Irish National Caucus

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.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

MARIAN PRICE CASE LOOMS LARGE AT NI BUREAU BREAKFAST


Capitol HILL -- Wednesday, March 20, 2013 --- Some weeks ago Fr. Sean Mc Manus -- president of the Capitol Hill-based Irish National Caucus and the Holy Land Principles, Inc. -- predicted that the case of Marian Price would cast a shadow over the St. Patrick's Day period no matter what fine words were spoken in Washington about progress in Northern Ireland.
Fr. Mc Manus (who recently visited Marian in her prison-hopital in Belfast) made sure his prediction would be fulfilled. He explained:
"At the NI Bureau Breakfast this morning,  I raised Marian's case with every single person I spoke with  -- Martin Mc Guinness, Pat Ramsey, SDLP, Alasdair Mc Donnell, SDLP,  representatives of the PSNI, the office of Congressman Chris Smith ( R-NJ) and TDs from southern Ireland."
Fr. Mc Manus  continued: "However, I did not have to raise the issue with Pat Ramsey. He sought me out to raise Marian's case. I was delighted to meet him. He has shown impressive concern for Marian, and he escorted her from prison so she could attend the recent  wake of her beloved sister Dolours."

He added: "If the British-NI Government wanted to give credence to the Dissident's case -- namely,  that the Government cannot be trusted to protect human rights and equality -- they could not have chosen a better way to do it than their cruel, inhumane and stupid  treatment of  this iconic Irish patriot."

Fr. Mc Manus concluded: "Congress cannot ignore this gross violation of human rights. This case cries out for a Congressional Hearing. It is the most flagrant, ongoing case of human rights violation in Northern Ireland today."

Saturday, March 09, 2013

ORBIT/FR : CONTEMPT FOR FAIR EMPLOYMENT IN THE HOLY LAND



CAPITOL HILL. THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013 --- ORBIT/FR, Horsham, PA., describes itself as, " dedicated to supporting the antenna test and measurement needs of the defense, aerospace, telecommunication, automotive, academic and research communities."
It also says it strives  "to develop a working environment that encourages ... positive attitudes ... among all our employees.”… Until asked, that is, to sign the Holy Land Principles – a corporate code of conduct for American companies doing business in Palestine-Israel. Then the attitude is far from positive.
Fr. Sean Mc Manus, president of the Capitol Hill- based Irish National Caucus, in 1984 launched the Mac Bride Principles upon which the Holy Land Principles are based – and also launched the Holy Land Principles on International Human Rights Day, December 10, 2012, after he retuned from a visit to the Holy Land.
The Irish-born priest said: “ I am quite taken aback by the reaction we have received from ORBIT/FR. When we wrote to them – as we did to all American companies doing business in The Holy Land --  they responded by telling us to take them of our list. We asked them why would we do that since our job was to get all the companies to sign the Holy Land Principles. A Ms. Lisa Fugelo replied for the company emailing us: “Because your emails are spam and that is where this is going.” ( See her emails below).Now clearly our emails are not spam, which the dictionary defines as, “
irrelevant or inappropriate messages sent on the Internet to a large number of recipients.” 
Fr. Mc Manus explained: “ I had mailed a personalized  letter to  the CEO.,  Per Iverson, and the Investor Relations Contact, with copies of my Memoirs, My American Struggle for Justice in Northern Ireland … And The Holy Land. And we then followed up with two further emails. There is, therefore, no way our communications could be considered as spam. This is a deliberate insult, and a mark of contempt for the fair employment principles embodied in the Holy Land Principles. It is so unprofessional, and totally unacceptable. We shall not be deterred in our efforts to get ORBIT/FR to sign the Holy Land Principles. The objective observer would surely see that their attitude all the more proves their need to sign The Principles.”

Wednesday, March 06, 2013

MY AMERICAN STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE IN NORTHERN IRELAND ,,, AND THE HOLY LAND



CLICK ON FLYER TO ENLARGE IT.


VISIT OUR HOLY LAND PRINCIPLES WEBSITE:



COMPLICITY AT HARDWOOD LLOYD, NJ



CAPITOL HILL. Wednesday, March 6, 2013 --- If silence is, indeed, consent, then a major New Jersey law firm, that  specializes in employment law, is complicit in insulting the Mac Bride Principles and the Holy Land Principles. The Mac Bride Principles -- a corporate code of conduct for American companies doing business in Northern Ireland --- were passed into NJ state law in July 1987. Their offspring, the Holy Land Principles -- a corporate code of conduct for American companies doing business the the Holy land -- were launched on International Human Rights Day,December 10, 2013.
Fr. Sean Mc Manus,  who launched both the Mac Bride Principles and the Holy land Principles, explained : " Some of our Press Releases had gone to Mr. Peter Mueller, a partner Hardwood Lloyd. He responded with a disrespectful,bigoted and foul-mouthed email : “"Stop sending me this c- - p." ( Full email below, in previous Press Release). I then sent a Press Release ( below) to all the attorneys and partners in Hardwood Lloyd-- giving them the opportunity to disassociate themselves and their firm from the unprofessional and unethical conduct of Mr. Mueller. Yet, amazingly, after almost a week,  Hardwood Lloyd has remained silent -- and, therefore, complicit."
END

