There is too much misuse of our national flag
The national flag is not the preserve of any one political party. Picture: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
First things first. The Irish flag is not a rag to be wrapped around the shoulders of individuals of the far right (mainly) or indeed protestors of whatever colour or clique who wish to challenge the current order, not to mention the law of the land.
All of us, and I especially include myself, can find reason to feel ignored and forgotten by the people who supposedly run the country, the public representatives, the politicians and the government, but just because we feel neglected does not mean that we are being neglected or that we have the right to go out and break the law and plunder the law-abiding or proceed to riotous behaviour.
Over the past months and years, we have seen individuals flaunting the flag as they challenged the lawful authorities of the country. We took exception to what was seen as a demeaning of the national flag by its use in breaches of the law and protests against the housing of immigrants. Thankfully, the number of protests has been reduced in more recent times and the debate around the migrant issue has become a little more civilised. At least for now.
There has been, however, a misuse of the flag quite often in the past while and no more so than at count centres around the country. Sinn Féin’s winners were hoisted shoulder high (nothing wrong with that) but there was an indecent rush by supporters to provide the national flag to decorate the newly-elected TDs. It is a recent practice and one used, as far as I could see, only by Sinn Féin.
The national flag is not the preserve of any one political party. The waving or wearing of the flag does not bestow a greater Irishness on political winners, or losers, than those who respect the flag and see it used in the proper place which, in count centres, should be on a flag pole. It probably is not a major issue for Mary Lou McDonald at this time but when things settle down over the next few months she might do well to advise her supporters that the Irish flag is for all Irish people not just the Shinners. It's a small matter but not inconsequential.
In the current climate, with the FFers/FG looking likely to dominate the political landscape for the foreseeable future - not a pleasant prospect it should be stated - it is necessary for Sinn Féin to grow up, become aware that the Irish electorate is too sophisticated to be taken in by the doctrine of 'Superior Irishness' spouted by adherents of Sinn Féin.
The current Sinn Féin may well be the “true descendants” of Pearse and Connolly and 1916 but that does not wash with today’s voters. The young voters who were supposed to be the wellspring of a Sinn Féin resurgence could not be bothered to come out and vote… at least not for Sinn Féin. It is time for a rebuild in Opposition and that rebuild has to involve what for many in the party will be difficult choices.
Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael and any combination of 20 Independents (mostly spoiled Fianna Failures and Fine Gaelers!) now command the centre ground of Irish politics. Whinging that it is time for change is all very fine but where is the alternative?
As of now, the electorate has clearly shown there is no alternative and we are confronted with the ridiculous spectacle of four (Labour, Social Democrats, People Before Profit/Solidarity, Greens) left-of-centre parties, with a combined total of 26 seats out of a total of 174, squabbling over whether they will talk to one another, not to mention coalescing to form a genuine socialist choice to present to the electorate.
The observant reader who has managed to come this far will have noted that I have not included Sinn Féin as part of the 'Left' alternative. It would not be very often that I would agree with Richard Boyd Barrett but he has a point when he questions the socialist credentials of Sinn Féin. While I accept unhesitatingly that Mary Lou and numerous other Sinn Féin deputies are genuinely concerned about the plight of the homeless and those stuck in the uniquely Irish poverty trap (uniquely Irish because the country has the wealth to address poverty but declines to do so), the simple reality is that they do not come across as genuine socialists. Many Shinners, in terms of political policies, would feel comfortable in Fianna Fáil and indeed some would be at home in Fine Gael.
The one major policy plank that distinguishes Sinn Féin from the other political parties is - and has been - the pursuit of Irish unity. It is a laudable ambition but it is not something that a goodly majority of Irish people are exercised about. We have become a very materialistic society and nowadays it is all about the economy. Stupid? Perhaps! But that’s what the electorate has demonstrated in the general election.
So what is to be expected from this FF/FG/Ind government? Well, it looks like more of the same. I’m not taken in by the election promises made by the winning parties. There will be some pressure on Fianna Fáil, as the biggest party, to deliver on their promises but all of the promises of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael will blend into the programme for government which will become the new Gospel according to Taoiseach Micheál.
Will we see more concern for the less well-off in society or will the demands of the wealthy and the squeezed middle take priority? Don’t be surprised if the latter is the case.
And so to the Monk. I have mixed feelings about this man who has amassed a fortune out of the proceedings of crime.
The national media’s crime correspondents were aghast at the thought that Gerard Hutch might become a TD. I would imagine that the Monk stood for election as a handy opportunity to secure his release, on bail, from a Spanish jail where he faces charges of money laundering. But he also did so to cock his nose at those in the Dáil and Irish society who would wear pegs in their noses in his company.
There are people in the Dáil and even more in the upper echelons of Irish society who have amassed fortunes on what some people might see as nefarious practices. There are TDs who don’t see anything wrong in breaking laws that they don’t see as applying to them.
In Dublin Central on his first outing as a candidate in an election, Hutch got a very respectable 3,098 first preferences and ended up with 5,321 on transfers. That is not the vote of a man who goes about his constituency being detested by the electorate. He must have done some good in his area. Perhaps he spread the proceeds of crime a bit. Perhaps the Robin Hood analogy is not entirely misplaced.
No doubt Marie Sherlock (Labour) who got the final seat at Hutch’s expense will, in time, prove to be the better choice, but it would have been interesting if Hutch had won through. He would bring a unique perspective to debates on law and order. He could probably open the eyes of many people as to what the issues are in socially deprived areas, why people might choose a life of criminality, why so many people in deprived communities are hooked on drugs. He might also have something to say, under Dáil privilege, which might disturb the settled middle and upper classes. An opportunity missed?
- Anonymous
