Working for justice and praying for peace in Ireland...
WELCOME TO THE IRISH NATIONAL CAUCUS BLOG
Ceade Mile Failte -- hundred thousand welcomes!
We believe the U.S. has a vital role to play by applying a single -- not a double-standard in its foreign policies towards human rights in Ireland. In particular, we believe the U.S. must not subsidize anti-Catholic discrimination in Northern Ireland. That is why the Irish National Caucus in 1984 initiated the MacBride Principles.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
US Group Calls for End to UK's Absurd Catholic Monarchy Ban
US Group Calls For An End To UK's 'Absurd' Catholic Monarchy Ban
By Conor McMorrow Sunday Tribune(Dublin) Sunday, September 23, 2007
An Irish-American lobby group has invited each US Presidential candidates and members of Congress to pledge their support for a new campaign to repeal the 1701 British Act of Settlement.
Fr Sean McManus, President of the Capitol-hill based Irish National Caucus group, launched the campaign to repeal the "archaic" eighteenth century act last week.
The Act of Settlement decrees that only a Protestant can succeed to the British throne and that if the monarch becomes a Catholic, or marries a Catholic, they forfeit the throne and "the people are absolved from their allegiance."
In a statement issued to the Sunday Tribune, McManus said, "While this absurdly anachronistic law may mean little to the average Englishman in the street, it has always been of the utmost importance to Protestant/Unionist/Orange extremists in Northern Ireland.
"It provides the ideological and philosophical underpinnings for their bigotry and sectarianism. If a Catholic by law can't get the top job, then Catholics are inferior to Protestants, therefore it's okay to discriminate against them."
McManus claims that if the US Constitution had a provision forbidding African-Americans from being president that it "would have stoked the flames of racism and the sick ideology ofg white supremacy."
The campaign has now issued each member of the US Congress with a "Roll Call on the Act of Settlement, 1701" where they can call for the repeal of the Act and support the Irish Peace Process.
Above the space on the Roll Call form where each Senator signs their support for the campaign a statement reads "God bless America and God save
Ireland".
The Irish National Caucus was founded by McManus and it is best known for its work in lobbying for the MacBride Principles, which are a corporate code of conduct for US companies doing business in Northern Ireland, in the 1980s and 1990s.
Meanwhile, a 2001 backbench bill proposed in the House of Commons by Hull MP Kevin McNamara seeking an end to the bar on Roman Catholics succeeding the British throne came under fire from DUP leader Ian Paisley.
Speaking of his proposal, McNamara claimed "I am looking, in this bill, to strike at discrimination and intolerance in our society. I am looking to assist the process of inclusion."
However Paisley accused McNamara of trying to "underwrite the constitution" and said the link between religion and the monarchy had served the country well.
He argued that several other European countries, such as Sweden and Spain, kept the constitutional link between religion and monarchy.
Paisley was unavailable for comment when contacted by the Tribune this weekend but a DUP spokesman indicated that his position on the 1701 had not changed.
-ends-
Father Sean Mc Manus President Irish National Caucus P.O. Box 15128 Capitol Hill Washington, D.C. 20003-0849 202-544-0568
AOH Backs Caucus Campaign To Repeal Act of Settlement
IRISH NATIONAL CAUCUS
PRESS RELEASE
Washington AOH Backs Caucus Campaign To Repeal Act of Settlement.
Capitol Hill. Sunday, September 23, 2007---It did not take long for the Irish National Caucus to pick up influential support for its campaign to repeal the anti-Catholic provisions in the British Act of Settlement, 1701.
The campaign was launched in an OP-Ed piece by Caucus president, Fr. Sean Mc Manus, in the Irish Echo, which appeared on Wednesday, September 22, 2007. Just three days later, on September 22, the Washington AOH, in convention assembled, passed a unanimous resolution endorsing in "solidarity" the Caucus campaign and urging the US Congress to call upon," the British Parliament to repeal this affront to human rights and to eliminate any all state-sponsored bigotry and sectarianism"
Fr. Mc Manus expressed delight appreciation at the AOH resolution: "This will clearly send the message to Congress that a united Irish-American community, whether Democratic or Republican, wants them to sign our "Roll Call", declaring their support for Repeal."
The Irish National Caucus wrote to all Members of Congress, House and Senate, asking them to sign an enclosed document, "Roll Call on Act of Settlement", which states they," do hereby declare my support for REPEAL.I join the growing number of leaders of both Church and State in Britain, Ireland and the United States in calling for the repeal of the sectarian and anti-Catholic sections of the Act of Settlement, 1701.
And I pledge to Irish-Americans to continue supporting the Irish peace-process, based on nonviolence, equality, justice and peace in Northern Ireland". (See letter and Roll Call below).
