The Soapbox View: The Queen Visits Ireland

Or at least sometimes people try very hard to make that so. So there this symbollic handshake is done unless Her Majesty is considering everyone’s hand on the island of Ireland? Then that should do it, except right, there’s ancestral aggression over a border. Dead people didn’t want compromise. But if there were ever anywhere on the face of the earth that could teach the rest of the world how to have free and open borders it should be the Irish. British or not.

The Telegraph provides a timeline tracing conciliatory gestures back to October 1997 when Tony Blair shook Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams’ hand. While The Telegraph’s report mentions the monarch and Northern Ireland’s deputy first minister met briefly when the Queen visited a theatre in Belfast last year to view an art exhibition, this time a television cameraman and stills photographer were allowed to capture the historic moment that included no members of the public within a mile of the venue as police imposed a total exclusion zone amid fears of a terrorist attack. Starkly contrasting the cheering crowds who greeted the Queen when she visited Enniskillen yesterday, the sovereign was driven through deserted streets in a bullet-proof car for the meeting with the Sinn Fein MP.

Mr. McGuinness, holding the monarch’s hands, spoke in Irish and told her the words meant: “Goodbye and God speed.”

The Telegraph states sections of the nationalist community are vehemently opposed to the meeting so it’s significant. Mr. McGuinness was allegedly a senior IRA commander at the time, in 1979, the terrorist group murdered Earl Mountbatten, a cousin of the Queen and uncle of the Duke of Edinburgh (pictured above). Mr. McGuinness has said he had left the IRA by the time of Earl Mountbatten’s tragic murder.

Not so sweet is overnight police fought running battles with more than 100 protestors in Belfast. 21 petrol bombs were tallied thrown, injuring nine officers as politicians on both sides of the political divide praised the Queen and Mr. McGuinness for their courage in going ahead with their meeting.

Yesterday The Queen made her first visit to a Catholic church in Northern Ireland at the start of the historic two-day visit. Although the Queen has been there 19 times before, this bold itinerary includes visits unthinkable a decade ago.

Martin McGuinness said yesterday, “In shaking the hand of Queen Elizabeth I am effectively, symbolically, shaking the hands of hundreds of thousands of unionists.”

Peter Sheridan, chief executive of Co-operation Ireland, a charity for peace in Northern Ireland and the Republic, said the gesture would alter things irrevocably. “From my perspective it’s a huge act of reconciliation, you cannot underestimate how important this is. Whoever would have thought we would ever be in this situation – I think it says a lot about healing, human dignity and treating each other with respect. I think after today all of us will say things have changed – for me that’s the significance of it.”

But the Republicans’ demonstration, the night before, erected an Irish flag and sign that said “Eriu is our Queen” on Black Mountain, overlooking Belfast. A goddess in Irish mythology.

While on behalf of David Cameron, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said, “Clearly, there was a visit by Her Majesty to the Republic of Ireland last year. That has taken relations between the two countries to a new level. We think it is right that the Queen should meet representatives from all parts of the community.”

Huh? Never mind, his job is to not let others take credit for what he should be doing himself as the head of the government. No?

“It’s a wonderful day for Enniskillin,” said the Very Reverend Kenneth Hall, the Dean of Clogher. “We want to prove we are one community in an atmosphere of togetherness.”

The Queen accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, attended a service of thanksgiving for her 60-year reign at St Macartin’s Church of Ireland Cathedral, attended by both Protestants and Catholics, including the head of the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland, Cardinal Sean Brady.

The Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Rev Alan Harper, gave a sermon in which he said the Queen’s conciliatory words and gestures in Dublin last year had allowed many to throw off the “shackles” that had been loosening since 1998′s Good Friday Agreement.

The Queen later met survivors and relatives of the victims of the Enniskillen bombing in private, before making the short walk to St Michael’s Catholic church, which was filled with local community groups that had asked to meet her. Then went on a brief walkabout, accepting flowers from well-wishers, while some in the crowd chanted “We want the Queen!”

Frank O’Reilly, 63, said: “We were told about two weeks ago she was coming and everybody’s been excited since then. “Given the present climate this has been a huge step forward for the Catholic and Nationalist communities.”

But Stephen Gault, who lost his father, told Sky News: “Nobody has been brought to justice for Enniskillen so it’s very hard for the families to accept Mr. McGuinness shaking the Queen’s hand.”

Before the meeting, Mr. McGuinness refered to a famous remark by Tony Blair before the 1998 Good Friday peace deal. “There was a lot of talk in the past about someone feeling the hand of history on his shoulder. This is about stretching out the hand of peace and reconciliation to Queen Elizabeth who represents hundreds of thousands of unionists in the north.”

Gerry Kelly, a Sinn Fein MLA and a former IRA member, said of the meeting, “This is a huge ask for Republicans. It is symbolic in the sense that the Queen may be a grandmother who people in England and people orientated towards Britain here in Northern Ireland highly respect and love. But she is the symbol of British rule in Ireland.” However much it’s not her fault, I suppose.

