Preparing for Bush visit

galway | anti-war / imperialism | opinion/analysis

Friday April 02, 2004 16:29

by galway grassrootser - galway grassroots

George Bush is to visit Ireland on the 25th and 26th of June 2004. While this is probably just an attempt to win the Irish-American vote, it presents us with an opportunity to link the widespread animosity towards Dubya with the ongoing local resistance to the US war machine.

Ireland is complicit in the current war effort. By allowing US warplanes to refuel in Shannon the Irish government has shown its support for the war, and, according to international law, violated our constitutional neutrality.

The actual details of the Bush visit are pretty sketchy. A quick google of today's news turned up this:

"US President George Bush will stay at Dromoland Castle, Co Clare when he visits Ireland in June, it was reported today."

http://212.2.162.45/news/story.asp?j=99578476&p=99579y8z&n=99579236

Georgie porgie's visit will include an EU-US summit, so big protests should be expected. June is prime summit-hopping season, and, to the best of our knowledge, there is nothing major on anywhwere else in Europe at this time.

So, we could let this just be a weekend of protest tourism, where people come out, wave their placards/take some direct action (depending on what camp you're in) and then go back home and forget all about it till the next major summit.

Or, we could seize this opportunity to breathe new life into anti-war activity in this country.

In this spirit, you are cordially invited to the beginning of George W. Bush’s worst nightmare…

(black hoodie/protest dress de rigeur)

What: A meeting to implement the following proposals coming from Galway Grassroots (subsequently modified by a meeting of individuals from various anti-wargroups in Dublin on the 21st):

(1) That when Dubya comes we go to Shannon….

Why: All indications are he is going to be using the airport, and more importantly imperialism’s troops are there all the time (furthermore we know the airport, and know where it is, as opposed to finding out 3 days
before hand where the summit will take place). This does not preclude other actions elsewhere, just that our main emphasis should be on Shannon, and also that
we need this to be a part of building a long term resistance for when there is a Democlian in the White House, and not just an anti-Bush flash in the pan.

(2) That to get ready we need to establish broad working groups to fulfil specific tasks:

(broad means you are welcome, these are intended to encompass people within and without the network around the Grassroots Gathering)

Such as – Finance

Legal Support

Defendant Support
(for the prior estalbishment of arrangements including a fund to contribute to legal costs/fines/rent)

Publicity (national and international)
(to be broad based and include Top Oil Boycott as an'entry point')

Outreach (getting other groups involved)

Technical (doing web stuff)

Accommodation

This is not an action planning meeting (yes there needs to be one of those too!!!), this is not time for long winded debate and discussion – have it over a
pint later, this is a meeting for implementation of those proposals, that is to say we break up into a publicity group, a finance group, etc… on the day and start drawing up concrete plans and allotting responsibilities.

But I can’t make it…

O.K. if you want to come on board contact:
galwaygrassroots@yahoo.com and let us know what you
are volunteering to contribute.

errr you forgot to tell us when….

Next Saturday: April 3rd, 2pm, in The Hub, NUI Galway
(that’s the university formerly known as UCG)
(for a map go to grassrootsgathering.freeservers.com)

O.K. Folks that’s the stick, and the carrot is that night we are having a fundraiser with ska/soul djs in Richardsons at 9:30