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Sacred Heart University DigitalCommons@SHU American Irish Newsletter The rI ish American Community Collections 5-1988 American Irish Newsletter - April - May 1988 American Ireland Education Foundation - PEC Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.sacredheart.edu/irish_ainews Part of the European Languages and Societies Commons, Other American Studies Commons, and the Political Science Commons Recommended Citation American Ireland Education Foundation - PEC, "American Irish Newsletter - April - May 1988" (1988). American Irish Newsletter. Paper 149. http://digitalcommons.sacredheart.edu/irish_ainews/149 This Newsletter is brought to you for free and open access by the The rI ish American Community Collections at DigitalCommons@SHU. It has been accepted for inclusion in American Irish Newsletter by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@SHU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE AMERICAN IRISH NEWSLETTER The Newsletter of the Action Irish Vol. 13, No. 2 APRIL/MAY, 1988 MacBride Principles Update Appeal To U.S. Congress by Pat Doherty, Administrative Associate to Harrison Goldin, Comptroller, City of New York It is time that Congress stop playing nedys and Moynihans, who helped get the Another British Minister, John Stanley, sarial arrangement will unfairly benefit games with the lives and rights of Irish U.S. involved in the Anglo-Irish Agreement was in the United States last month to employers, who are better able than people. To continue its support for the mess. Listen up Congress! The problem lobby against MacBride, along with a complainants to bear the costs of a quasi­ British government, our Congress is in Northern Ireland is colonialism. team of almost a dozen officials. Finally, judicial proceeding. knowingly supporting state-sponsored oppression and cold-blooded murder. Our We are certain that if Congress learns the British have hired professional 4. The “merit principle" — The merit lobbyists in most of the eleven states now Congress must start to treat seriously the the truth,' they will act accordingly. principle is reaffirmed, and Secretary of issue of British colonialism in Ireland. It Congress has given Britain ample time — considering MacBride legislation. Media State Tom King cautioned against the use commentator and former Carter admin­ is time that Congress suspend funding for 20 years — to end discrimination and the of goals and timetables, for minority ap­ the Anglo-Irish Agreement (see From The abuse of human rights. istration official, Hodding Carter is help­ pointment, saying that they would put ing to recruit lobbyists for this purpose. Editor page 2) and join with Senator Frank undue pressure on the merit principle. Lautenberg (D, New Jersey) who has We must bring pressure to bear on New Government Proposals The adoption of goals and timetables is publicly called for Senate hearings on the Congress. We can start by writing the Last month, the British revealed the declared to be legal, however. use of US funds, and call for hearings on letters requested in the MacBride outlines of their new legislative proposals the MacBride Principles. This is important Principles Campaign Appeal. Also, sign which will be presented to Parliament in One Recommended Approach so that they too, like many state legislators the postcards and mail them. Or even their final form in the fall. The main In answer to inquiries about the who have to deal with MacBride Prin­ better, after you mail your letters, have proposals outlined are as follows: proposed legislative changes our office ciples legislation, become educated on someone else sign and mail the 1. Compulsory Monitoring — All public has been pointing out that our primary Ireland’s “British problem”. They must postcards. We also ask that you write the complaint has never been with the Fair employers, and all private employers with know just what they are supporting. It is requested very important Action Letters more than ten employees, will be required Employment legislation itself, but rather time that Congress says no to the Ken- which appear on last page. to monitor the religious composition of with the lack of its enforcement by the their workforce: there will be criminal British government. penalties for non-compliance. Although the current Fair Employment Act of 1976 is inadequate in many Legislative Update 2. Contract Compliance — Employers respects, if it had been vigorously en­ adjudged not to be providing equality of forced from the start, significant progress MAINE — The citizens of Maine have more favorable than predicted stated Leah opportunity in employment will be ineligi­ towards equality would, by now, have spoken out in overwhelming support of the Curtin, PEC State Director and co­ ble for government grants and contracts. taken place. A point Comptroller Harrison Principles. On March 7 the Maine State organizer. Leah also reported the adop­ However, the core of the contract Goldin often makes concerning the Senate approved