O.J. Simpson imithe ar shlí na fírinne

O.J. Simpson has died

by | 2024/04/24 | Obituary

O.J. Simpson has died

Almost 30 years ago, people all over the world were glued to their televisions, watching the 'slow speed chase' on the freeways of Southern California, and O.J. Simpson trying to escape from the police. It was the beginning of a great story that would enchant the people of the USA for at least a year and a half. This famous and infamous man died of cancer on April 10th. Who was that man, and why did he attract so much attention?

O.J.

Orenthal James Simpson was born on July 9, 1947 in San Francisco. His aunt gave him the name Orenthal, which was the name of a French actress she liked. At the age of two, he developed rickets, which left him lame, with his feet turned inwards. His mother could not afford to buy him leg braces. She tied a pair of shoes together with an iron bar, and O.J. had to wear them for a few hours almost every day, until he was five years old. His mother raised him and three other children by herself, where they lived in a rough area (Potrero Hill) in San Francisco. He was a troubled child, and joined a street gang when he was only thirteen years old.

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"I never infringed ón people," he said in an interview with Playboy in 1976. "I only beat up the dudes who deserved it - at least once a week, usually on a Friday or Saturday night. If there wasn’t a fight going ón, it wasn't a weekend."

O.J. played American football in middle school, and when he broke a few records, he caught the attention of talent spotters. From there, O.J. went from strength to strength. He was one of the best running backs ever in the National Football League (NFL) in the United States, and won the Most Valued Player (MVP) in 1973. He played for the 'Buffalo Bills' and the 'San Francisco 49ers'.

O.J. was also a movie star, even when he was playing for the NFL. He had a major role in the trilogy 'The Naked Gun' (1988,1991,1994), as a detective.

Murderer?

Despite being as famous as a footballer and an actor, he is remembered today as the prime suspect in a court case. If you're over a certain age, it's more likely than not that you've seen the police manhunt for O.J. on television, while he was in a car driven by his friend, Al Cowlings. O.J. had a gun, aimed at himself. The police arrested him when they arrived at his home. O.J. was accused of the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman.

Trial of the Century

O.J. had a team of lawyers. who were so strong that they were called 'The Dream Team'. Robert Kardasian, Robert Shapiro and Johnnie Cochran were the members of that team. Although there was irrefutable forensic evidence that O.J. was present at the crime scene, a prosecutor named Christopher Darden made a catastrophic error in the court case. The murders took place at Nicole Brown's apartment, and the police found bloodstained footprints at that location that were the same size as O.J.'sown footprints. DNA evidence on a few drops of blood from the crime scene also placed O.J. at the scene. And one glove was found at the scene and the other glove of the pair at O.J.'s house, smeared with his blood and the blood of the two victims.

Despite that compelling evidence, the case fell apart when Darden asked O.J. put the gloves on. O.J. had only three words to say. during the trial, and he said them then – "they're too small!" When Johnnie Cochrane was making his closing statement at the end of the trial, he said: "If it doesn't fit, you must acquit!" O.J. was found innocent ón all counts.

Karma?

But three years later in 1998, in civil court, Simpson was found responsible for the deaths of Brown and Goodman. He was fined $33.5 million. O.J. said that he did not have the money and only paid about $300,000 of the fine in total.

There was another chapter left in O.J.'s story, however, when he was accused of armed robbery and kidnapping in Las Vegas in 2007. He was sentenced to 33 years in prison. But he was released in 2017 on parole, after serving nine years in prison.

O.J. Simpson died as a fallen hero who was no longer loved by the public, and that is a sad ending - may his soul rest in peace.

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Léirmheas Scannáin: American Fiction

Film Review: American Fiction

by | 2024/04/17 | Reviews

The film 'American Fiction' received an Oscar award in the category of 'Best Adapted Screenplay.' It's a bit ironic, because the film itself is a film about a writer. The film's script is based on a novel published in 2001, entitled 'Erasure', written by Percival Everett. It is a scathing satire, describing the literary world's pressure on non-whites to conform to racial stereotypes that portray them unfavorably.

