Western Writers' Centre Deplores Israeli Action - Statement

by Fred Johnston Sun Jun 13, 2010 15:21

Please note that Director and poet, Frank Golden, has added his name to the above list.

by Fred Johnston Sun Jun 13, 2010 16:16

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/letters/ios-letter....html

Having read John Berger's fine letter, I believed it was important to say this.

by Skibbereen Man. Sun Jun 13, 2010 19:33

The Skibbereen Eagle in West Cork warned the Tsar of Russia against his expansionist designs on China, saying it, the Skibbereen Eagle, had its eye on him.

So when the "Skibbereen Eagle" argument is invoked it is to remind an editor or journalist to realise how much effort or weight their humble opinion has in the real world. .

The Isrealis are trembling in their boots after Fred and the literary gang in Galway shake their fists at them.
.

by lazy Sun Jun 13, 2010 20:09

I find it utterly amazing that Irish writers lose their balls when they get an
Arts Council Grant... Is it equivalent to being a laureate and only
singing the government's praises ?

'cos England only ever has one of them at a time , not like thousands

;-)

by kd Sun Jun 13, 2010 20:37

for taking a stand and making it know.

by Philistine. Sun Jun 13, 2010 20:38

"Irish writers lose their balls when they get an
Arts Council Grant."

Most of their writing is never read by anybody.

They are not Tolstoys.
Tolstoy never sponged money.

All funding from the socaled "Arts" should be abolished.

At least a plumber earns an honest bob.

by lazy Sun Jun 13, 2010 21:49

all singing for FF, indeed both Ahern and his daughter have been endowed with tax-free status !!

The revenue are advised by a government appointed Arts Council !!

I do think the Brits are more sensible, only financing one laureate and keeping Arts
free from government influence.

by Fred Johnston Mon Jun 14, 2010 01:19

Sorry, Skibb. None of the signatories of that statement is from Galway. Apart from a notable couple of exceptions, you wouldn't get the literary 'gang' in Galway to sign anything.

by lazy Wed Jun 16, 2010 20:59

Its good to see that writers actually have opinions aside from extolling the virtues of the Government !!

It seems one of the consequences of Fianna Fáil Policy (and whichever prop it uses) is to create
a stasis comprised mainly of consensus, in which no other opinion is valued than that which is
bought and paid for. The issue of *sustainability* comes into this- How long can a static paralysis
of consensus be sustained without a crack in the edifice ?

it looks like every edifice save Fianna Fail is cracking under the weight of Utopianism which was
built on very wet and shifting sands. Sure ask the Greens, they are masters in consensus -building
and in sustaining the FF edifice, whilst not adding anything new to our national arguments or
dialogues!!!

It seems that leaders must actually lead, rather than wait as many of our artists do for a crumb off
the developer's table or a glitterly prize to affirm that the middling output of many Irish writers is
just that >>>>>>* middling* , *self-centred* ,* insular*, *boring* and *self-involved*.

I expect the weeping will begin when they realise the cheques and tax returns won't be coming
much as things fiscal worsen, then they will cry union rights and such, whilst blithely forgetting
that life outside of the ivory-tower has a reality from which our uncritical, unthinking writers have
been protected and is false!!

Someone's got to take the baby steps and lead on matters of integrity and conscience.

=WELL DONE !!