Politcally Correct but at what cost?

international | rights, freedoms and repression | opinion/analysis Tuesday May 22, 2007 20:51 by Kevin T. Walsh - Social Justice and Ethics

Right to Silence: Arrested and 7 Days.....!!!!

For many people who do not read Private Eye - it is just the magazine that is always being sued. This is because the only time the public ever hears about it is when the newspapers report that a libel writ has been issued or an out of court settlement has been reached. The impression is therefore widespread that Private Eye is constantly being bombarded with writs and at any moment it would go out of business as a result (1979: Goldenballs book Richard Ingrams)............

Yet to me the surprising point is how seldom Private Eye is sued, considering the material it prints. At any time, there are about 10 actions pending against Private Eye, as opposed to 100 by Times newspapers limited.

This intrigues me - you see now we have a situation in Ireland where McDowell brought in new libel legislation (restrictive to Freedom of the Press) - yet the same Minister for Justice Equality and Law Reform can sit on RTE Prime Time programme, look across the table at Gerry Adams, after calling the rest of the panel lefties and left-overs; and then go on to state accusation to Gerry Adams. Mr. McDowell went on to say Mr. Adams 'you speak of drugs and make me laugh when you a member of the IRA and Army Council get over 45 m US Dollars for training the Farc movement in Columbia for training and intelligence'. In my opinion, Adams was just that little bit slow - he ought to have repled - Donnybrook Gardai are just down the road, Minister - please phone them and have me arrested on my way out. You see even Gerry knows McDowell is the Bart Simpson of Irish politics and not to take him to seriously. People should for the moment reflect on this new Criminal Justice Bill - it is extreme right wing and very dangerous. When Judge Hardiman said in relation to .Frank Shortt and the corruption in the Donegal Gardai division, the consequences and the consistent corruption from the out of control Gardai is beyond self human belief.

When McDowell is out on Friday - I sincerely hope the next Minister for Justice is more judicious and equitable regarding the Human Rights and upholds the Constitution. Adams, like him or not was a major Peace Broker on this Island but don't forget I would expect nothing less from Michael - the private school boy, grandson of Eoin MacNeill - and there is another story of history worth telling on another day boys.

If we continue with this fad of 'Political Correctness', we will become a Police State in this country. People will lose Freedom of Speech and rights will be steadily eroded. Conor Brady, former Top journalist and now member of the Ombudsman team in charge of An Gardai Siochana said 'it beggared belief two years ago when the young people came out with their slogan to Reclaim the Streets that they were batton charged by over reactive Gardai who caused injuries to many; and there were head injuries also. Yet, as Brady said, there was not one conviction. In his opinion, he said people were afraid to convict the Gardai and in future we should research specially selected juries to sit on Gardai cases. People received compensation yet not one Garda was convicted. This is incredible by any standards.

Erosion of personal power and integrity and the subtle erosion by the new Criiminal Justice Bill - let's reexamine this.

The Right to Silence.......is no flippant right that can be brushed out of Irish Law without due regard. The Right to Silence has been challenged for years in the UK but it still stands. This principle is part of French, German and European Law - why such a flagrant move to remove it just prior to an election in Ireland. Surely when a document signed by many lawyers was presented to stop the passage of this Bill, that heed ought to have been given. It is said, and I sincerely hope so, that if this law is challenged in the Supreme Court, it will fail.

At a time that an Ombusdan has been appointed along with a team to handle enquiries about corrupt Gardai, why is the question not asked why the rushed Criminal Justice bill counteract the basic rights of certain categories of people. Why the paradox? Surely given the decisons of Mr. Justice Barr, (John McCarthy shot dead) and Mr. Justice Morris (corrupt Gardai in the Donegal don't promote a limitation to the rights of the individual. Something does not equate here and this is about the rights of the Irish Citizen.

Example
If an Irish citizen is arrested next week and like Frank Shortt in the past and the McBrearty family, and this Irish citizen is taken to an Irish garda station and he has nothing to say, he will be classed as guilty - why - Because his Right to Silence has been eroded. It is even rumoured that Mugabe phoned Bertie about his reservations on such a move....!!! You may wonder why Mugabe phoned ...... he was educated by an Irish Jesuit in Zimbabwe.....says it all.....I think Minister McDowell also was educated by the Jesuits....

What about people with mental illness who are arrested and now held for 7 days.......? Is this right?

What about young people arrested.....procedures re. Acquired Brain Injury have not yet been adequately imparted through education to the Gardai members .....or so the evidence appears to be!

Quotation
Few attacks either of ridicule or invective make much noise but by the help of those that they provoke' Dr. Johnson

Kevin T. Walsh