Ógra Shinn Féin Launch Youth Election Broadcast

by Gan ainm - Belfast ABC Wed May 16, 2007 13:32

In the run up to these elections, indymedia can clearly expect to be bombarded daily with party political broadcasts from SF and others no doubt at times masquerading as press releases around apparantly unrelated incidents yet featuring quotes from candidates who just happened to be free to make a comment. These postings will no doubt clog up large amounts of debating space and will involve the pasting of candidates pictures to drive the point home.
Great.

by Glory to Anarchy Wed May 16, 2007 15:20

Yeah ABC cuz Anarchism is the solution that will truly change Ireland - stop whinging ABC......

Vótáil Sinn Féin Number 1 - Great Video

by Q ??? Wed May 16, 2007 15:28

Church /State Separation.

Gender Balance?

Has OSF a progressive approach to dealing with the fact that politics are currently dominated by young
and old males?

is there a stated approach to ensuring women candidates?

This would have to happen at both grass-root and committee level, or it is just
a transforminf SF with the same issues as the (older) SF?

In an article, written a few months ago, oSF committed to Church/State separation
true representation by political groups involves bringing in those that are alienated
by the sameness of political debate.

by M Bakunin - anarchist Wed May 16, 2007 15:29

We can certainly say we are tryin to change things for the better .Sinn Fein can no longer even claim to be trying to change society: endorsing policing, little change in corpoate tax, little change in anything, the last thing we need in this country is a new version of Fianna Fail to manage our society and lives for us for another 80 years. I'm actually interested why you think that irelands solutions do not lie with in anarchist thought. Most leftwing critics of anarchism will say its impossible but a good idea you seem to be inferring that its not a good idea?

by Big Mac Wed May 16, 2007 15:34

Vote Sinn Fein if you want to change nothing but the faces.

by P Wed May 16, 2007 16:02

Keep the debate lit with all the sectarian squabbling amonst the loony lefties - we all see what great work it did for the Scottish Socialist party!

Lets build progressive aliances - even with those cynical anarchists - there not all bad!

Vótáil Sinn Féin!

by Patrick Henry Wed May 16, 2007 16:53

Since when did pointing out the hypocrisy of $inn Feign become Sectarian? They might have aligned themselves to the DUP but no one is hurling religious abuse at them or the DUP for that manner, then it would become sectarian and abhorrent.
The $hinners have already built their Political alliances not only with the DUP, but also with the British and American Governments. Adams commended Blair on his contribution to the peace process while the man is to blame for countless deaths in Iraq. Why no condemnation of the war in Iraq when he had the chance to do so in front of the world's media?

by Gan ainm - Belfast ABC Wed May 16, 2007 17:16

When those in power start referring to revolutionaries as 'stupid' you know they have reached their smug high point, im thinking "sit down you stupid woman" (Nigel Dodds to Monica Mcwilliams).
Im also glad to see that the new labour types with their talk of 'loony left' have jumped to your aid, just get the suited free state types on board now and you will be shouting 'stick to your kebabs'.
Lets remember what i said, i was referring to the fact that parties not just yours are probably going to clogg up debating space with improvised political broadcasts disguised as debates, press releases etc, i didnt even touch on the validity of Anarchist struggle versus parlimentary politics.
So when you say 'its the way to get things done' what are you referring to? clogging up debating space with election propaganda or lying down with Paisley, Orde, Ahern, Blair & Bush. yeah now theyre people true revolutionaries can do business with not those principled idiots outside on the grass fighting the RUC. 'VINCEREMOS'
You know what I am stupid im replying to you, what a waste of two minutes..

by Gna ainm - Belfast ABC Wed May 16, 2007 17:29

By the way i wasnt suggesting that Monica McWilliams was a revolutionary, i also note that the stormont supporter never said 'the way to get things done'. I guess that does make me sort of stupid.

by Splitter Wed May 16, 2007 18:08

How many splits in Sinn Fein?

