Who Are These Guys?

IT seems like the latest report of the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) will further delay the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, as voted for by the Irish people.

Surely some critical analysis should be applied to a body with such huge powers. The make-up of the IMC suggests that it may not be quite as independent as the name implies.

Commander John Grieve was head of Scotland Yard’s anti-terrorism branch in 1996 when it killed Diarmuid O’Neill, who was unarmed and trying to surrender, as confirmed by the surveillance tape of the incident played on BBC TV. Amnesty International condemned the killing and the dissemination of false information that there was an exchange of gunfire and explosives found on the premises.

Lord Alderdice is former leader of the Alliance Party and strong political opponent of Sinn Fein.

Dick Kerr is former deputy director of the CIA, which has been involved in many dubious operations around the world. Its reports that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction were subsequently proved false, but only after many thousands had been killed in the Iraq war.

Joe Brosnan was in charge of the Garda (Irish police) division of the Department of Justice. As well as failing to properly investigate the worst incident of the Troubles, the Dublin-Monaghan bombings, the Garda Special Branch continued to tell the family of Seamus Ludlow that he had been killed by the IRA when they knew he had been shot by a Loyalist gang with British intelligence connections.

Independent monitoring? I don’t think so!

Dr. Sean Marlow
Dublin, Ireland

Not Just Sex

IN the January 18-24 issue Stephen Rea, who is a much better actor than he is a critic, was quoted as saying, “Americans always go for sex. They are not interested in politics, history or the IRA.”

I wonder where Mr. Rea places Good Night and Good Luck? Or Syriana? How about Munich? I don’t remember sex as being the driving force behind Capote.

What country made The Commitments, which by the way should have won the Academy Award for Best Picture several years ago, by depicting sex, omitting politics, and never mentioning the IRA?

As for the IRA, why would a country that saw 618,000 causalities in its civil war be shocked at the Irish internal conflict that claimed roughly 5,000? I don’t mean to demean the loss of Irish life, but as an American I am continually shocked at the tail wanting to wag the dog.

Jerry Hoosier
Orange, California

Joyce for Guidance

THOMAS Merton, who died in 1968, would have been 91 on January 31. In his famous autobiography The Seven Story Mountain (1948), Merton writes:

“While reading James Joyce, always in the background was the church and its priests and its devotions; the Catholic life fascinated me … What did the Jesuits do? How did a priest live his life?”

When Merton entered the Trappist Monastery to study for the priesthood (1942), the novice master introduced him as, “Here is a man who was converted to the Catholic faith by reading James Joyce.”

Brother Ed Kent
Fresh Meadows, New York

SF Supports Raffertys

THE report in the January 25-31 issue that the family of Joseph Rafferty intends to come to the U.S. with allegations that the IRA were involved in their brother’s murder in Dublin must be put in context.

A full investigation has been carried out by the Gardai (Irish police). Sinn Fein has called on anyone with information to come forward, and Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern has commented last September 28.

The Taoiseach said that he is satisfied that there was no official involvement by Republicans in the brutal murder of a Dublin man in West Dublin in April. “I don’t think there were any instructions given by the IRA,” Ahern said, adding, “Elements, probably of criminality, claimed they had links with republicans.”

Even the Irish Minister of Justice Michael McDowell has stated “the professional assessment of the Garda authorities (is) that the killing of Joseph Rafferty was not … an operation sanctioned by the Provisional IRA and that it was carried out without the tacit approval of the Provisional IRA.”

None of those that the Rafferty family believes were responsible for the killing have been members of Sinn Fein, and there is no evidence they are members of the IRA.

Rafferty, 28, was shot dead near his home in Ongar on April 12. Members of his family have met political parties, including Sinn Fein, the Labor Party and the taoiseach as part of their campaign to bring those responsible for the murder to justice.

Sinn Fein Dublin City Councilor Daithi Doolan has met members of the Rafferty family on numerous occasions to assist in efforts to bring the killers to justice. He has called for anyone who knows anything about the murder to come forward and give that information to the Gardai.

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams described the murder of Rafferty as a cowardly and brutal act and said “the criminals responsible must be brought before the courts and face justice.”

He backed calls from Councilor Doolan for anyone with information to cooperate with Gardai in the investigation of the murder. He also said that the Rafferty family deserves full sympathy and support in their campaign to find the killer.

Rita O’Hare
Sinn Fein
U.S. Representative
Washington, D.C.

Anything Goes

HAVING read John Spain’s analysis and suggestions on Catholic behaviors in present day Ireland (“Bless Me, Father Daddy, January 25-31), I am leaning to thinking he is the smartest man over there.

Two main insightful themes emerged in his article. One is the idea that the man in the street (not moral theologians) are best suited at setting norms concerning what is right or wrong in sexual moral behavior.

This would eventually, of course, usher in a sort of benign version of mob rule — an insight the church has missed all these many years.

The other one is equally as good. Pope Benedict has no business pontificating on sex matters in marriage since he has no experience of marriage or sex.

That insight, which was also missed by the church, is like saying that no psychiatrist should treat a mental patient unless he has the same mental condition himself and is experiencing the same anguish and mental pain.

Who knows, this approach might be a good thing — patient treating patient. It could turn out to be a sort of benign version of the inmates running the asylum.

The church and all of us Catholics should feel blessed that John Spain has emerged to show us the Way, the Truth and the Light. It is regretful we had to wait 2,000 years.

Since we have 20,000 versions of Christianity established in different denominations since the Reformation, another one won’t harm anything.

Spain could call his version: Church of Spain. No rules. No pain. Great gain.

As for me, I am not yet convinced to convert. I will stick with my imperfect Catholic Church, the Rock of Ages past, the Hope of Ages yet to come.

John Rogers
Voorhees, New Jersey

Double Standard?

AS a subscriber to the Irish Voice, I would like to bring to your notice an article in last week’s “Intelligencer” column about the many calls regarding a t-shirt that stereotypes all Irish as drunkards.

Yet in the same edition of the Irish Voice, on page 5 no less, is a large ad for “Irish Music DrinkFest Weekend,” with pint drinking contests and featuring Ed Ryan, who is known by this quote, “If you can’t find me drunk, I’m out drinking somewhere.”

I would have hoped that the Irish Voice editor who approved this ad would have said no thank you to this offensive ad and returned the money.

Joseph Dougherty
South Carolina