In what was a fascination discussion tonight Wednesday as part of the James Connolly Festival. Speakers were Gerry Carroll MLA People Before Profit, Rev Dr Mark Gray Presbyterian Church, Caoimhe Ni Loinsigh Peadar O’ Donnell Forum, Geroid O’ Machail Communist Party of Ireland and Chaired by Activist Tommy McKearney.
Caoimhe give a brief historical outline how sectarianism manifested itself within Irish Society and then used to keep power by the use of government legislation. Gerry spoke about how it is used to keep wages low, especially when you consider how the state dealt with workers strikes by playing the sectarianism card. Today Stormont is used as a facilitator of sectarianism. Rev Gray mentioned how the role in International politics sectarianism is used in others forms, be it racism and how in the US today we are moving to a Neo Slavery Society. Gearoid asked the potent question of who profits from Sectarianism? The role of the Good Friday Agreement has been used to ensure that Sectarianism is at the forefront of the GFA and quoting Bernadette Delvin who rightly said that people who never had anything before the GFA still don’t have anything.
