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Home Page > Blogs > News blogs > Periscope > Not in our name -- Irish Americans deplore Dissident IRA killing --Time to stand up and be counted on slaying of prison officer

Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

Not in our name -- Irish Americans deplore Dissident IRA killing --Time to stand up and be counted on slaying of prison officer

Posted on Saturday, November 03, 2012 at 09:19 AM

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David Black

The murder of prison officer David Black in Lurgan, Armagh by dissident IRA members who ambushed his car, was not done in the name of Irish America.

This community has made clear for years now that it stands with the peace process and not with those who wish to continue to visit death and tragedy on the people there.

We agree with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who said "There is no justification for this outrageous and cowardly act. I offer my sincere condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Officer Black, who had a long and distinguished record of service."

It is a futile cause and a death in vain as it only solidifies the belief among the peace process parties and among Irish Americans that the current progress must continue.

It was never going to be a 100 per cent break with the past and violence but the killing of the prison officer, a Protestant, was yet another example of the lunacy at work in some quarters.

Does the killing of a prison officer or a policeman move the goal of a united Ireland one centimeter closer?

Of course not, quite the opposite. Those who still take up arms despite the wishes of overwhelming majorities in both communities who support the process know that too.

It allows them their stupid delusions of grandeur that they are players in a conflict that has actually ended with the Good Friday peace agreement between all sides.

Nobel Prize winner John Hume referred to his goal as that of an agreed Ireland. As far as we can that has been achieved with a huge helping hand from Irish America and President Clinton and other presidents since.

Whether the future holds a united Ireland or the status quo depends on the future generations who will vote on such issues.

It certainly does not depend on those who will wantonly take life in support of a violent ideal that has now receded into history.

It was heartening to see Northern Ireland’s two leaders, Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness issue a joint statement on the killing, condemning it in the strongest terms.

Such is the only way to proceed in the North. The peace process has now been operational in one form or another since the early 90s. A generation has grown up not knowing violence or the despair of earlier generations.

That is how it should be, persuasion by political means not violence remains the goal of all who wish the peace process well.

We here in America want to reiterate again these killers do not speak for the overwhelming majority of Irish Americans.

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seanomelb | Nov 07, 2012, 06:09 PM EST

Moses (Dano)has come down from the mountain with his little gems of anti Irish rhetoric. BTW Curtis Dano does not live in Ireland.

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Realist | Nov 07, 2012, 05:28 PM EST

curtisjohnson: "I simply have not pre-judged the situation."? Really? Days earlier you wrote the following on this very thread, and I quote, "This guy was probably an integral part of the torture and death chambers run by the terror state in the occupied 6." I know you don't do questions, condemn murders, or substantiate your claims with any sort of verifiable evidence but it is clear you've no problem making a fool of yourself....lol.

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DanOLoingsigh | Nov 07, 2012, 05:11 PM EST

Curtis - Shooting and killing someone on a highway is ‘Prima Facie’ a major crime in most jurisdictions... I believe this is now the case even in your ‘Deep South’...long a bastion of bigotry and ‘summary justice’...so do let us know when you have weighed the evidence and reached a considered judgement, you can’t stay ‘pre-judged’ for ever?

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curtisjohnson | Nov 07, 2012, 05:06 PM EST

Ireland North, the british terror state only selectively and slowly allows "truth" to escape - see the journalist intimidated into silence during the troubles and the massive cover up efforts over bloody sunday, Ballymurphy (the former of which was disclosed in a stage managed fashioned after almost four decades - of course, no compensation for the victim's families and the "soldiers" keep their positions and pensions ), etc.

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curtisjohnson | Nov 07, 2012, 04:34 PM EST

@Realist - you need to relax big girl, I don't answer questions on command from brit trolls. I simply have not pre-judged the situation. Who knows what types of atrocities still occur in the terror state prisons against indigenous populations. It is clear historically that the terror state does not try or convict offenders but, in fact, promotes them.

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IrelandNorth | Nov 07, 2012, 08:25 AM EST

Ulster Television (UTV) teatime news (6 pm) reported an ongoing dispute in Maghaberry Prison between republican prisoners and the authroties there over the institutional sexual abuse of unnecessary strip searching. Four prisoners have died there this year alone, the latest after Officer Black's regrettable assasination. Reprisal, perhaps? All this horry will contiue intil the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth is told.

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Realist | Nov 07, 2012, 02:54 AM EST

curtisjohnson: Lol....my friend you cannot expect to be taken seriously when you behave like a child. I suggest you make a fresh start by answering the following question (which, incidently, I have already asked): Do you or do you not condemn the murder of this 52-year-old man and condemn his killers as murderers?

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curtisjohnson | Nov 06, 2012, 08:43 PM EST

Yeah, you're really witty in the face of overwhelming facts Realist.

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DanOLoingsigh | Nov 06, 2012, 07:02 PM EST

Seano - when you have NOTHING to say...

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seanomelb | Nov 06, 2012, 05:58 PM EST

Dano and realist remind me of Moses.When they open their mouths the bull rushes.

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DanOLoingsigh | Nov 06, 2012, 03:24 PM EST

seamus60 - GFA endorsed by the people of Ireland...how hard is that to understand?

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Realist | Nov 06, 2012, 02:46 PM EST

curtisjohnson: This is a big boys chat. Next time, go ask a grown-up to help you crayon a reply....lol.

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curtisjohnson | Nov 06, 2012, 02:32 PM EST

"due legal process" lol. Something made up or enforced by the british terror state on an ad hoc basis to oppress indigenous populations.

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ancavker | Nov 06, 2012, 02:03 PM EST

The dissidents are an absolute disgrace. They must stop this madness!! And yes the provo's campaign of violence was wrong too.

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Realist | Nov 06, 2012, 10:46 AM EST

seamus60: If you have grievencies with any official government body, collate evidence to substantiate your claims and follow the political and legal channels freely available to progress complaints of this nature. You do not put on a mask, procure heavy duty automatic weapons, gun down a 52-year-old man on a busy public motorway, and then tell us that, somehow, this was a legitimate and justified thing to do. What is wrong with you?

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