Opposition To Bush Visit Grows In North
national |
anti-war / imperialism |
news report 
Monday May 26, 2008 14:43
by Belfast Anti War Movement - Belfast Anti War Movement
belfastantiwar at yahoo dot co dot uk
Over 200 people have signed a letter opposing the upcoming visit of George Bush to Belfast
GEORGE BUSH – NOT WANTED HERE
We are appalled at the news that George Bush will visit Belfast next month. It is disgraceful that his visit is as a result of an invitation issued by the First Minister and Deputy First Minister.
This part of the world more than most places has an understanding of the deep damage and pain that war and conflict produces. George Bush is internationally regarded as a warmonger. The so called “war on terror”, now rebranded as the “war for democracy” that he has championed has inflicted that damage and pain on countless millions.
The world has seen the particular type of Bush “democracy” that was brought to Iraq in the form of the torture photos of prisoners held at Abu Ghraib Prison and the pictures of twisted bodies lying in the streets of Baghdad’s marketplaces. There are now over 2 million internally displaced Iraqis who have been forced to flee their homes. There are also over 3 million refugees who have been forced to flee the country completely. According to CNN almost a third of all Iraqi children are suffering from chronic malnutrition and almost three quarters of Iraqi civilians no longer have access to clean water.
Bush’s phony war has done nothing except create global misery and despair. His justification of the war has been to condemn Muslims as backward fundamentalists prone to violence. This has led to a massive increase in Islamophobia and racist attacks committed against those perceived to be Muslim has risen massively in recent years.
Apart from the war, Bush’s international crimes include a refusal to sign up to Kyoto and a refusal to do anything meaningful about global warming. This has placed the lives of millions of people in immediate danger due to the freak weather conditions that are already taking place. Longer term, the very planet itself is at risk.
Bush has also been responsible for misery much closer to home. Americans rightly accused Bush of leaving the residents of New Orleans to perish following Hurricane Katrina simply because they were black and poor and therefore considered expendable. Whilst he has spent countless billions on the war he has left millions of Americans without a proper healthcare system and a proper social security infrastructure. Bush has presided over a country where ordinary working people have seen their conditions deteriorate massively. While the poor have gotten poorer, the rich have gotten richer.
George Bush is the most unpopular President in US history. According to the Washington Post his current approval rating is less that thirty percent.
George Bush is not liked in the US and he is not liked here. It is not surprising that media blogs following the announcement were filled with messages condemning the visit.
When George Bush visits here in June we will make sure that he is followed by protests wherever he goes. We call on all of those who oppose this visit to ensure that they are on those protests and that they make their voices heard.
OUR MESSAGE IS CLEAR GEORGE BUSH IS NOT WANTED HERE.
Moazzam Begg - Former Guantanamo Bay Detainee
Richard Belmar – Former Bagram Airbase and Guantanamo Bay Detainee
Patricia McKeown - Regional Secretary UNISON
Jimmy Kelly - Regional Secretary UNITE/A&TGWU
Jim Barbour - Executive Council FIRE BRIGADES UNION
Brian Campfield - Belfast & District Trades Council
Kevin Doherty - Belfast & District Trades Council
Richie Brown - Education Officer, UNITE/A&TGWU
Dominic Murray – International Officer UNISON RVH
Brenda Callaghan - SIPTU
Bernadette Mc Aliskey
Rayed Al Wazzan - Muslim Family Association NI
Colm Bryce - Derry Anti-War Coalition & Raytheon 9
Marie McLoon -Women’s Officer, NUS USI
Diarmuid Fraser - Vice President of UU Jordanstown.
Harry Jones - President St Mary's College SU
Gerry Carroll - VP Jordanstown elect, UUSU
Matthew Collins - Welfare Officer elect, NUS USI
Wendy Finn - Global Dimensions Officer elect, St Mary’s College
Pól Mac Adaim - Folk Singer/Writer
Jamal Ilweida - Ex President Belfast Islamic Centre
Brian Kelly - Author and US History Lecturer
Dr Fintan Lane - Historian
Dr Robbie McVeigh - Researcher & Activist
Diane Kirby – Lecturer
Professor John Pinkerton
Sean Mitchell – People Before Profit
Ryan McKinney - NIPSA
Peter McGuire - Chairperson, International Voluntary Service, N.I.
