Question: Whats the story with Shannon now?

by Editing elf Thu Feb 06, 2003 22:10

If you have questions or comments then append them under an article. If you have NEWS to contribute then you may post into the newswire.

But, to answer your question, there will be a massive military assault on Shannon by Al-Qaida trained kangaroos. They will be equipped with the latest Iraqi WeaponsOfMassDestruction which will use previously undiscovered hi-energy particle atmospheric effects channelled and directed by Yogic consciousness and utilising Fractal Geometry. The raw energy will come from secret Wave Power installations which Funghi led Transcendental Meditation practitioners to several summers ago. These had been built by the Atlanteans for just such a contingency as this.

Bertie Ahern will continue defending the Constitution and taking a noble and moral lead in Worruld Affaiiyrs which mirrors his home policies.

Any other crap questions to ask? Don't hestitate. After all you're just fucking up indymedia.

by Jon Thu Feb 06, 2003 22:24

New to this and didnt realise....doh!
Do your magic if you can and delete away....

by ollie - Katalyzer Thu Feb 06, 2003 22:27

a far greater problem is semi-spamy press releases from political parties printed in full, when links to the article makes so much more sense - it seems to be getting much worse as a problem recently...
Question posts are rare enough, press releases are becoming endemic, so maybe chill out a bit, or refocus your venom...

by Editing elf Thu Feb 06, 2003 22:32

got a bit carried away. It's quite hard to get stuff deleted here and I'm not on the editorial collective, it's just a provocative name, so I shouldn't really use it.

Your question is fair enough if asked in the right place. Ideally people should advertise their events in the "up coming events" link to the right-hand side just above "Other IMC Sites".

Anyway, sorry for ragging on you.

by Jon Thu Feb 06, 2003 22:43

I will know for again.....
Now lets make some news worth posting!!

by speedy gonzales Thu Feb 06, 2003 22:57

After the speed they hightailed it out of Shannon it is unlikely these 'revolutionaries' will show their faces back there again!

by karlof1 - West Valley College Fri Feb 07, 2003 09:02 San Jose, California

There are those of us following the Shannon exploits through IMC Ireland since other info is essentially non-existent who thought Jon's question to be quite valid. So I'll ask again, what the hell is happening?

by Olivia Kelly Fri Feb 07, 2003 09:21

The position is that the so called peace protestors have utterly disgraced themselves by committing several acts of criminal damage. The Irish Taxpayer will have to foot the bill, probably 1-2 million Euro.

It was believed that the 'peace' protestors were non-violent until these acts. The media also exposed some of those involved and showed how one of the aircraft attacked was carrying no arms or munitions of any sort. In fact amongst its cargo of spare wheels where boxes of minerals and crisps for Naval personnel in Italy.

All of this has more or less lead to the disbanding of the camp. The vast, vast majority of local people were against the camp and the actions of those in it.

We now have 400 security personnel at the airport 24-7 (titally due to the incursions and criminal damage incidents) at a massive cost again to the Irish taxpayer. Most of the police there are using up an overtime budget fast - this means that other areas where policing is needed, like Limerick, will suffer as a result. It's matters like these which has turned public opinion against the protestors.

Nobody however has any difficulty with truly peaceful protest, and people like me have taken part in silent vigils and petition collections, but I will not stand alongside some of the brutes and bullies that have hijacked the anit-war cause.

by depp Fri Feb 07, 2003 10:19

If these planes cost "1 - 2 million euros" to fix, then that's another excellent reason why they shouldn't be allowed to land here.

what if some real damage was done to the planes, or the US soldiers themselves, would Irish taxpayers have to pay for damage done by "Al-Queda" at Shannon?

It's a financial risk having them here. Would someone pay the 15c tax on the plastic body bags used after a major incident at Shannon?

Most people when using the word 'violence' refer to violence on living creatures.

If the army are protecting Shannon because of protesters, why don't they now leave, since the protesters have left, saving the taxpayer "a massive cost"?

It is typically shortsighted of hypnotised citizens to reduce the argument re Shannon to MONEY, after all is the war on Iraq mainly about money (economics/ oil).

The protests are about a higher cause than money - they are about saving lives, saving people from mutilation, from disease, from pain, from fear, from madness, from DEATH.

by Anonymous Fri Feb 07, 2003 11:49

I think this question was well worth a seperate posting.

I can understand indymedia's position, but this is just too important a question to be merely left as a comment attached to something else. The amount of responses it has already generated is testimony to that.

A lot of the indymedia stories, though all good, are a re-hash of eachother, and are just something to read about.

The Shannon peace camp was more than just a piece of reading, it was a piece of ACTION, and somehting which we could all partake in.

