Newsmedianews | Northern Ireland - a perspective by Sean Mc Aughey

by Sean Mc Aughey
Sean Mc Aughey is a former University of Ulster Student's union President and has worked in public relations.
He is now a freelance journalist and a regular contributor to the Blanket, which describes itself as “a journal of protest and dissent”.
His material is published unedited on this page.
Contact Sean Mc Aughey Archived items

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At Least 32% of U.S. Mass Shooters Trained to Shoot by U.S. Military
10 May 2023; posted by the editor - General, Features, International, United States

By David Swanson
It’s been two years since I wrote on this topic. At that time, at least 36% of U.S. mass shooters had been trained by the U.S. military. Since then, a grand total of nobody at all has written on the topic.

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Tags: mass shootings, David Swanson, United States

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Noah's Ark campaign to tackle apocalyptic global warming printable version

13 Jun 2015: posted by the editor - Environment, International

By The Noah's Ark Campaign
“And when the broken-hearted people living in the world agree, there will be an answer, let it be” – Paul McCartney
A UK-based environmental group is planning to sail an ocean liner to the South pacific islands in a bid to globally highlight the extent of global warming and the consequences if it is left unchecked.

Earth Aid Campaign say Global warming is destroying the earth and driving the human race to extinction but the official censorship in the mainstream news media is suppressing the truth about the catastrophic apocalyptic consequences of climate change and preventing the people of the world from taking the urgent action that will be necessary to save themselves and help ensure the survival of future generations.

They plan to sail an ocean-going boat named Noah’s Ark to the South Pacific and take hundreds of mainstream and citizen journalists, photographers, and film-makers together with scientists, eco-activists, and musiciansto the islands to reveal the truth about climate change to the whole world and to offer our genuine solutions to save humanity from being driven to extinction this century as a result of the burning of fossil fuels.

The eco-warriors believe that the first step towards combating global warming must be to conduct a massive worldwide publicity campaign to help kick off the World Revolution to prevent the extinction of all life on earth and save humanity, which will only start once the people are fully informed about the dangers and the possible solutions and they declare their independence from their governments in their own local communities and take control of their own local affairs.

The nations of the world appear to be unlikely to agree to make a legally binding agreement to stop burning fossil fuels at the United Nations climate summit in Paris in December 2015, which will mean that the extinction of the human race will be inevitable very soon unless the ordinary working people of the world actually rise up and take action themselves to stop global warming and save humanity.

Pseudo religious doomsday death cults have been emerging with sinister Doctor Death type pantomime characters insisting that it is now far too late to stop global warming and everyone on the earth will die very soon in the imminent Apocalypse and there is nothing that anyone can do to stop the extinction of all life on earth including the human race.

These personality cults that are regarded as being very similar to David Koresh’s Branch Davidians at Waco, the Heaven’s Gate suicide cult, and the Jim Jones People’s Temple massacre, offer no solutions to global warming and just like the oil companies they sneer at the eco-warriors for claiming that there may still be a chance to save humanity from extinction.

Unfortunately the sad fact is that many millions of people have already been dying in the ever worsening heatwaves, forest fires, cyclones, hurricanes, floods, droughts, and famines that are escalating all over the world and United Nations scientists have predicted that as a result of increasing temperatures melting the polar ice caps and raising the sea levels three to four billion people will die from drowning, starvation, and disease in the worldwide flooding by 2050.

The scientists in the Arctic Methane Emergency Group are claiming that trillions of tonnes of frozen methane hydrate gas in the polar regions are melting and will come bursting out from beneath the surface and explode with the force of 10,000 nuclear arsenals and transform the earth’s atmosphere into a searingly hot cauldron like the planet Venus where nothing will survive, and this is likely to occur within the next 20 years and possibly even as soon as 2030.

However, as the destruction of the planet and the danger to humanity becomes ever more ominous the eco-warriors are fighting back in self defence with renewed vigour against the forces of darkness that threaten to wipe out all life on earth, knowing that we are in a race against time to save the human race but believing that there is still a chance for humanity to survive if all the people of the world agree to unite and join forces and work together.

