cúisle mo chroí

Now that I can finally say I own a computer, I am finally getting around to writing a post about my participation in and my thoughts about the recent United Ireland forums hosted by Sinn Féin in New York and San Francisco. That’s a picture of me at the mic taken by my friend and fellow activist, Jackie.

It should go without saying that I took the opportunity to present my ideas and to represent the IAUC in front of 800+ people (not to mention Gerry Adams, Rita O’Hare and Richard McAuley and co.) *very* seriously. So you can imagine my surprise when I arrived at the venue in New York and found out that, though I had prepared for a 3 minute presentation, I would have only 2. Now, one minute is quite a lot to cut out of a 3 minute speech. I had poured my heart and soul into preparing for this, and to cut out a huge section would mean that I couldn’t get all my points across, and I felt like I had so much to contribute to the discussion. So what did I do, then? I speed-read. Yup. And then when Rita called time, I think I said something along the lines of: “Nnnnoooooo!” Hahaha (I vaguely remember the crowd laughing at the urgency of my plea). “May I please just finish up quickly?” “Ok, 20 more seconds.” Don’t worry, it was all caught on tape.

In the end, though I did not get to touch on our concrete efforts and initiatives (save targeted investment), George had a chance to present these last weekend in San Francisco. And I was able to get out all of the important stuff–and I hope I got through to the handful of people that could actually understand what I was saying. My intent on finishing also had the result of completely distracting me from the fact that I was standing in front of 800+ people (wearing lycra?!).

I suppose you’d really have to know what Sinn Féin’s goal was in holding these events to judge whether or not they were successful–they certainly drew a lot of people, and got a lot of people thinking. A friend of mine told me he believes the purpose had more to do with re-asserting the party’s position in the ongoing struggle for a united Ireland, with a mind towards undermining any potential support on behalf of Irish Americans for dissident republican groups. Another guessed that it would turn out to be, in essence, a Sinn Féin pep rally, and I think to a large extent that it was. Regardless of the perspective of others, I took it as an opportunity to share my views with the hope of beginning a discussion that would lead to a mobilization directed at producing real change.

As expected, there were many media reports that wrote off the forums from the start, pointing to the fact that the Good Friday Agreement calls for the consent of the majority of people in the north of Ireland as a prerequisite to a united Ireland. There is no role for Americans, they say–”Irish America has absolutely no say in the matter.” Is it willful ignorance, I wonder? Or a purposeful narrow-mindedness, in which one knows more about what they are against than what they stand for?

Here’s the gist of my contribution to the forum: any meaningful discussion of how we will get to a united Ireland must necessarily begin with a vision of what a united Ireland will and should look like, and that vision must always be guided by an analysis which centers human rights. You want to know how Americans can play a role in the struggle. Just think about it.

The struggle for a united Ireland is not an empty promise or a romantic ideal; it is an ongoing struggle for a fundamental democratic principle, the self-determination of the Irish people. Self-determination is not symbolic. The struggle for a united Ireland has always been about true freedom—about political enfranchisement, equality of opportunity, and substantive justice. The obstacles we face on the road to unity are not Irish issues, or Irish American issues, but human rights issues. Therefore, our ideology of resistance to those that would stand in our way must always be focused on transformation—on working towards a future that is inclusive and just, and directly confronts the roots of deprivation, alienation, disadvantage and marginalization that continue to plague so many in the north.

Still wondering how Americans can have a say in the matter? If you think of the road to a united Ireland as a process of deliberate, democratic renewal, then any and all efforts that we can make towards promoting the equality agenda will bring us that much closer to our goal. Think promoting targeted American investment, the rights of Irish speakers/the Irish Language Act; truth, reconciliation, and dealing with the legacy of the past; supporting cross-community efforts and organizations that provide opportunities for young people to get off the streets. The ways that we can contribute are limited only by our imaginations.

