Easter Lily should be Afforded Equal Status

national | rights, freedoms and repression | press release Wednesday April 15, 2009 22:35 by Irish Republican Youth - Ógra Shinn Féin osfnational at yahoo dot ie

Barry McColgan
National Organiser
Ógra Shinn Féin

The refusal by the Equality Commission to grant the Easter Lily the proper recognition ensuring that it can be worn without discrimination in the workplace, at school and college is an outrage, and has caused major upset, hurt and anger to many Irish Republicans.

The Easter Lily which is worn by Irish Republicans throughout the Easter period is a symbol of remembrance for Ireland’s patriot dead and all Easter Lily collections are used for the upkeep and maintenance of Republican graves and monuments.

Is the Equality Commission by their refusal to grant equal status to the Easter Lily insinuating that Ireland’s patriot dead are less important, and do not deserve to be remembered publicly?

This is a complete farce in this day and age, when Irish Republican’s hold key ministerial roles in the Assembly, that the Easter Lily be refused its proper status.

Irish republicans have promoted this important symbol since its inception in 1925, and despite difficult and repressive circumstances throughout the century, have continued to ensure that annually thousands wear the Easter Lily in proud remembrance of all those who died fighting for Ireland’s freedom.

Again this Easter, Republicans throughout Ireland promoted the Easter Lily, and Ógra Shinn Féin in particular encouraged young people to wear it in schools and universities.

The current status which the Equality Commission has granted the Easter Lily is disgraceful, and has demonstrated an inequality in our society that will be challenged and put right.

Ógra Shinn Féin have campaigned on this issue in the past number of years, and we will step up the campaign in the time ahead to ensure that next Easter, the Easter Lily and what it represents is afforded true equality and that we have as much right to remember our dead, publicly and proudly like anyone else.

This issue won’t go away, until the Equality Commission get with the times, and realise that we no longer live in an Orange state.

That was smashed and so will this crazy decision.