<div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Who could
ever forget or forgive the shameful stunt he pulled in the European Parliament
when he disrupted the speech of Pope John Paul II?
</span></span></b></div>
<div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">For almost
all of his public life, until his late conversion, his implacable and
unrelenting crusade fanned the flames of hatred and bigotry against Catholics.
</span></span></b></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: small;">I have no doubt whatsoever that his inflammatory and hate-filled rants
incited murderous reprisals on innocent Catholics and nationalists by Loyalist
paramilitaries. </span></span></div>
<div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Far from
being the peace maker of the DUP, a role he played in latter days, for years he
attempted to destroy every initiative to bring peace.
</span></span></b></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: small;">He destroyed the attempts of Prime Minister Terrence O'Neill to forge
closer relations with the Republic, he helped bring down the Sunningdale
Agreement in 1974, and he accused David Trimble of treason in the latter's
attempt to end The Troubles. </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: small;">Then, in 2007, he performed an extraordinary volte-face and became First
Minister. It was the power he had no doubt dreamed of and lusted for all his
political life. </span></span></div>
<div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span></b> </div>
<div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Enemies</span></span></b></div>
<div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span></b> </div>
<div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Now that
he had achieved the ultimate reward, he was prepared to sit with his lifelong
enemies - becoming a 'chuckle brother' to the ex-IRA commander Martin
McGuinness. </span></span></b></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: small;">It was an extraordinary odyssey for this fire and brimstone preacher. I
can't help thinking that had Paisley achieved
his political ambitions years earlier, many innocent lives would not have been
lost. </span></span></div>
<div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Despite
all the bouquets and accolades that have been showered on Paisley since his death, I for one will shed no tears on
his passing. </span></span></b></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: small;">May god have mercy on his soul and may he rest in
peace.</span></span></div>
<div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span></b> </div>
<div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Comment:</span></span></b></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span> </div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: small;">Regardless of the misplaced words of kindness and friendship offered by
the other half of the “chuckle brothers”, I am compelled to agree with the
writer of this article. For several decades, Ian Paisley was an arrogant,
belligerent, bellicose, anti Irish, anti Catholic loudmouth who never hesitated
to spread his venom to anyone who was willing to listen. A couple of years of
attempting to change his image do not begin to forgive his many years of
fomenting ethnic and religious hatred. The mere fact of his death does not
change the image that he worked so hard to project for all those years. He will
not be missed by those who remember his very obnoxious
past.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span> </div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: small;">Jack Meehan, National President
Emeritus</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: small;">Ancient Order of Hibernians in America</span></span></div>
Jack Meehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203889952799013157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825954821342201648.post-18878017952955294662014-08-28T07:43:00.002-07:002014-08-28T07:43:59.487-07:00The Northern Ireland Executive: A wasteland of mutual veto?
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="subfont-tg-regular"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: OpenSans-Regular; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: OpenSans-Regular; font-size: 9pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span></div>
<div>
<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 9pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Terry Wright - </span><span class="dis-bfnt-10center"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: OpenSans-Regular; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Published
-</span></span></span><span class="superfont-tg-regularflt-l"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: OpenSans-Regular; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">
27 </span></span><span class="subfont-tg-regular"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: OpenSans-Regular; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">August
2014 </span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></span> </span></span></b></div>
<div>
<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">If people who endorsed the restoration of Stormont in 1998 were to vote
again in 2014 would they vote the same
way?</span></span></b></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Recent election results indicating a large number of absentee and
unregistered voters suggest that the turnout would be significantly
reduced.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">If this trend is not reversed then elected politicians will govern
without a credible mandate.</span></span></div>
<div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">They have only
themselves to blame. No </span><a href="http://www.londonderrysentinel.co.uk/news/local-news/the-northern-ireland-executive-a-wasteland-of-mutual-veto-1-6262762##"><span class="klink"><span style="color: #446688; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">party</span></span></span></a><span style="font-size: small;"> is exempt for they choose to
live in a world of denial and intentional
amnesia.</span></span></b></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">We have seen high profile sporting events, Titanic, and the Game of
Thrones. Jobs are beginning to trickle through but alongside this, millions of
pounds have gone to waste as too many initiatives have stalled, only to be
abandoned. </span></span></div>
<div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Unpleasantness
and rage are the order of the day as fractious debate replaces co-operation and
consensus on pivotal issues. </span></span></b></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ministers who administer overpayments that become underpayments cling on
to office. In an age of austerity and fragile economic recovery it is simply
wrong to pay huge amounts for over-indulgent expenses and hospitality.
</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Presently, we have Ministers driven by </span><a href="http://www.londonderrysentinel.co.uk/news/local-news/the-northern-ireland-executive-a-wasteland-of-mutual-veto-1-6262762##"><span class="klink"><span style="color: #446688; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">party</span></span></span></a><span style="font-size: small;"> interests verbally kicking
each other on the shins over the present impasse on welfare and ensuing
budgetary implications.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Both of the bigger parties have manufactured crises. Leaders of smaller
parties speak of dysfunction but action to challenge this is required not words
which state the obvious. </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Courage and conviction come to mind for it is unacceptable that Stormont
continuously meanders through the debris of democratic
accountability.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">As MLAs come to the end of the Summer-break and prepare to return to the
Chamber and the committees, something is broken and in need of
repair.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">David Ford MLA Minister for Justice and leader of the Alliance party has spoken
of the need for a reboot. He is not the only one who thinks this way. Perhaps
the better term is transform in terms of the quality of leadership, the spirit
of governance, relations and focus.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Re-modelling and review sit with these in terms of process and
structure.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">It is a debate that will not go away, as a political process agreed as a
lifejacket for democracy becomes a straitjacket for
progress.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Between them, the two main parties are creating a wasteland of mutual
veto, sectarian trade-off and populist policies as they jointly move in tortuous
fashion, towards a shared future but one defined only by their willingness to
act out of self interest rather than for the common
good.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">It is producing mediocre politics and
government.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">For the smaller groupings to believe that they can work within this
process is old thinking and a defence mechanism against having to risk the fresh
and new.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Eventually, it manifests itself as self-deception. It becomes stifling
and ultimately static and seeks solutions through operational but compensatory
and tainted Ministerial portfolios that do not enjoy the same influence as those
held by the DUP or Sinn Fein.</span></span></div>
<div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">There is need for
challenge, change, good sense and a new bolder way of
thinking.</span></span></b></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">To embrace it the smaller parties will need to throw off their reticence
in favour of courage and vision. They have to assume leadership for the bigger
parties are interested only in pursuing party agendas grounded in a shameful
past of tribal interests.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">To embrace it they must move beyond any self-doubt or indecision that
curtails their ability to operate as effective stewards of the process and the
mandate to make Stormont work.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Delay and failing to act will serve only to undermine their capacity and
ability to challenge and create. It is a catastrophic strategy that limits the
expression and application of the fertile ground of talents and resources at all
levels of their parties, not least that of the MLAs within the </span><a href="http://www.londonderrysentinel.co.uk/news/local-news/the-northern-ireland-executive-a-wasteland-of-mutual-veto-1-6262762##"><span class="klink"><span style="color: #446688; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">NI</span></span></span></a><span style="font-size: small;"> Assembly, many of whom work
tirelessly at constituency level. </span></span></div>
<div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">The electorate in
Northern
Ireland is tired of petty political bickering.
It wants its representatives to address and shape for the better, issues that
affect everyday life.</span></span></b></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Some party spokespersons have hinted tentatively at Opposition. But too
often this bears the hallmark of point scoring and a jealous and frustrated
desire to hold the reins of power. This is merely to turn the bus around but
continue to travel in the same direction.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Opposition is not about this. It is about robust and informed positive
engagement, frankness and openness. It is about the positive experience of full
participatory politics and in the Northern Ireland context, the extent
to which this can be achieved within the
Assembly.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">It is about challenge and critique and will create a dynamic where there
will be true accountability to the electorate. The bar of standards that the
electorate expects from representatives will be
raised.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Any MLAs who govern and who have been promoted beyond their abilities
will be exposed for they cannot hide behind the cosy protection of those
respective power blocs which exercise power and compromise over the other
parties who play the minor and subservient role at the table of the
Executive.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Voters who have become sceptical and disenchanted and who mistrust the
political process in Northern
Ireland will have found a voice and may be
persuaded to return to the ballot box.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">The parties will require trust in each other and the
electorate.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">The task is to build consensus but on the basis of shared values and the
integrity of accountable and agreed solutions to crucial social, health,
economic and educational issues and not the populism and spin which currently
operates without opposition and serves to embed a system where one power bloc
decides what is right and what is wrong.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Within Northern
Ireland such a power bloc, operating without
critique and meaningful scrutiny, disenfranchises those who differ and
sacrifices the electorate to the sectarian nature of those who
govern.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">A guaranteed place in government coupled with the ability of the bigger
party Ministers to take advantage of and trade on the desire of their main
partner’s desire to sustain power and lack of effective scrutiny is
flawed.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">It shows a lack of courage to perceive what is right and fail to do it.