The eco-warriors’ solutions to stop global warming include stopping the burning of fossil fuels everywhere in the world and switching to renewable energies such as solar power and wind turbines and using hydrogen produced from water by hydrolysis in all internal combustion engines (cars, trucks, aeroplanes, ships etc) as soon as possible.

We are also proposing terraforming the earth to make the planet habitable once again, using the military forces of all nations to embark on global infrastructure projects including dredging canals and creating new inland seas to help drain off the rising sea levels, removing the carbon dioxide from the air and the atmosphere, and planting new rainforests in the deserts.

The eco-warriors are not appealing for money for our Noah’s Ark Campaign rescue mission to save humanity but are asking all the eminent and reputable scientists, journalists, and musicians who have a genuine interest in solving the global environmental crisis to join them and get involved in helping to create the greatest publicity campaign that the world has ever seen to combat the greatest threat that humanity has ever faced.

“We believe that it is time to challenge the censorship, break the silence, and blow the whistle on the corrupt and criminal global capitalist system that is setting the stage for the genocide of humanity by continuing with business as usual while the burning of fossil fuels destroys the earth’s natural environment and murders the human race in the greedy rush by the bankers, corporate bosses, and politicians to make even more money for themselves all the time,” a statement by the campaign group said.

The Noah’s Ark Campaign is intended to be very similar to the Bilderberg Fringe Festival at the Grove hotel near Watford England in June 2013 when the group sayy they finally exposed the evil capitalist Bilderberg Group by bringing together honest journalists from the mainstream news media with hundreds of citizen journalists and thousands of human rights and social justice activists and protesters to reveal the truth about the existence of the secret world government to the public at last.

The eco-warriors’ wish list for the Noah’s Ark Campaign is very simple and it is essentially an appeal for an ocean liner to use as our modern day version of Noah’s Ark to help save the island nations of Kiribati, Tuvalu, Tokelau, and the Marshall Islands in the South Pacific and the Maldives in the Indian ocean that are all gradually disappearing beneath the rising sea levels, and the food and the fuel that will be necessary for the journey.

They intend to carry on filming their reality tv show for the children which is entitled Can You Save the Human Race?—The Eco-Warriors Are Coming!, which will be offered free to every television channel in the world for them to broadcast as a public service in the interest of humanity, and hopefully some of the tv stations might be prepared to pay something to help with the group’s expenses in return.

Celebrities from the music, movie, and television industries will be very welcome to join the eco-warriors for this historic voyage of a lifetime on board Noah’s Ark which will serve as the travelling School for Eco-Warriors, as long as they are prepared to help with the publicity to raise awareness and educate the public about the urgent need for immediate action to stop global warming and save the human race from being driven to extinction by the burning of fossil fuels.

The group asks all who are seriously concerned about the future survival of humanity in the face of the overwhelming forces that are destroying us all and the risk that irreversible runaway global warming will wipe out all life on earth, to share this message about the Noah’s Ark Campaign as far and wide as possible.

Years of work have gone into it already and the group say its tireless efforts will continue for as long as it takes to stop global warming and the threat of World War Three which looms over us like the Sword of Damocles, adding to the danger that all we will leave behind of the earth for future generations will be a vast bleak wasteland totally uninhabitable for the children of tomorrow to survive on.

The Noah’s Ark Campaign
Phone: 0758 224 2300 (UK +44).
Email: earthaidcampaign@gmail.com
Earth Aid Campaign website: https://sites.google.com/site/earthaidcampaign/
Noah’s Ark Campaign on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/774204902630319/
The World Revolution on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/625162560951137/

