Letters: As ‘No Kings' protest in US showed, the trick is to outclass the other side
This was no angry mob. It was peaceful, flag-waving and quietly patriotic. The slogans were about liberty, not vengeance; the symbols were constitutional, not cultural. In short, it looked like the America many of us grew up believing in.
And it worked. Donald Trump, who never likes to lose face, has already begun retreating on immigration, tariffs and foreign policy. His showy military parade flopped.
What this tells us – and what Irish eyes might take from it – is that dignity and discipline in protest still carry weight. The trick is not to outshout your opponents, but to outclass them.
In Ireland we know a thing or two about resisting authority, but we also know that it's public opinion, not public fury, that ultimately shifts the ground.
This is not just a moment of American resistance – it may be the quiet revival of the democratic centre.
Enda Cullen, Tullysaran Road, Armagh
Occupied Territories Bill must happen now if we really want to help Gaza
The outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Iran must not distract from Ireland's efforts to help the people of Gaza.
While we look on aghast, world leaders are constrained by commercial interests or strategic alliances. Over centuries, Ireland has demonstrated an ability to overcome such constraints.
During a visit to Ireland in 2022, Hagai El-Ad, the former head of B'Tselem, Israel's great human rights organisation, said this country has a major influence on international humanitarian affairs, disproportionate to its size. Since then, Ireland has failed his region.
The Occupied Territories Bill 2018 (OTB) refines public empathy into practical impact. Its peaceful innovation should have long been shared with the world. However, in 2020 it was blocked by the Government. Unjustified delay has followed, despite the bill having gained large majority support in the Seanad, Dáil and among the electorate.
ADVERTISEMENT
Learn more
On May 27, the Tánaiste's comments in the Dáil on reintroducing the bill hinted at its fundamental dilution. At Gaza's 11th hour, Ireland cannot support such futility or further unnecessary delay.
Rumoured external pressures on public representatives might best be shared with the electorate. Threats of legal challenges to this patently peaceful bill can be confidently faced later, if they arise. Similarly, parliamentary voting on the bill should surely be votes of conscience, away from the party whip system?
Ireland's obligation to serve the innocents of Palestine is also at the 11th hour.
Philip Powell, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin
Garda who came out as gay is a real inspiration to all who celebrate Pride
How refreshing it is to hear a gay man say 'Our sexuality, whatever it is, is a proud part of us all, but it doesn't, nor should it, define us' and 'Just be yourself and be proud of your sexuality. Don't shy away from it' ('Top garda who was married with children before coming out as gay says 'Be yourself and be proud of your sexuality'', June 16).
Compare this with the recent diatribe in the Sunday Independent from author John Boyne, who has become disdainful as he gets older. Fair play to GRA president Mark O'Meara, whose words of wisdom are an inspiration to all who celebrate Pride month.
Tom McElligott, Listowel, Co Kerry
Despite the myth, Gaelic football was popular in Dublin's inner-city schools
In his review of RTÉ's Hell For Leather: The Story of Gaelic Football (June 9), Pat Stacey trots out the old story that no one in the Dublin 2 and 8 areas was interested in the sport when he was growing up in the Liberties in the 1970s.
I beg to differ. Within distance of where Mr Stacey lived were Francis Street and Synge Street Christian Brothers schools. Football and hurling were played in both schools.
There had always been some interest in the Dublin senior football team, even through some unforgettable years. When Kevin Heffernan and the Dubs reached the promised land in 1974, the spark was rekindled, and it still burns brightly to this day.
Perhaps Mr Stacey was too busy watching TV shows or movies to have noticed this.
Ray Healy, Dublin 11
Alone does tremendous work in helping elderly people have a dignified life
I would like to commend and applaud the sterling service of Alone, the national organisation that provides services to older people who need support at home.
The organisation also focuses on those who have difficulties by supporting them and linking them in with local services, thereby providing them with the support they need to live at home for as long as possible.
A recent report by the charity revealed how important community support is for older people and showed a clear reduction in healthcare use and improved quality of life.
The research found that community support enables older people to live with dignity at home. This itself highlights how the services of Alone are transforming the experience of ageing in Ireland.
This support can encompass a wide range of services, including help with daily tasks, access to health care and opportunities for social engagement. Thank you to Alone for all the support it provides to the elderly of this country.
John O'Brien, Clonmel, Co Tipperary
EU needs to ask the big questions of itself over financial help for Ukraine
With the US cancelling military aid to Ukraine, the question now is: Can the EU step up to the plate and fill the void?
In recent months, Europe delivered the fifth tranche of its macro financial assistance loan to Ukraine, which is worth a total of €18bn. But this is a drop in the ocean compared with Russia's $160bn (€138bn) spend on defence this year alone.
