OF ALL the diseases common in British capitalist society, two have stood out in the last couple of weeks treatment problem', and its media.
S000 out because combined to present one of the most rancid brews imaginable.
coveraze oi the assassination Mountbatten made the worthlessness of the British ruling class obvious to anyone who had eyes to discern it.
That was not the intention. Right from the start Fleet Street insisted on its morality and the high standards of the cause for which it HOLLIDICC. The word appeared on the front page of three of the 'populars' to describe Mountbatten's killers; typical was the Daily Express, which defines itself as "The Voice of Britain'.
The Express front page 'opinion' of 28 August contrasted Bastards', the cowardly paths' of the IRA, with 'the British' who 'have never yielded to terror. And best of all the British, according to the Express, was whom 'everyone loved".
Obviously 'everyone' didn't "love' Mountbatten, and obviously Britain has 'yielded to terror' on numerous occasions: Indeed, probably no other ruling class in the negotiated with more of what defines as "terrorists'. glorious Mountbatten dealt with a few during his sojourn in India. Propaganda But truth was the last thing the Express was interested in; it was time good old fashioned propaganda. Which meant that our side', the British, were good; while the enemy were evil bastards'.
This theme was repeated in the Daily Mirror the same day. side was 'Lord Louis', on the other were 'the enemies of man'. Mirror went on to motivalco Ine latter. li was nationalism', which 'has blinded a loi of Irishmen to the savagery of deeds done in their name in the last ten years'.
il was not nationalism as an ideology which was reprehensible, just the Irish variety. 'Patriotism' in other British nationalism — was portrayed as the noblest of sentiments. The chief praise bestowed on Mountbatten by the Daily Mail was that he was 'A British Patriot'.
The Irish nationalists, Mirror, were opposed by the entire "civilised world'. But if so, you have to explain why the Irish nationalists seem to be so successful.
The media chose First were une had called Britain to come up with a political solution for Ireland. "Let's call them the gang of three, said the Sun on 30 August, and it went on to name them Teddy Kennedy, Governor Hugh Carey, and 'Mr Tip O'Neill', the Speaker in the US House of Representatives.
Re-assurance No punches were pulled here: Teddy Kennedy, best remembered for cheating at university, leaving a girl to drown in his car and driving his wife to drink. ' All of which may be true, but the aim in this piece of character assassination was to suggest that anvone who dared to criticise what Britain was doing in Ireland, however mildly, was some sort of moral degenerate. That the Sun can attempt to give lectures in morality is, if nothing else, somewhat cheeky.
Rather exceptionally, this same Sun article did attempt to analyse the Irish situation for its readers and say hy the 'gang of three' acted as they did. There was even a degree of honesty in the explanation that 'their ancestors fled not just from poverty and famine in Ireland but from religious discrimination, exploitation Socialist Challenge ' 20 September 1979 I'D 'Irish SHREDS They have •HANDS! they have The of human was the 'bastards' MEANWHILE EXPRESSINTA (EIGHTEEN HOW SAD!
These Evil psychoMountbatten, has Even the must have war On one The explain Irish THIS IS considered words, said the two American upon York and atrocity.
Then came i examples of 'one concession Page 14". This cartoon by Cormac is taken from An Phoblacht/Republican News.
EVIL MURDERING SWINE!
LIKE TO RIP THEM TO WITH MY BARE IN IRELAND EVERYONE IS THEIR GRIEF. •FOLKS, IT'S MUSICAL COMEDY IDENT AT NARROW STARRING DISGUSTING!
BY JOVE!
I'VE JUST THOUGHT OF AN ANSWER! the but long, 'Britain has spent much of the present century seeking to atone with one concession after another. An intriguing analysis which poses an interesting question: actions were Bloody Sunday, internment. and the Castlereagh torturers things which happened 'long, long ago', or are they Matter JOURNALISM B.B.C.
IN THE OR OLD BATTENBERG! THE Mitt HUMPHRE WHATSIT!!
SUPPOSE
YOU CONSIDER ALL THOSE DEAD SOLDIERSAS SOME SORT OF REVENGE FOR BLOODY SUNDAY!
JUST THINK, SIR; NO MORE NARROWWATER.
BRAVE-LADS-IN-KHAKI! NILNIS. No MOrt NO MORE BOMES' NO MO Again, the insistence was that Britain had nothing whatsoever co reproachitself for. The Sun went on to argue that in their heart of hearts the US politicians knew this to be the case. So how did the Sun explain the of Kennedy, Carey O'Neill? That was easy: 'They are grubbing after popularity by way of reland. I hey are fawning after vote ut of tragedy and bloodshed. THERE ARE FEW SIGHTS MORE REVOLTING THAN THAT Of THE SCUM OF BRITISH AND SOMEWHERE IN LONDON BUREHUCRAT • INSTRIXTS STAFF RELATIVE IMPORTANCE DEAD...
ANY 1 MEMBER Of QUESTIONS? ROYAL FAMILY = 50 SOLDIERS SOLDIER = 100 PADDIES R.U.C. MAN =1000 ASIAN PEASANTS I GIMME THE MOONLIGHT (GIMME THE S.A.S.
AND LEAVE THE REST 1 то ME I'M AFRAID NOT, MISSUS - IT JUST ANOTHER ACT OF WAR!
STOP BABBLING, JONES AND TELL ME WHAT THINK THE ANSWER IS It could be observed that apart sexual titillation Sun's main selling points is "tragedy and bloodshed'. aside, the propaganda is saying that any sane, intelligent person could feel nothing COUL admiration and Britain js doing in Ireland, and if they don't feel that there ulterior motive -vote-catching.
A minute's thought will show the INDULGING THEMSELVES BINGE OF MORAL INDIGNATION!
BUT WHAT ABOUT GROUND OF THE LOVABLE I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS WAS ION OI the But leaving that votes for powerful figure must be an in this case three but the reserved LYNCH LYNCH!
THE ANSWER OSMONDS BARFS MUNDIES!
LEW AND THE ONLY MEANINGFUL • ANSWER THE COMPLETE • DESTRUCT OF GET ALL OUR TROOPS OUT OF IRELAND TODAY!
•DON'Ț LIKE MONDAYS! banality of this interpretation. Carey was re-elected at the start of this year, •he doesn't need votes at the moment. Kennedy will get all the Irish Kennedy. Afor Tip O Neil, the irish hé needs . just lobby is very small beer for such a One or two other newspapers also condemned the role of 'the gang of greatest • wrall was for Irish premier Jack
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'These crimes did happen, long ago. 'And further,