“Come together, join the movement, take a stand for human rights'” – John Lennon
@Neil Young @David Crosby @Steven Stills @Graham Nash @Brian May @Annie Lennox @Charlotte Church @Justin Bieber @Lady Gaga @Jimmy Percy @Sting @Thom Yorke @Radiohead @Massive Attack @Coldplay @The Levellers @The Waterboys @Pearl Jam @David Rovics @Jane Fonda @Johnny Depp @Leonardo DiCaprio @Cate Blanchett @Brad Pitt @Alicia Silverstone @Daryl Hannah @Mark Ruffalo @Robert Redford @Adrian Grenier @Harrison Ford @George Clooney @Meryl Streep @Alec Baldwin @Pierce Brosnan @Woody Harrelson @Glen Close @Colin Firth @Natalie Portman @Peter Jackson @James Cameron @Jia Zhangke @David Attenborough @Russell Brand @Ricky Gervais @Charlie Skelton @Hannah Borno @Jason N Parkinson @Naomi Klein @Bill McKibben @Paul Kingsnorth @Caroline Lucas @Ken Livingstone @Naomi Wolfe @Jemima Khan @Zak Goldsmith @Bianca Jagger @Captain Paul Watson @Elon Musk @Bob Hertzberg @Carlo Petrini @Amory Lovins @Laurie David @Joss Garman @Kumi Naidoo @Natalie Bennett @Earth Guardians @Johann Eliasch @Zhengrong Shi @Gavin Schmidt @Wangari Maathai @Cormac McCarthy @Ted Danson @Jane Goodall @Jack Johnson @James Hansen @James Lovelock @Al Gore @Sam Carana @Malcolm Light @Paul Beckwith @Harold H Hensel @Rolly Montpellier @Habibur Rahman @Ekta K Kalra @Kevin Hester @Mark Brown @Gail Zawacki @Dorsi Lynn Diaz @Mike Roman @George Monbiot @Chris Jagger @Warren Buffett @Julia Louis-Dreyfus @Rob Ward @Emma Louise @Marcus Downbeat @Tamsin Omond @Danny Chivers @Greg Sams @Eleanor Wilson @Tamara Rose Roske @Daniel T Gardonyi @Petra Rakoczi @Andy Morley @Donnie Vortex @Maggie Zenwa @Colin Mann @Phoenix Circle @Vajda Robert @Andrea Eszter Kerecsen @Luke Adams Thor @Carl Green @Dan Cole @George Barda @Lorenzo Obi Abadinas @Tammy Samede @Angel Nash @Aaron Cooke @Marina Pepper @Jonny Smith @Mal Oak @Kath Lea @Simon Jackson Beng @Gurdavar Singh Sahota @Carol Armstrong @Kiribati Abau Ni Koaua

Tags: global warming, climate change, earth aid campaign

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Friday, January 14, 2005
Leading Human Rights Solicitor "Shut Down” by Law Society
Society claims ‘substantial history of complaints going back ... years’
Exclusive report by Sean Mc Aughey
Sources and friends close to lawyer Padraigin Drinan are saying the official reasons behind an enforced closure by the Law Society of the offices of Ireland’s foremost human rights defender and solicitor remains wide open for damaging speculation.

Former clients who contacted the Law Society say they were immediately re-directed to a voice mail inbox belonging to the Deputy Secretary; Suzanne Bryson who was unavailable.

On Wednesday a Law Society spokesman was asked if Ms Drinan’s certificate to practice been fully revoked. The spokesman described the measures against Ms Drinan as a “removal of her provision to practice.” and added that a full Law Society press statement on the matter would be available.

In a statement released on Friday, January 14, 2005, the Law Society said: “Ms Drinan has a substantial history of complaints going back a number of years. These have led to a series of decisions by the Law Society to bring proceedings against Ms Drinan before the Disciplinary Tribunal, established for this purpose by the Solicitors (NI) Order 1976, as amended. The Disciplinary Tribunal operates independently of the Law Society.”

However, no clarrification of the substance or nature of the ‘complaint’ was given. The statement continues: “Complaints against Ms Drinan came before the Disciplinary Tribunal in May 2004. On considering the evidence presented by the Law Society, the Tribunal found that the complaints had been duly substantiated. It may be helpful to explain that in addition to imposing certain fines and costs penalties, the Tribunal Order records as follows; ‘The Tribunal noted with regret the Respondent’s (Ms Drinan) previous history of proven complaints before the Tribunal which were all similar to the complaints today. They formed the view that the Respondent was not functioning at any acceptable level as a single practitioner and that in the interest of the public and the Respondent herself, they are ordering that she is restricted from practising on her own account or in partnership. She may accept employment from another solicitor provided they have at least seven years post qualification experience. The Tribunal also orders that she shall not work in any practice using her name on the title or as one of the principals.’ The Tribunal were prepared to defer the implemantation of the Order for a reasonable period to allow Ms Drinan to make alternative arrangements. This deferment initially applied until September 2004 with a subsequent deferral to a date than fixed by the Tribunal at 6 January 2005.