Erroll McDonald, vice president and executive editor, is one of the few prominent black editors in the publishing industry. He said many of the themes in Everett's book are just as fresh today as they were in 2001. He also said he was all too aware of the way white editors and publishers choose stories that reinforce stereotypes about black people, rather than stories which would show them as ordinary people, like everyone else.

The Plot

Thelonious 'Monk' Ellison (Jeffrey Wright) is an academic writer and Professor of Humanities. But he is not happy in the role and openly expresses his controversial views to his students, regardless of the consequences. Complaints are made to the University authorities about the ugly things Monk said in class, and his managers decide to give him an unpaid leave of absence. Monk goes home to Boston, and as he is a writer, he attends a book festival held there. A couple of things occur to Monk as he attends the festival. First of all, his writings are not in line with what the book market is looking for from black writers like him. And what is the book market looking for? Black people in stereotypical roles speaking vulgar street talk in their vernacular. This is evident from the novel 'We's Lives in Da Ghetto,' a novel written by superstar Sintara Golden (Issa Rae). When Sintara reads out an excerpt from her book, Monk sees the middle-aged white women in the audience nod in agreement.

Monk also understands that, despite his reluctance to contact his family, they are struggling in many ways and that it is important for him to be there and help them in their time of need - especially since his mother, Agnes (Leslie Uggams), has Alzheimer's disease.

To express his dissatisfaction and frustration, Monk sits down one night and begins to write a book. The title of the book is 'My Pafology', a story about gangs and guns, and bad black people. He writes the book under the pseudonym 'Stagg R. Leigh.'As Monk is unable to show his face as Stagg when dealing with various publishers, he pretends to be a criminal on the run from the law, who cannot there attend meetings in person. Then, something happens that he did not expect at all. When the manuscript is sent out, one of the major publishers makes him an offer that is hard to refuse - $750,000! Although he does not want to take it, he has no choice, as his mother needs medical care. Then his book is nominated for a major award and huge success follows for him.

Conclusion

The story works on two levels, firstly as an exposé of the pressures placed on black people working in the arts. At the same time, you see the life of Monk and his family clearly. He is a professor, his sister is a clinician and his brother is a plastic surgeon - defying the racial stereotypes spread by the media. Those two levels that are in opposition to each other create the great tension in the film. And it also clearly shows that the stereotypes that many people believe in are unfounded.

The acting in the film is superb, with Jeffrey Wright incredible in the role of Monk. You feel his frustration and pain all the time, even and perhaps especially, when he is very successful as an author.

I would recommend this movie without question. It shines a universal light on a serious topic, but the topic is discussed in a fun and entertaining way.

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Stoirm Pholaitíochta

Political Storm!

by | 2024/04/10 | Current Affairs, International News, National News, Politics

Political Storm!

It is a coincidence that I recently had a column entitled 'Unbridled Greed', discussing the abuse of power in various fields - including the political field. I read some news recently that shocked and appalled me - the leader of the DUP, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, had resigned, accused of 'historical' sexual allegations. My first thought was 'unbelievable'! But then, the subject of my column came back to me, and then I thought maybe it wasn't so incredible after all. Things like that happen often in the United States, and usually, after politicians deny the charges, for the most part they end up being convicted. Although Jeffrey Donaldson's case doesn't look too good, let's leave it to the court to work out if he is guilty. Regardless, politicians in the North will soon have to contend with a new political landscape, and perhaps forge a new vision in the process. Political stability will be in the balance, and it is now quite difficult to predict what will happen. In the interim, who is Jeffrey Donaldson, and what are the implications of the new DUP leadership?

Jeffrey Donaldson

In 1968, as front bench spokesman in the British Government, Enoch Powell gave a controversial speech about 'Rivers of Blood', inciting his followers to hate people of color. As a result of his speech, he was sacked as speaker, but he remained an unwelcome member of the Conservative Party until 1974. In October 1974, Powell found refuge in the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) with the loyalists describing him as a prophet, and then he was elected as an MP in Down South. Powell said in one speech that all political careers eventually fail – something he himself knew well.

Jeffrey's cousin, Samuel Donaldson, was killed in an IRA bombing in 1970, while working for the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC). That inspired Jeffrey Donaldson to political life.

Jeffrey Donaldson began his own political career some 40 years ago as a constituency agent for Enoch Powell from 1983 to 1985. In 1985, he began working as a personal assistant to former Ulster Unionist Party leader James Molyneaux.

