I’ve just come from watching Mark Carruthers get all aggressive with Mary Lou McDonald. Mark was speaking up for the Dublin media, which apparently are very upset with Sinn Féin. You may say “So what else is new? The Dublin media are forever putting the boot into Sinn Féin”.
True. But this time they’re getting a bit high-pitched because Sinn Féin people are resorting to the law of the land. No, Virginia, that’s not a misprint. They used to get hot in their leather about republicans apparently not abiding by the law – now what they’re upset about is Sinn Féin people using the law.
It seems that the Sinn Féin TD Chris Andrews has taken out a law suit against The Irish Times, claiming defamation by one of its journalists. I don’t know if Andrews has been defamed or not -time, as they say, will tell. But common sense would tell you that he’s entitled to bring a case if he sees fit.
But apparently this is Sinn Féin being very bold again. Last year Leo Varadkar, Michéal Martin, Helen McEntee and Paschal Donohoe were all upset by the way Sinn Féin was threatening legal action against some people in the Irish media and some people in Irish politics. Leo and Co. declared this was having “a chilling effect” on Irish democracy.
Mein Gott. Holy God. FFS. People are feeling intimidated because Sinn Féin people are prepared to go to law over what’s said or written about them? There was a time – it lasted about thirty years – when southern politicians and southern media could say what they wanted about members of Sinn Féin, and did so regularly. But now it appears that the Shinners have decided that game should end, and if people are going to abuse them, they’d better be on the right side of the law.
What amazes me is that Mark Carruthers and others appear to be swinging in behind the chilling-effect people. Surely all media people – and politicians – are aware of laws against defamation? And that Sinn Féin, like anybody else, has a right to resort to those laws in the face of assault?
The law may be a ass, as Charles Dickens suggested, but it’s a ass that may take a bite out of people who still believe the Shinners are fair game for any brickbats, insults, wild claims and slung mud.
Ah, them were the days when Shinners knew their place. They’ve got awful uppity recently, have you noticed?
I surely have noticed. And Mary Lou’s speech was marvellous. Ff and Fg running very scared.
I completely agree, Elizabeth. I watched her last night at the Ard Fheis and today – she’s firing on all cylinders. Which is pretty impressive for a woman who was hospitlized and operated on not so long ago. She hit the sweet spot between being cowed and overly aggressive : firm in a good-humoured way. Gerry Adams knew what he was doing when he plucked her….
Very good jude free Palestine