As I've said before I think it was a big mistake to close the camp (I hope I'm wrong).

For more info on what they are doing go to indymedia article:-

http://www.indymedia.ie/cgi-bin/newswire.cgi?id=27203&start=60&sid=57162

This mainly contains the following excerpt on what they are supposed to be doing now. Incedentially I recently e-mailed the peaccamp email address and it is overloaded. I thought they could have at least kept the email address going. Maybe they will rectify this address or start another one.

Why we are takeing down the structrures
by Joe Sheehan - Shannon Peace Camp Wed, Feb 5 2003, 11:20am

We are not closing down the peace camp, we are taking down the structures involved and we are going to keep up the work we originally intended doing, monitoring the use of the airport by the American forces and highlighting its use.

We are taking down the structures because the camp in itself has become a news story rsther than the War on Iraq, the use of Shannon airport and Irish complicity in this war. We felt that while the physical structure of the "peace camp" was there this was going to continue so it was decided to change our strategy.

WE HAVE NOT CLOSED THE PEACE CAMP WE HAVE TAKEN DOWN THE STRUCTURES, WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE AIRPORT AND HIGHLIGHT THE USE OF THE AIRPORT.

by S. Aerobics - Reclaim the Runways Fri Feb 07, 2003 17:03 transmit at ziplip dot com

Hey Jon, I'm just learning the ropes of indymedia meself but maybe instead of posting a question. It would be news if you posted 'news' saying not only were you pissed off about the close of the peace camp but that now, you were going to help with organising another protest at Shannon. Leaving your e-mail address or using the comments space for an open discussion.
You don't have to be an 'activist' to take a small bit of responsibility.
Very often plans are made to be broken (discussed etc) but if you don't make a plan nothing happens. It only takes one person to get the ball moving.

by Grace Mulreidy - ISFA gaillimh Fri Feb 07, 2003 23:16 orahreid at hotmail dot com

A lot of people have too much time, too much spare cash, and too much academia. They have too much expensive equipment, and too much attitide.
But I'm one of the good guys. I have no time, no money, no college (but I do run a trade school) and no expensive equipment. I have no attitude. I have age. Ages of age. And I have no tv. I have a fiddle, and I used to have the world of books.
Now dear, I have fuck all, but I am the richest person I know.
Step One:
Find the person you most admire in the Peace Movemnt.
Step Two:
Put yourself at the complete disposal of that person. Help that person do the work by assisting that person in any chore. Nothing is beneath you, and no job too great, that you can't give it your best effort, in complete confidentiality.
Step Three:
You've got to do it selflessly or it won't work, and you'll end up doing more harm than good.
Step Four:
Be prepared! What you are about to do will not stop until peace breaks out, like a chick from its shell.
Step Five:
This work is impossible. One is right to suspect everyone doing this work as there is not a human being living who does not work with some expexcted gain. Self interest rules!!!!! So before you start: DEFINE SELF.
Step Six:
To do this work you've got to unerstand that the nature of it is that the work is endless, you've got to be tireless, the work is thankless, you've got to be fearless, and you'll never know who else is doing it. The lonliness is so extreme, you'll get to feel like you're a prisoner in solitary confinement. The path is strewn with landmines: Depression, disappointment and despair await you. And these are just the predictable enemies.
Step Seven:
Having passed these hurdles, be vigilant constantly for the one that will get you in the end. Insidious. It will sneak up behind you. It will get you in the end. Betrayal will stop you if you ever make any progress in this work.
Step Eight:
For all of the above reasons, there's only one qualification necessary on your cv. Only one thing you need in your tool kit to be an effective worker for peace:
HOW GREAT IS YOUR FAITH?

If you have what it takes, contact me asap.

by Intransigent Sat Feb 08, 2003 01:36

What are you on about you crazy psycho? What is this list thing? Find your favourite person in the anti war movement? What?

by Me Sat Feb 08, 2003 14:29

You could become the person you admire most in the anti-war/ peace movement.
DIY maaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnn

by Grace Mulreidy - ISFA Galway Sun Feb 09, 2003 12:25 orahreid at hotmail dot com Malin Head, Donegal 1916

Sorry, I was talking in code again; old habits are hard to break.
Who do you most admire in the peace movement?
Jesus the Joiner, Ghandi the solicitor, or Bobby Sands the poet?
ISFA Galway works for WORLD PEACE THROUGH WORLD LAW.
MAKE MUSIC, NOT WAR.
MAKE LOVE NOT WAR
MAKE SENSE NOT WAR
MAKE JUSTICE, NOT DISPOSSESSION.
MAKE YOURSELF SCARCE.
Slan, dia dhuit!
Grace Mulreidy, Free Floating Radical