This is why–and I tried to get this particular point across in the nicest way possible–resolutions for a united Ireland or statements of support at any level (be it city, state, Congressional, or hell–even the UN) are only as good as the campaigns that we organize to back them up. Though we need these to build momentum and keep the issue of Irish unity on the agenda, we must recognize that they have no substance without the coordinated efforts that support them–after all, what exactly are we asking people to sign up to support if we do not articulate our vision of a united Ireland? We must back up our statements with a long-term vision that encourages creative and sustained action, for simply identifying the causes of injustice does not in itself bring justice. We need to be moving on to the next tactic to achieve our goal while we celebrate the success of our victories along the way.

This was the gist of my presentation, my contribution to the discussion, and though the Irish Echo mentioned in passing that I “chose” human rights as my focus, I’d say it goes quite a bit deeper than that, doesn’t it.

I couldn’t resist the temptation to re-post these pictures from my friend Tucker’s blog. Tucker, an Ann Arbor native, took these pictures of the Good Friday procession in the town he now calls home.

These documents were sent to me recently concerning the recent debates at Stormont and the House of Commons about the treatment of the Belfast Visteon/Ford plant employees. Though they are heading towards a settlement deal, it comes at a great cost, for there will be no jobs or pensions for anyone.

The two attached documents contain testimony from those debates that reflects widespread cross-community support for the workers.

adjournment-debate-at-stormont

angela-smith-30-apr-2009

Sinn Féin’s Paul Maskey today commended the Visteon workers for their dedication in their struggle to secure fair terms following the sudden closing of the Belfast plant. Watch the video above for a story of the plant closure and the occupation that followed from the perspective of the workers.

This afternoon I am off to New York, where aside from visiting long lost friends, I will be attending tomorrow’s Index 30 luncheon on Wall St, hosted by The Irish Echo. Mary Louise Mallick, Deputy Comptroller of NY State, whom I had the good fortune to meet in Belfast last May, will receive the Peace Builder Award in recognition of New York’s recent commitment to invest $30m in the north of Ireland.

The issue of targeted American investment in the north of Ireland is particularly close to my heart, and in my aforementioned visit to Belfast, I had the opportunity to speak about it at St. Mary’s University College in the heart of West Belfast. I hope to turn more people–particularly Irish Americans–onto the investment issue, because it is so central to a stable and lasting peace in Ireland. So much attention has been turned away from the Irish peace process since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, despite the persistence of structural inequalities in historically marginalized communities of the north…and this is one real way that we can promote the change we wish to see.

Below is the text of an open letter to President Obama that I am in the process of gathering support for. Please contact me if you would like to sign on.

Building peace, prosperity and justice in Northern Ireland

Dear President Obama,

In May 2008, the Comptroller of New York City, William Thompson, announced a $150m investment in a new Fund which will make investments in projects in Northern Ireland and the Border Counties. This fund has a $750m target. The commitment by the New York Comptroller, who has been at the forefront of the campaign to end discrimination in the north of Ireland, highlights the critical importance of economic development to underpin the peace process.

“We expect that other public and private investment funds will increasingly make Northern Ireland a major focus of their investment decision making. While our number one priority is a strong return on our investment, we are encouraged that these projects will promote sustainable development and equality of opportunity, and will help to improve the economic condition of those who have been disadvantaged by patterns of historic exclusion and by nearly 30 years of civil strife,” Comptroller Thompson said.

On March 16, 2009, New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli pledged to invest $30m in transformational projects in the north of Ireland and expressed his certainty that the investment would yield strong, long-term returns for state employees. Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness welcomed the announcement, stating that the new investment from New York State will help to
support a peace process which aims to “replace inequality with equality, injustice with justice,
exclusion with inclusion, division with partnership.”

The Irish peace process is one of the world’s great peace success stories, yet without U.S. assistance it is doubtful whether the warring parties would ever have come to the peace table. Today, the need for American leadership is greater than ever as a power-sharing government beds down in Northern Ireland, building all-island bridges of co-operation and friendship with the Irish
Government and reconstructing its economy.

As supporters of the Irish peace process, we recognize the pivotal importance of the MacBride Principles on Fair Employment which have been championed by the U.S. Targeted American investment in areas of need builds upon the MacBride foundation by encouraging U.S. investors to make fully informed investment decisions that benefit all sectors of society — especially those
communities which have experienced a historical and enduring state of social and economic inequality.

