Fergus Finlay: Living in the cave of shadows

Fight Corruption in Politics-by-Elkwaet
Fight Corruption in Politics-by-Elkwaet

We have betrayed one of our fellow citizens. We need to feel a sense of shame about that.

This is the opinion expressed by Fergus Finlay in an article about a woman who suffered unspeakable and degrading cruelty at the hands of the state.

On the assumption that the ‘we’ Mr. Finlay speaks of includes me I want to make my position crystal clear.

I am in no way responsible for the horrors inflicted on this woman by the state.

I strongly believe, however, that Mr. Finlay is responsible, at least to some extent, for what happened to her and that he should indeed hang his head in shame for the part he has played in her suffering.

I am in no way responsible because I have been campaigning against political/administrative corruption in Ireland since 1982 when I first realised that I lived in an intrinsically corrupt state.

If influential political operators/opinion makers like Mr. Finlay arrived at the same conclusion at the same time it is highly likely that this woman would never have suffered because she would have been living in a functional democracy where justice and accountability were an ingrained aspect of governance.

But this woman did not and does not live in a functional democracy.

She lives in a state where politicians can be filmed openly asking for bribes and not only are they not arrested and charged but are allowed to continue in office. Political corruption is to blame for this.

She lives in a country where corrupt politicians are allowed to sit in our parliament as if they were individuals of principle and integrity. Political corruption is to blame for this.

She lives in a country where politicians regularly manipulate the law to help their friends or spy on journalists and ordinary citizens to protect their own corrupt interests. Political corruption is to blame for this.

She lives in a country where bankers, property developers and other powerful groups receive massive financial, political and legal support at the expense of the state and its people. Political corruption is to blame for this.

But most of all she lives in a country where the state frequently intervenes, sometimes illegally, to protect the powerful and the corrupt. Political corruption is to blame for this.

Mr. Finlay is, of course, in no way corrupt himself. Indeed, he is a man of passionate anger when it comes to the many injustices that are frequently exposed in our state. But in addition to anger Mr. Finlay frequently expresses puzzlement about the endless stream of corruption that has blighted our country since independence.

Here’s why he is puzzled.

Corruption-Saturates-Asia-Stifling-Economic-Growth

Mr. Finlay lives in Plato’s cave of shadows. He firmly believes that the mainstream political parties are real. Trapped within his cave he does not see that they are merely shadows masquerading as democratic entities.

He does not see that Ireland, unique among Western democracies, is ruled by a single political class made up principally of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour. He does not see that these fake entities play a game of election musical chairs as each in turn, or together in coalition, plunder the nation’s resources.

He does not see that this corrupt political class has spread the disease of corruption throughout the land but particularly within the civil and public service where loyalty to the state and its people has been, largely, abandoned.

He does not seem to be aware that since the catastrophe of 2008 this corrupt political regime has been engaged in a life or death struggle with a significant and growing percentage of the population who have been politically radicalised and are determined to rid their country of the disease of political corruption.

Mr. Finlay does not see all this because he lives in the cave with the shadows. All he sees are shadows posing as democratic politicians, shadows that pose as law enforcement agencies, shadows that pose as accountable government departments but in reality are nothing more than obedient lapdogs to their corrupt political masters.

Blinding flashes of truth from outside the cave increasingly encroach on Mr. Finlay’s comfortable existence in the cave of shadows. His anger and puzzlement continues to grow as he witnesses the ever increasing incidence of abuse and corruption

The recent brutal treatment of Grace by the state is just one of countless cases of abuse and corruption that has triggered his anger over many, many years.

And yet, Mr. Finlay has never once stopped to take a hard look at the shadows and ask the most obvious question – are they real, have I been wasting my entire life shouting at shadows?

I have never lived in the cave of shadows. That’s why I could see I was living in an intrinsically corrupt state in 1982. That’s why I’m not to blame for the horror visited upon Grace by the state.

My anger is, and has always been, directed at the true source of Grace’s suffering, the corrupt political/administrative system that continues to inflict so much damage and suffering on the people of our state.

I’m sure Mr. Finlay will strongly disagree with my analysis but to do so with any credibility he must answer the following question.

Why is it that decade after decade after decade we witness the same horrors, the same corruption originating from the same political/administrative system without ever witnessing accountability or justice?

How many more Grace’s have to suffer unspeakable cruelty before Mr. Finlay walks out of the cave of shadows into the light of reality?

