Sir, – The European Network Against Racism Ireland brings together almost 70 organisations in Ireland and includes the main trade unions, religious organisations, minority rights groups and community organisations working to make ours an inclusive and egalitarian society, one that cherishes all of its children equally.
We are greatly disturbed by the racist, homophobic, misogynistic, anti-migrant and Islamophobic rhetoric of the US president, and his administration’s clearly stated agenda to roll back environmental, women’s rights, civil and political rights and basic human rights.
In addition to the Trump administration’s deliberate breaches of peoples fundamental rights as set out in the UN Charter on Human Rights, the US government is sending a chilling message to the communities targeted by his policies.
Among these communities are minorities and undocumented migrants, including the tens of thousands of Irish undocumented.
The US administration’s current agenda is not just in breach of the UN charter, it is anathema to the values and vision of our Republic and to our best tradition of international diplomacy, which has seen us as peace-builders and promoters of international solidarity on the global stage.
We salute the principled and historic stance taken by the speaker of our neighbour Britain’s parliament, John Bercow, in his firm opposition to having US president Donald Trump address the Houses of Westminster. We note the groundswell of opinion in Ireland against Mr Trump’s policies, manifest in the “Shamrock for Trump: Not In My Name” petition which to date has garnered 38,000 signatures.
That is why we implore Taoiseach Enda Kenny, as our political representative to the world, not to give succour to demagoguery and division, not to facilitate the Trump administration’s desire fan the flames of hatred against minorities, and not to encourage it down the path to domestic and international ethnic conflict.
Our concern is that the Trump administration will try to use St Patrick’s Day and the bowl of shamrocks, symbols of Irish culture and identity, to provide a fig-leaf behind which it can further promote its vile agenda of hatred.
On behalf of our membership, we urge our Government not to be seen to collude in this charade, and not to tarnish the shamrock as a cultural symbol by associating it with the politics of division and regression. – Yours, etc,
SHANE O’CURRY,
Director,
European Network
Against Racism Ireland,
Dame Street,
Dublin 2.