The priest at Mass today prayed for those people who lost their lives in Paris on Friday night – 227 at last count. “Look into my eyes – and die!” Marian Finucane said on RTÉ radio a few moments ago, quoting a newspaper report. The man identified as the only British casualty so far was selling programmes outside the football ground. All heart-breaking detail, and you’d have to be a brute not to be moved by it.
Why are we moved? Because many of us have been to Paris. Their way of life is similar to ours. Hence the mass coverage of the event by all of the newspapers this morning, and all the radio and TV news programmes. But let me give you a few figures from Syria.
- In the course of the four-year war there, an estimated 181 civilians were killed by the American-led campaign against ISIS.
- At least 565 civilians have died from starvation, dehydration or because they couldn’t get basic medical care.
- More than 654 medical workers were killed in attacks on hospitals.
- At least 984 civilians have been killed by exposure to chemical or other toxic substances.
- At least 8, 872 civilians were killed after being kidnapped, detained and/or tortured.
- More than 18, 866 civilians have been killed in air attacks mounted by the Syrian government.
- At least 27, 006 civilians have been killed in mortar, artillery and rocket attacks.
- At least 28, 277 civilians have died in shootings and mass killings.
- Overall, more than 80,000 civilians have been killed in Syria in the past four years. Of these, a quarter – that’s 20,000 – have been women and children.
The reason the Paris killings were given such coverage, we’re told, was the massive scale of the deaths. But the figures of Syrian civilian deaths, including women and children, totally dwarf the figures of those killed in Paris. I don’t remember our priest praying for these dead Syrians. Why?
Probably because they haven’t made the headlines, if they got into newspapers or TV reports at all. Did you know these figures before now? I didn’t – I had to go rooting for them. That’s because – and it’s a hard thing to say – we don’t really give a damn about deaths of people who are different and far away from us – in part because our media don’t tell us much about them.
If your eyes water for the cruelty inflicted in Paris on Friday night, your heart should break for the nameless thousands in Syria we don’t hear about and so don’t care about.
Aye, our Saggart did the same, ironically, RTE were also filled with idiots who called for ‘boots on the ground’! I always thought we were a neutral State, as found in Art. 29 Bunreacht na hEireann.
boots on the ground…are you suggesting they dont strike back hard in this situation,
No Billy, what I am saying is quite simply that, there is no role for Ireland in striking anything, we have not been attacked, our Forsai Cosanta do not carry out aggressive military operations anywhere in the world, we do peacekeeping only, and, we’re a neutral State so, let’s preserve our name as peacemakers and refuse the european military push for an EU Army.
Would it be fair to say there is a degree of racism involved when we in the west ignore the plight of other people’s around the world? It’s all fine and dandy lighting up buildings in the colours of the French flag but surely we should’ve lit up the same buildings in the Lebanon,Syrian and indeed the Russian flag? After all ISIS has claimed to have killed hundreds of citizens from those countries this past week or so.
IRISH SOLDIERS sworn to serve Ireland, have for 57 unbroken years served with the United Nations and were faithful to its charter.In 1935 De Valera was ready to put them at the service of
the League of Nations if the League remained faithful to its Covenant and opposed Italy’s Rape of Abyssinia. Serving Ireland and being ready to serve humanity are not incompatible.
Whoever was talking of “boots on the ground” has had his head in the sand. Perhaps he wants us to lick John Bull’s Jackboot and Uncle Sam’s backside?
Since August 2014 we’ve had wall to wall Poppycock, which each November has been complemented by poppycock ceilings, poppycock carpets and poppycock curtains. We’ve
been blinded with poppycock .Two days ago Cameron, who had blundered with Osborne
into a political mess, escaped it with boasting of the possible zapping of “Jihadi John” by
drones and Hellfire missiles. In Washington Obama was no less gung-ho.
But within hours their bluster seemed stupid. “The villainy you teach me I will execute”
says Shakespeare’s Shylock, if my memory is right. Hell hath no fury like an abused
people or nation, says the proverb.