I hope it’s not too many.

Copy to:
Fergus Finlay

culture-of-corruption

Why the State is targetting Sinn Fein

In recent times I have written several articles on the very obvious anti Sinn Fein propaganda campaign being conducted by the mainstream political parties and state agencies aided and abetted by a large segment of the media.

I am aware that writing such articles can be seen as supporting Sinn Fein and, by extension, supporting violence both political and criminal.

This article is to make my position crystal clear.

The core philosophy of this website is that Ireland is an intrinsically corrupt state. By this I mean that, unlike functional democracies, the Irish state actively defends, supports and protects those involved in corruption.

Corruption, to one degree or another is, of course, present in every country on the planet. Corrupt behaviour is an intrinsic aspect of human nature, it will always be with us.

But there is a huge difference between a country that suffers from a degree of corruption and a country that is, in and of itself, intrinscially corrupt.

A state is corrupt when its powers and resources are principally utilised for the benefit of a tiny but very powerful minority of individuals and organisations at the expense of the people and the greater good.

This is overwhemingly and indisputably the case in Ireland.

The corrupt regime is made up, principally, of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour with the unquestioning support of most state agencies and a disturbingly large section of the media.

Family dynasties constitute the core of the corrupt political system. Over the decades the corrupting influence of these families has spread the disease of corruption right through the influential pillars of the state and society such as the legal system, higher civil servants, the police and so on.

At some critical point, which I believe was during the 1980s when the criminal politician Haughey was at the height of his powers, the state flipped from being a democracy with some corruption to a state that that had become corrupt in and of itself.

From that moment right up to today state power does not, for the most part, operate for the good of the people. It works to maintain, protect and enhance the power of the corrupt elite.

This corrupt political/administrative regime is directly and wholly responsible for the economic catastrophe that has wreaked so much damage and loss on Ireland and its people since 2008.

And this is where Sinn Fein enters the picture.

The 2008 economic catastrophe caused serious panic within the corrupt regime. For a short period it was feared that the power, influence and wealth built up over many decades would be lost as the people began to transfer their alligience to political forces outside its power base.

Sinn Fein is being targeted because it poses the greatest threat to the power of the corrupt regime. It is the best organised, best financed, most powerful political force outside the mainstream. It is united, focused and led by a cohort of articulate and committed politicians.

It is for this reason and this reason alone that the corrupt political/administrative system, in cooperation with its many friends in the media, has targeted Sinn Fein.

The corrupt regime knows very well that if Sinn Fein gains power, even partial power in a coalition, the game is up. The cosy golden circle that has abused Irish democracy and its people for the last several decades will no longer hold sway.

People from outside the ruling elite, dangerous people with principles, people who will actually do what’s right for the country rather than vested interests will be exercising power within the corrupt citadel.

It is therefore absolutely crucial, from the corrupt regime’s point of view, that Sinn Fein’s power is destroyed or, at least, damaged to such an extent that it becomes an irrelevant political force.

It is this black propaganda campaign that I write about. It has nothing to do with Sinn Fein’s politics/policies per se but rather to challenge and expose the continuing efforts of a ruthless and diseased political system that will do anything, even commit criminal acts, to preserve its power and influence.

Copy to:
All political parties
Government

The budget reality

News headline on Denis O’Brien’s radio station today.

Today’s budget will leave us all better off.

Wrong.

Millions of words will be written and spoken analysing the budget but it’s all a complete was of time.

The budget is nothing more than a confirmation of what we are as a country.

A disturbingly dysfunctional democracy that has as its centre point, not the good of the nation and its people, but the buying of votes by a corrupt political system that is ruthless to the point of criminality.

The reality headline is:

Ordinary citizens will be bought off as a temporary measure until the corrupt political system is returned to power. When returned to power the corrupt system will resume its abuse of democracy and the people for the benefit of the ruling elite.

Dr. Weeks: Living in the zone of denial

Here’s an absolute law that applies to all commentators writing about Irish politics.

If you write an article analysing any aspect of Irish politics without referring to political corruption or even mentioning the word ‘corruption’, you are wasting your own and your readers time because you are not addressing the raging elephant in the room.

The latest in a long line of commentators to break this law is Dr. Liam Weeks, lecturer in the Department of Government at UCC.

In an Irish Times article, Dr. Weeks repeats the well-known fact that the traditional political parties, Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour, are suffering a serious loss of support from the electorate.

