LETTERS

Get on That Bus!

CURIOSITY getting the better of me after reading the Irish Voice over the last few weeks, I ventured over to a packed St. Mary’s hall in Woodside last Friday for the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform (ILIR) meeting.

I can honestly say that I was impressed by what I witnessed, and left with the gut feeling that the ILIR is definitely on to something here. It was impressive to see Senator Charles Schumer, Irish TV and some government officials from Ireland present on a chilly Friday evening.

The event, chaired by the very able Niall O’Dowd, was complimented by some great speakers. ILIR vice chair Ciaran Staunton especially is both witty and straight to the point, and a joy to listen to.

More importantly, though, the real reason I wrote this letter is to encourage people like myself who were here during the mid-1980’s to give back and help our Irish brothers and sisters who are now going through the same thing. Indeed, as Mr. O’Dowd humorously quoted at the meeting, “No Paddy left behind.”

I’d like to add “Paddy’s on the march” to that, and wish the ILIR all the greatest success in San Francisco and especially in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, March 8 for the lobbying day.

I’d suggest that people work an extra Saturday, take the midweek day off and make sure you are on that bus.

Dessie Coogan
Astoria, New York

Save St. Brigid’s

I CAN’T believe how forgetful Irish Catholic Americans can be now that we are spread so thin. We are, along with the Irish diaspora around the world, a living, breathing culture that is an offshoot, for lack of a better term, of the people who inhabit the island of Ireland.

We will need a more cohesive and united effort by those who want to see our people and culture to continue, as opposed to becoming consumed by the pluralistic culture of large nations.

When I read about St Brigid’s Church in Manhattan and it’s almost imminent closing I was proud to see an organized effort to save the church, but sad that not many Irish Americans were involved.

St. Brigid’s was built in 1848 by Patrick Keely. The church served the incredibly large Irish population in lower Manhattan at the time of our greatest struggle and the beginning of our greatest triumph in North America.

The number of Irish Americans spread throughout the nation who have a connection to the church is numerous, though they may not know it. The church stands in an area of intense Irish American history near the famous Five Points district of lower Manhattan.

This church is a treasure not only to Irish Americans but to the city of New York and all of those around the world who fled from the horrors of the Famine to continue their communities in new lands. The thought of this church being ripped from its holy ground for another condo building to be put up is very disturbing.

There are so many Irish fraternal organizations — maybe too many — because if we had a more cohesive voice we could save something that is part of us.

If this church is being sacrificed because of the bills the diocese has to pay due to the sins of lecherous priests who have not only tarnished their own ancient Irish stature and respect but the entire community’s, then I can only say that one sin should not create another.

This is a much bigger picture for us and our future. Please get involved, and protect your Irish/

Irish American culture. Visit www.savestbrigid.com.

Jim E. Kelly
Red Bank, New Jersey

Real Irish Hater

WELL, I see letter writer Jerry Hoosier is back in his old form as his usually misinformed self. In his letter in the January 18-24 issue he wrote about an imaginary biological spill in Dublin.

My fear here is this story he tells is not to make a point, but a real expression of his wishes. In his past letters he has pulled no punches for his hate of the Irish people.

And then Jerry has us doing what we do best — leading a parade. A parade to criticize the government for not “beating the hell out of a terrorist.”

Well, terrorism comes in many forms which usually have roots deeply embedded in hate. With his hate for the Irish I often think about Jerry’s Irish-born wife.

I thought Orange, California, where Jerry lives, had something to do with citrus fruit. But if Jerry lives there I sure Orange is more about anti-Irish attitude.

Bill Ashe
Corona, California

Spiritual Destruction

BERNARD Ross’s letter in last week’s issue was more of a partisan crack at President Bush than his concern for the state of the union. I note here also that Mr. Ross is from Massachusetts.

He says we are in the grip of an establishment led by Bush that is destroying the social, economic and spiritual well-being of our nation, as was predicted by Eisenhower in his Military Industrial Complex remarks. Since Mr. Ross didn’t give any particulars, I wish to fill in the missing pieces.

The spiritual well-being of a society sits upon two pillars of inner values enunciated very clearly by the 2,000-year-old Catholic Church.

1) Absolute respect for the inner sanctity of human life from the womb to the tomb.

2) Absolute respect for the sanctity of the sacrament of marriage between a man and a woman whose purpose is to procreate and establish the building blocks for a healthy and spiritual society.

All other wellnesses flow from these, and any weakening or erosion of these destroy the transcendent sense of human life.

If we objectively direct our attention at those who would destroy these values we don’t find Bush at the top of the list. Instead we find the two senators, John Kerry and Edward Kennedy from Mr. Ross’s state of Massachusetts.

They are consistent advocates and promoters of free-for-all abortion, partial birth abortion, artificial creation of fetuses to be killed for stem cells, and teenage abortion without parental consent.

Meanwhile, they parade themselves dishonestly and in a sinister way as Catholics — no doubt to hold Catholic voters.

Add to this their total silence on the homosexual marriage and euthanasia issues (which really means their consent) and we have a mix of inner spiritual destruction more lethal than any outer possession of military capability to defend ourselves.

My fear in not the weapons of mass destruction from the Military Industrial Complex but the weapons of spiritual destruction from the gurus of the culture of death, Kerry and Kennedy.

John Rogers
Voorhees, New Jersey

Protesting Police

A CROSS-border training program involving police from both the 26 and six counties being held in Armagh cries out to be condemned because the program is yet another attempt to normalize British rule in Ireland.

The fact is that the police in the six counties are involved in collusion with Loyalist forces, and this cooperation is a backward step.

At a time when the extent of the collusion and, indeed, the murders of men like solicitor Pat Finucane have yet to be resolved, this is a regrettable decision. The specter of ongoing collusion also rears its head against anti-Stormont Agreement true Republicans who continue to oppose the failed entity as it will not bring a lasting peace to Ireland.

We are concerned that the police are cooperating on a plan to harass and imprison people who oppose the Stormont deal and reinforce British rule throughout Ireland.

We also object to any proposal that the Police Service of Northern Ireland should march in the Dublin government parade to mark 1916, or indeed that the parade include any reference to those who died in the world wars.

The root cause of conflict in Ireland is the British presence, and the failed Stormont Agreement will not bring a lasting peace.

Demonizing traditional Repub-licanism will not make the British presence any more acceptable to the Irish people.

Joe Lynch
Co. Limerick, Ireland