“As and from that date, Ms Drinan is not entitled as a matter of law to practise on her own account. If she continues to do so, she will not only be in breach of the Order of the Tribunal, but will also be committing a criminal offence. In these circumstances the Law Society is under an obligation to see that the terms of the Tribunal Order are complied with.

“Ms Drinan is not inhibited from practice as an employed solicitor.

“The inability of Ms Drinan to continue in practice on her own account is not an action taken by the Law Society but is a function of an Order made by the Disciplanary Tribunal. Ms Drinan has not to our knowedge at any time sought to contest or appeal the Orders made by the Disciplinary Tribunal.” The statement was signed by Don Anderson, for the Law Society.

An informed source close to Ms Drinan said it was believed that as a result of her civil rights involvement she was seen by the establishment as an embarrassing and troublesome ‘thorn in the side’ who had done nothing wrong other than to try to provide legal advice to those who could not otherwise afford it.

IRSP spokesperson, Terry Harkin described Ms Drinan as “someone who was on par with James Connolly especially in terms of helping the poor and the voiceless all over Ireland” and he asked “where will the most vulnerable in our society get legal help now ”?

“Padraigin Drinan,” he continued, “is a once in a lifetime heroine who ought to be recognized and elevated for her tireless work and not punished, bullied and intimidated by some of her colleagues, who have left her open to a humiliating whisper campaign. ”

A Spokesperson for the Anti Racism Network described The Law Society’s actions as “questionable” and she asked where was the Law Society’s energy when legal immigrants were imprisoned with their children, being bombed from their home or loosing their legs due to frostbite. The immigrants she said are only a small example of the many communities throughout Ireland who are indebted to Padraigin Drinan. ”

Padraigin Drinan speaking from her Belfast office said: “At this stage it appears that I am accused of being a poor business manager but not guilty of any financial impropriety. I have been instructed also that I must amalgamate with other solicitors. ”

But she added: ”I am heartened by the hundreds of calls from well wishers and supporters from all over the world including a call from among others, Gareth Pierce.”
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Thursday, 28 October 2004
Féile an Phobail, West Belfast
By Sean Mc Aughey
The West Belfast community was demonised for many years by both the establishment and the media and this reached fever pitch in March 1988 as a result of the tragic events which followed the SAS killings of three unarmed IRA volunteers in Gibraltar. In reaction to this unparalleled negative and damaging portrayal of the West Belfast community, local groups and their MP, Gerry Adams, decided to organise a festival. Its purpose was to celebrate the positive side of the community, its creativity, its energy, its passion for the arts, and for sport. And it aimed at providing events and entertainment at a price that the majority of the community could afford.

*1 The West Belfast Féile which is entering its 17th year is the largest community (people) powered festival in Europe. It is internationally regarded as a ten day long festival "on par" with the best community festivals in England and Ireland. The Féile includes, a colourful carnival parade, discussions, debates, concerts, exhibitions, children's events, i.e street parties, bouncy castles etc, sports, literary and drama events, Féile radio, widespread community events on a street to street, pub to pub basis and various political, cultural or historical tours and walks.