To see what is wrong and fail to address it is to cling to false hope. The
smaller parties need to look within to find an alternative way and a better way.
It is an imperative on which they should not turn their backs. The present state
of affairs is not what it was supposed to be. Review of the institutions is
over-due. It should be root and branch. </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span> </div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Comment:</strong></span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span> </div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">A lasting peace entails a great deal more than merely the absence of
violence. The Northern Ireland Executive, aka the Stormont Government is a study
in incompetence. Since the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, the only thing that
they seem to be good at is running up huge expense accounts for their
globetrotting efforts to promote N.I. as an ideal place for international
investors to setup operations. In the meantime, while they fiddle, Stormont
burns. Time to roll up their sleeves and get down to governing and effectively
conducting the people’s business as they were elected to
do.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span> </div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jack Meehan, National President
Emeritus</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ancient Order of Hibernians in America</span></span></div>
Jack Meehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203889952799013157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825954821342201648.post-55010995500701194542014-08-21T07:49:00.002-07:002014-08-21T07:49:35.778-07:00British Muslims Joining Jihad in Large Numbers<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">The news that British Prime
Minister David Cameron has cut short his vacation after the video of an alleged
British subject beheading Irish American journalist, </span><a href="http://www.irishcentral.com/opinion/patrickroberts/Monsters-behead-Irish-American-journalist-over-Obama-bombings-in-Iraq.html"><span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="font-size: small;">James Foley</span></span></a><span style="font-size: small;"> became public is certainly dramatic. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Britain</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> suddenly finds itself with an 'enemy
within' – the almost 500 citizens who have left the UK to fight for
a caliphate or an Islamic world order.</b> The beheader of James Foley was
clearly one of those, speaking in an obvious London accent. Experts say the British fighters
are among the most extreme. Jihadi expert Shiraz Maher, a senior research fellow
at London University, told the "Today" radio program,
"Unfortunately the British participation in the conflicts now raging in both
Syria and Iraq
has been one of full participation, one that has seen them at the front lines,
taking part in the conflict in every way. "So we have seen British fighters out
there operating as suicide bombers; we have seen them operating as
executioners.</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></b> </div>
<div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Unfortunately, they are amongst some of
the most vicious and vociferous fighters who are out there. That is
unfortunately just a part of their
radicalization."</span></span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Guardian columnist Michael White says there is a perception that Muslim
leaders like Catholic leaders at the time of the </span><a href="http://www.irishcentral.com/topic/ira.html"><span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="font-size: small;">IRA</span></span></a><span style="font-size: small;">
campaign were not doing enough “As with the IRA during the </span><a href="http://www.irishcentral.com/news/irishvoice/Rory-McIlroys-relative-was-murdered-by-the-Ulster-Volunteer-Force.html"><span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="font-size: small;">Troubles</span></span></a><span style="font-size: small;">
there is usually a thread of ambiguity among some co-religionists, priests and
mullahs, which the media prefer to focus on. ”The father of one of the known
British fanatics, 20-year-old Nasser Muthana, said his son was lost to him.
Ahmed Muthana said his son had wanted to be a doctor, but chose "to go with
these wrong people.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I think, 'Am I
going to see him alive again?' Maybe we won't even see the coffin – we'll just
see on the news they're dead," he said.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bizarre that, the contrast between a young man one day thinking of
becoming a doctor, the next a Jihadi fanatic and then choosing the latter.
.Another British terrorist – Abu Osama – told the BBC he utterly rejected his
home country. He told the Guardian that Britain was "pure evil," and said he would only
return "to raise the black flag of Islam over Downing Street, over
Buckingham Palace, over Tower Bridge and over Big
Ben."</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Even young women have taken to Jihad. Manchester twin sisters Salma and Zahra Halane are said to
have traveled to Syria in June. They were described as
"deeply religious "Many Muslim leaders are doing their best to stem the tide.
The Guardian reports that more than 100 imams have called on British Muslims not
to travel to Syria and Iraq and have written an open letter urging local
communities "to continue the generous and tireless effort to support all of
those affected by the crisis in Syria and unfolding events in Iraq." but to do
so "from the UK in a safe and responsible
way."</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></b> </div>
<div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Judging by the fanatic hearts of those
who have already left it may be too
late.</span></span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></b> </div>
<div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Comment:</span></span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">This article contains some very frightening information on the
transformation or “radicalization” as they choose to call it of young British
Muslims. The infiltration of Muslims into Ireland during
and since the Celtic Tiger years would cause one to wonder and, indeed worry, if
it will not be long before the same thing might develop there. Irish society has
undergone some drastic changes in recent years, not the least of which is the
burgeoning number of Muslims emigrating into the country. Could Ireland
be the next breeding ground for young, radical Islamists? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I certainly hope not but it is definitely not
out of the realm of possibility. </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jack Meehan, National President
Emeritus</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ancient Order of Hibernians in America</span></span></div>
Jack Meehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203889952799013157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825954821342201648.post-2609811753013516282014-08-18T11:58:00.001-07:002014-08-18T11:58:44.983-07:00No oath, no passport. It's quite simple. Or is it?<br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Published</span></strong><br />
<section class="body "><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> 18/08/2014 </span></span></span></section><section class="body "><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></span></span></section><section class="body "><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><strong>Those
taking out Canadian citizenship are expected to swear an oath of allegiance to
Britain's Queen
Elizabeth</strong></span></div>
<section class="body "><br /></section><section class="body "><div class="lead" style="margin: 1em 0in;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's the age-old
Irish story - a person leaves these shores, goes to a new country and falls in
love with their new home. They respect the fact that this new country offered an
opportunity that was obviously denied to them in the place of their birth and
they want to pledge their allegiance to their new sanctuary by becoming a
citizen.</span></span></div>
<section class="body "></section><section class="body ">
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Emer O'Toole is such a person. A self-described 'hairy feminist', she is
an assistant professor of Irish performance studies at the School of Canadian Irish
Studies at </span><a href="http://searchtopics.independent.ie/topic/Concordia_University"><span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="font-size: small;">Concordia
University</span></span></a><span style="font-size: small;">, which must be
nice.</span></span></div>
</section><section class="body "></section><section class="body ">
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">But as she pointed out in the pages of The Guardian (where else? I hear
you cry) last week, she is unhappy about the prospect of taking Canadian
citizenship because she objects to the part of which requires her to declare: "I
swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her
Majesty </span><a href="http://searchtopics.independent.ie/topic/Queen_Elizabeth_II"><span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="font-size: small;">Queen Elizabeth</span></span></a><span style="font-size: small;"> the Second, Queen of </span><a href="http://searchtopics.independent.ie/topic/Canada"><span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="font-size: small;">Canada</span></span></a><span style="font-size: small;"> . .
. "</span></span></div>
</section><section class="body "></section><section class="body ">
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">O'Toole has been living in </span><a href="http://searchtopics.independent.ie/topic/Montreal"><span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="font-size: small;">Montreal</span></span></a><span style="font-size: small;">
for the last year and she graciously concedes that: "I'm impressed by the
grassroots social movements. The arts scene mixes world-class talent with
community feeling and flavour . . .