It is the stated position of the U.S. government that the promotion of investment in Northern Ireland is integral for the lasting security and stability of the new power-sharing government. It is our view that any investment in the new equity funds will make a strong monetary return for the American taxpayer while shoring up the peace in the north of Ireland. Such investments can also help provide a level playing field for all communities.

However, as the Public Advocate of New York City, Betsy Gotbaum recently stated: “The fight for equal opportunity in Northern Ireland is far from over.”

As Irish American organizations, we are lobbying our state and city treasurers and comptrollers to back the new investment drive in the Irish peace process with the proviso that monies invested by American pension funds go to those areas previously marginalized in terms of economic activity.

We urge you, as someone of Irish American heritage and leader of the American people, to build on your previous positive statements in regard to Northern Ireland by endorsing these investment initiatives.

Faithfully,
Kate McCabe
President, Irish American Unity Conference

Art McCabe
Lawrence Irish Cultural Society

Fr. Sean Mc Manus
President, Irish National Caucus

Robert Dunne
President, Brehon Law Society
James J. Lamb
President, Ireland Institute of Pittsburgh

Seamus Boyle
National President, Ancient Order of Hibernians

Stella O’Leary
Irish American Democrats

Edmund Lynch
Founder, Lawyers Alliance for Justice in Ireland

Paul Doris
President, Irish Northern Aid

For the past few weeks, I have been spending my Friday mornings around the corner at the Selma Café. “Selma” actually stands for the Soule-Eberwhite-Lutz-Madison-Affiliation, an Old West Side Ann Arbor neighborhood association, whose purpose is to “provide a forum for neighbors to come together and exchange information, ideas, goods, and services in order to strengthen our community.” The weekly café is a meeting place for community members to come together to share food, coffee, and conversation, and is also designed to encourage local commerce.

For example, Jeff, who hosts the café with wife Lisa at their home, makes all of the bacon/ham/chorizo and bread for the breakfasts. Lisa also makes the waffle mix and the yogurt parfaits. Each week a different local chef is asked to cook two additional entrées, using only local ingredients. Myself and Aaron Lindell helped Max (pictured) cook last week. We made hippie hash (potatoes, corn, cauliflower, beets, rutabega, celery root, bacon, and loads of bacon fat) topped with a fried egg and toast. Max also made a savory and sweet crepes combination (carmelized onion, wild mushroom and gruyere; raw honeyed farm cheese and apple).

We arrived at Jeff and Lisa’s at 5:30am, refreshed after a 3 hour sleep the night before (late-night seder and prep). The café is open from 6:30 to 10am, and I think we only got one customer during that first hour. I thought perhaps because of the holiday (Good Friday–and yes we cooked loads of bacon–Max and I obviously make a great Catholic-Jewish team) folks wouldn’t turn up, but it quickly became the most successful to date. It was a lot of fun, and I plan to go every week, and hope to help cook once again (though I have to admit I felt like I was going to die for the rest of the day).

Here’s what I think is awesome about Selma Café, and why people should do this everywhere: The suggested donation for breakfast is $10 - $15, and all proceeds go to the farmers and producers of the food and Selma’s “small farms-small farmers initiative” to build hoop-houses in SE Michigan as a catalyst for change. The local food providers include Tantré Farm, RoosRoast coffee, Arbor Teas, Michigan Mushrooms, Zingerman’s Creamery, and Jennings Brothers Stone Ground Grains. The chefs are those who are involved in the community and already support local farms and businesses in their own initiatives. All the work that goes into the café is volunteer, and everything is delicious. And I can’t forget to mention all the great friends…

It will be great to see how the entrees evolve over the summer as more and more local produce becomes available…
‘

At long last! Yesterday was the day for Max and Eli’s long-awaited appearance on The TODAY Show with Hoda and Kathi Lee to promote their new cookbook, Freshman in the Kitchen: From Clueless Cook to Creative Chef. They were fantastic! It was quite an exciting day for me, and I was sad only because I was not able to watch them live, since the show only airs live on the East coast. The segment was far too short though–maybe it was in part to my excitement, but it really flew by. Please watch the video and let me know what you think, and don’t forget to buy a copy of the cookbook when you are done!

