Greens Criticise Media Coverage of Shannon Actions

national | miscellaneous | news report

Tuesday February 04, 2003 20:12

by Graham Caswell - Green Party

caswell at indigo dot ie

Green Party Press Release

The Green Party today demanded that the full truth be disclosed about the break-ins at Shannon airport.

Green Party Chairman, John Gormley T.D., said that there had been a great deal of lies and distortion which he believed would prejudice the impending court cases of the protesters. "It has been widely reported that a Garda in Shannon was assaulted and subsequently hospitalised. If this incident had any basis in fact it would have been totally condemned by the Green Party.

However, no charges for assault have been brought against the accused and it has now been confirmed that the Garda in question was not hospitalised. It is deplorable that there are certain sections of the media that would behave in such a irresponsible fashion."

"Last week it was also widely reported that over 500,000 euro worth of damage was inflicted on a US military aircraft. Again, it is our understanding that this estimate is greatly exaggerated. These lies and distortions have been used to undermine the case of the Anti-War movement. It is therefore vital that the protesters do not continue to play into the hands of the warmongers and their allies. The Green Party has called on any protest to adhere strictly to a passive resistance code. We cannot afford to lose the battle for the hearts and minds of ordinary people."

Mr. Gormley said that it was now quite clear that truth had, once again, been the first casualty of this war. "However, the Greens are confident that in the long term, the essential truth of our message will persuade people that this war is fundamentally wrong and unjustified."

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Comments (3 of 3)

U-turn

by Janus

Tue Feb 04, 2003 21:45

Is this a Green U-turn on their U-turn?

Why adhere strictly to a passive resistance code

by Eoin Dubsky - Refueling Peace

Wed Feb 05, 2003 00:18

Jesus likened his Love to a sword, not a pillow.

As Martin Luther King jnr. put it: "Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon. which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it. It is a sword that heals. "

While the current climate may seem to some to favour leaving aircraft and weapons fully intact at Shannon (at the expense of people's lives in Iraq and elsewhere), it is imperative that we take our values seriously. To say that the disarmament actions at Shannon have somehow misdirected the discussion on Iraq in Ireland is to forget where our primary responsibilities lie and what we are commanded to do.

Grace Mulreidy, Siochain

by Grace Mulreidy - Siochain (Shannon Peace Newspaper)

Wed Feb 05, 2003 08:04

oraqhreid at hotmail dot com

19 Inis Eagla, Shannon, Co. Clare

0861916203

Mr. Gormley, will you please respond to the Associated Press Article Feb 3,2003 written By Shawn Pogatchnik in which he calls the Catholic Workers "reds" and the members of the Sinn Fein Party "ultranationalists."
How is this helping to clarify the situation that was starting to look like Kent State all over again?
Let's start with the truth, and let the intelligent people figure it out for themselves.
More power to you, and thanks for all you are doing for the Irish people of all parties.

(I'd join the Greens myself, if I wasn't so busy smoking cigars, staying up all night, swearing like a sailor, and falling for the wrong guys in the wrong parties.)
dia dhuit,
Grace

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Greens Criticise Media Coverage of Shannon Actions

Comments (3 of 3)