mark Langhammer- Irish Labour Party
Daisy Mules - SF, INTO and DTUC member
Paul Maguire - Unison International Solidarity Group
Rónán Ó Scolláin - Glór na Móna and Gort na Móna CLG
Caitlin Ni Chonaill – Belfast Branch Secretary, IPSC
John McCusker – Chairperson Belfast Branch, IPSC
Freya Maeve Mackenzie - Film Producer
Padraigin Drinan - Solicitor
Barbara Muldoon - Immigration Practitioner & ARN
mark Hewitt - Branch 516 NIPSA Shop Steward
mark Chapman - Justice Not Terror Coalition
Raymond Watson - Artist
Sean Moraghan -Tralee Anti-war Group
Steven Corr - Community Worker
Kellie O’Dowd - Trademark
Joe Law - Trademark
Ciarán Ó Brolcháin - IPSC
Niall Enright
Liam Enright
Terry Enright
Mary Enright
Fred Brown
Mary Nelis
Mirjam Bader
Sara Boyce
Danny O Rawe
Cécile Faroux.
Eoin Clarke
Lynda Walker
Fergal Quinn
Cathy Braithwaite
Brian Semple
Gerry Ruddy
Jennifer Kelly
Carey Ann Clarke
Manus McCrory
Roisin Davis
Petesy Burns
Brenda Morgan
Caoimhe Morgan-Burns
Oran Morgan- Burns
John Pinkerton
Maria McConville
Ann Zell
Ruth Carr
Casey Daniel
Wyn Sproule
Catherine Cavendish
Fiona Boyd
Seán MacBradaigh
Hilary Midgley
Conor Midgley
Fanad Midgley
Niall Houston
Liam McMullan
Ruth Graham
mark McGregor
Liam Ó Boírr
Nuala O'Neill
Brian Pelan
Rita Wild
Shane O’Curry
Christopher May - West Kerry
Rab Jackson – Eirígí
Helen McGowan
Seán Ó hAdhmaill
Chris McCabe
Michael Rooney
Martha McClelland
Dale Moore
Doctor Juliet Homan
Peter Homan
Stella Kemp
Siobhan Mullen
Shaun Wolfe-Murphy
Daniel Holder
Sean Rooney
Eamon McMahon
Damian White
Donal Daly
Ruaidhri Quinn
Charlie McMenamin
Annie Holland
Rita Simmonds
Waiata Tamihana
Matua McCrory
Alex McCrory
Chris Simmonds
Cherie Marsh
Ciárán Marron
Rónán Marron
Heather Lynas
Paddy Mackel
Michelle Clarke
Feargal Mac Ionnrachtaigh
Monica Daly
Tiarnán Belshaw
Jonathon O’Callaghan
Tyrone Curliss
Michael mc Laughlin
Mo Shafaar
Jordan Mc Dowell (Student)
Hassler Edoucnal
Peter Green (TGWU)
Eóin Mac Daibhí
thomas Nicholl
Jean Sloan
Margaret Field
Leo Devlin (artist)
Ciaran Mc Kay
Aisling Dornan
Sinead Haywood
Leo Arbuckle
Peggy Quinn
Ashleigh Allen
Emma Young
M Macgregor
Emma Bunce
Heather Gillespie
David Gillespie
Jean Magill
Jim Magill
Ian Matthews
Alan Matthews
Clare Mcguire
Geordie Bordick
Reene Moore
Aaron Moore
Silvana Lau-Lo
Kathy Matthews
Tom O’Neill
Bobby O’Neil
Hubert O’Neil
Lorna Creighton
Adrian Creighton
Colin Creighton
Róisín Russell
Michelle Mitchell
Terri Sloan
Alex Gilmore
Aimee Hawthorne
Chris mc Burnley
Daniel Jack
Paul Hunter
Uná Magee
Ana O’Reily
Stan Forsythe
Katie Sweeney
Richie MacRitchie
Leah Brennan
Shauna mc Grillen
Lara Woods
Colette Campbell
Oisin Jayat
John Cahoon
Amanda Curliss
Anna Devlin
Sarah Louise Long
Arrate Etxebarria
Peter Abbott
Sonia Dawson
Simon Heatley
S.Alexander
Caroline McGuire
Irene Matthews
Mary Crumley
Oisín Jayat
Comments (11 of 11)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11This visit is appallin. We in Sinn Fein will do our best to let the world know Bush is not wanted here.
Yep, I had been asked to give a number of interviews in the last few days in regard to this visit, in Northern media.
A number of different forms of meetings are and have been planned against this war mongers visit, from those looking to rally - through to direct actions, and other forms of mobilisations etc.