The irony is that the EU is dependent on Russian energy sources and provides Putin with €20bn a year to support Moscow's war machine. Europe makes a lot of noise and promises much, but long-term delivery is another matter.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
19 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Russia bombards Kyiv with deadliest strike in months with 14 killed as NATO warplanes scrambled on the border
AT least 14 people have been killed in one of the deadliest attacks on the Ukrainian capital in months. Waves of Russian drones and missiles blitzed Kyiv in a nine hour long attack - with dozens injured. 2 A rescue worker looks for survivors in the rubble of a multi-storey residential house destroyed by a Russian strike in Kyiv 2 An explosion of a drone lights up the sky over the city during a Russian drone strike Vladimir Putin's assault blasted 27 locations around the capital, damaging scores of buildings and critical infrastructure facilities, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said. Branding it one of the largest attacks on the city since Russia invaded in February 2022, he said: "Today, the enemy spared neither drones nor missiles." A total of 14 people have been confirmed dead so far, among them a 62-year-old American citizen. Authorities say at least 44 others have been wounded in strikes on the capital that lasted almost nine hours. Rescuers are continuing to sift through the rubble of residential apartment blocks hit by 175 drones, over 14 cruise missiles and at least two ballistic missiles by Putin's forces. Cruel Vlad's attack lasted nearly nine hours and is the latest in a spate of mass drone and missile attacks on Kyiv. Further blasts in the southern port city of Odesa also injured 13 people, including one child, according to regional governor Oleh Kiper. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said: 'In Kyiv, people are currently trying to get out of the rubble of an ordinary residential building. It is not clear how many there are. Most read in The US Sun "The Russians destroyed an entire entrance.' Poland's military operational commander announced that Nato aircraft had been scrambled amid intense Russian strikes on neighbouring Ukraine. It comes as world leaders met at the Group of Seven meeting in Canada - which Zelensky is expected to attend. The war leader called on Western allies to "finally react the way a civilised society reacts to terrorists". He added: "Putin is doing this solely because he can afford to continue the war. "He wants the war to continue. "It is bad when the powerful of this world turn a blind eye to this. "We are contacting all partners at all possible levels so that there is an appropriate response. Read more on the Irish Sun "It is the terrorists who should feel the pain, not normal, peaceful people.' Zelensky was set to meet Donald Trump in Canada on Tuesday, but the US leader unexpectedly returned to Washington on Monday night instead of Tuesday because of tensions in the Middle East.
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Laws needed on commercial delivery drones as Dublin residents turned into guinea pigs – they can't be pawns in tech race
WE are all used to politicians droning on in Leinster House, but last week it was drones of a different sort that was centre of a Dail debate. The chamber heard that 2 Dublin Central Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon warned Ireland is at a 'tipping point' in the roll-out of commercial drone activity Credit: GARY ASHE - COMMISSIONED BY THE SUN DUBLIN Several TDs raised concerns from their constituents on noise pollution caused by these types of delivery drones. Dublin Central Writing in The Irish Sun today, Gannon says the Government has not kept pace with the industry on regulation. Read more in News The deputy added: 'Commercial drone operators are scaling up fast and they're doing it in a regulatory void. 'That's why people feel unheard. And that's why the Government needs to step in. The question is simple — who is this technology serving right now?' IN theory, drones zipping through the sky with your takeaway order might sound like progress — the kind of futuristic convenience we are expected to be grateful for. But for the people living underneath them, it doesn't feel like progress at all. Most read in The Irish Sun It feels intrusive, it feels unregulated and it feels like something that's been dropped into communities without any real thought for those who live there. Right now, in parts of my constituency like Drumcondra and Glasnevin, drones fly daily above homes, schools, parks and playgrounds. Clearest vid yet of daring Op Spiderweb shows 35 Ukrainian bomb drones blowing up plane after multimillion dollar plane They come with a persistent hum that cuts through double glazing and disrupts life. This isn't the future — it's here and it's operating in a vacuum, without a shred of regulation on how it impacts people, our communities or even the environment. I raised this issue in the Dail as residents are rightly frustrated. They are not anti-technology. They are not anti-innovation. What they are opposed to is being turned into guinea pigs in a commercial trial that no one signed up for. A trial that is now unfolding directly over their homes. NO PROPER RULES There are no proper rules in place to assess or address how drones affect quality of life. The Irish Aviation Authority has said as much. While the IAA handles licensing and air safety, the 'how to fly' part, it has no remit over issues that actually matter to so many residents — noise, planning, environmental impact or how drones interact with people in dense urban areas. Take Drumcondra, for example. It was recently named as Ireland's first autism-friendly village. And that recognition comes with a duty to protect sensory and environmental stability. The repetitive drone noise — particularly from models using LIDAR (light detection and ranging) — cuts through that calm and undermines the work being done to make the community more inclusive for its neurodivergent residents. RESTRICTED ZONE And then there is the environmental risk. This part of the city is a vital urban wildlife corridor. It is home to protected bats and nesting birds, yet drones