Bush may not get a Cead Mile Failte when he visits Ireland! The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has asked that people not protest but that’s just pouring more fuel on the fire of discontent.
Don’t we live in a democracy?
(As an aside, note the maker of the rubbish bin this poster is stuck to? Quite a coincidence that a socialist poster should appear directly below his name!)
Later, it looks like Dublin City Council is refusing permission for groups to put up those posters. Anti-war bodies are calling it censorship. The Council says it’s a litter problem.
Don’t we live in a democracy?
(As an aside, note the maker of the rubbish bin this poster is stuck to? Quite a coincidence that a socialist poster should appear directly below his name!)
Later, it looks like Dublin City Council is refusing permission for groups to put up those posters. Anti-war bodies are calling it censorship. The Council says it’s a litter problem.
As I posted before, the girl holding this sign was reading a book. I like this “found” picture – she’s engrossed in her book and oblivious to the crowds passing by!
That closing down sale is lasting quite a while..
That closing down sale is lasting quite a while..
7 Comments
Mark on February 29, 2004 at 7:45 pm.
You don’t live in a democracy, you live in a constitutional republic. If we were living in a democracy we’d have to vote, or choose not to, on every item of business which came before government.
Also, in the same way people have a right too protest, Bertie has a right to ask them not too.
Donncha (1707 comments.) on March 1, 2004 at 10:02 am.
A contitutional republic is simply the implementation of a democracy that we use. We still live in a democratic society.
Yes, the Taoiseach has the right to ask people not to protest, but lots of requests like that from our leaders could cause an unhealthy culture of “obedience or else” to develop. Even if Ireland is closer to Boston and Berlin, I think there’s very little chance that the Irish public will toe the Government line on everything. We’ll simply hold a second referendum if we disagree..
Mark on March 1, 2004 at 12:28 pm.
It’s part of the Taioseach’s job spec to offer the populous his/her opinion masked as guidance. He’s done it before with things like union strike action, and before that with the abortion issue. Indeed in most cases where the government have asked, (not legislated) people not to do something they’ve done it anyway.
This country is too polarised between the far left and the far right as too allow for inaction.
He asks knowing that we’ll have a rerun of the Gulf War V 1.1 protests, indeed probably more furious because Bush will be camped out in Farmleigh in a no fly zone protected by attack helicopters, portable surface to air missile batteries, and the secret service.
Bertie doesn’t have to worry about the protesters; they’ll be there anyway. It’ll be the uproar created when they shut down large parts of Dublin to move “Stagecoach” and the rest of the presidential convoy around the place that he has to worry about.
Donncha (1707 comments.) on March 1, 2004 at 12:33 pm.
Let’s just pretend for a short while then that Cork isn’t the real capital, in case Bush decides to visit and bring his entourage with him.
Sorry Dublin people, you can have the “Real Capital of Ireland” title back again, at least for the next 5 months!
Dave (22 comments.) on March 2, 2004 at 7:42 pm.
I agree, Bertie is more than entitled to express a wish for people not to protest. I don’t like Bush and hope there are big protests, but the fact that the SWP don’t want him to visit is laughable. This is the same party who believe that it’s ok to invite Pro-Castro Cubans over though.
I have no problem with the Socialist’s being prohibited from putting up posters, they can’t speak about free speech since they recently forced a Law Soc debate in UCC to be canceled.
Kelvina on November 26, 2005 at 8:31 pm.
The gift grub with Bertie Ahern and bosco was by far the best one I have ever heard. Does anyone know where I can get it?
Seamus on October 8, 2006 at 12:41 pm.
Kelvina, if you have iTunes, you can get it from iTunes and subscribe.
Copy and Paste to a search engine:
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=94453483&s=143460