He gives two reasons for this development – a declining level of attachment to parties and the collapse in support for Fianna Fail.

However, he makes no attempt whatsoever to explain to his readers why citizens are rejecting mainstream politics in their droves. He could do worse than have a look at this blog where he will find any number of articles outlining the reasons for this development.

Here, for example, is what I wrote on 15 June last. Again, I was writing about the chronic inability/unwillingness of political commentators to recognise the elephant of political corruption.

The emergence of a new politics is directly related to the fact that the old regime (Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Labour) has, over many decades, loyally served the corrupt political culture of clientelism, gombeenism and stroke politics rather than building a functional, properly accountable democracy.

I suspect Dr. Weeks is not actually aware of this truth. I suspect he operates in the same bubble in which most other political commentators operate. In this bubble he sees the Irish political system as democratic and, for the most part, functional – it is neither.

In order to keep the bubble from bursting Dr. Weeks must, consciously or unconsciously, enter what I call ‘the zone of denial’.

So, in his article Dr. Weeks states the problem – that the electorate is rejecting mainstream politics. He then enters the zone of denial where he can safely ignore the reasons for this development and instead skip to how events will affect the outcome of the approaching general election.

In other words, he describes the past and predicts the future while steadfastly ignoring the reality that connects them – political corruption.

Of course, Dr. Weeks is by no means alone in this. Read the opinion pieces in any newspaper; listen to the many discussion panels on radio/television and you will witness endless analysis surrounding corrupt events but you will never, ever witness any discussion of corruption as a subject in and of itself.

The reason for this is as simple as it is stark. If the disease of political corruption is acknowledged it will have to be acted upon and if that happens it will destroy the corrupt political system so carefully created over the decades by the mainstream political parties of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour.

These parties and their many supporters in the media will not easily surrender their privileged and powerful position.

Fortunately, while commentators like Dr. Weeks operate comfortably in the zone of denial, an increasing number of ordinary citizens are taking matters into their own hands.

The days of the old regime are numbered.

Copy to:
Dr. Weeks

Labour TD Derek Nolan is a hypocrite

It’s now one week since I challenged Labour TD Derek Nolan to condemn his party colleague Senator Denis Landy for refusing to report bribery allegations he made in 2013 to the Gardai.

My challenge was in response to Nolan’s strong condemnation of Social Democratic TDs for refusing to pay their water charges.

This is Nolan’s opinion of those who refuse to obey the law.

There is no future for our democracy in people picking and choosing which laws they obey.

To my knowledge deputy Nolan has not responded to my challenge and therefore it is reasonable to assume the following:

Nolan’s concern for the rule of law is bogus. He is a hypocrite and therefore is not to be trusted as a public representative.

Sadly, he’s one of the many young politicians who are loyal members of the gombeen culture that’s responsible for the destruction of our country.

Happily, that corrupt political regime is coming to an end.

A direct challenge to Labour Party TD Derek Nolan

Labour TD Derek Nolan recently delivered a political sermon with the heading:

Do the Social Democrats believe in the rule of law?

Deputy Nolan was writing about the decision of Social Democrat TDs not to pay their water charges and didn’t mince his words:

There is no future for our democracy in people picking and choosing which laws they obey.

In July 2013 Labour Senator Denis Landy alleged that a political person attempted to bribe him within the confines of the Oireachtas. He has refused to name the person involved or report the matter to the Gardai despite numerous calls for him to do so.

Senator Landy’s refusal to report the matter seems to be in breach of Section 19 of the Criminal Justice Act 2011 which states:

19. (1) A person shall be guilty of an offence if he or she has information which he or she knows or believes might be of material assistance in

(a) preventing the commission by any other person of a relevant offence, or

(b) securing the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of any other person for a relevant offence and fails without reasonable excuse to disclose that information as soon as it is practicable to do so to a member of the Garda Síochána.

The list of offences under this legislation includes bribery.

The Labour Party, through a spokesperson, responded to this extremely serious incident by declaring that the bribery attempt was a matter for Senator Landy himself.

In effect, the Labour party is saying that Labour TDs who are offered a bribe have no obligation to report the matter to the Gardai; they can simply treat the matter as private and personal.

This disgraceful response also seems to be in breach of Section 19 of the Criminal Justice Act 2011.

So here’s my direct challenge to deputy Nolan.