are already flying through these zones without any environmental assessments, with no permits, and without any oversight. That's not innovation — that's recklessness. When local residents met with the IAA, the agency acknowledged these problems and they proposed a practical solution — a temporary drone restricted zone. But for that to happen, the Minister for Transport must act. So far, however, there's been silence. COMMON SENSE APPROACH What we are asking for isn't radical. We're not calling for a ban. We're calling for common sense, for regulations to catch up with technology, and for communities to be protected in the meantime. If remote or rural areas want to pilot drone delivery services, that's different. But high-density urban neighbourhoods in Dublin were never meant to become airborne delivery corridors. Because the families in Glasnevin, the older residents in Drumcondra, the children with sensory needs and the communities trying to protect their local environment — none of them are asking for drone deliveries. LOCALS WANT PEACE They are just asking for peace, for quiet and also for someone to listen to them. Too often, 'innovation' is used as a shield. Raise a concern and you're labelled 'anti-progress'. But that's nonsense. Residents here have engaged in good faith with the drone operator, the IAA and with elected representatives. Their ask is totally reasonable — to be heard and to see their needs reflected in the rules. What they have received instead is silence. And worse, a sense that commercial interests are being waved through while the Government looks the other way. CONCERNS IGNORED We've seen this story before. Hype outpaces regulation, warnings are ignored and communities pay the price. Each time, residents were told not to worry. Each time, their concerns were justified. Communities should not be treated as afterthoughts in the race to adopt shiny new tech. Drone delivery might have a role to play in future. But only if the future is shaped by the people who live in it. 2 Ireland's skies could soon be as busy as our roads as drones deliver 'burgers and lattes' Credit: Getty Images - Getty
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Government plot unlikely new housing crisis solution with ‘wood first' move as Healy Rae-backed plan details revealed
THE Government is branching out in its bid to solve the housing crisis with a new 'Wood First' plan that will see timber become the main building material used to build our homes, schools and libraries. It comes as the Cabinet will today give the green light to emergency legislation to extend 3 A new 'Wood first' procurement policy will be launched to ensure that timber is the 'material of choice' in the construction of public buildings Credit: Getty Images - Getty 3 Forestry Minister Micheal Healy-Rae said Ireland has excellent forest resources that are being underused in our construction sector A series of memos will go before the Cabinet today that are aimed at trying to address the Minister Martin Heydon will bring forward the first report from the Government's Timber in Construction Steering Group which calls on the State to use wood more when Forestry Minister Micheal Healy-Rae has worked with the steering group on the report which notes that Ireland has excellent forest resources that are being underused in our construction sector. The steering group believes that our forests have the capacity to supply the timber needed to build Read more in News A new 'Wood first' procurement policy will be launched on the back of the report which will see State bodies ensure that timber is the "material of choice" in the construction of public buildings including schools, libraries and housing. Forestry Minister Micheal Healy-Rae told the Irish Sun: 'If we are trying to build twenty or thirty or sixty thousand houses – every one of those will need a roof and the most environmentally friendly way you can build a roof is not with steel or anything else – it is wood. 'Again with all the partitions in houses you have people who will want to use steel fixing or concrete but at the end of the day I am encouraging people to use wood instead. 'Timber framed houses made in a factory were very big during the Boomy Boom and people will tell you to use others instead like concrete but I think we should be promoting timber. Most read in Money 'We can grow it ourselves. It's our own indigenous resource. It is renewable. You plant it and it grows here, you cut it down and use it and you plant it again and it creates work locally.' Three other plans to try tackle the housing crisis will be brought to Cabinet today by Housing Minister James Browne as Government try to speed up the slow planning process. Sinn Fein housing spokesman Eoin O Broin reacts to record number of homeless people As part of the new measures, former HSE boss Paul Reid will be appointed as chairman of the revamped Coimisiun Pleanala, which will replace An Bord Pleanala. The new Commission will have mandatory times for planning applications to be complete in a bid to speed up the clogged up system. The Cabinet will also be asked to give the Land Development Agency additional powers to develop all types of housing on public land and remove some current checks to speed up the process. The final motion on housing to be brought to Cabinet will be emergency legislation to NEW LAW RUSH This follows the launch of the Government's new rent form strategy last week which has left them scrambling to draw up emergency legislation to prevent landlords cashing in on the long lead in time for the changes. The plan launched last week will see the entire country covered by rent controls with a two per cent cap but with landlords given the power to 'reset' their rent prices every six years or for every new tenancy. These changes were due to kick in from March 1 next year with opposition parties highlighting that the delay in extending the two per cent rent cap would enable landlords in areas that are not currently designated pressure zones jack up their prices before the new rule starts. As a result, Minister Browne will today bring forward emergency legislation that will be rushed through the 3 The Government's new rent form strategy was launched last week Credit: Getty Images - Getty