The Festival aims to provide events of interest for everyone at a price that the majority of the community could afford while simultaneously serving also to elevate a positive West Belfast self image contolled by its people despite the forces acting against the people and the official resources denied them. The Féile continues to grow into a major tourist attraction. The August Féile continues also to easily attract "top of the range" participation from local and International entertainers, artists and commentators. This year's Féile line up included, Arthur Scargill leader in 1984 of the National Union of Mineworkers presenting The 10th Annual Frank Cahill Memorial Lecture and The P.J. McGrory Memorial Lecture - Long Road to the Truth delivered by Mrs Geraldine Finucane who was shot and wounded at the time of her husband Pat's, assassination 15 years ago. Top British band Big Brovaz, Irish Traditionalist singer/songwriter, Donal Luney and Andy Irvine, Christy Moore and Declan Sinnott, novelist Roddy Doyle, comedian Rich Hall and Bob Marley`s band, the Wailers demonstrating that the Feile is going from strength to strength and most definitely growing in popularity not only among the audience but the artists, as well. The choice of August for the Féile by the West Belfast Community and many other Republican communities like Ardoyne and New Lodge is pertinent. Because, August 9th 1971, brought a re-introduction to nationalist areas of widespread house raids, arrests and imprisonment without trial or a release date. The yearly anniversary of Interment was previously marked in the community by a display of bonfires of defiance. But, the bonfires provided the RUC and British Army with the ideal opportunity for provaction and delivered in British terms "a fool proof" excuse for the entire "Mechanism of the State" to "justify" any injury or death perpetrated by State violence and especially the use of plastic bullets, when framed within the same context of a nationalist bonfire.

Teenager shot dead returning home from Internment night bonfire.
The DPP refused to initiate proceedings on the grounds that it was impossible to establish which RUC officer fired the fatal shot. The jury found that at the time of Seamus' killing that he was not engaged in any rioting and that there was no rioting at the time of his killing.

*2 "The fatal shot" that killed 15 year-old Seamus Duffy from the Oldpark area was fired from a passing RUC patrol on August 9th 1989. The plastic bullet crushed his heart and tore a four-inch laceration in his left lung.

*3 Seamus Duffy was returning home from an internment night bonfire and there was no rioting in the area. The initial RUC response indicates according to The Relatives for Justice group, the RUC believed Seamus Duffy did not die as a result of being hit by a plastic bullet and that they would appoint a 'top policeman' to investigate the exact circumstances of the death.

*4 Secretary of State, Peter Brooke said: 'There are no grounds for suggesting their use (Plastic Baton Rounds fired by RUC officers) last night was other than in accordance with the law'.

*5 Darkness
Over a very short period of time, bonfire culture in most Republican communities has been easily transformed to the community-orientated ethos that permeates participative festivals. Bonfires were already long since stigmatised as negative and destructive by the collective wisdom and experience of the community and most especially by those members of the community who vividly recall how life once was before the bright lights and colour of the Féile. A time, when, West Belfast was in darkness because the various combatants shut down the streetlights and fear was a way of life. The local dogs barking were for those of us making our way home hoping to avoid a beating from the British Army patrols, a most welcomed concert of sorts, alerting with pin point accuracy the exact location of the four, eight, 16 or 32 blackened faces of the British Army foot patrols in the area.

“Riddles' Field" - Daddy Makes A Dream Comes True (Thanks to the Féile)
When I reflect on the quality of life my teenage children are currently enjoying and compare this to my teenage days, I owe a lot to the efforts of the many people behind the West Belfast Féile who are continually raising the esteem of our people and enhancing our quality of life. There is clearly a massive gulf between my teenage days and that of my teenage children today in terms of confidence, opportunities and simply attending a concert by their favourite "pop stars" in West Belfast. This in itself remains a source of immense joy and pride. Especially, when I think about what used to be -"Riddles' Field", (Beechmount Leisure Centre) and look at the here and now concert venue, where teenage dreams are fulfilled. My daughters were in seventh heaven a few years ago at the Féile in "Riddles' Field" during a Westlife concert and then the Atomic Kitten concert. My teenagers' expectations are obviously higher today and undoubtedly more realistically obtainable thanks to the Féile. My children's confidence is part of the vibrancy that makes West Belfast Féile buzz. This buzz has been harnessed, channelled and most importantly of all, encouraged by the various F éile projects and events.