"</span></span></div>
</section><section class="body "></section><section class="body ">
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">But - and there's always a 'but' - she also argues that: "I want to be a
citizen of Canada. But I don't want to swear an
oath of allegiance to the queen. As a socialist, hereditary power is anathema to
my conscience. As an Irish person I'm aware of the historical oppression of my
people and culture by British
imperialism."</span></span></div>
</section><section class="body "></section><section class="body ">
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm sure the average native of Montreal will be delighted that the artistic
endeavours they offer are enough to impress Ms O'Toole. But it seems they are
rather less than impressed with her attitude towards the
oath.</span></span></div>
</section><section class="body "></section><section class="body ">
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">The </span><a href="http://searchtopics.independent.ie/topic/Toronto"><span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="font-size: small;">Toronto</span></span></a><span style="font-size: small;">
Sun carried an op-ed on the issue last week which provoked a veritable tsunami
of outraged Canadians who are sick of the newly arrived who want to tailor the
rules to suit their own political tastes. If you don't like it, was the general
consensus, then go somewhere
else.</span></span></div>
</section><section class="body "></section><section class="body ">
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">O'Toole is not the first person to object to the idea. In fact, she's not
even the first Irish person who wants to take Canadian citizenship, but only on
their own terms.</span></span></div>
</section><section class="body "></section><section class="body ">
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><a href="http://searchtopics.independent.ie/topic/Ontario"><span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ontario</span></span></a><span style="font-size: small;">
Supreme Court recently ruled that requiring potential citizens to take the oath
was not, as had been claimed, a 'violation of their constitutional rights to
freedom of expression and religious
freedom.'</span></span></div>
</section><section class="body "></section><section class="body ">
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">That case was taken by a Rastafarian who believes the queen is 'the head
of Babylon', an Israeli mathematician who says such loyalty is 'repulsive' to
him and an 85-year-old Irish republican, Michael McAteer, who has lived in
Canada for 50 years but thinks he's being victimised by being asked to doff his
cap, if only symbolically, to Brenda and her
brood.</span></span></div>
</section><section class="body "></section><section class="body ">
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">All the objectors have one thing in common. They've been infected by a
most virulent strain of
'rightitis'.</span></span></div>
</section><section class="body "></section><section class="body ">
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;">This is a chronic condition
which results in the patient suffering from an endless obsession with,
</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'MS Mincho'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;">and an exhaustive
knowledge of, their perceived rights and a complete ignorance of their
responsibilities.</span></span></div>
</section><section class="body "></section><section class="body ">
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">They have every right to refuse to swear an oath to the
queen.</span></span></div>
</section><section class="body "></section><section class="body ">
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">But they seem incapable of accepting that new citizens of any country
have a responsibility to abide by the rules and expectations of their new
home.</span></span></div>
</section><section class="body "></section><section class="body ">
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Whether it be the 85-year-old
republican, the hairy feminist, the Rastafarian priestess or the </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'MS Mincho'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Israeli maths dude,
they are all united by their capacity for self-delusion. Because
Canada is doing them a favour, not
the other way around.</span></span></div>
</section><section class="body "></section><section class="body ">
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Another Canadian paper published a defence of the monarchy, which
prompted O'Toole to huff that: "If you don't agree, you don't get in. I don't
agree. I guess I don't get in."</span></span></div>
</section><section class="body "></section><section class="body ">
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Still, there's always America, Emer. Just head a few miles
south and you won't have to compromise your oh-so-important
feelings.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<div>
<u><i><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Comment:</span></span></b></i></u></div>
<section class="body "><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><strong></strong></span></section><section class="body "><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><strong><span style="font-size: small;">After
all, as we see from our other border, we will let anyone in these
days.</span></strong></span></section><section class="body "><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><strong></strong></span></section><section class="body "><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><strong><span style="font-size: small;">Jack
Meehan, National President Emeritus</span></strong></span></section><section class="body "><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><strong><span style="font-size: small;">Ancient
Order of Hibernians in America</span></strong></span></section><section class="body "> </section><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
</section><section class="body "><br /></section></section><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></span></span></section><section class="body "><br /></section><section class="body "><br /></section>Jack Meehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203889952799013157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825954821342201648.post-44071884919452361872014-07-05T11:15:00.001-07:002014-07-05T11:15:10.057-07:00Legalizing undocumented immigrants should be our first immigration priority, and Americans support a full pathway to citizenship <div style="background: white; line-height: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">More than half of all Americans in a
CNN/ORC International poll argued that <b>the <a href="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2014/images/02/06/rel3g..pdf"><span style="color: windowtext;">first priority on immigration</span></a> should be
providing a pathway to legal status for undocumented immigrants living in the
country, </b>while only 41 percent believed that stopping unauthorized
immigration should be the top priority. These results stand in sharp relief to
similar polling done in 2011 and before, when a majority of Americans believed
that stopping unauthorized immigration should come before allowing undocumented
immigrants access to legal status. As CNN Polling Director Keating Holland
<a href="http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2014/02/06/cnn-poll-pathway-to-citizenship-trumps-border-security/"><span style="color: windowtext;">argued</span></a>,
“The Republicans’ insistence that border security be the primary focus of
U.S. immigration policy may have been
a popular stand in 2011, but not necessarily in
2014.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Overall, 8 out of 10 Americans believed
that undocumented immigrants who have been in the country for years and are
employed, speak English, and would pay back taxes should be allowed to become
citizens, while nearly two-thirds of those polled stated that they would oppose
a bill that only granted legal status but no way to achieve citizenship. Both of
these results were more or less consistent regardless of whether the respondent
was a Democrat, a Republican, or an independent. It is clear from the poll that
the American public supports a full pathway to citizenship, not merely the
granting of second-class legal status. This poll in no way implies that security
at our borders does not also remain a seriousl problem that must be dealt
with simultaneously. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Comment:</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The Boston Irish Group has steadfastly and
unwaveringly stood in support of the concept that the very first step toward
meaningful and lasting U.S. immigration reform must be a permanent resolution of
the plight of undocumented people currently living, working, and raising their
families here in the U.S. Many came here fleeing oppression in their native
countries. In some cases, the oppression was political, in others it was
economic. We are convinced if they thought that the United States of America
offered them, through hard work, the opportunity to make a good and decent life
for themselves and their families, they should be given the opportunity to prove
themselves. On this 238th birthday of the United States of America, let us
pledge to continue our proud heritage as a nation who has always granted
opportunity to people from other lands and has benefitted greatly from our
generosity and our vision for the future. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Also it should be noted that unlike other
immigrant service providers, the Boston Irish Group which is comprised of
American citizens, green card holders, and undocumented Irish nationals have
never asked for or accepted a single penny for the services that they provide
to the undocumented community that they serve. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Jack Meehan, National President
Emeritus </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Ancient Order of Hibernians in
America</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Boston Irish Group</span></span></div>
Jack Meehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203889952799013157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825954821342201648.post-9382198191196101262014-04-30T07:55:00.000-07:002014-04-30T08:01:41.754-07:00Boston Irish raise $180,000 for Katie O’Halloran's bionic arms <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs9pIk7pmdwleAVr8zsrwBKnOHO2a-jcl5JvBY-aI0FkvSPBOvgFSR5slndXITGkEqYdkG6ldI2hHEgvMXaR8lfl7XXTUQVWebz2WCa25EB1R2eKBpvXP7Acu1rWRzEsihR6BwDbGIupU/s1600/MI+Katie+O+Halloran.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs9pIk7pmdwleAVr8zsrwBKnOHO2a-jcl5JvBY-aI0FkvSPBOvgFSR5slndXITGkEqYdkG6ldI2hHEgvMXaR8lfl7XXTUQVWebz2WCa25EB1R2eKBpvXP7Acu1rWRzEsihR6BwDbGIupU/s1600/MI+Katie+O+Halloran.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Counihan </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.twitter.com/irishcentral" target="_blank"><span style="color: #b75800; font-family: Lato; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">@irishcentral</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> April 29,2014 04:00 AM </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:#0400;
mso-fareast-language:#0400;
mso-bidi-language:#0400;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: small;">The Boston Irish have done </span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Strong-Support-for-Boston-as-city-reclaims-their-annual-road-race-.html"><span style="color: #b75800; font-family: Lato;">Katie O’Halloran</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Lato;"> proud and raised
over $180,000 towards her campaign to purchase bionic arms.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: small;">Backed by Mayor Marty Walsh, the Irish American community in
Boston have taken</span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Transatlantic-support-for-Irish-girl-on-a-quest-for-prosthetic-arms.html"><span style="color: #b75800; font-family: Lato;"> Katie’s 'Born to Run' </span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Lato;">campaign to their
hearts.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: small;">The 22-year-old law graduate from Connemara is now almost two
thirds of the way towards her target of $400,000 to purchase prosthetic arms.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: small;">Katie was born with Femur-Fibula-Ulna Syndrome, leaving her
without arms and with a short, deformed right leg.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: small;">She has told how she wants to expand her independence with the
help of Bebionic prosthetic arms and has been astounded by the public reaction
to her campaign’s fund-raising efforts, both at home and in America.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: small;">Katie met with Mayor Walsh on the eve of the Boston Marathon when
many runners raised sponsorship funds in her honor.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: small;">She was also the beneficiary of a major fund-raising night in
Dorchester which took the total funds raised over the $180,000 mark.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: small;">Her campaign team posted on Facebook: “Thanks to everyone for your
generosity and supported with our great fundraiser last night. Katie and her
family are overwhelmed by the support they have received since they arrived in
Boston.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: small;">With family roots in Connemara, Mayor Walsh was delighted to
support the recent benefit night in Freeport Hall, Dorchester, just around the
corner from where he grew up.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: small;">Mayor Walsh told the Irish Examiner: “The Irish community always
supports their own and my uncle, Peter, has been very involved in the community
and they asked me to get involved and help out a little bit.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: small;">“I’m here to support Katie in all the efforts that are being done.
