Ógra Shinn Féin
'So let me get this straight - Larry King is getting his 8th divorce, Elizabeth Taylor is possibly getting married for a 9th time, Britney Spears had a 55 hour marriage. Jesse James and Tiger Woods are screwing everything, yet the idea of same-sex marriage is going to destroy the institution of marriage?? Really? Really??'
I attribute this quote to Kerry republican Séan O'Reilly. He has always been determined to be mentioned in republican media so now his dream has come true!! Anyone opposed to equality and fair treatment for same sex couples should take a long look at this statement.
At the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis this year I spoke and congratulated the Uladh Cúige for putting forward a motion on the issue of gay rights. Part of the motion called on more Sinn Féin activists and supporters to attend their local pride events and show solidarity with the efforts of gay, lesbians, transgendered and bisexual people to demand equality and fairness. I also mentioned the work of 'Marriage Equality' and their demands for equal treatment by law in marriage. I mentioned how Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are bickering and quibbing over a proposed Civil Partnership bill which will soon be put before the Dáil for debate. I again shall make this clear. Anything but granting civil marriage for same-sex couples is pure discrimination. This is the call being made by marriage equality this year, to attend your pride event and show that families show support for treatment of, as the Proclamation promised "all the children of the nation equally".
The largest family in Ireland is the republican family. We have been through years of oppression, strife and struggle together and we always were there for each other. We mourned at the graves of fallen volunteers and we knocked the doors of constituents in the Fermanagh/South Tyrone by-election of 1981 when Bobby Sands became 'the people's own MP'.
Now it is time for the republican family to support our own in the new Ireland. The young people especially. Members of Ógra we do not have to fear imprisonment, oppression or death. Our contribution to our struggle is that we campaign for the Ireland we all desire. The rights of gay people go hand in hand with the rights of females, immigrants and children.It is time for our older family members; our uncles, aunts, parents and grandparents to stand by us and to call for equality and fairness that we all desire. Our family is not the exception. We have gay, lesbian, transgendered and bisexual members who do not have a voice. They are being underrepresented at pride events and do not have the support of their family when they take to the streets to demand equal rights.
I call on all republicans young and old to get up and shout. If we continue to blow smoke we are not truely working towards the Ireland that all our martyrs fought and died for. Attend your local pride event! Stop into the Sinn Féin bookshop in Dublin and buy the SF pride tshirt- a bargain for which you get a spiffing garment and the money is returned to party coffers.
The time to act is now! It is up to us to show Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael that it is unacceptable that they use gay rights as a stick to beat each other with, and then discriminate in their own proposals. We need to show the gay community who really support their rights and who cherish them as Irish citizens. We cannot do this sitting on our couches watching France and England play in the world cup.
Dublin Gay Pride Saturday June 26th
for more info contact Ross 0857303642
No comments:
Post a Comment