Bono the Champion

I was greatly relieved to read the letter from John McCormack in last week’s Irish Voice about U2. It is indeed refreshing to see that not all of those great Irish traits have been diluted and lost over the generations of immigration, namely the art of “the begrudger.”

Isn’t it a hoot to have the time to criticize and run down someone else’s achievements? Forget the musical criticism about U2, John.

I think you really hit the target when you focused in on Bono’s selfish, self-serving, money grabbing sermon for the African poor. Only someone of your keen perception would have spotted that!

I mean, come on! Who does Bono think he is, reminding us of how good we have it over here in the USA? It’s not our responsibility to help those less fortunate than ourselves, is it?

I think that the aspect of your letter that most “encouraged” me was the absolute rejection of empathy. If I didn’t know better, I would be inclined to think that you would take Oliver Goldsmith’s A Modest Proposal at face value.

Brendan Delany, New York, New York

Stop Silencing Eire Nua

Sean O' Lubaigh’s letter in last week’s Irish Voice, “Stop all Visa Denial,” is right on the money. The State Department’s policy of denying entry visas is nothing more than a mere concession to the British government in an attempt to silence the voice of Irish Republicanism in the U.S.

The U.S./U.K. Extradition Treaty is another example of how the long arm of British tyranny reaches Irish America via our own government. This treaty will circumvent the constitutional rights of any American who falls under the very ambiguous text of this proposed agreement, especially Americans who oppose British rule in Ireland.

This proposed treaty, coupled with the ongoing U.S. visa denial policy directed at Irish Republicans, makes it very clear that the forces who dominate the Irish peace process have another agenda besides Irish sovereignty.

The Irish American community, and the American public at large, owns the right to hear unfiltered information concerning U.S. foreign policy on Ireland. The British proposed Good Friday Agreement (GFA) which was hastily introduced, and now enforced on the Irish people has failed to create an environment that is conducive to a just and lasting peace.

In the U.S. the GFA is sold as the only show in town, but this is not true.

The Eire Nua (New Ireland) federal peace proposals promoted by Republican Sinn Fein in Ireland, and the National Irish Freedom Committee in the U.S. are an Irish formulated peace proposal which would provide for a system of government in which all creeds and traditions would be represented, and all citizens would exercise real power without any one group infringing on the right of others.

Eire Nua and its proponents in Ireland have been ruthlessly censored, and marginalized since its introduction in 1972. Since 1974 the British government, via the U.S. government, has censored Eire Nua here through unfair and discriminatory U.S. government policies.

As Irish Americans we should oppose British interference in are constitutional rights, and seek out all proposals for a just and lasting peace in Ireland.

Brian Wardlow, Bradley Beach, New Jersey

McAllister Appeal

Many of you may be familiar with the campaign my family and I have been waging for the past 10 years to avoid deportation back to Northern Ireland.

For those of you who are not, let me briefly explain. My name is Malachy McAllister and I was born and raised in Belfast during the time we have come to call The Troubles.

In the face of naked sectarianism and a brutal suppression of the Catholic population, I resisted foreign rule and was sentenced by a juryless court for offenses against the crown. Upon my release a Loyalist death squad, utilizing intelligence provided by the police service, attempted to assassinate me and were nearly successful in claiming the lives of my young children. My late wife Bernadette and I bundled up our family and fled, hoping to find the shelter from persecution that America had been famous for.

The legal battle to stay in our adopted land has been a long and heartbreaking one. The Board of Immigration Appeals reversed a judicial decision granting Bernadette and the children asylum. A final hearing is scheduled for the July 1 at the Third District Court of Appeals meeting in Newark Federal Court Building.

Consider this your invitation to attend this hearing. A show of support will be most helpful and this is our last judicial chance.

While we are hopeful of a positive result from this hearing, we are aware that the court may find that Congress has not provided means within the Immigration and Nationality Act to grant us relief.

Congressman Steve Rothman has introduced a bill in Congress requesting that in the event of an adverse decision by the Third District Court the grounds for removal be waived.

He and Congressman Peter King are soon to be circulating a congressional sign-on letter addressed to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff requesting deportation proceedings against my family and myself be suspended. This letter, if signed by a sufficient number of legislators, will send a powerful message and could possibly prevent our deportation.

I appeal to everyone who reads this to contact their representative in Congress and ask them to sign on to this letter. Sometimes just a few such requests are sufficient to convince a legislator to commit his or her support. If you need help finding out how to contact your congressman, you can visit our website at www.McAllister Campaign.com or e-mail us at stopdeporting@aol.com.

Since fleeing Belfast in 1988 and settling here in America I have striven to be a productive, positive part of this society. My children have grown up here and are virtually American. My beloved Bernadette is buried here.

All I ask is the opportunity to do what millions before me have done, to come to America and find freedom.

Your support is my children’s and my only hope. Please try and motivate your member of Congress to sign onto this letter and perhaps our struggles will not have been in vain. Your help will be appreciated beyond what you can imagine.

Malachy McAllister, New Jersey

Support for Catholics

What are Catholics to do when family destruction comes to their house? If Catholic families are part of the same culture as others are, the misery must surely have reached them, though it is little spoken about.

Shouldn’t the consequences of divorce on the Catholic family and its generations be brought to light too? Divorce, and in some cases abandonment, opens the floodgates to problems devastating to the individual, the family and society. Impoverishment, exile, alcohol and drug addition and extreme loneliness are just a few.

This assault on faith and family projects into the future. Even so, it finds no voice in the dialogue on the future of the family, the domestic church, the basic cell of society. But it is no secret to some of us living the long nightmare.

What are faithful Catholics to do? What can we do to help our family members to recover from the effects of family destruction?

If we are true to the Gospel of Christ in our defense of faith and family — of life itself — what should the Catholic response be? When will the silence be broken?

One proposal is for a place of retreat where our Catholic family members would have a chance, with the proper community supports, to recover from the culture shock. This would be a place to foster a culture of faith, family and freedom by cultivating a spirit of Christian love and respect for all human life.

Helpful reader advice through your paper would be welcome.

Rita Moore Daly, Garnerville, New York