This is very big and this is very big to Boston. It’s very important to the
community and I want to be as supportive as I can be.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: small;">Stunned by the reaction, O’Halloran told the Irish Examiner:
"It’s surreal, unbelievable. I’m really surprised and glad that the Irish
in Boston think my story is something they can get behind."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: small;">Runners led by Galway man Michael Cloherty have completed three
marathons in three weeks on Katie’s behalf, in Connemara, London and Boston.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: small;">Cloherty explained to the paper: “I was doing it for a huge cause.
If I was just doing it for myself there would have been days I wouldn’t have
bothered. But it was for Katie. We grew up near each other, our families know
each other – that took the difficulty out of it.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: small;">The fund-raising embraced by the Irish American community in
Boston will change Katie’s life forever.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: small;">She added: “It will transform my life really. To be able to do
small tasks like shake a person’s hand, carry a handbag, open doors. I’m just
really happy so many people have put in so much effort.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: small;">“These arms will give me more independence. I’m okay when I’m
inside the house, I can do everything for myself, I write and do my make-up
with my foot. I can bring myself to the bathroom, but when I’m out I’m stuck. I
need someone to open doors for me, bring me to the bathroom, carry bags.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: small;">“Right now I can manage most things with my foot but as I get
older my leg might not be as flexible.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: small;">“I’d like to be a normal 22-year-old. Now my social life is like
that of an older person, everything has to be planned out in advance. These
limbs would allow me to be spontaneous.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
<br />
Read more: </span><a href="http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Boston-Irish-raise-180000-for-Katie-OHallorans-bionic-arms-VIDEO.html#ixzz30I5NFaGP"><span style="color: #003399; font-family: Lato; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Boston-Irish-raise-180000-for-Katie-OHallorans-bionic-arms-VIDEO.html#ixzz30I5NFaGP</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> <br />
Follow us: </span><a href="http://ec.tynt.com/b/rw?id=cRrg-S49Gr4ipiacwqm_6l&u=IrishCentral" target="_blank"><span style="color: #b75800; font-family: Lato; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">@IrishCentral on Twitter</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> | </span><a href="http://ec.tynt.com/b/rf?id=cRrg-S49Gr4ipiacwqm_6l&u=IrishCentral" target="_blank"><span style="color: #b75800; font-family: Lato; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">IrishCentral on Facebook</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"></span></div>
Jack Meehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203889952799013157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825954821342201648.post-78139314255416502442014-03-28T14:28:00.005-07:002014-03-28T14:30:00.287-07:00The Faces of True Heroes<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="//img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" />
<style>
st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }
</style>
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:#0400;
mso-fareast-language:#0400;
mso-bidi-language:#0400;}
</style>
<![endif]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="l9subtitle31"><b>With
heavy hearts, we join our firefighters in mourning the loss of their brothers,
Lt. Eddie Walsh and Firefighter Mike Kennedy. The thoughts and prayers of the
entire City of Boston
are with the families of Eddie and Mike as well as with all of our firefighters
and their families. </b></span></span><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="l9subtitle31">Be safe, be strong and know that the people of Boston are there for you,
just as you prove day after day that you are there when we need you!</span></span></span></b><br />
<!--[if !mso]>
<style>
v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style>
<![endif]--><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqcX2jrV3MHYZiRolUUZyJHm_DgbDTeTQGpntphfctFOsNYjsonYuR-S_XhapoZwCe5zPrOW1X8M3oiF-c-YMJsLhGk5x_fC6-IgIJqtgUnDvKqobw-Lgr7meTXJDpXX4HWeYDp7FnCK0/s1600/Boston+Strong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqcX2jrV3MHYZiRolUUZyJHm_DgbDTeTQGpntphfctFOsNYjsonYuR-S_XhapoZwCe5zPrOW1X8M3oiF-c-YMJsLhGk5x_fC6-IgIJqtgUnDvKqobw-Lgr7meTXJDpXX4HWeYDp7FnCK0/s1600/Boston+Strong.jpg" height="320" width="271" /></a></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:#0400;
mso-fareast-language:#0400;
mso-bidi-language:#0400;}
</style>
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:#0400;
mso-fareast-language:#0400;
mso-bidi-language:#0400;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia;">“Greater
love hath no man than he who would lay down his life for his friends”</span></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt;"></span></b></div>
Jack Meehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203889952799013157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825954821342201648.post-10262786162110510132014-03-23T13:01:00.002-07:002014-03-28T14:32:33.503-07:00IRA leader is charged in murder case on evidence from Boston College tapes<span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span class="namebyline-separator"><span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Patrick
Counihan </span></span><span class="metadatabyline-separator"><span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">March
23,2014</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Lato; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<h1 style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></span></span></span></h1>
<span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">A former IRA leader has
been charged in connection with the murder of mother of 10 Jean McConville based
on confessions he made during the Boston College tapes recording
sessions.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">The Boston College project
begun in 2001 and was aimed at securing the recollections of key figures in The
Troubles to the events of The Troubles.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">Critics claim that
witnesses were falsely told their testimonies would only be released after their
deaths. Sinn Fein have claimed that the tapes were biased against their members
and overseen by key researchers who were out to get Sinn Fein leader Gerry
Adams.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">A Belfast court heard on Saturday that the police case
against 77-year-old Ivor Bell is based on an interview he allegedly gave to
researchers at the US
college.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">The prosecution claimed
the transcript actually indicated Bell had ‘played a critical role in the aiding,
abetting, counsel and procurement of the murder of Jean
McConville’.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">McConville was abducted
and killed in 1972 by the IRA amid allegations she was a police informer a
charge her family has always denied.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">Bell</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"> was refused bail and remanded in
custody by a district judge in Belfast accused of aiding and abetting in the
murder as well as membership of the IRA.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">His lawyer alleged that
the prosecution case was that an interviewee on one of the Boston tapes, referred to
only as ‘Z ’, was his client.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">Boston</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"> College</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"> interviewed a number of former
paramilitaries about the Troubles on the understanding transcripts would not be
published until after their deaths.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">The project was headed by
journalist Ed Moloney a fierce critic of Gerry Adams and researcher Anthony
McIntyre who opposed the Sinn Fein peace strategy. Moloney also published a book
“Voices from the Grave” which contained allegations by two of those interviewed
who had died against living figures in SInn
Fein.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">The undertaking that no
tapes would be released until the participants died was rendered ineffective
when a US court last year ordered that the
tapes be handed over to PSNI detectives.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">Boston</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"> College</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"> and the two principals, Moloney and
McIntyre have been sharply critical of each other since the tapes were seized by
British authorities.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">The interviews included
claims about the 1972 murder of McConville, one of the so called Disappeared
whose body was found on a County Louth beach years
later.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">She was abducted by the
IRA at her home at Belfast, shot dead and then secretly
buried.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">Lawyer Peter Corrigan told
district judge Amanda Henderson: “During those interviews Z explicitly states
that he was not involved with the murder of Jean
McConville.”</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">The report adds that
Corrigan also questioned the evidential value of the interviews, pointing out
that they had not been conducted by trained police
officers.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">He added:“The defence
submits that the evidence does not amount to a row of beans in relation to the
murder of Jean McConville.”</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">Bell</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"> sat impassively in the dock wearing a
grey jumper as his lawyer made the claims.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">Some of Mrs McConville’s
children watched on from the public gallery.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">A PSNI detective inspector
told the court that he can connect the accused with the charges but rejected
Corrigan’s interpretation of the Boston College interview.Police opposed bail on
the grounds that the defendant would likely flee the jurisdiction as he had
previously used an alias to travel to Spain and could use contacts within the
IRA to travel beyond Northern Ireland.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">Corrigan refuted that
claim. </span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">He said: “Are the
prosecution seriously suggesting that a man in this serious ill health, who
can’t walk up steps, is going to abscond for an offense where he has every
incentive to attend court?”</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">Bell</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"> was remanded in custody to appear
before court again next month.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">After the hearing, Mrs
McConville’s son Michael said the family’s thoughts were with their
mother.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">He said: “The pain of
losing her has not diminished over the decades since she was taken from us
murdered and secretly buried.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">“She is in our hearts and
our thoughts always. Whatever the future holds nothing will ever change
that.”</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/case-against-mcconville-accused-based-on-boston-college-interviews-1.1735104?page=2</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">Comment:</span></span></b></span></div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">Even a fish wouldn’t get
caught if he kept his mouth shut. Any “self styled hero” who would kidnap,
torture, murder, and bury the mother of ten children in a grave known only to
the perpetrators, deserves the severest punishment that he can be sentenced to<span>. Assuming that the allegations of
collusion against her were true,</span> why wasn’t she given a lighter sentence
such as being banished from Belfast. At least then, ten innocent children
could have been brought up by their mother instead of in an orphanage. It
appears to me that those who suffered the most from this <span>act of sheer barbarism</span> were ten
innocent children who saw their mother
taken violently from them never to be seen again.
