Irish hypocrisy. 200k on protest marches at cuts. 0 on protest marches against abuse

[blacbloc]

In recent months we have seen protests by as many as 200K people in Ireland over cuts to health, education, pay and other financial matters. Those protests were well justified in and of themselves. But it makes you wonder whether the contents of our pockets and bank accounts are the only things that can get Irish people off their arses any more.

The ritual, horrific abuse of thousands of children has come to light and though we all profess to be in shock and disgust, only a tiny number of people has so far been moved to protest about the disgusting revelations - in so far as they were revelations because many of them clearly were not revelations at all to a lot of people in authority since they were already well aware of them.

Can we not do better than this for our friends, neighbours, relatives - anyone who is/was affected? There's no need for rabble rousing but a nationwide expression of horror, regret and understanding is urgently needed. And it has to come from us, the people, not the government. Can we not show them the meaning of regret, apology, contrition, empathy and everything else that is due?

[Old Irish]

I totally agree. I was thinking that last night when I read some of the report online. I think people would march if there was one on. I know I would march in support. I am 30 so I have no experience of the church being involved in my schooling etc. My 80 year old father said that when he was in school all you would hear all day is the noise of the leather strap. He said you would find it hard to believe today.

I was also wondering if many of the Christian Brothers, Priests and nuns responsible for this abuse are still alive today. Does anyone know if they are?

I really was so shocked with what I read. I came from a big enough family and we used to kill each other growing up. Manys a time I locked myself in the bathroom running away from a fight with a brother or sister and I'd be crying and manys a night I cried as a child but oh my god those poor children in these institutes.
My heart really did go out to them when I was reading the report. Not only were their lives affected but my generation was also affected I think because we are the children of these victims and I really do believe that alot of families went through terrible heartache from the effects.

Then if made me think about the abusers that have died before all of this was made public and I wondered if they were afraid of going to hell. Did they confess their sins before they died. I just wondered because these men were supposed to be men of god but they were more like men of the devil.

[Demotruk]

Well, we should organize one then.

That youtube video of Q and A got thousands of views, a hell of a lot for an Irish video. I think we can get people to protest over this (and I'm not the type to protest over the economy).

[blacbloc]

Well, we should organize one then.

That youtube video of Q and A got thousands of views, a hell of a lot for an Irish video. I think we can get people to protest over this (and I'm not the type to protest over the economy).

Trying to think whether or which organisations would be best to organise it. There are hundreds that could and should be involved but which is/are the most appropriate? Everyone should be involved - from youth clubs, employers groups, businesses, professional groups - everyone. No politics of any sort involved though politicians should be there too.

[Demotruk]

Atheists Ireland would probably jump at it, but they're probably not the most appropriate group since they'd be seen as taking advantage...

How did the protests over the economy get started? Can we just make a general call for a protest on some Sunday (perhaps in the morning during Mass time)?

[libertarian-right]

To put it bluntly - Irish people are basically apathetic and me feiners.

[Old Irish]

I am not a me feiner but my mother in law did question me the other night about caring about outside of the family things. She said when she was bringing up her family she only cared about them and nobody else and the fact that I have children now etc.. I know alot of people are me feiners but not for the reasons I feel you are implying from your post lib right.

Anyway lib right its not like we have a good history of dealing with scandals. Isnt that how we are all in this state in the first place??

We need a good radical

[Demotruk]

Do you think there would be a Catholic group that might call for a protest? Perhaps call for people to protest outside their church on one Sunday rather than go to mass?

If it was clearly Catholics doing it, it would be a much more powerful message than if it was seen as a protest by the non-religious. A secularist organization could call for a separate protest at the same time.

[blacbloc]

Do you think there would be a Catholic group that might call for a protest? Perhaps call for people to protest outside their church on one Sunday rather than go to mass?

If it was clearly Catholics doing it, it would be a much more powerful message than if it was seen as a protest by the non-religious. A secularist organization could call for a separate protest at the same time.

That's a good thought. It seems there might be some support for it too. On Sunday last the congregation of a church in a village somehwere near Macroom in County Cork walked out on the priest when he started to defend and deny wrong doing by church - and insult victims' testimony. They just upped and outted themselves. This is amazing stuff for such a community - deeply conservative and Catholic to boot.

[Nipper]

The problem is that all the people in institutions had to deny that part of their life to be accepted back into society. I have seen it myself were there were little clues and comments in conversation, code words that would only be understood by those affected. Little would be said openly and there was little question of it. There was no organisatiin for them as a group .The change will be best shown in peoples attitude to those who run schools, institutions and politics. The deference is disappearing from the ground up and has been for a long time. If you look at the example of the Irish Times and RTE , a week ago this was a marginal story of a report of a few unfortunate orphans where they wheeled out the CORI members to comment. By the start of this week the Irish times letters page was one single subject and a Minister got told off by a councillor and no One dared argue. Mr O'Briens strength of character was such a contrast to the little creep in government. The children of the Institutions have been given their voice and no one will shut them up again