A Letter From Ireland
a Chara,
In July, windows were smashed and paint thrown over a recently renovated house in Antrim Town. The house was intended for a catholic family with a disabled child. The police described this as a sectarian hate crime. Local pro-British protestant paramilitaries were blamed. The same groups that murdered hundreds and once targeted individuals under the guise of “any taig (catholic) will do”.
This case was reported in the local media but got a little broader coverage.
The North of Ireland was designed on a sectarian basis and sectarianism remains. It is diminished but not vanquished.
Last weekend a racist anti-immigrant rally in Belfast descended into attacks on businesses and violence. They were only stopped from gaining access to a local Islamic center by the actions of the community of Lower Ormeau.
The community faced sectarian abuse with some racists taunting residents about how pro-British paramilitaries had killed five people in an attack on a local bookmaker shop 30 years ago.
The connection between sectarianism and racism is well-rehearsed. They are two sides of the same coin. Prejudice and discrimination based on religion or race are still prejudice and discrimination.
What grabbed the headlines on this occasion was that amongst those waving the Union Jack flag of Britain was a small number of Irish Tricolours.
The racist protests had been joined by like-minded protestors from Dublin. These Irish white nationalists, who masquerade as Irish Patriots online, found a common cause with British white nationalists. They claim to stand up for the Irish people by standing by those who attack Irish citizens in the North.
These groups want to portray all of Ireland as united in opposition to immigrants. Nothing is further from the case. Ireland is united against racism. Their representatives were rejected in the recent election in the South. On Thursday, the Assembly in North was reconvened. All parties were united in opposition to the actions of racist groups.
The racist groups blame the housing crisis in the South on immigrants. This is a lie. It is the fault of decades of Irish Governments led by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. They hide behind slogans like “Ireland is full”. It is not. We have plenty of development land, but a system of property developers and landlords work to keep prices high and supply low.
Others promote the slogan “Ireland for the Irish”. Where this leaves those British citizens living in the North for generations is never explained.
The Irish come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and sects. Being Irish does not mean being solely white or Christian as the racists would have you believe. Our nation is bigger than that. We are a shared and welcoming home for all who hold our island and ALL its people dear.
The racists who took to the streets in Belfast have united the people of all Ireland in opposition to their violence and views.
They are the few, we are the many.
Have a great weekend.
Is mise,
Ciarán
Ciarán Quinn is the Sinn Féin Representative to North America. Each week he writes a letter from Ireland with news and analysis. It is featured in the weekly Friends of Sinn Féin USA Newsletter. Be sure you are subscribed to stay up to date.