MacBride legisiation by tion of legislation by the city of St. Paul and compliance program is to be a “Declara­ human rights guarantees contained in the a vote of 22 to 10. On March 16 the House that on February 23, 18 Presidential tion of Fair Employment Practice,” which Soviet Constitution is relevant here. of Representatives voted 89 to 49 to adopt Caucuses in the St. Paul area adopted will be a set of employment guidelines Rights granted on paper are meaningless the bill. However, according to Shannon resolutions supporting the MacBride Prin­ analogous with the MacBride Principles. if they are not enforced. The key question Eaton, PEC State Director and campaign ciples. British Consul General, Roger The government now says that these new before us, is how strongly will the govern­ organizer, under intense pressure from Carrick (Chicago) was granted the right guidelines will not be in the legislation but ment enforce the new legislation, and the both the Reagan Administration and the to address the House of Representatives. will be promulgated after the fact. This will answer to this question must await the British government. Republican Governor He was directed not to speak on the Mac­ effectively delay implementation of implementation of the new legislative and John McKernan plans to veto the bill. Bride Bill. His remarks reminded Minne­ contract compliance until 1991 at the administrative framework. Continued Governor McKernan has received many sota legislators (get this) “how England earliest. This omission prompted Belfast pressure by the U.S. proponents of the phone calls from his_ constituents, came to the aid of the US in two World MacBride sponsor Inez McCormack to MacBride Principles-is the best wayTo including John FinUCane, riational presi­ Wars”’and then feHd1i6 would t»e in the ask “Where’s the beef?” guarantee strong enforcement. dent of the PEC, urging he respect the will antiroom (off limits to lobbying) to discuss 3. New “Fair Employment Commission" Any successful program for the elimina­ of the citizens of Maine and allow the bill any issues. Representatives Joe Quinn — The Fair Employment Agency will be tion of inequalities in employment in to become law. MICHIGAN - After a long and Chuck Brown followed him into the replaced by a Fair Employment Commis­ Northern Ireland will inevitably have to be campaign by Michigan’s proponents of the antiroom, found him lobbying and had him sion with a much larger budget and staff. based on the MacBride Principles. To the MacBride Principles, Rudy Nichols, chair­ removed. NEW HAMPSHIRE - On However, the hearing of individual cases extent that the government now says that man of the Senate Judiciary Committee, February 9, MacBride legislation was of discrimination is to be handled by a it is ready to adopt a number of those prin­ has finally conceded to allow his commit­ voted down in the House of Represen­ separate tribunal. FEA Chairman Bob ciples, well and good; but we will have to tee to conduct hearings on the Principles. tatives. Tom O’Flaherty, PEC State Direc­ Cooper criticized this aspect of the await their implementation to be able to Nichols had been blocking hearings due tor, co-organizer and registered lobbyist, proposals, claiming that such an adver- render a final judgement. to intense pressure from the Reagan informs us that the defeat was expected Administration and the British government. and is not a disaster. He stated, “In Another case of individuals interfering with October of 1987, there was no such thing the expressed democratic wishes of the as an American Irish movement in New national president, American Irish citizenry. On March 10, the Wayne County Hampshire. Today there is a viable Political Education Committee (PEC), Legislature, Michigan’s largest county organization working for the bills adop­ News Bits “We will soon galvanize American Irish which includes Detroit, voted unanimous­ tion. Hence, we have another full year to activism into a powerful political force ly to adopt the MacBride Principles. educate the citizens of New Hampshire”. by Kathy Regan with an office in Washington, DC . According to Jack Cahill, state coor­ Tom further stated, “the longer it takes to Look ahead for a major MacBride British government repression and dinator, in 1987 the bill was unanimously pass the bill, the greater will be the Principles/Civil Rights rally in violence, too long tolerated and in some adopted in the Assembly by a vote of 97 number of Americans informed of the true Washington, DC in October (AIN-PEC cases encouraged, by world government to 0, the Detroit City Council voted nature of British colonialism in Ireland. and religious leaders, and the victims 3/88). unanimously to support MacBride as did Either way, we win”. VERMONT — response to it, will continue as long as the the House of Representatives Civil Rights Hearings on MacBride legislation were issues of colonialism and injustice are not A shopkeeper in the Bronx received a Committee.

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