Date: Mon, 16 Mar 1998 16:38:37 +1000
From: Gary MacLennan <g.maclennan-AT-qut.edu.au>
Subject: Re: M-I: Ireland (Imperialism and Orangeism)


At 09:14 AM 3/15/98 +0000, you wrote:
>James:
>
>Excellent stuff on Ireland. I agree whole heartedly with this
>posting --clear ans succinct.
>
>All these accusations of pro-imperialism are just attempts to cover up
>the truth: it is Sinn Fein that has gone over to the pro-imperialist
>position. It is Gerry Adams, not me who is trying to sell the British
>peace process to the Irish people. That's not a tactical blunder, it is
>support for British rule.
>
>All of this ranting against Orangism is a way of avoiding the unpleasant
>truth, that Tony Blair's most important ally in Northern Ireland today
>is Gerry Adams.
>
>I say to Nestor, Jim and Gary: do you support the British peace process?
>Do you agree with Gerry Adams that Britain should face up to its
>responsibilities in Ireland by acting as honest broker? Do you agree
>with Adams recent speech where he says that a Republic is not
>achievable?
>--
>James Heartfield
>Rebecca,  You will forgive me if I express a lttle annoyance at your
method here.  You wrote on Ireland some time ago and I wrote a reply which
you were unable to find time to respond to.  I understand that but now you
pop up like one of those irritating caricatures of Bolshevism that verily
plague the Left.  'What is your position on this?'  'What is your position
on that?'  Christ Rebecca I usually tell  creatures like that who swarm
around one to simply fuck off.

I of course have no intention of saying anything like that to your good
self.  But I have actually made my position on Ireland reasonably clear.  I
would support those who would set Orange Northern Ireland on fire from
Antrim to Fermanagh.  I support those who would make a bonfire out of
Orange Belfast.  That came close to happening last summer and Gerry Adams
intervened to prevent it.  I have been critical of him ever since.

Now having said that I can actually make a distinction between Blair and
Adams.  I think that yourself and Heartfield are absolutely wrong to
caricature Adams' position as being Pro-British.  Adams is doing a deal.
He feels he has to for a variety of reasons.  I sitting here in my office
in Brisbane disagree with him.  But I am very aware of the reality of the
struggle which he and his comrades have put up against British Imperialism.
 I will not join you and Heartfield in sneering at the sacrifices that have
been mae3e.  I make political criticisms but I also know who the enemy is.
It is not Sinn Fein.  They are torn between socialism and nationalism and
following the eclipse of international Communist states they have shifted
towards nationalism.  I deplore that but I will not jump up and down in
this office and act as if I am their superior.  Frankly I do not quite have
that kind of chutzpah.  But your good self and Master  Heartfield seem to
be very generously endowed with oodles of arrogance.

Jim Hillier whom I know and admire has said very clearly what the
responsibility of the Left is with regard to Ireland.  The chief target of
your contempt should not be Sinn Fein but rather your own country's army
and your country's policies.

Trust me I am beyond anger at every victory the English achieve in my
country.  I rage within every time we Irish have to yield and kow tow to
the English.  But that seems to be the reality of defeat.  The Irish
struggle this time around was waged by a handful of housing estates.  The
poorest people in the British Isles fought one of the great armies of the
world to a stand still.  If you had even a smidgen of revolutionary
generosity in your makeup you would celebate their heroism and be totally
ashamed of the shit you and Heartfield are pouring out on this list.

regards

Gary


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