Tuesday, August 20, 2002

<%itemTemplate%> <%itemText%> <%when%>  <%permalink%>  <%editButton%> <%enclosure%> Paul A. Fitzsimmons Leave it to the wry editors of The Blanket to contrast, back-to-back in its 8 August 2002 edition, articles detailing rather opposite views on public speech: Anthony McIntyre's Frances McAuley - Resisting The Loyal Sons Of Hate - reporting the earnest and determined anti-free speech efforts of a Northern Nationalist who advocates that Northern Unionist paraders' speech is only conditionally permissible ("they have to enter into dialogue if they want to march through communities like ours where clearly they are not wanted") - and the intensely pro-free speech article "Intense Winters" by Miguel Castells Artetxe, apparently a Basque nationalist ("[F]reedom means being able to choose among different things. There is no freedom when one cannot opt for a thought that is different from the official thought, different from official doctrine."). 7:08:12 AM

<%itemTemplate%> <%itemText%> <%when%>  <%permalink%>  <%editButton%> <%enclosure%> Ciarán Irvine An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern. Fresh from an overwhelming General Election victory, faced with a divided, diverse and weak Opposition, the time is ripe for an evaluation of this most enigmatic of leaders. Given that Bertie can confidently look forward to a further 5 years in power (for there are plenty of willing Independents should the PDs decide to bolt), what conclusion can we draw from his existing record - and what can we look forward to in the governance of the 26 Counties in the years to come? 7:04:45 AM