</span></b></span></div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt;">
</div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">Jack Meehan, National
President Emeritus</span></b></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 15pt;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ancient Order of
Hibernians in America
</span></span></b></div>
</div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<h1 style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></span></span></span></h1>
<br />Jack Meehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203889952799013157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825954821342201648.post-24179685762290782742014-03-15T13:42:00.001-07:002014-03-15T13:42:05.451-07:00Taoiseach urges action on US immigration reform<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in 7.5pt; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<b><span style="font-size: 24pt; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><i><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Simon Carswell, Arthur
Beesley</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">
</span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Last Updated: Saturday,
March 15, 2014, 08:03 </span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Taoiseach Enda Kenny has
issued a direct plea in Capitol Hill to the speaker of the US House of
Representatives to quickly forge a deal on immigration
reform.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Mr Kenny’s uncompromising
remarks to </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #004776;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">John
Boehner</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> came as US President
</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #004776;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Barack
Obama</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> urged political leaders in
Northern </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #004776;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Ireland</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> to
return to talks to break the political deadlock over flags, parades and the
past.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">“I was disappointed, the
US government was disappointed that
the all-party talks could not arrive at a final conclusion and agreement,” Mr
Obama said.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">On a busy day of
political meetings in Washington to mark St Patrick’s Day, Mr Kenny
reiterated the message that undocumented Irish immigrants are treated badly
under decades-old legislation and wish only to play their full part in American
society.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">The remarks stand as his
strongest intervention on US immigration law, one of the most
deeply divisive questions in US domestic
politics.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">At the shamrock ceremony
in the East Room of the </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #004776;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">White
House</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> last night, the Taoiseach
noted St Patrick himself was an immigrant when he came to Ireland. “We
know America will sort this out,” Mr Kenny
told the gathering.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">He had pressed the
message earlier in private talks with Mr Obama and Vice President Joe Biden in
the White House and used the platform of a Capitol Hill lunch hosted by Mr
Boehner to say a renewed effort was urgently required. Mr Boehner, who is a
staunch opponent of Mr Obama’s political agenda, is a pivotal figure as his
control of Republican votes in </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #004776;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Congress</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
can determine the fate of draft laws to overhaul immigration rules which have
already passed the Senate.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">According to Mr Kenny’s
official spokesman, the Taoiseach departed from his prepared speech to tell the
lunch gathering that it was well past the time for
action.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">“It is unfair. They want
to earn their money. They want to pay their taxes,” the spokesman reported he
said.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">“They want to sing their
national anthem and when they sing they want to sing in the land of the home of
the free and the brave which they aren’t at the
moment.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">The Taoiseach said Mr
Obama wants Irish Ambassador to the US </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #004776;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Anne
Anderson</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> and other Irish
representatives to engage with all parties in the
debate.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">“There are a number of
propositions before the legislature at the moment,” Mr Kenny told
reporters.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">“The important thing, however, is that there would be a
process of legalisation for people who are here undocumented, that they could
pay their taxes, contribute to American society, raise their families, and have
the freedom to travel over and back,” said Mr
Kenny.</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Comment:</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Please pay particular attention to the last part of the
Taoiseach’s statement. He states very emphatically that the plight of our
undocumented Irish nationals currently living here in the U.S. should be
addressed first. <u>There is no such mention of a so called “Irish E-3 temporary
work permit” for <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>prospective emigrants
from Ireland.</u> As we have said from the
start, the issue of permanent visas <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(<u>not
temporary work permits</u>)</b> for those wishing to emigrate in future can be
addressed after the immediate problem is resolved. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Jack Meehan, National President
Emeritus</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Ancient Order of Hibernians in America
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Boston Irish Group – Board
Member</span></span></div>
Jack Meehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203889952799013157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825954821342201648.post-11753515509472902432013-10-27T10:31:00.001-07:002013-10-27T10:31:23.513-07:00GOP comfortable ignoring Obama pleas for vote on immigration bill<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span class="author1"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">By
Russell Berman </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">- <span class="date1">10/25/13 –
The Hill</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="display: none; mso-hide: all;"><input type="hidden" value="330527" /></span><span style="display: none; mso-hide: all;"><input type="hidden" /></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: small;">For President Obama and advocates hoping for a House vote on immigration
reform this year, the reality is simple: Fat chance.
</span></span></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: small;">Obama repeatedly since the shutdown has sought to turn the nation’s focus
to immigration reform and pressure Republicans to take up the Senate’s bill, or
something similar. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: small;">But there are no signs that Republicans are feeling any pressure.
</span></span></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: small;">Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has repeatedly ruled out taking up the
comprehensive Senate bill, and senior Republicans say it is unlikely that the
party, bruised from its internal battle over the government shutdown, will pivot
quickly to an issue that has long rankled conservatives.
</span></span></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), a leadership ally, told reporters Wednesday
there is virtually no chance the party would take up immigration reform before
the next round of budget and debt ceiling fights are settled. While that could
happen by December if a budget conference committee strikes an agreement, that
fight is more likely to drag well in 2014: the next deadline for lifting the
debt ceiling, for example, is not until Feb. 7.
</span></span></b></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: small;">“I don’t even think we’ll get to that point until we get these other
problems solved,” Cole said. </span></span></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: small;">He said it was unrealistic to expect the House to be able to tackle what
he called the “divisive and difficult issue” of immigration when it can barely
handle the most basic task of keeping the government’s lights on.
</span></span></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: small;">“We’re not sure we can chew gum, let alone walk and chew gum, so let’s
just chew gum for a while,” Cole said. </span></span></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: small;">In a colloquy on the House floor, Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) asked
Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) to outline the GOP's agenda between now and
the end of 2013. </span></span></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cantor rattled off a handful of issues – finishing a farm bill, energy
legislation, more efforts to go after ObamaCare – but immigration reform was
notably absent. </span></span></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: small;">When Hoyer asked Cantor directly on the House floor for an update on
immigration efforts, the majority leader was similarly vague.
</span></span></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: small;">“<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">There are plenty of bipartisan
efforts underway and in discussion between members on both sides of the aisle to
try and address what is broken about our immigration system,” Cantor said. “The
committees are still working on this issue, and I expect us to move forward this
year in trying to address reform and what is broken about our
system.”</b></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: small;">Immigration reform advocates in both parties have long set the end of the
year as a soft deadline for enacting an overhaul because of the assumption that
it would be impossible to pass such contentious legislation in an election year.
</span></span></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: small;">Aides say party leaders have not ruled out bringing up immigration reform
in the next two months, but there is no current plan to do so.
</span></span></b></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: small;">The legislative calendar is also quite limited; because of holidays and
recesses, the House is scheduled to be in session for just five weeks the
remainder of the year. </span></span></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: small;">In recent weeks, however, some advocates have held out hope that the
issue would remain viable for the first few months of 2014, before the midterm
congressional campaigns heat up.</span></span></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: small;">Democrats and immigration reform activists have long vowed to punish
Republicans in 2014 if they stymie reform efforts, and the issue is expected
play prominently in districts with a significant percentage of Hispanic voters
next year. </span></span></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: small;">With the shutdown having sent the GOP’s approval rating plummeting,
Democrats have appealed to Republicans to use immigration reform as a chance to
demonstrate to voters that the two parties can work together and that Congress
can do more than simply careen from crisis to crisis.