Fr. Mc Manus concluded by congratulating the Washington AOH for their swift and decisive action. He also praised AOH National President, Jack Meehan. "Jack's presence added strength to the Washington AOH resolution. He assured me he would make certain that Hibernians all across America would throw their weight behind the Caucus campaign".
END OF PRESS RELEASE ----
LETTER AND ROLL CALL FOLLOWS
The Honorable ___________ U.S. Senate Washington, DC. 20510
September 18, 2007
Dear Senator/Representative_________,
This letter -- which asks you to state your position on repealing the anti-Catholic sections of the British Act of Settlement of 1701-- has overwhelmingly support among Irish-Americans. Furthermore, it is supported by the main Irish organizations that have been working for over the years for equality, justice and peace in Northern Ireland.
The sectarian and anti-Catholic Act of Settlement 1701, which is still law today, decrees that only a Protestant can succeed to the British throne and that if the Monarch becomes a Catholic, or marries a Catholic, he/she forfeits the Throne and "the people are absolved from their allegiance".
While this absurdly anachronistic law may mean little to the average Englishman in the street, it has always been of the utmost importance to Protestant/Unionist/Orange extremists in Northern Ireland. It provides the ideological and philosophical underpinnings for their bigotry and sectarianism. For you see, the spurious but deadly logic goes, if a Catholic by law can't get the top job, then Catholics are inferior to Protestants, therefore it's okay to discriminate against them.
Imagine had there been a provision in the US Constitution forbidding an African-American being president, or forbidding the president to marry a black person imagine how that would have stoked the flames of racism and the sick ideology of white supremacy.
Tony Blair, who has done so much good work for justice and peace in Northern Ireland, declared the Act was "plainly discriminatory". Furthermore, an increasing number of people in Britain itself are shamed and embarrassed by this archaic and anti-Catholic law -- which is clearly incompatible with the Human Rights Act 1998 -- and are demanding its repeal.
Here is a partial list: the British Attorney General, more than 150 MPs, the Cardinal of Scotland, the Cardinal of England and the Guardian Newspaper.
We now ask you to join this growing list of concerned people in the US, Britain and Ireland, by declaring your support for repealing the sectarian and anti-Catholic sections of the Act of Settlement, which fans the fires of religious bigotry in Northern Ireland.
Please find enclosed our "Roll Call on Act of Settlement, 1701", which polls all Members of the House and Senate on whether they are for or against Repeal. (A similar poll will be sent to Presidential Candidates and others seeking public office). Your response, or lack thereof, will be disseminated among the Irish- American community, which according to the last US census is over 30 million.
I look forward to your early response. Thank you.
Sincerely, Fr. Sean Mc Manus President ********
ROLL CALL ON ACT OF SETTLEMENT, 1701
I, Senator (Representative)_______________________________ do hereby declare my support for REPEAL.
I join the growing number of leaders of both Church and State in Britain, Ireland and the United States in calling for the repeal of the sectarian and anti-Catholic sections of the Act of Settlement, 1701.
And I pledge to Irish-Americans to continue supporting the Irish peace-process, based on nonviolence, equality, justice and peace in Northern Ireland.
God bless America and God save Ireland.
SIGNED _________________________ Date________
Irish National Caucus, Capitol Hill, PO BOX 15128, Washington DC, 20003 Tel. 202-544-0568; Fax 202-488-7537; Email sean@irishnationalcaucus.org
Here is a copy of letter sent to all Members of Congress, House and Senate, lobbying them to state their support for repealing the anti-Catholic sections of the British Act of Settlement, 1701.
We urge all concerned Americans to lobby their Senators and Representatives. After all, what decent American could possibly defend this anachronistic and sectarian law?
********************************ß***
The Honorable ___________ U.S. Senate Washington, DC. 20510
September 18, 2007
Dear Senator_________-,
This letter -- which asks you to state your position on repealing the anti-Catholic sections of the British Act of Settlement of 1701-- has overwhelmingly support among Irish-Americans.
Furthermore, it is supported by the main Irish organizations that have been working for over the years for equality, justice and peace in Northern Ireland.
The sectarian and anti-Catholic Act of Settlement 1701, which is still law today, decrees that only a Protestant can succeed to the British throne and that if the Monarch becomes a Catholic, or marries a Catholic, he/she forfeits the Throne and "the people are absolved from their allegiance".
While this absurdly anachronistic law may mean little to the average Englishman in the street, it has always been of the utmost importance to Protestant/Unionist/Orange extremists in Northern Ireland. It provides the ideological and philosophical underpinnings for their bigotry and sectarianism. For you see, the spurious but deadly logic goes, if a Catholic by law can't get the top job, then Catholics are inferior to Protestants, therefore it's okay to discriminate against them.
Imagine had there been a provision in the US Constitution forbidding an African-American being president, or forbidding the president to marry a black personŠ imagine how that would have stoked the flames of racism and the sick ideology of white supremacy.
