McCartney UpdatesAs I predicted, this story is starting to draw attention in the US media as St. Patrick's Day approaches.
Time Magazine
hits the story:
The unprecedented protests from the McGinleys and McCartneys have tipped Sinn Fein into what Irish historian Eamon Phoenix calls its "greatest crisis since the Irish Civil War in 1922." Party leaders were already under pressure to distance themselves from the I.R.A. after a $50 million robbery at a Belfast bank in December, which the British and Irish governments blamed on the terrorist organization.Note: James McGinley was a 23-year-old man stabbed to death in 2003 by an IRA member.
The NY Times covers the
Sinn Fein convention:
The thrust of his remarks, though, seemed intended to convince the Irish public that Sinn Fein had distanced itself enough from crime and paramilitary violence to warrant trust and political support.
Mr. Adams also tried to assuage fears that the I.R.A. might return to the violent and explosive campaign against Britain's rule in Northern Ireland.But what should we make of this comment:
"We know that breaking the law is a crime," he said, but in a nod to his hard-line supporters and to the party's history, he added, "But we refuse to criminalize those who break the law in pursuit of legitimate political objectives."The Guardian has some good comments on the sisters' reaction to Adams' speech:
The sisters did not applaud Adams' speech but afterwards Catherine McCartney said: 'We are appreciative of what Gerry Adams has done.'
She added: 'Our bottom line is that nobody has been brought to justice. We are not going to be satisfied until we see people in court.'