</span></span></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: small;">“Rather than create problems, let’s prove to the American people that
Washington can
actually solve some problems,” Obama said Thursday in his latest effort to spur
the issue on. </span></span></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: small;">But Republicans largely dismiss that line of thinking and say the
two-week shutdown damaged what little trust between the GOP and Obama there was
at the outset. </span></span></b></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“There is a
sincere desire to get it done, but there is also very little goodwill after the
president spent the last two months refusing to work with us,” a House GOP
leadership aide said. “In that way, his approach in the fiscal fights was very
short-sighted: it made his achieving his real priorities much more
diffic</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">ult.”</span></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"></span> </div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Comment:</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><strong></strong></span>
<div style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"></span> </div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: small;">Once again Mr. Obama has left a hot button issue to languish on the shelf
until the last minute and then trots it out to be dealt with “immediately, if
not sooner”. He has employed this method in the past to divert the public’s
attention away from another issue that is not going well. Unfortunately, it is a
tired old strategy that doesn’t work too well with those who understand the game
of politics. House Republicans are not falling for it this time and the
current session of Congress is very quickly coming to a close. Perhaps, the
President may have gone to the well once too often on this issue. But then
again, he doesn’t have much to lose politically because, as he has reminded us
recently, he is not running for re-election.</span></span></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"></span> </div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jack Meehan, National President
Emeritus</span></span></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ancient Order of Hibernians in America</span></span></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: small;">Irish Immigration
Activist</span></span></div>
Jack Meehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203889952799013157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825954821342201648.post-49934265959474983792013-10-23T08:45:00.002-07:002013-10-23T08:45:43.108-07:00Immigration Reform Groups Resume Fight<span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 22.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'arial bold'; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Immigration Reform Groups Resume Fight</span></span></b></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></strong></span> <span style="font-size: small;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">October
22, 2013</span></strong><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> - </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/immigration-reform-groups-resume-fight-98581.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Politico</span></a>
-Seung Min Kim</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">With the brutal
fiscal fight now in Capitol Hill’s rearview mirror, immigration reform advocates
from across the spectrum are ramping up the pressure on lawmakers to pass a
far-reaching overhaul this year.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">The more
aggressive wing of the immigration reform community is launching a “week of
escalation” that will target the top three House GOP leaders and roughly two
dozen other Republican lawmakers. Their goal is a vote on immigration reform
this year. And the Evangelical Immigration Table is releasing a letter Monday
signed by top faith leaders — a missive that comes amid a nationwide prayer
blitz for reform.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong> </strong></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>There’s a
glimmer of hope that the House will pass immigration reform this year, but after
the shutdown’s end, it’s faint at best.</strong> Although the Senate passed
comprehensive reform in June, most House Republicans remain highly skeptical of
such sweeping overhauls, and there’s no indication that chamber will move its
own package of reform bills anytime soon.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Nonetheless,
advocates are resuming the fight.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">“The dynamics on
this are very different than what we saw on the fiscal issue,” said Ali Noorani,
who leads the pro-reform National Immigration Forum. “We’re seeing this
groundswell of support for reform from the right; … we don’t see that
groundswell from both sides of the spectrum on any other
issue.”</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">In a new letter,
the Evangelical Immigration Table urges the House to continue working on
immigration and take up reform that includes a pathway to legalization or
citizenship for the more than 11 million undocumented immigrants in the
United
States. The letter, provided to POLITICO,
includes signers from the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious
Liberty Commission, as well as Sojourners, and is mostly complimentary of the
House, although it criticizes an interior enforcement immigration bill that
passed the Judiciary Committee in June.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">“The work the
House has done on immigration reform thus far is commendable,” reads the letter
from the Evangelical Immigration Table, which has convened more than 40 major
prayer gatherings and roughly 400 smaller ones scattered throughout 40
states.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Meanwhile, the
Fair Immigration Reform Movement, an umbrella organization for an array of
immigration rights groups nationwide, wants to intensify the pressure on House
Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and Majority
Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as well as 26 Republicans who represent areas
with a significant population of Latino and Asian voters. The so-called
escalation events will focus on pushing the lawmakers for a vote on
comprehensive immigration reform through visits to their Washington and district
offices.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">“You should expect to see more escalations and more … civil acts of
disobedience,” said Kica Matos, a spokeswoman for the coalition, who added that
activities will also be planned for November. Groups in the Fair Immigration
Reform Movement have held several events at which reform advocates have gotten
themselves arrested to call attention to the
issue.</span></span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Meanwhile,
Noorani’s Forum is involved in organizing an event Oct. 28-29 during which more
than 300 conservative backers of immigration reform will press lawmakers on the
need to take up a comprehensive overhaul. They come from more than 50
congressional districts, and among the major GOP-friendly groups involved in the
effort are the Partnership for a New American Economy, a pro-reform coalition
headed by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg; the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; and
FWD.us, the advocacy organization founded by Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg,
according to Alex Katz, a spokesman for Bloomberg’s
group.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">There is still
some under-the-radar activity on the issue in the GOP-led
House.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">A swath of
Republicans is still quietly crafting bills that would each overhaul a different
section of the immigration system. Five bills have passed key committees, and
Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte of Virginia has indicated that his panel is
working on four more immigration measures.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">One would be a
legalization measure for young undocumented immigrants being spearheaded by
Cantor. Another is a bill providing temporary visas for immigrant workers by
Republican Reps. Ted Poe of Texas and Raul
Labrador of Idaho. A committee aide said Goodlatte
currently has no timetable to bring up the other immigration
bills.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">There is also a
bill that would create a biometric exit system sponsored by Rep. Candice Miller
(R-Mich.) intended to reduce visa overstays, but that measure would go through
the Homeland Security Committee.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">The official word
from House Republican leadership is that the chamber still has immigration
reform on its agenda, with Boehner spokesman Michael Steel saying the speaker
“remains committed to a step-by-step process to fix our broken immigration
system.”</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;">But Republicans privately and
publicly say their already testy relations with President Barack Obama have been
poisoned by the rancorous fiscal battle, which ended with a major capitulation
from congressional Republicans. </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Rep.
Raul</span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Labrador,
a conservative backer of immigration reform, encapsulated that thinking at a
recent forum when he said it would be “crazy” for House Republicans to negotiate
with Obama after the grueling past few weeks.</span></b></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">“The president’s attitude and actions over the past few weeks have
certainly made getting anything done on immigration considerably harder,” a
senior congressional Republican aide said in an
email.</span></span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Florida Rep. Mario
Diaz-Balart, one of the House’s biggest GOP proponents of a rewrite of
U.S. immigration laws, acknowledged
that the shutdown and debt limit battle “clearly … doesn’t make it easier” for
reform. Still, he dismissed the influence that Obama may hold in the House on
immigration.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">“The president has not been a factor, has never been a factor and as far
as our efforts in the House, won’t be a factor,” Diaz-Balart said. “I don’t mean
to sound disrespectful, but he needs to do what he’s been doing for the last
five years, which is just nothing.”</span></span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Kevin Appleby,
director of migration policy for the pro-reform U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishops, noted that Boehner emerged from the fiscal fight with widespread praise
from his conservative flank, which may provide him with some room to maneuver
within his Republican Conference.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">“It might give him
some leverage,” Appleby said, who noted that his group has “only gotten positive
messages” from House GOP leaders on immigration. “I think at this point, I think
the stakes are higher because the American public is playing closer attention to
how Congress conducts its business.”</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Democrats have
made it clear that enacting immigration reform is next on their agenda after the
bruising shutdown and debt ceiling battles.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Obama placed it
high on his list of priorities in a speech on the day the government reopened.
House Democrats have released a comprehensive immigration bill designed to
pressure their GOP counterparts, but that has not attracted Republican support
and will not go anywhere. And Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said he
wants to refocus on the issue.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">“I think we need
to get this done,” Reid said on Univision’s “Al Punto” on Sunday. “And I will
never agree to anything that doesn’t have a pathway to
citizenship.”</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Aside from
embracing a piece-by-piece process advocated by Goodlatte, the House Republican
leadership hasn’t committed to a timeline or strategy for bringing immigration
bills to the floor. How much Democratic support the bills would need is unclear.
A bloc of House conservatives has pledged to vote against any immigration
measure, even if they support the policy, to prevent the chamber from entering
into a formal conference committee with the Senate and its Gang of Eight
bill.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Immigration
advocates were heartened somewhat by the final agreement that lifted the
nation’s debt limit and ended the government shutdown, which did not gain
majority support from Republicans and had to be carried by Democratic votes.
They believed that it showed a willingness on Boehner’s part to allow critical
legislation to pass by breaking the so-called Hastert rule, which requires
majority backing from the party in control of the
House.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">But that may be
more of an apples-to-oranges comparison, as some
note.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">“At some point,
you have to fund government; at some point, you have to deal with the debt,”
said NumbersUSA President Roy Beck, who supports reducing immigration. “There’s
absolutely no similarity between those and the immigration
bill.”</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">The other
complicating factor is time.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Diaz-Balart said that is his chief concern. The debt ceiling and shutdown
agreement lays out a series of short-term deadlines, such as a mid-January
expiration of government funding and a debt limit that is raised until Feb. 7.