I had a couple of our friends over to watch the show when it finally aired here (the teasers were great, and you can’t see those anywhere else), and yes, I took a picture of the boys on the television screen. I am so happy and proud of them both!

Please read the instructions below, care of Pól Brennan and his defense campaign. We only have 7 days to act to stop Pól’s deportation! Copies of your letters of support should also be sent to President Obama, Vice President Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Majority Leader, as well as your own Congressional representatives and anyone else you feel may be supportive.

Below is a message from Pól:

Friends and supporters,

I have been informed by ICE that my appeal has been denied and an order of removal has been served on me. I am to be deported ASAP we have one last avenue open to us. I am asking for people and organizations that have supported me in my fight to remain in the US to write to the Director of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, on my behalf pursuant to section 212(d)(3)(B)(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) The secretary of Homeland Security may conclude in her sole unreviewable discretion to not apply certain of the terrorist related grounds of inadmissibility at section 212(a)(3)(B) of the INA.(See attached Fact Sheet).

NOW is the time for a strong and concerted letter writing campaign to Janet Napolitano, Director of Homeland Security.

Please be aware of the items listed below to follow when writing your letters to Homeland Security. While some of these might be a “no-brainers” to some; it is there for those who’ve not found themselves in a position of writing to a judge or an elected official before now. All of these are of
equal AND paramount importance!

1) We CANNOT write directly to Homeland Security; letters MUST be written and addressed to Director Janet Napolitano, Department of Homeland Security BUT MUST BE MAILED TO Pol’s attorney:

Attorney Marc Van Der Hout

Van Der Hout, Brigagliano & Nightingale

San Francisco Office
180 Sutter Street
5th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94104-4001
Phone: 415-981-3000
Fax: 415-981-3003

Write your letter and put it in an UNSEALED envelope and address this letter to:

Director Janet Napolitano
Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528

Then you can open the letter with words to the effect of: “The Honorable Director Janet Napolitano:” (or an opening to that effect - addressing the Director and including the esteem and decorum due to her), Put this UNSEALED envelope into another envelope AND seal this one and address it to:

Attorney Marc Van Der Hout
Van Der Hout, Brigagliano & Nightingale
San Francisco Office
180 Sutter Street
5th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94104-4001

PLEASE NOTE: IN THE LOWER LEFT CORNER OF THE ENVELOPE TO Atty. Van Der Hout, WRITE – RE: POL BRENNAN

2) TIMELINESS… Letters need to be sent NOW to allow time for Marc Van Der Hout to compile them and forward them to Homeland Security.

3) If you are writing on behalf of an established Irish Organization, a Law Firm, a Political Party or Organization, a Church or from a professional
organization such as an educational institution, a trade union, or the like,

- PLEASE WRITE YOUR LETTER on your Organization’s letterhead! It will stand out and capture the attention and carry greater weight.

4) CLARITY AND BREVITY: We anticipate (and hope) that Homeland Security, through this and other forums, will receive a great number of letters… an
OVERABUNDANCE of letters is great! Given that,
be factual and state your support, but be BRIEF AND TO THE POINT! Make every effort to keep your communication to a page and BY ALL MEANS, DO NOT
EXCEED two pages (anything more than one and one-half pages tends to be set aside and not read!),

If you have any questions in this regard, please send them to Mike@polbrennan.com or information@polbrennan.com or phone Mike at 949-370-2970 straight away!

I thank you for all you’ve done to date. Now I ask that you ramp it up a
notch and take the time to write your letter on my behalf .

Many Thanks to All,

Pol Brennan

# A88 785 324
Irish Detainee

Found this lovely image of the Visteon protest in north London with a NY Times article about the future of Britain’s economy.

The podcast from Monday’s Building Bridges Radio interview with Visteon-Ford workers is now available for download by clicking here. The interview is the first segment after the headlines, and is actually quite good.