Monday, July 14, 2003

What it's like to be raided Carrie Twomey A week ago yesterday we were raided. It was quite a night. I had just taken some photos of my American flag, which I'd set out for the 4th of July holiday, and was putting them on the blog, and writing a bit about the protest earlier in the week (I may put that post up later, for now it's gonna stay in my drafts folder. It's just about the nature of politics here and civil disobedience). I looked out the window and saw a jeep turn in our street. They will usually come in to turn around and go back out through the estate (there's only one road in and it's the same way out, British counter-insurgency architecture). I thought nothing of it, but then another jeep came in behind that one, and another, and another, and another. I shut the computer down and shouted to Anthony in the kitchen - The cops are here, then went out to the front garden where my daughter was playing. One of our neighbors was on the ball and had come out as soon as she heard the jeeps and their distinctive whine. I'll take her for you, she said, scooping my daughter up and going over the gate as an amazing number of cops, all kitted out in their robo-cop gear were streaming in over her. [The Broom of Anger: What it's like to be raided] Comments: 6:41:44 PM

Let's bring the house down Aodan Perry The recent Flood revelations have proven what we already knew, that the worsening housing crisis in the 26 counties is a direct result of years of corruption by leading Fianna Fail politicians and major construction firms. The crooked re-zoning of cheaply acquired agricultural lands, which allowed for massive profit to be generated by speculators and developers, is one part of a policy to maintain a housing shortage and thus keep house prices high. This policy, agreed at the highest level between corrupt politicians and their paymasters, also saw major tracts of council and semi-state land being sold off for criminally low prices. While the purchase of private property is a far from ideal solution to peoples housing problems, we must accept peoples right to do so. The infliction of massive mortgages and excessive rents has affected young working class people in their attempt to build a future for themselves. 32% of newly formed households can no longer afford to buy their own homes and this figure rises to 50% in Dublin. There is an active policy to keep demand far greater than supply to simply keep prices artificially high, thus generating massive profits. Where once a mortgage could be paid out of one wage, it then moved on to two. Now a third income - that of the buyers' parents - is being dragged into the mortgage system by one bank. [Fourthwrite: Let's bring the house down] Comments: 6:41:38 PM

The Legacy of Pedro Albizu Campos and Irish Republicanism Aoife Rivera Serrano The first Latin American to publicly support Irish Independence at a pivotal time in Eireann's history (post Easter Rising), Albizu Campos never forgot the statements made by Pearse to the Military Court that judged him for the events of Holy Week in 1916: Since my early youth I have considered the connection between Ireland and England to be a curse upon the Irish nation, and I am convinced that as long as it lasts, this country will never be free or happy...When I was a child of ten I knelt before my bed and swore to God that I would dedicate my entire life to the liberation of Ireland. I have kept my promise...Believe that we also love and desire liberty. For us it is what we most desire in the world. If you defeat us now, we shall rise and begin the battle again...You cannot conquer Ireland. You cannot extinguish the Irish passion for liberty. If our deeds are not sufficient to win our freedom, then our children shall win it with greater deeds. To Albizu Campos America was similarly a curse upon the Puerto Rican nation. The island's freedom was what he and his comrades desired most. [The Blanket: The Legacy of Pedro Albizu Campos and Irish Republicanism] Comments: 6:41:30 PM

Maghaberry asylum seekers begin hunger strike Asylum seekers who are being held in Maghaberry prison are so desperate to draw attention to their plight that they are going on hunger strike. [AP/RN: Maghaberry asylum seekers begin hunger strike] Comments: 6:40:55 PM

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