The Treasury Department’s extraordinary measures could buy more time on the
latter, but it’s unclear how much. But that timeline means this fall is the
likeliest window Congress has to work on immigration before lawmakers will again
be consumed by fiscal issues.</span></span> </div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">“There’s a very
clear window now for the next month or two,” said Jeremy Robbins, director of
the Partnership for a New American Economy. “The key is to make the case for the
political imperative.”</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span></b> </div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Comment:</span></span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">If anybody thinks
that this legislation is going to sail right through Congress, they must also
believe in the tooth fairy. The Obama administration, specifically Harry Reid,
Nancy Pelosi, and the President, steadfastly refused to negotiate with Congress
on the debt ceiling and "Obamacare" and now they expect Congress to turn the
other cheek and allow immigration reform to be passed without any opposition by
the same members of Congress who were told there would be no negotiation the
other two issues. As a staunch, long standing proponent of immigration reform I
truly hope that I am wrong but I fear that the Obama administration's
intransigent attitude has raised the ire of many in Congress. Unfortunately, the
immigration issue could suffer as a result.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jack
Meehan, National President Emeritus</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ancient Order of
Hibernians in America</span></span></div>
</span></span>Jack Meehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203889952799013157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825954821342201648.post-58692505776679181272013-09-24T12:40:00.000-07:002013-09-24T12:40:20.313-07:00ill-served as President becomes increasingly partisan and political<h2 style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Higgins
has resorted to tiresome name-calling of the reactionary left, including their
favourite term of abuse ‘neoliberal’ </span></b></h2>
<h2 style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></span></h2>
<h2 style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Irish Times –
19 Sept. 2013</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">President Michael D Higgins should understand the limitations of the role
of president and, more specifically, not to use it as a platform to advance his
radical far left political agenda. </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">President
</span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Michael%20D%20Higgins&article=true"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;">Michael D Higgins</span></a><span style="font-size: small;"> gave a speech on
economics at </span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_organisation=Dublin%20City%20University&article=true"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;">Dublin City University</span></a><span style="font-size: small;"> last week.
Among many other things, he posed questions about the discipline in the
post-crisis age and sought to “explore the contemporary possibilities for
developing ethical arts of economic
government”.</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">While the
Constitution gives him no role in economic government, it is perfectly
appropriate for a largely figurehead, non-executive president to raise such
matters, including discussing “possibilities” – note the plural – around ethics
and economic governance. Providing thought leadership is exactly what such a
president should do.</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">But that is not what President Higgins did last week. Instead, his speech
was highly ideological and one-sided. It exclusively extolled far left-of-centre
thinkers, including some quite extreme figures. All non-leftists mentioned were
implicitly traduced. Worst of all, it excluded the majority who occupy the
middle ground and who carry little or no ideological
baggage.</span></span></b></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Before critiquing
what the President said in detail, let me say that I gave President Higgins my
first preference vote when he ran for the State’s highest office. I did so
because, of the contenders in with a chance of election, he was the least bad of
the bunch. He is a cerebral man and, as a lifelong politician, he might have
been expected to understand the limitations of the role and, more specifically,
not to use it as a platform to advance a political
agenda.</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Unfortunately, he has dashed
that hope</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">.
His interventions have become increasingly political and
partisan.</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> Last week’s speech
illustrated this in a number of ways.</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">The company one
keeps says a lot about a person. That is as true in intellectual life as it is
in social life. President Higgins keeps only one kind of intellectual company.
Those mentioned approvingly at DCU included </span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Ernst%20Bloch&article=true"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;">Ernst Bloch</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">, Jean-Paul Fitoussi,
</span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Michel%20Foucault&article=true"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;">Michel Foucault</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">, Jürgen Habermas,
</span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=David%20Harvey&article=true"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;">David Harvey</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">, </span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Ruth%20Levitas&article=true"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;">Ruth Levitas</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">, </span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Philip%20Mirowski&article=true"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;">Philip Mirowski</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">, </span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Jamie%20Peck&article=true"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;">Jamie Peck</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">, </span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=William%20Morris&article=true"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;">William Morris</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">, </span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=R%20H%20Tawney&article=true"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;">R H Tawney</span></a><span style="font-size: small;"> and </span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Edmond%20Villey&article=true"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;">Edmond Villey</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">. The only Irish
person quoted (other than himself) was </span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Kathleen%20Lynch&article=true"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;">Kathleen Lynch</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">, an equality studies
academic in UCD. </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">All are very firmly on the left of the political
spectrum.</span></span></b></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></b><strong><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">‘Neoliberal’
scaremongering</span></span></strong><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;">As if the
political hue of all those cited approvingly in the speech was not enough to
demonstrate bias, President Higgins resorted to the tiresome name-calling of the
reactionary left. Their favourite term of abuse is “neoliberal”, a label slapped
on those whose views on the relative roles of market and state differ from
theirs.</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Because nobody
anywhere defines himself/herself as “neoliberal”, this makes dialogue impossible
and the making of conspiracy myths all too easy, as the President illustrated
well in his speech.</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">“Neoliberalism
has, from the first meetings of </span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Ludwig%20Von%20Mises&article=true"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;">Ludwig Von Mises</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">, </span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Hayek&article=true"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;">Hayek</span></a><span style="font-size: small;"> and </span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Milton%20Friedman&article=true"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;">Milton Friedman</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">, been a conscious
ideological project” he said, adding that it “does make assumptions about human
nature and the good society. Yet these are rarely stated”. Given that nobody
claims to be a “neoliberal” it is hardly surprising that they are rarely
stated.</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">The setting up of
an us-versus-neoliberals contest is not only divisive, it is grossly
reductionist. Most people support both competitive markets and state-organised
redistribution. The choice is not binary. To the chagrin of hardline ideologues
on both the left and free market right, </span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_location=Ireland&article=true"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;">Ireland</span></a><span style="font-size: small;"> and peer countries have a
mix of market and state in economic life.</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Among the most
pernicious comments in the speech was this: “we must endeavour to <em><span style="font-family: Arial;">restore</span></em> the commitment to reducing
poverty and economic inequality as a project that is at the very heart of public
action” (my emphasis).</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">This a thinly
veiled and highly political accusation that previous governments and/or society
generally once shared that commitment, but have since moved away from it. The
claim is as nonsensical as it is unsubstantiated. All the evidence contradicts
it. By far the single biggest item of public expenditure is the welfare system.
Much of the rest goes on publicly providing health and education
services.</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Further,
most of the public expenditure growth in the half-decade to 2008 that was funded
by the property bubble has been maintained since. Now it is funded by new taxes
and future taxes (in the form of borrowing). </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The
comment is an insult to the much reduced numbers at work who have sacrificed a
lot more of their incomes (in taxation) to support the increased number of those
who are not working.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">The President is moving into dangerous territory with his increasingly
politicized and partisan interventions. He should think carefully about where
the path he appears intent on taking will lead his
presidency.</span></span></b></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Comment:</span></span></b></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span> </div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Michael D.
Higgins has, for many years, been a very outspoken proponent of radical
socialist political views. He has also been a relentless critic of
United
States foreign policy and our free market
economy. He participated in, and in some cases organized, the reprehensible
protests against refueling stopovers at Shannon Airport by aircraft transporting our American military
personnel to and from Iraq
and Afghanistan. It was only a matter of
time before he would inject his radical socialist views into his speeches even
though the Irish Constitution prohibits its president from becoming involved in
partisan politics. It appears that he has clearly violated this requirement and
shamed himself and the very prestigious office that he holds.
</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jack Meehan,
National President Emeritus</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ancient Order of
Hibernians in America</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Proud Citizen of
the United States of America
and Ireland</span></span></div>
Jack Meehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203889952799013157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825954821342201648.post-67245596022389450252013-08-30T11:06:00.002-07:002013-08-30T11:06:04.399-07:00’s largest mosque gets approval from An Bord Pleanála <h2 style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Irish Times -
29 August 2013</span></h2>
<h2 style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> </span></h2>
<h2 style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Mosque
complex in Clongriffin north Dublin will cover more than 5,500 square metres
</span></b></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Plans for Ireland’s largest mosque at Clongriffin
in north Dublin have been given the green light by </span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_organisation=An%20Bord%20Plean%C3%A1la&article=true" target="_blank"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;">An Bord Pleanála</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">The three-story
mosque will be located on a six acre site in North Dublin on land owned by
developer </span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_company=Gerry%20Gannon&article=true" target="_blank"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;">Gerry Gannon</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">.