A Teenage Nightmare I hold by comparison to my children, a teenage tale of woe. One of my favourite Rock n' Roll bands in 1975, Showaddywaddy had agreed to play in Belfast at the ABC. I was all set for my face to face with my teenage "Top of the Pops" idols and unfortunately this was as near as I got. Showaddywaddy pulled the plug on the Belfast tour when news surrounding the murder of the Miami Showband reached their agents. I was shattered. The people responsible for killing the Miami Showband musicians were pro-British and some were also members of a British Army Regiment. Showaddywaddy were a Sheffield Band.

On the 31st July 1975, a Loyalist gang murdered three members of the Miami Showband. Tony Geraghty (23), Fran O'Toole (29), Brian McCoy (33). Two of the UVF gang were also killed, Harris Boyle, described as a UVF Major from Portadown, and Wesley Somerville, described as a UVF Lieutenant from Caledon, Co Tyrone. Two men from the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) were jailed for 35 years in connection with the murders of members of the Miami Showband. The Miami Massacre, a part of our past, had also a lasting impact for many engaged in the Arts and for one Belfast man the Miami murders would bring about his film debut.

Angel - Galway Film Fleadh Michael Dwyer: The thing that triggered Angel was the murder of the Miami Showband musicians...
Neil Jordan: Kind of. I was playing in a band and we used to travel up and down to Belfast and Derry and places like that and we'd be driving back late at night. It was in the 1980's when all those sectarian killings were happening. It was very black; you always presumed it wouldn't happen to you - that you were safe - and when the Miami were shot it seemed quite shocking. They were innocent and I felt totally numb I suppose and that put images in my mind. I like to write things with people in mind and I had written Angel with Stephen Rea in mind

*6 How are ye Jeffrey? - West Belfast Féile Talks Back
During the Féile Talks Back debate, a former IRA POW, Seanna Walsh—who was sentenced to twenty-two years when he was caught making explosives and mortar bombs— courteously welcomed The DUP's Jeffery Donaldson to the Féile debate. Mr Walsh then asked: “Jeffrey, when you talk about the IRA's capacity to make war, I can go out of here tonight with a couple of hundred pounds in my pocket and purchase the equipment to make Baltic Exchange/Canary Wharf type bombs. How are you going to remove that capacity? "

*7 The DUP man addressed the question in repetitive mantra. Seanna Walsh also said: "The point I was making was that I can produce homemade explosives and mortars. You cannot decommission that knowledge. What is more important is our commitment to peace and to politics. But all of the initiatives taken by the IRA to date have had absolutely no effect on the unionist community. Trust is a two-way street. We suspect that at the root of it unionists cannot deal with equality and sharing power and that the idea of republicans being in government was a bridge too far for them. Everything else is an excuse not to go there. ”

*8 The IRA and its weapons is being used as an excuse
About 24 hours after the Festival debate, Mr Gerry Adams, The West Belfast MP and President of Sinn Fein told PA News:
“ While I would not like to minimise what may be genuine fears and concerns within unionism, I do think the issue of the IRA and its weapons is being used an excuse.” The Sinn Fein president commended Mr Donaldson on his appearance at the festival and paid tribute to his colleagues on the committee, which organised the event. Mr Adams also said he would like to take part in a similar event in a loyalist area.

*9 Community Empowerment
Mr Adams sums up the spirit of the Féile in a sentence by saying he = would like to take part in a similar event in a loyalist area. Community festivals bring as in this case politicians face to face with the voter in the voter's home territory. The Shankill Road and East Belfast "Think Tanks" did likewise to enpower the community and expose the politicians. The voice of the community can be best heard at festival time.

References and sources used in this article:
*1 http://www.feilebelfast.com/ourhistory/
*2 http://www.relativesforjustice.com/victims/seamus_duffy.htm
*3 http://www.relativesforjustice.com/victims/seamus_duffy.htm
*4 http://www.relativesforjustice.com/victims/seamus_duffy.htm
*5 http://www.relativesforjustice.com/victims/seamus_duffy.htm
*6 http://www.iol.ie/~galfilm/filmwest/fleadhjordan.htm
*7 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/3543518.stm
*8 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/3543518.stm
*9 http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3D3300413

by Sean Mc Aughey