One: Will you publicly condemn Labour Senator Denis Landy, (as you have publicly condemned Social Democrat TDs), for refusing to report to the Gardai bribery allegations he made in July 2013?

Two: Will you publicly call on Senator Landy, even at this late stage, to report the bribery allegations to the Gardai as he is obliged to do under law?

Three: Will you publicly condemn the disgraceful Labour Party response to this extremely serious matter?

Four: Will you publicly call on the Labour Party to issue a statement confirming that Section 19 of the Criminal Justice Act 2011 takes precedence over the party’s policy that bribery attempts are a private matter between a politician and the person offering the bribe?

Your response to this challenge will decide whether your condemnation of Social Democratic TDs is based on genuine concern for the rule of law or whether it’s based on traditional Irish political hypocrisy.

One week, I believe is a reasonable length of time for a response.

Yours etc.,
Anthony Sheridan

Copy to:
Deputy Nolan
Senator Landy
Labour Party

Gardai prepare for Labour wipeout in next election

TDs have been warned by Gardai that Leinster House is under threat from potential “fixated loners” (Irish Times, 13 July).

Obviously, this is in preparation for the aftermath of the next election when Labour Party ‘fixated loners’ are sure to be seen wandering around Leinster House wondering what what the hell happened to all their party colleagues.

The suggestion that the Gardai are preparing for a Labour Party wipeout is strengthened by a warning in the report that some of the fixated loners could be suffering from delusion.

The proposed installation of an ‘anti-bandit’ screen could however be a step too far by the Gardai as this will surely debar the majority of TDs from entering Leinster House.

Labour Senator Denis Landy: Not fit to be a public representative

Labour Senator Denis Landy is not a fit person to be a public representative. Not only is he a political coward but he has no respect whatsoever for the democratic institutions of our country.

It was therefore grotesquely hilarious to hear him whining (Morning Ireland, 10th item) about democracy when water protesters gave him a hard time recently during a protest outside our parliament, an institution which he holds in absolute comtempt.

Here’s why Landy is not a fit person to be a public representative.

In July 2013 Landy announced to the media that he had been effectively offered a bribe by a political person within the confines of the Oireachtas.

Despite the fact that this is one of the most serious crimes in political life, Landy refused to identify the person who offered him the bribe. He also refused to report the matter to the Gardai or Oireachtas authorities.

Incredibly, the Labour Party responded by saying the matter was a personal issue for Landy.

Just let me repeat that. The official policy of the Labour Party on bribing politicians is – it’s a personal matter for the politician involved.

Nothing to do with crime, law enforcement, the courts, prison or any stuff like that, stuff that’s the norm in functional democracies.

I made a formal complaint on the matter to the Gardai. Two years later, the investigation is still ‘ongoing’.

After a great deal of resistence I also managed to lodge a complaint against Landy with the Committee on Members’ Interests of Seanad Eireann.

The response of this Committee was just as disgraceful as Landy’s cowardly behaviour.

The Committee, chaired by Fine Gael TD Deirdre Clune, decided to discontinue the investigation principally because the coward Landy flatly refused to attend for questioning. Not only did he run away from his obligations as a public representative, he also hid behind his solicitor in all dealings with the Committee.

The final confirmation that Ireland is a banana republic came in a warning to me from the Committee that it was an offence to disclose information on the matter.

In other words, say nothing to the media – or else?

The water protesters, who rightly gave Landy a hard time in the recent protest, have more democratic principle and integrity in their little fingers than he will ever accumulate in a lifetime of pretending to be a principled public representative.

Copy to:
Landy

Breaking: Pat Rabbitte launches new career

Pat Rabbitte is standing down from Irish politics but there are reports he’s attempting to launch a new career.

A spokesman for Rabbitte said that given his wide experience ranging from socialist, when he genuinely cared about ordinary people, to ruthless capitalist where he despises anybody earning less than a million, he’s a perfect candidate for any right wing organisation.

However, Rabbitte is not having much luck in his new career.

Marine Le Pen, leader of the far right National Front in France has rejected his application to join the party. Le Pen is quoted as saying that Rabbitte was too far to the right, claiming his extreme views would damage the party’s image.

Kim Jong-un of North Korea said he was considering Rabbitte’s application but insisted that a positive response would depend on Rabbitte softening his attitude towards humanity and in particular to those struggling on social welfare.