Sean Ardagh FF TD blockaded by Anti-War Protestors / Barry Andrews too - see comments

national | miscellaneous | news report Friday March 28, 2003 02:42 by Damien Moran - Dublin Catholic Worker 'Pit-Stop Ploughshares' dbamoran at hotmail dot com 087 9638398

Sean Ardagh FF TD blockaded by Anti-War Protestors

After slipping the net from his Crumlin office, evading peace demonstrators, Sean Ardagh FF TD was eventually confronted with the truth of his, and his party colleagues complicity, in the barbaric slaughter of innocent men, women, and children in Iraq.
While attending a Social Services clinic near Mount Argus, Mr. Ardagh, stood-by in arrogant dismissal of the 15 or so anti-war protestors who surrounded the doorway.
Photographs of innocent Iraqis were placed at his feet while chants of 'Blood on your Hands' and 'No War, No Blood for Oil, No US Warplanes on our soil' were melodically conducted by Rory Aherne of the IAWM.

By closing the door om his constituents, Mr. Ardagh showed his contempt for and lack of will to listen to the people who helped put him where he is today.
He kicked photographs of Iraqi children, maimed and injured from US B52 bombardments in Baghdad, outside when they were placed inside the door. And just like a bad flu is hard to shake off, the war resisters were unwilling to be dismissed so lightly. The pictures of Iraqis and information leaflets about Saturday's protest were inserted in the letter box for Mr. Ardagh.
Bringing to mind the precedent of civilians, soldiers, and police debilitating the Berlin Wall together in solidarity, I hope Mr. Ardagh will seriously consider retracting Fianna Fail's active participation as an integral though subtly covert member of the 'Coalition of the Killing'. Mr. Ardagh has been invited to ask for the demilitarisation of Shannon Airport, and the end of overflights for belligerent forces at war, i.e. US/UK.
A vigil was then held, consisting of Anti-War banners, candles, and a very well received'Beep for Peace' sign.

As he attempted to once again blank out the presence of those determined to non-violently vent their anti-war sentiments, Mr .Ardagh was followed to his car. More pictures and flyers became a welcome and overdue part of the exterior decoration of his 01-D Merc.
The stylish machine was blocked for a further 100 metres as it attempted to flee the scene.
Congratulations to Rory Aherne and the IAWM crew who organised the demo. It was fantastically organic and empowering, aswell as gender and age inclusive.
The transition from symbolic protest towards non-violent direct action and it's positive effects were embodied throughout the witness. War is being waged totally. Partial peace-campaigning and activism will not succeed.

As Pope Paul VI reminded us: 'If you want peace, work for justice. And if you want justice, work for peace.'
Regardless of your faith/culture, I invite you to consider working for peace and justice in the spirit of non-violence through direct action.

With the immortal paraphrased words of Edmund Burke I leave thee to reflect upon this invitation:
All it takes for evil to reign, is for good people to do nothing.

In peaceful solidarity,
Damien