The
irony is that for so many years I supported, indeed
I believed in and admired Gerry Adams. A courageous
man who'd dedicated his life to defeating British
imperialism in Ireland, Adams, or so I thought,
would never become just another politician. Unfortunately,
I was sadly mistaken.
In a few days, Mr. Adams will walk through the portals
of the White House, where he will meet with men
and women who, if they could figure out how to do
it without losing Irish American votes, would happily
destroy Sinn Fein and everything for which it claims
to stand. Over corn beef and Guinness, Gerry will
converse with people who have dedicated their lives
to defeating liberation movements; men and women
who have the blood of millions of innocent people
on their hands; reactionaries who, even as they
chat with Adams about the future of N. Ireland,
are plotting to assassinate Hugo Chavez in Venezuela
and other popularly elected leaders who refuse to
sell their land and their people to Wall Street.
According to news accounts, Gerry Adams will also
meet with prominent Irish American leaders who supported
the invasion of Iraq three years ago. And what will
these politicians have to say about peace and social
justice in N. Ireland? Will they tell Gerry that
once the United States of America has destroyed
Iraq, they will have more time to think about Ireland?
Will they encourage Adams to support their next
mad adventure, this time an attack on Iran, in exchange
for helping him achieve his goals in N. Ireland?
Will they swill Guinness and tell merry stories
while scores of Iraqi citizens die each and every
day?
I do understand. Gerry Adams is a politician now,
and that, apparently, means glad-handing people
who intend to destroy the Middle East in order to
save it. What I fail to grasp is how anyone who
claims to represent the aspirations of ordinary
people could stomach being in the same room with
lunatics who believe they are doing God's will when
they kill 100,000 Iraqi citizens; when they poison
America's water, air, and food supplies; when they
refuse to acknowledge the perils of global warming;
and when they intend to kill any leader who refuses
to accept their schemes to make the rich richer
and the poor more miserable.
I've never been invited to the blight house, but
if that should ever happen I would either toss the
invitation into the trash, or show up wearing an
"IMPEACH BUSH AND COKMPANY" tee shirt.
Gerry Adams and friends might think that they have
achieved some kind of political coup by partying
with the warlords of the American empire. The United
States of America is sliding, closer each day, toward
Fascism. Big Brother is monitoring our phone calls
and email, dissolving our Constitutional rights,
sending agents to spy on anyone who opposes the
government's deranged policies. Big Brother will
not be happy until this country is a police state
run by and for the rich.
If Gerry Adams truly cares about peace and social
justice, he should tell the lunatics running this
country that he's going to pass on their shamrock
party. Sadly, he won't do this, which is why I no
longer believe in or trust a man I once supported
and greatly admired.