It is important, that whatever differences, that we need here to come and democratically decide what can make the best collective impact, while each can still do there own thing.
The lessons of the past must be learnt, as we only get one go at this, to let the world know that Bush, once again, is not welcome here.
Link to his previous visit - http://www.phoblacht.net/movingto.html
"We in Sinn Fein will do our best to let the world know Bush is not wanted here"
So are the reports that one of the people responsible for inviting Bush is none other than the deputy leader of Sinn Fein incorrect ?
This time around will we have top Shinners
1) Addressing anti war rallies
2) Meeting with Bush
3) Both of the above ?
“Apart from the war, Bush’s international crimes include a refusal to sign up to Kyoto” - Belfast Anti War
We have come to a sorry pass if this is the level of debate about the visit. The Kyoto protocol is voluntary. Not signing it is not a “crime”. You might disagree with it his view but that does not make it a crime or a breach of legality of any kind. Even if Bush had supported it the US Senate would not have ratified it – would they be then criminals? The easy option for Bush would have been to feign support for it but let the Senate be responsible for rejecting it. At least he had the pluck to stick to his position and take the flack. In fact the people of the US did not support it in 2001 so are they all criminals as well?
“George Bush is the most unpopular President in US history. According to the Washington Post his current approval rating is less that thirty percent.”
There are many people who are unpopular in the US for one reason or another – is it some sort of breach of international etiquette for such a person to visit Belfast at the (bipartisan) invitation of the local devolved government. For that matter how popular are some of the signatories to this? Would Bernadette Mc Aliskey for instance achieve a 30% or anything like it popularity rating in Northern Ireland or anywhere else?
As for warmongering the Shinners did a fair amount themselves in their time. Not to mention crime. There is more than one SF contradiction in all of this.
....watch what they do -
Pictured are Gerry and Martin , delivering letters of protest , no doubt....
All green-tied (...up in knots!).
Martin and Henry shootin' the breeze.
George checks-in on his investment....
Where did it all go so horribly wrong?
I could just about get my head around you guys attemtpting to share power with right wing sectarian facists for the good of all of us.
But to allow the DUP to prop up 42 detention and people who know full well what 42 days would do to any individual.
You have learned well from your master s
Maith Sibh
And here's RSF harassing and racially abusing anti-war protestors in Galway
....and another man wearing an Easter Lily = "RSF harassing and racially abusing anti-war protestors in Galway" ?
Hi Anti-imperialist!
In your case , a picture doesn't tell a thousand words!
The intention of some to 'dress the Liam Mellows statue in the colour of the Meteor mobile phone company' was objected to by RSF and others , yes - but that's not an 'anti-imperialist' action , is it?
More info here -
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/85973
http://11sixtynine.blogsome.com/2008/01/29/the-elephant...rner/
Thanks!
Sharon.
Sharon you are brazen.
You have browbeaten many commentators here with toxic style of debating. You spread you bile to exclude some one from an organisation that your party would pay lip service to and still you brazen it out. The fact of the matter is that members of your party behaved in a despicable manner towards people in Galway that day. You and others have spewed lies in claiming that those involved were not members of RSF but people who had arrived before you.
You have been too clever Sharon and you have been exposed.
I'm from dublin but was in galway over those few days and i was at the Mellowes statue about a half hour before the antiwar protetsors were gonna assemble
the RSF people were there and were in favour of the main idea of protetsing the war but objected to the ridiculous manner that it was gonna be done . To dress that mans statue in an american issued prison suit was wrong then and its still wrong now. Rsf are right to say that his ststue should only be used as an assembling location .
and can i just say to that other poster giving out about sharon - she doesn't browbeat anyone or use a toxic style , but she does defend herself and what she believes in and shes well able to
i'm not in rsf and would consider myself more of an Eirigi supporter but i think your annoyed 'cause sharon is well able to speak up for herself and maybe your not?
Hi Shaon's Ex !
I am not "brazen" , nor will I be kept quiet for fear of offending people like you : and by claiming that I 'browbeat other commentators' I presume that is what you mean - you would seem to prefer that I and others like me should just put up with the verbal challenges offered us on this site : when that doesn't happen you describe the argument we offer as "toxic...despicable....bile" etc.
Well that's your problem , Sir , not mine.
Hi Mack!
Thank you for those supportive comments - much appreciated!
The above author apparently sees "toxic....despicable....bile" everywhere except in his own comments.
Thanks again!
Sharon.
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