Noel Whelan, a political commentator, told the Financial Times, “This is part of Sinn Fein’s strategy to broaden its political appeal in the Republic and reach out to middle class support as it attempts to establish itself as a potential government partner in the south.”

Let’s see what happens?

The New York Times also reported.

6/27/2012

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The Queen Visits Ireland

6/27/2012 concluded: Noel Whelan, a political commentator, told the Financial Times, “This is part of Sinn Fein’s strategy to broaden its political appeal in the Republic and reach out to middle class support as it attempts to establish itself as a potential government partner in the south.”

Let’s see what happens?

The New York Times also reported.

January 16 - 31, 2016

Your Majesty?

Yes the title's fitting for the Queen Elizabeth reign, though contrived reigns are plentiful. While the question remains, what more could the Queen do, or, for that matter, all the d___ed spoiled Kings on Earth?

Numb, and ever skeptical, I wasn't going to watch. But the effect of a countdown tuned me to the event. Thing is while promises seem fulfilling, circumstance and power overrule even the best intentions in our shake or be shook-en world. Senator Schumer spoke. The loyal opposition. ("Great.") War story. ... "echo through the ages" ... . If the American Presidential Inauguration were a filibuster, it couldn't be clearer a list of specific challenges would have been as poignant as memorializing sacrifice. Noble and, maybe, backing-out on a confrontation's a political statement when the President's speech was destined to consist of boasts?

"Now the oath."

May the country do well by Free Speech because time marches on people. Done deal.

Symbols have the better of us? That is a question.

Taking over by imposing will paraphrases the speech's opening remarks. "Giving it back to you the people" rhetoric. Promising equitability a claim. Corners cut the president allows. Everything the president wants the people want. Again? ...

See the other side's Schumer should have listed a point of integrity to be held to ... .

PBS' Brooks of The New York Times wants to marry, (embellishment), the rote-ishly recited streamlined-condensed version of the speech.

OK, "stop the carnage."
Except the stated solution's just the promise the Criminal Enterprise System's performance will be a better run business. As usual. The country's being sent to military school. Nation taken for Roy Cohn granted. ... .

Mmm. Provable I said taken for Roy Cohn granted, you'd suppose. Voted ruled from a pedestal remains one hard concept to face for a few/many Americans.

Yeah, hard to deny print, though as easily altered or digitally lost? Uh, huh. Facing a Cult of Personality's not just a simple label from another age. Understanding how it fits the present day means not being as hypnotized by self-righteousness as the nation seems.

Numb's just the iceberg's tip.

Boasting perfection is a performance. Solid substance a myth. Anyway, yeah. Quite the show though actually seeing utopia take shape before our eyes as promised. Yet meanwhile it's just overshot?

"Eradicate" means war as usual.

"Hour of action."

"Won't be ignored again."

Who wouldn't want in on patriotic action?

So however you politically associate, as either "you liberals" or "I'm conservative," it's fairly obvious, most, if not all, political symbols are rubbed raw of meaning. As sure as Politics is Theater.

Unless as the jingoist cultural phenomenon hiding behind political parties insists, it's been sufficiently demonstrated to the public there's no way the lessons of Frank Norris' 1901 The Octopus applies to the governing of business and business of governing today. Or for that matter, Eddie Murphy's The Distinguished Gentleman. Besides, it's proven the world wouldn't be better without strong corporations. Even North Korea stands by their successes. Etc. Etc. Amazing how technologically advanced the world's troubles are without everyone having a job?

Perhaps Boastful Speech never ends, remaining a huge impediment to humanity's evolution?

War Chests of America vs. War Chests of America
vs. Chesters vs. Chesters

HISTORY REPEATS

1/20/2017 from a May/June 1971 INTELLECTUAL DIGEST excerpt of a London Magazine excerpted Reprint of The Dial Press'

SHAKE IT FOR THE WORLD SMARTASS by Seymour Krim

When we went to John Steinbeck's funeral service, this is what happened...

I also thought that Steinbeck's passing meant that so much of my early feelings about this country was dead, too, also part of my early identity, and I was living in a bright strange foreign new world all on my own without a past. Poor bastards, all of us.

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An Un-passed Impasse

Another eerie dawn reveals moralistic warriors clung to righteousness exonerating harda__flaws. None of us have real use for tyranny. Cycles of revenge should be solved. After all better war's not all that great a solution? America's on the precipice again of redeclared war on lifestyles. Compromising the police's position of the law requiring of them to be on everyone's side. The police shouldn't enforce lifestyles. END THE CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE SYSTEM, please. Shrewdness' ramifications have already done us in. Otherwise why not plans to Statuitize Harry J. Anslinger in Washington D.C. to commemorate his bigoted "swamp" career change as Prohibition evolved. Making morality a farce is the biggest shame.

But hey. Just another day in politics some call struggle for a reason. While others define hardship as having to use power tools.

An all you need is leverage attitude brought about The Teapot Dome Oil Industry Scandal of the Harding Presidency, and now vaunted New Age presentation that's pragmatic political attitude. For A Few Dollars More, huh?

...

Lonesome Rhodes, President Extrapolate

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