Tony Blair, who has done so much good work for justice and peace in Northern Ireland, declared the Act was " plainly discriminatory"
Furthermore, an increasing number of people in Britain itself are shamed and embarrassed by this archaic and anti-Catholic law -- which is clearly incompatible with the Human Rights Act 1998 -- and are demanding its repeal.
Here is a partial list: the British Attorney General, more than 150 MPs, the Cardinal of Scotland, the Cardinal of England and the Guardian Newspaper.
We now ask you to join this growing list of concerned people in the US, Britain and Ireland, by declaring your support for repealing the sectarian and anti-Catholic sections of the Act of Settlement, which fans the fires of religious bigotry in Northern Ireland.
Please find enclosed our " Roll Call on Act of Settlement, 1701", which polls all Members of the House and Senate on whether they are for or against Repeal. (A similar poll will be sent to Presidential Candidates and others seeking public office). Your response, or lack thereof, will be disseminated among the Irish- American community, which according to the last US census is over 30 million.
I look forward to your early response.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Fr. Sean Mc Manus President
ROLL CALL ON ACT OF SETTLEMENT, 1701
I, Senator _______________________________ do hereby declare my support for REPEAL.
I join the growing number of leaders of both Church and State in Britain, Ireland and the United States in calling for the repeal of the sectarian and anti-Catholic sections of the Act of Settlement, 1701.
And I pledge to Irish-Americans to continue supporting the Irish peace-process, based on nonviolence, equality, justice and peace in Northern Ireland.
God bless America and God save Ireland.
SIGNED _________________________ Date________
Irish National Caucus, Capitol Hill, PO BOX 15128, Washington DC, 20003
Irish-American Campaign To Repeal British Act of Settlement, 1701
Irish-American Campaign To Repeal British Act Of Settlement, 1701
CAPITOL HILL. SEPTEMBER 20, 2007 ------ The US Congress and all Presidential Candidates are being pressured to take a stand against the British Act of Settlement, 1701, which contain anti- Catholic provisions.
The Capitol Hill-based Irish National Caucus is spearheading the campaign. Its president, Fr. Sean Mc Manus, launched the campaign in an Op-Ed piece in this week's Irish Echo. In his letter to all Members of Congress House and Senate, Fr. Mc Manus tells them:
"The sectarian Act, which is still law today, decrees that only a Protestant can succeed to the British throne and that if the Monarch becomes a Catholic, or marries a Catholic, he/she forfeits the Throne and "the people are absolved from their allegiance".
While this absurdly anachronistic law may mean little to the average Englishman in the street, it has always been of the utmost importance to Protestant/Unionist/Orange extremists in Northern Ireland. It provides the ideological and philosophical underpinnings for their bigotry and sectarianism. For you see, the spurious but deadly logic goes, if a Catholic by law can't get the top job, then Catholics are inferior to Protestants, therefore it's okay to discriminate against them.
Imagine had there been a provision in the US Constitution forbidding an African-American being president, or forbidding the president to marry a black personŠ imagine how that would have stoked the flames of racism and the sick ideology of white supremacy. Tony Blair, who has done so much good work for justice and peace in Northern Ireland, declared the Act was "plainly discriminatory"
Furthermore, an increasing number of people in Britain itself are shamed and embarrassed by this archaic and anti-Catholic law -- which is clearly incompatible with the Human Rights Act 1998 -- and are demanding its repeal. Here is a partial list: the British Attorney General, more than 150 MPs, the Cardinal of Scotland, the Cardinal of England and the Guardian Newspaper.
We now ask you to join this growing list of concerned people in the US, Britain and Ireland, by declaring your support for repealing the sectarian and anti-Catholic sections of the Act of Settlement, which fans the fires of religious bigotry in Northern Ireland.
Please find enclosed our "Roll Call on Act of Settlement, 1701", which polls all Members of the House and Senate on whether they are for or against Repeal. (A similar poll will be sent to Presidential Candidates and others seeking public office). Your response, or lack thereof, will be disseminated among the Irish- American community, which according to the last US census is over 30 million."
Fr. Mc Manus predicted that the Repeal Campaign would be very effective. He pointed out: " It took Irish-American pressure to effectively raise the issue of anti-Catholic discrimination by US companies in Northern Ireland through the Mac Bride Principles, to get Candidate Bill Clinton to make his Irish promises, to get Special Envoy appointed, etc. Now we have the Act of Settlement in our sights, and we are not going to go away, you know. It is pointless to complain about the sectarianism of Orange extremists if we don't first attack the foundation of that extremism, the Act of Settlement --- and the Orangemen did not make that law. The British Monarch and the British Parliament did.
END
Father Sean Mc Manus President Irish National Caucus P.O. Box 15128 Capitol Hill Washington, D.C. 20003-0849 202-544-0568