Well said Jude. I remember you saying on the Radio a few weeks ago, the old adage “…one person’s Death being a tragedy, a million being a statistic”. We are desensitised by a partisan Media, yet emotional fever pitch is encouraged when such tragedy strikes near to home. That ISIS are Fundamentalists and dangerous zealots is beyond dispute, but they are also the product of failed imperialist resource War interventions. The Sectarian Puppet State under the Shias, had the Gallows working grimly around the clock. An English Reporter remarked how whole Villages of Sunni where either Dead, fled or on Death Row….some even have the privilege of being Executed for an alleged Crime someone else has already been killed for….
Nothing justifies such horrible War Crimes, as attacks on Civilians unequivocally are. To understand the assailants, we must understand what is creating them. Turkey, a NATO State is equivocating, and very complicit in many Material ways to ISIL. The US and UK foreign policy in the Middle or Near East, has wrecked the place in their hunger for resource control and greater hegemony.
The Saudi Government, like Turkey wish to undermine the Iran/Hezbollah /Syria alliance to cement Geopolitical Dominance under a greater Neo-Con Protectorate. Tyrants are playing duplicitous games, and innocent people become victims. If I was a Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Jew, Shia, Atheist or Allewite, I too would join the Assad Secular Army of Syria. What Choice would I have to protect my family from slaughter?
Only when the Resource War Madness tips over the edge, and a Clash involving Russia Directly or China in the South China Sea, will we look over to Britain and wish Corbyn was Voted in, and the continue Complicity of the British Government in the US led domination Project, fractured, and Sanity start to realise itself before a War to Dwarf all Wars might sadly cast a greater shadow on this planet than anything yet seen. Time to pull back.
Great piece Jude, and refreshing addition to the Counter narrative that dims peoples wits to the wider panorama.
The Counter narrative that rebukes the myopic distortions of mainstream media….A mainstream media intent on Dimming wits that should read Jude…something quite obvious to most objective People.
Grma, Francis – you are too kind…
Realistically do people in general want to hear about the suffering in other countries or do they actually know, either way people have to be told the truth, they need to be educated in the suffering of people in those countries of total neglect, they need to be told the truth about the U.S.A. BRITISH and French government’s role in all this suffering, questions need to be asked of these governments and more importantly truthful answers need to be given, I’m sick to death of the lies and worse the unasked questions by the so called free press, let the truth be told for the sake of all of us.
I made a similar comment on another site. Like it or not the tragedy in a city many of us have been to and know well which is only a few hundred miles away is of course going to be of more interest than tragedies elsewhere in places we havent been to and dont know thousands of miles away. Is it right? No but thats the way it is. Im pretty sure afghan villagers are more bothered about an attack on a local village than Paris does that make them equally wrong? Really?!
Will RTE bother to report on a traffic fatality in Donegal or can they only mention it if they mention all other global traffic accidents after all they are all tragic. Can we be a bit sensible about this. The fact that other tragedies havent been blogged about here just torpedoes your own argument.
I half-agree with you, Boondock – like politics, the media tend to be local. But there comes a point where the local becomes the idiotic, fixated on what’s close and ignores what’s not. The treatment of Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq etc by the West is wrong morally and stands in sharp contrast to the tsunami of coverage when it’s near home. Maybe it’s time for us to broaden our vision and moral compass (OK, I know you can’t broaden a compass, but you get it just the same…)
BONZO
Dame Dosh Finucane, on the same show, Esteemed Blogmeister, has just taken a call from Miss Memory Bank to remind her discerning listenership that the IRA did to Belfast in 1972 when ISIS did to Paris on Friday 13.
Lest we forget, at the going down of the sun.
This dovetailed nicely with an earlier call which the even-handed Empress of Empathy took from a trunk caller with an equally long memory to refresh memories of the havoc, terror and carnage which the same triple-lettered organization wrought in the London of the 70’s and 80’s.
Lest we forget, and in the morning.
No ring a ding in yet regarding the Dublin bother of 1974. But, of course, there’s time yet before the end of the programme. Unless of course, there is some defect to do with the timing mechanism.
Bonzo, who is our go-to guru in the Free Southern Stateen on matters of a global dimension, did something totally out of character this morning. Even as he laid a wreath in Paris, while announcing the cancellation of the two U2 gigs. He spoke about (gasp) music.
