An editorial in today’s Irish Independent unreservedly condemns the recent riots triggered by some anti-austerity protesters trying to blockade the opening ceremony for the new European Central Bank’s (ECB) headquarters in Frankfurt.
It is noteworthy however, that the editor sees the riots as secondary to the behaviour of the ECB towards Ireland.
The editor sensationally outs the real culprit for our downfall in 2008.
The design and implementation of the euro was at fault, in that it led to a one-interest-rate-fits-all scenario. This led to a dramatic fall in interest rates in Ireland and builders and bankers indulged in a spending spree that resulted in us buying and selling property to each other at ever spiraling prices.
Well feck it anyway. There was I thinking that the economic collapse was caused by our corrupt political system ‘looking after’ property developers and making sure there was absolutely no financial regulation to halt the greed and criminality within the financial sector.
And while I was digesting the dramatic news that the nasty Euro was to blame for all our problems I was struck by the difference in opinion by Independent Newspapers to the major and very violent riots in Frankfurt and the timid (by comparison) treatment of Joan Burton in Jobstown.
The ‘sinister’, ‘terrorist’, ‘Trotskyite’ behaviour of the ‘mob’ at Jobstown threatened to bring down the state, the sky was falling in, Apocalypse was upon the nation according to Independent Newspapers and other mainstream media.
But then, silly me, I realised the real thinking behind the editorial – Blame, blame, blame.
Whatever you do, never admit the truth, never admit that Ireland is a failed state, never admit that our political/administrative system is corrupt and beyond reform, always blame somebody else.
Blame Lehman Brothers, the EU, the Brits, the penguins in Antarctica but never… ever… blame the real culprits.