Category Archives: Blog
US Identity & Oppressor Patterns
The world is in a very dangerous period at present. We face the climate crisis, regional wars, and the growing threat of nuclear war. At the same time, we are seeing a swing towards right-wing policies and political parties in … Continue reading
Covid-19, Class and the Climate Emergency
We have a lot to learn from the current crisis around Covid-19. Middle-class people, in particular, need to notice that class and other oppressions have a major impact on how people are affected by this virus. Continue reading
Commemorating the RIC
The controversy over whether or not there should be a commemoration of the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) highlights a confusion around the nature of oppressive systems. Every such system tends to induce members of oppressed groups to act as agents … Continue reading
Irish Identity, History, and Diversity
Introduction As Ireland changes and becomes more diverse, the question of Irish identity becomes more complex. What does it mean to be Irish? How has Irish history left its mark on the people? What might it mean to talk about … Continue reading
I’m Not Racist
The revelation by the actor, Liam Neeson, that he reacted to the rape of his friend by looking for a Black man to attack has generated a lot of publicity. Some of his own comments and the comments of others, … Continue reading
He’s Only Saying What a Lot of People Think
One of the things we can take some pride in here in Ireland is that we haven’t got pulled into an extreme racist and xenophobic type of politics as has happened in some other countries. Having said that, it was … Continue reading
Capitalism, Global Warming and Change
Since the early 1970s, capitalism has become increasingly volatile. Little has been learned from the crash of 2008 and we seem to be moving in the direction of another crash before too long. Many mainstream economists believe it is not … Continue reading
The Political Correctness of Political Correctness!
I saw an advertisement recently for a television programme about political correctness. It reminded me how much I dislike this term. It is a concept used by people of privilege to avoid taking responsibility for their own behaviour. It masquerades … Continue reading
Don’t Call Donald Trump Insane
Efforts to label Donald Trump as mad or insane are seriously misleading and misguided for two important reasons. Firstly, the use of mental health labels has been a particularly damaging feature of the mental health system. Attaching mental illness terms … Continue reading
There’s a Better Alternative to Attacking People
Have you noticed how Facebook postings about Donald Trump from both pro- and anti-Trump positions seem to be mirror-images of each other? For example, many of them, on both sides, adopt a tone of triumphalism or superiority. Or they cite … Continue reading