NO IRISH NEED APPLY AT HARDWOOD LLOYD, NJ
  NOR ARABS, NOR THOSE CONCERNED ABOUT FAIR EMPLOYMENT

CAPITOL HILL. Thursday, February 28, 2013 – It is instructive how -the Holy Land Principles – a corporate code of conduct for American companies doing business in The Holy Land – has evoked hostility and obscenity from some folk.
Fr. Sean Mc Manus, president of both the Irish National Caucus and Holy Land Principles asked: “How can fair employment, of all things, evoke such reaction. It is even more shocking when it comes from a Law Firm, specializing in “ employment law”, according to its own Web Site.
This is how attorney PETER E. MUELLER, Partner, in Hardwood Lloyd -- 130 Main Street, P.O. Box 1788, Hackensack, NJ 07601
TEL 201.487.1080, FAX 201.487.4758 --- responded to fair employment in the Holy Land: “"Stop sending me this c- - p." (Full obscene email below, with Mr. Mueller’s email address and telephone number and photo).

Why should a Law Firm in heavily Irish-American New Jersey react with such unprofessionalism towards the Mac Bride Principles that the State of New Jersey passed into law? (The Holy Land Principles are the same as the Mac Bride Principles, and you cannot show contempt for  one without the other). Why should eminently fair and just employment principles be disrespected by a Law Firm specializing in employment law? What is going on here? Has Harwood Lloyd been retained to lobby against the Holy Land Principles just like  law firms were hired to oppose the Mac Bride Principles in New Jersey?”

    PETER E. MUELLER

pmueller@harwoodlloyd.com
TEL (201) 359-3542
FAX (201) 487-4758
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PETER E. MUELLERPartner
            From: Mueller, Peter <PMueller@harwoodlloyd.com>
            Subject:          RE: Catalyst Global-- Racist and Religious Bigotry?
            Date:   February 19, 2013 9:27:07 AM EST
            To:       sean@irishpeacefoundation.org

 "Stop sending me this crap."

Hardwood Lloyd
130 Main St, Hackensack, NJ 07601
Cross Streets: Between E Atlantic St and E Mercer St/W Mercer St
 (201) 487-1080


Saturday, March 02, 2013

CATALYST GLOBAL APOLOGIZES FOR INSULTING HOLY LAND PRINCIPLES



CAPITOL HILL. March 1, 2013 --- Someone should have warned  the Fifth Avenue company, Catalyst Global: “ Don’t mess with the Irish National Caucus – and don’t show contempt, especially obscene contempt,  for the Mac Bride Principles and their offspring, the Holy Land Principles.”

On February 15, 2013, the Company responded to a request to sign the Holy Land Principles with an email saying  “ Go f- - k yourself.” To make the offense even  worse, the email was sent to Barbara Flaherty, Executive Vice President of the Irish National Caucus and Holy Land Principles, Inc. – adding a heavy dose of sexism to the mix.

Ms. Flaherty’s email had been sent to Mr. David Collins, founder of Catalyst Global, and also Investor Relations Contact, at this email address: wavx@catalyst-ir.com
However, Mr. Eric Lentini , Vice President, responded on behalf of Mr. Collins and Catalyst Global.

Well, there was no way Fr. Sean Mc Manus was going to take this, so he widely disseminated a Press Release titled, “Catalyst Global  -- Racist and Religious Bigotry? Sexism and Profanity, Too.”

That did the trick, and ten days later the inevitable happened: the Company had to apologize. Mr. Lentini sent the following letter to Barbara:
“ Dear Ms. Flaherty:
I want to sincerely apologize for my offensive and inappropriate email to you on February 15, 2013. My use of profanity was inexcusable and I deeply regret any offense or harm that I may have caused you and your organization. 
There was a confluence of other factors weighing on me that day and unfortunately it got the better of me and the result was a most regrettable action - but that is just an explanation and in no way an excuse. 
The act was mine and mine alone and in no way reflects the views of my employer, who is as outraged by my actions as were you.   
Again, I am truly ashamed, sorry and contrite for my actions and deservedly so. There is never an excuse for such profane and offensive communication, but I trust that in the spirit of Christian charity and forgiveness, you will find a way to forgive my actions. 
Sincerely,
Eric Lentini “

Barbara has sent the following response  to Mr. Leintini: “ Yes, in the spirit of Christian, Jewish and Muslim charity and forgiveness we accept your apology. Now , please,  do the right thing and have your Company sign the Holy Land Principles.’