Since the occupation of Ireland several hundred years ago, Irish citizens have been faced with exploitation by corrupt landlords, politicians, war profiteers, bigots and fascists. In ever period and decade of history our people have resisted this exploitation in one form or another and rightfully so.
We have consistently been betrayed and laid down the wrong path by leaders who have been corrupted by power and drunk on wealth and fame. These people throughout history have done more harm to their former comrades by demonization, felon setting and becoming the poacher that turned game keeper and in doing so they are doing their masters job for them. These people are counter revolutionaries who hold back progress and are content with that as they have become comfortable with the status quo.
Progress has never been comfortable and that is why we use the term struggle. It is a fight and if you can’t feel the strain of that uphill battle then you are on the wrong side of history. For some who have fallen on that wrong side it may not be too late to fight for real ideals but others are too far gone, those are the lackeys that see progress as cosying up with monarchs, engaging with the arms and enforcers of the occupiers and encouraging others to do so. These people are deluded to think that this is progress and they should keep their stupidity to themselves rather than trying to justify and promote such stupidity to others.
Throughout the conflict in the six counties over the last number of decades we witnessed first hand the oppression of British imperialism and saw the full brunt of their regime. In the Free State our natural resources have been sold to the lowest bidder. Ireland during the Celtic Tiger period was held up as the perfect model for capitalism, the rich became super rich while the masses became super poor.
At the signing of the Belfast Agreement we were sold a false peace, anyone who voiced concern or disagreed was demonised and branded a dissident. Since then we have seen the continued occupation and exploitation of our country and our people. The PSNI fights in the interest of the state, MI5 is used as its secret police and we still suffer harassment and internment. Politicians whether they be orange or green act on behalf of their paymasters, Stormont remains a toothless tiger and tribal sectarian politics remains enshrined within our system. Has anything really changed?
In the Free State all the natural resources are being stripped and sold rather than nationalised. Poverty is still rife throughout the whole country and the Blue Shirts still have the same agenda as their fascist counterparts in the Dail.
Is this really the country and system that we want to live in? Are we willing to listen to politicians who have constantly told lies and serve the interest of their own party or their paymasters? Are we just going to give up or are we going to fight?
Ireland as a single nation has so much potential. We need to unite regardless of religion, skin colour, gender or sexuality. The strength is within or community and we can make a difference. Peoples assembly’s should be established as our local decision making bodies, after all it is us within or own community who know what is needed most on the ground. We should invest in our public services and have free health care and education available to all. Our natural resources should be nationalised and put back into the state for the benefit of the people. Ireland is our country and we should be in ownership of it.
We should live in a state that everyone has the opportunity to have a good standard of education, a job, car, home and the ability to raise a family. That we are able to live freely without interference from the state, that the fruits of our labour belong to us. If we are sick or unable to work that the state supports us and we can enjoy a good standard of life and healthcare.
This is progress and this is what we should be fighting for. Austerity is slowly ripping this country apart. The Water Tax in the Free State and the Stormont Agreement in the North should be the turning point in history, we have an opportunity and we should grasp it. The politicians and those who claim to be progressive and delivering change are deluded and are creating division within our communities, they implement Tory policies then cry about the implications. Will your local politician be going to sleep on an empty stomach in a cold house tonight? Their interest is developing their party and winning elections, will this really bring change or even an Ireland of equals? To achieve their aims they will lie through their teeth to the constituents that helped them build their empire.
This will not happen overnight and might not even happen in our life time. As long as we change our way of thinking and reject those with agendas then we can begin to build and to shape a future that will benefit the people. It is one foot step at a time and it is not easy but it is achievable and collectively we can bring down the might of British occupation and capitalist exploitation throughout the whole of Ireland.
Gone are the days that we listen to politicians who are going to stop short of our goals and serve their own agenda. As I have already said, strength is in community and as a community, a people and a class we know best.