“Freedom of expression” is one thing; “freedom of anonymous publication” is another thing entirely
There is a current obsession in the Irish media with securing instant online reaction from readers and audiences. I am by no means convinced that online comment by readers of online newspapers adds anything at all to the quality of the journalism or to the enjoyment of the reader. Nor does it add revenue. But […]
The time has come to speak a little “Truth to Power” – to Samantha Power
“Is there nothing you will not lie about? Do you have no shame?” With these moving words passionately spoken, the US ambassador to the UN Samantha Power rounded on her Russian counterpart at the Security Council this week. Her outrage was genuine and compelling. Her words were flashed across the western world. As I watched […]
A government in office but not in power attracts disastrous outcomes
With typical hype, the pendulum of lazy journalism and that class of corridor-prowlers who feed regular doses of nonsense to silly journalists has swung into action yet again. This time, we are told, that Angela Merkel is “now the leader of the free world”. Assuming that Ireland still remains part of “the free world”, is […]
Time for the West to atone for the damage it has caused in Syria
As the siege of Aleppo enters its final stages, and the reins of power in Washington are transferred to Trump, it is very likely that the Syrian conflict will result in Bashar Al Assad remaining President of the Syrian state under some negotiated “peace” deal at some point in the future. Western opinion has not […]
Renzi’s reckless promises sealed his fate
Whatever the outcomes in today’s Italian referendum and the Austrian election for president, there is a sense of restlessness and unease abroad in the western democracies. It can be argued that the Italian referendum is not of any inherent international significance save for the fact that Matteo Renzi, the master of silly political gestures, indicated […]
Gerry Adams’ post-factual parallel universe
The phrase “living in a parallel universe” is often used to describe the mind-set of people who inhabit a different moral space from most people and have created their own moral and factual order. This week it has been used about Gerry Adams as he wriggles and twists in an attempt to reconcile his membership […]