</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">The €40 million
development will include two minarets, a cultural centre, prayer hall, offices,
crèche, bookshop, library, mortuary, a six-hundred seat conference centre,
restaurant, primary school, secondary school, a two-story fitness centre with an
indoor swimming pool, gym, sauna and steam room and blocks of apartments.
</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">The complex will cater for up to 3,000 people during festivals and up to
550 for Friday prayers. The whole complex is 5,573sqm in size.
</span></span></b></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">An Bord Pleanala
granted permission subject to a number of revised conditions including that
there should be no call to prayer broadcast from the minarets as is the
tradition with mosques. </span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">It also ruled
that there should be an archaeological assessment of the site prior to
development starting and it called for a proposed brick wall around part of the
site boundary to be replaced with a railing. It also wants nine fewer car
parking spaces. </span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_organisation=Dublin%20City%20Council&article=true" target="_blank"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;">Dublin City Council</span></a><span style="font-size: small;"> granted planning permission for the mosque at Clongriffin in North
Dublin last March. </span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Local </span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_organisation=Labour&article=true" target="_blank"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;">Labour</span></a><span style="font-size: small;"> TD
</span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Tommy%20Broughan&article=true" target="_blank"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;">Tommy Broughan</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">
lodged an appeal against the decision with An Bord Pleanala.
</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mr Broughan’s
objections related to the size of the development and possible traffic
concerns.</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">He said the size
of the development does not comply with the objectives of the county development
plan or the local area plan. </span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Clongriffin
mosque will be the third purpose-built mosque in </span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_location=Ireland&article=true" target="_blank"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;">Ireland</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">. The
other two are in Ballyhaunis, Co </span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_organisation=Mayo&article=true" target="_blank"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;">Mayo</span></a><span style="font-size: small;"> and at the
Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland in Clonskeagh in Dublin.
</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">There is also a purpose built <u style="text-underline: thick;"><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_organisation=Shia%20Islamic%20Centre&article=true" target="_blank"><u style="text-underline: thick;"><span style="color: #003399;">Shia Islamic
Centre</span></u></a> </u>at Milltown in Dublin. <u style="text-underline: thick;">There are over 50,000 Muslims living in Ireland.
</u>Many worship in makeshift mosques in residential houses or in warehouses in
industrial estates. </span></span></b></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">The </span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_organisation=Dublin%20Welfare%20Society&article=true" target="_blank"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;">Dublin Welfare Society</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">, who are developing the project, are made up of a group of Muslims from
different backgrounds and nationalities living in Ireland.
</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Society is
currently involved in managing makeshift mosques in Swords and Clondalkin. Both
of these mosques are located in industrial estates. </span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Abdul%20Haseeb&article=true" target="_blank"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;">Abdul Haseeb</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">,
project co-ordinator for the Clongriffin Mosque Project has said they were
delighted with An Bord Pleanala’s decision. “At the same time”, he added “we are
very humbled because of the scale of the project. It is so big and there is so
much to do.</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">“It gives a sense
of positivity for the Muslim community in Ireland especially when there’s so
much negativity going on, particularly in the Middle East, and there’s so much
tension everywhere. It gives us a sense of belonging
too.”</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mr Haseeb said
the next step in the development will be to build a community around it which
would include non-Muslims. </span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">He added: “We
will try and make room for everyone. We are aware that there will be challenges
ahead but because we got planning it gives us a good reason now to invite the
local community leaders and members to come and sit down and talk to us. So far
we’ve mainly introduced the project to the Muslim community but now we will
start inviting and sitting down with the local
community.”</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Clongriffin is a
newly developed area in North Dublin just north of Donaghmede. Much of the land
in the locality, including the site for the mosque, is owned by developer Gerry
Gannon. The site of the mosque is currently derelict. </span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Development in
Clongriffin came to a halt with the collapse of the property market and some
roads in the area were left unfinished. </span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Its centre square
is surrounded by modern retail units but many of the units have remained vacant
since construction was completed. </span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Local Labour TD
Sean Kenny welcomed the An Bord Pleanala decision.</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">“The mosque would
be welcomed generally by people in the area,” Mr Kenny said. “It would generate
employment and lead to the completion of Clongriffin estate and some of the
roads as well as completion of access to the dart station. It could also lead to
greater occupancy of the vacant units.” </span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Comment:</span></span></b></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">This Irish Times
article should convince those very naïve Americans of Irish heritage who believe
that the Ireland depicted in “The Quiet Man” simply does not exist today. The
stark reality is that over 50,000 practicing Muslims are currently living in our
beloved ancestral homeland. Statistics show that at least 70 percent of native
born Irish Catholics no longer practice the faith that they were brought up in.
The cold hard facts are that if current emigration trends continue, in a few
short years it is estimated that multicultural immigrants will outnumber native
born Irish nationals. I hope that I never see it, but statistics predict that it
is inevitable. God Save Ireland!!!</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jack Meehan,
National President Emeritus</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ancient Order of
Hibernians in America</span></span></div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Knights of
Columbus – 4</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><sup>th</sup></span><span style="font-size: small;">
Degree</span></span>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Proud Citizen of
the United States of America and Ireland <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
Jack Meehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203889952799013157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825954821342201648.post-56383645057932194812013-08-27T13:21:00.003-07:002013-08-27T13:21:34.321-07:00Over 4,000 to become ‘new’ Irish citizens<span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent;">
</span></span>
<h1 style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span></b></span></span></h1>
<span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Irish Times – 27
August 2013</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Some 1,816 men
and 2,288 women are today becoming the Republic’s newest citizens.
</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">The ‘new’ Irish
are taking part in a series of ceremonies in the Convention Centre in Dublin overseen by the
Minister for Justice Alan Shatter and retired High Court judge Bryan
McMahon.</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Addressing the
first group of more than 1,000 people who swore allegiance to the State this
morning, Mr Shatter said they were the 73rd group to become “part of the
national family” since citizenship ceremonies were introduced in June 2011.
</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mr Shatter told
the candidates, whom he noted were from every continent and 170 different
countries, they were joining a state “which provides constitutional and general
law protections against all types of discrimination”. He said it was a state
where men and women were guaranteed equal treatment under law and where people’s
sexual orientation and preferences are respected.
</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">“Our history is
your history and in turn the narrative of your life becomes part of our history”
he said. </span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Administering the Declaration of Fidelity to the Irish Nation and Loyalty
to the State, Mr McMahon, said there were “no second-class or half citizens” of
the Republic and urged them and their families to take an active part in Irish
citizenship, while remembering the traditions, music and arts of their former
homes. </span></span></b></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mr Shatter, who
initiated the citizenship ceremonies, said he was considering legislation to
establish them on a permanent footing, to ensure they continue after his term in
office. </span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">He said good
progress had been made in dealing with a backlog of more than 22,000 citizenship
applications in March 2011, when waiting times for a decision were at least two
years and sometimes considerably more. Waiting times were now generally down to
about six months, he said, while the current intake of 20,000 applications per
year is running at over twice the rate of new applications three or four years
ago. </span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">“It is truly
remarkable that this tiny island at the edge of Western Europe facing into the
Atlantic Ocean which is home to us all has, as its citizens, as members of the
national family, people who came to live with us from every country on this
planet” he said.</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'arial bold'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Comment:</span></span></b></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">This article and
a similar one not too long ago gives testimony to three cold hard facts. They
are: a.) that every native born Irish person who finds living in the land of
their birth so distasteful that they must emigrate are quickly being replaced by
immigrants from every corner of the globe who are eager to fill the void left by
their “forced departure”; b.) if these new “Irish” bring their “traditions,
music, and arts from their native countries with them to Ireland as they are
being urged to do in the article above, it will not be long before the
traditions, music and arts of their adopted country become relegated to the
memories of those native born Irish who chose to stay at home; 3.) the country
that once proudly claimed to be the most Catholic country in Europe is very
quickly becoming a very secular, or perhaps more accurately Muslim one, much the
same as Britain did not so long ago. I, for one, find this globalization of the
land of my heritage very disturbing.</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jack Meehan, Past
National President</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ancient Order of
Hibernians in America</span></span></div>
<div class="noname" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">Proud Citizen of
the United States of America
and Ireland</span></span></div>
</span></span>Jack Meehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203889952799013157noreply@blogger.com0