This is akin to, say, a Bedouin tribesman pontificating about, erm, snow.
Hark ! He is Sir Oracle and when he opens his lips, let no dog bark !:
-This is the first direct hit on music since the start on this so-called War on Terror. Music is very important. I think U2 has a role to play and I can’t wait till we return to Paris to play. We cannot allow them to organize our lives’.
(Nobel Peace Prize Committee, please note).
For some peculiar reason best known to himself Bonzo was seemingly referring to the part time panel beaters of the Heavy Metal unit known as (gasp) ‘Eagles of Death’.
In fact, the attack on music/ la musique/ an ceol / musik was carried out (albeit unsuccessfully) at La Stade Francaise where the music of Mozart and his mentor, Haydn had been performed under the guise of the French and German national anthems.
Staying with the musical note, the French National Anthem was sung in the streets of Dublin yesterday during a protest march. In which thousands of Irish sympathetically strode shoulder to shoulder with their French neighbours who are domiciled on Liffeyside.
Now nobody, apart from those with a tweed ear, would cavil with the melody of La Marseillaise. It was, after all, filched from Mozart’s Allegro of Piano Concerto No. 25.
Les mots/ the words are another matter,however. Les mots, alas, are not so bon.
Aux armes, cityoyens / To arms, citizens !
Amour sacre de la Patrie / Sacred love of the Fatherland
Conduis, soutiens nos bras vengeurs / Lead, support our vengeful arms
Liberte, Liberte Cherie / Liberty, cherished Liberty
Combats avec les defenseurs ! / Fight with thy defenders !
It is abundantly understandable that the peace-addicted government of the FSS in Dublin should turn a deaf ear this time.
Having been, however, the first country on the planet to take its lead from a minor sporting organization (IRFU) to put its bloodthirsty official national anthem (Amhran na bhFiann / The Soldiers’ Song) into virtual lockdown. In favour of standing shoulder to shoulder at the sound of Ireland’s Call.
It has a sacred duty now to show leadership, if not indeed, liedership.While we may be weak militarily we do possess an unrivalled moral authority on the world stage. With more moral boots to put on the ground than a Marshal could shake a baton at. Metaphorically speaking.
Should there be another march – grands dieux non ! – perhaps now is the time for the government to commission a translation fortwith, i.e., L’Appele Francais.
Brilliant Analysis and Satire Perkin. An illuminating breath of fresh, as ever! GRMA
GRMMA, Francis.
But,what else can we do? Paddy the Liffeyside Loyalist is the caddy who continues to give. What else only take out Big Bertha and whack the old Titleist straight down the hey-diddle-diddle.
Besides, the Royal and Ancient Links of St. Jude is the best there is: the thinking high handicapper’s links.
High fives on Par 3’s !
Unfortunately given the media we have today which is controlled by political and corporate interests if its not reported it didn’t happen.
Great.story.Jude.
Too. Right. Jim.
According to news reports,“Jihadi John” was “targeted.” There was a military strike on a vehicle in which he was “thought” to be a passenger. No reference was made to others who may have been in the vehicle. It would take time to confirm the details.
It would appear that western intervention in the Middle East is fast becoming an issue of shooting first and asking questions later. All associated with the manufacture and sale of armaments continue to share in lucrative profits as blood is spilled in various theatres of conflict. When due process is treated with contempt, the resultant disorder should come as no surprise.
It is very difficult to offer an opinion on what is going n in the world today. However, there is a difference between what happened in Paris and in what is going on in Syria.
In Syria, the target of the drones and planes is one of the cruellest organisations in history, who, incidentally happen to be responsible for many of the civilian deaths mentioned above.
During WW2, countless civilians were killed in the process of destroying Hitler’s diabolic regime.
In Paris, the direct target was innocent civilians.
I don’t recall an incident that evoked the sympathy and prayers of so many world leaders. The priest who called for prayers was in good company.
Thanks for your views, Martin. I’m not for a moment faulting the priest for praying for the victims in Paris -it was cruel, horrendous, nightmarish. What I’m trying to stress is that we don’t get the headlines about killings in Syria so they’re less likely to find their way into our thoughts and prayers.