This weeks University Record, the student paper of Trinity College Dublin has chosen Ógra Shinn Féin as its headline story for its first edition of the new semester. The article dealt with the feigned shock of members of the Dublin University Comedy Club and the Dublin University Rock Society over Ógra's new recruitment poster. The controversy is the inclusion of a picture showing a banner stating "BRITS OUT!!" as the posters centrepiece. The societies committee were alerted to this and the cumann were ordered to remove the posters and not to display them again, claiming it was incitement to hatred.
The University Record picked up on this and ran it as their front page story. Claiming that the statement "BRITS OUT" is a racist and sectarian incitement to hatred and upsetting to people of a unionist background or from England.
Trinity cathaoirleach Caoimhe Ní Mhuilleoir had this to say:
"Anyone who suggests that this poster could be interpreted as anything other than a call for an end to the military, political and economic occupation of the six counties by the British government is being simply ridiculous and trying to rouse anti-republican sentiments. At the end of the day, we feel that this is a question of freedom of speech. What next? Will the comedy club be told what jokes they can tell."
Ógra Átha Cliath cathaoirleach Oisín Ó Dubhláin added this:
"The Trinity Societies Committee claim that "BRITS OUT" is a racist and sectarian slogan shows a deep ignorance of the last forty years of this islands history. This has nothing to do with Irish unionists who identify with Britain, this is about opposing imperialism and supporting national sovereignty. For years the British occupational forces tormented and murdered the nationalist people of the six counties. To claim that calling for the removal of a foreign military force from your country is racist or sectarian is as wrongheaded you get."
2 comments:
How dare anyone who claims to be an Irishman or woman claim that the term 'BRITS OUT' is offensive or even racist! Have they forgotten the turmoil this imperialist presence has inflicted on this country for over 800 years? Or are they simply your average narrow minded, west brit free stater who, because they are lucky enough not to be affected by british violence then it doesn't matter to them. Until the cancer on this country that is british occupation ceases to exist, the words that should be at the tip of the tounge of every true Irishman and woman are 'BRITS OUT' SHAME on the trinity college appologists for british aggression!!!!!!!
I'm unsure if its my really place to comment on this but i wanted to give my thoughts on it
- like many people in my age group i have voted SF in the last two elections for the simple reason that i want to build up a United Ireland, and i dont think any of the other parties do more than pay lip service to it.
I'm sure we are all dedicated to that same goal as republicans, so please dont be offended if I say I dont think the "Brits Out" poster and the slagging off about "West Brits" and "Anglo-Irish" so on is very appropriate for use here in the 26 Counties
we have excellent community relations here and surely the fact that our own unionist-minded minority is happy here is one of the best advertisements we can have for a United Ireland when it comes to convincing the unionists up the north?
whilst i'm sure nobody in your cumainn intended to cause offence with the 'Brits Out' poster, at the same time it doesnt take a degree in psychology to work out why somebody who would be a 'west Brit' or a Irish unionist would take offence at it - would it not be best to use a phrase like "British Military Presence Out" in future, especially in Trinity where there are a fair few minority types?
SF has a superb record in general for standing up for our minority communities of all sorts and types, so I hope you think things over and reconsider - and I wish your group well for the future!
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