Please feel free to amend -

1921 - Sinn Fein - Cumman Na nGaedheal
1926 - Sinn Fein - Fianna Fail
1934 - Sinn Fein - Republican Congress
1969 - Official Sinn Fein - Provisional Sinn Fein
1986 - Sinn Fein - Republican Sinn Fein
1997 - Sinn Fein - 32 County Soverignty Committee
2007 - Sinn Fein - Eirigi

and I do not believe that the opposing forces in Scotland have taken to assassinating one another yet!

by Dealg Wed May 16, 2007 18:25

Im not interested in empty rhetoric or sectarian attacks. Any objective observer will acknowledge this fact: the SF Ard Comhairle met and agreed to drop the core of the party's agreed taxation policy. SF went from advocating increased taxes on the super-rich, as agreed at the last Ard Fheis, to advocating no tax increases at all. I dont believe the party leaders did this to woo wealthy voters. The only logic I can see behind this move is that takes away any remaining excuse that the right-wing parties have to refuse SF a place in coalition.

Now I expect the party-loyalist will just hurl abuse but I put a reasonable question to the many genuine activists in SF: whats your bottom line? How far to the right does the party go before you check out? What policy do they have to drop before you've had enough? Will you end up being just like the few socialists left in the Labour Party, forever declaring your determination to 'stay in and fight' even when that fight is hopeless? It may not have come to that yet but thats the direction its going. You could waste years of your life fighting a hopeless battle within, without a fiddlers chance of altering the rightward drift.

Would'nt it be much more productive to bail out now and play a positive role in building a radical grassroots movement from the bottom up. Don't get me wrong, Im not a recruiting seargent for the far-left: great if you end up joining Eirigi, SP, SWP, WSM, ISN etc etc but the main thing is that you will play a positive role, as opposed to defending the indefensible and watching the party you built end up as just another Labour Party, a pillar of the establishment.

Give it some thought. There is life after the party!

by PON Wed May 16, 2007 18:47

Pragmatism dear boy - who here can definitively say that coalition can not become a site of struggle and progress us to our primary and ultimate objectives.

Unity for Freedom!

by Patrick Henry Wed May 16, 2007 19:08

....and still they prattle on about primary and ultimate objectives. Well, PON, what are $inn Feign's primary and ultimate objectives and how do they intend to achieve them?
You'll not get anywhere if your party leaders keep doing u-turns.

by Sean Mallory - WSM pers. cap. Thu May 17, 2007 11:06

"Pragmatism dear boy - who here can definitively say that coalition can not become a site of struggle and progress us to our primary and ultimate objectives."

Your objectives are in according to the SF manifesto are a wishy washy version of social democracy thats reflected in the rheteoric of building an ireland of equals. We will accept that SF genuinely believe this and they actually try to build their Ireland of equals and redistribute wealth etc.

After the election it is entirely possible SF will be a "king maker" in a hung Dail. FIne gael are unlikely to do a deal with you as they will opt for the greens and some mad collection of independants. Enter Bertie......he will do a deal with Satan or SF in this case. THis is SF's problem- bertie wants power and Enda has a different Satan - the green party.

If Bertie openly says he will do a deal and makes an open offer saying vague stuff on the north without commitment and also offers three ministerial portfolios he will seem reasonable. If SF play hard ball and stick to more "hardline" social democratic ideas and you are screwed. Bertie will say "please be reasonable" knowing he can't/won't deliver on a more social democratic deal because it would reverse loads of policy etc. Sinn fein could say no and appear as only a vote for opposition and another election would have to be called and SF would lose seats because they turned down coalition that seemed "reasonable" and the blame for the second election is on them.

Will SF do this- obviously not, It would be ideogically correct but electorally suicidal. Bertie will throw them a morsal and Gerry will have to sell it to the ardfheis as some step to socialism, irish unity of which a rejectin would scorn the pariot dead....some site of struggle.

by Joe Thu May 17, 2007 14:31

Fair enough all the arguments and that...

what do people actually think about the video? I think its the best video from an Irish youth wing to date although I think it could have been made better by inclusion of a few shots of protest etc.

What do others think?

by Michelle O Neill Mon May 21, 2007 19:41

The ogra youth election video is very good, i especially like the intro from the sinn fein youth organiser, good camera work whoever did it! Well done.

Has any other youth wing done an election broadcast?

by Big Mac Mon May 21, 2007 20:54

What will you be doing about the new MI5 headquarters in Holywood? You seem to be making a lot of noise about Brit fortifications which they are dismantling anyway, why are you and your leadership in SF remaining silent on something which proves that the British Government has no intention of leaving this part of the country?