In 1997, when Mr Molyneaux resigned, Jeffrey Donaldson succeeded in taking the Lagan Valley seat. In 2003, amid opposition to the Good Friday Agreement and David Trimble's leadership, he left the UUP and joined the DUP with Arlene Foster. He was appointed as DUP leader in 2021, after Edwin Poots resigned after just three weeks in the role.

As leader of the DUP, Jeffrey Donaldson led a two-year boycott of Northern Ireland's political institutions in Stormont, in protest at post-Brexit trade arrangements. After long negotiations, the DUP agreed to return to Stormont in February, 2024, having secured a new agreement and a series of declarations regarding the constitutional position of Northern Ireland within the United Kingdom. The serious allegations occurred when Jeffrey Donaldson was at the top of his game. As for what his mentor, Enoch Powell said – that all political careers eventually fail – the prophecy might well come true in the case of Jeffrey Donaldson.

What can be done now?

When the allegations came to light, DUP party officials suspended Jeffrey Donaldson from the party and unanimously appointed deputy leader Gavin Robinson as interim leader. Mr Robinson is the MP for East Belfast and became deputy leader of the DUP in June 2023. He is a former Lord Mayor of Belfast and was first elected to parliament in 2015. His political stance is almost identical to Jeffrey Donaldson's stance, and he ran a successful leadership campaign for him in 2021.

According to Sinn Féin and the DUP, there is no risk to the political stability of the North. Although I don't believe that to be true, I understand that that is the best thing for them to say. The political ecosystem is now fragile, and easy to break. The ink is not yet dry on Jeffrey Donaldson's decision to end the Stormont boycott, a decision for which he did not have strong support in the DUP. There is a good chance that those who are against that decision would take the opportunity to reopen it and take a step back. On the other side of the argument, there is a lot of pressure on the DUP not to go back to a dysfunctional system in the North, a system where everyone suffers, including their own supporters.

Let's all hope that all political parties in the North and especially the DUP will have a little sense and concern in this hour of decision, and in that way peace will prevail. As we all know, we can never take the political situation for granted, especially in the North!

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Nicholas Winton!

Nicholas Winton!

by | 2024/04/03 | Reviews, Personal, Opinion

Nicholas Winton!

We have a close friend named Debbie. In 1939, her mother Marianne Schorsch was only fifteen years old when she was put on board a special train (kindertransport) as she was in danger of death from the Nazis. It was an Englishman named Nicholas Winton who organized the escape trip for Marianne and hundreds of other children, to save them from the Nazis. Although Marianne is now passed on, my wife and I knew that gentle sweet woman for many years.

A special invitation

Last week, Debbie invited us to go to the cinema and see the film 'One Life' together, a film about Nicholas Winton and the 'kindertransport'. We accepted the invitation without thinking, and the film made a big impression on us.

One Life

Nicholas Winton was a banker and philanthropist, born in London in 1909. He was of Jewish descent, and his own parents immigrated to England from Germany at the beginning of the twentieth century.

At the beginning of the film, you see Winton (Anthony Hopkins) in 1987, as an old man. He wants to get rid of the clutter in his home office. There is a leather case in the cupboard but he has no intention of opening it. We are curious about him, when we are suddenly swept back to Prague in 1939. We see a young Winton there (Johnny Flynn) and the plight of the children in the city moves his heart, so he decides to help them. There are already a few English folk in Prague, trying to help political refugees escape to England. Winton convinces them to help him, and it is a constant battle against the existing bureaucracy. They have to complete paperwork and get visas for the children. Then, travel has to be organized, and host families found for them. And of course, they have to raise money to pay for everything. Winton and the team in Prague are brave. But not only them! Winton's mother (Helena Bonham Carter) is also active and does not take 'no' for an answer from the officials who have the power to shorten the processes! There is a strong emphasis on Winton and the children, so the cruelty of the Nazi regime is not seen much, except indirectly, when you see the Nazis getting rid of the ninth train organized by Winton. The train never got going, because the Nazis stopped it. Winton felt guilty about that most of his life, because he knew that most of the children were lost.

Jumping forward fifty years, you see Winton as an old man again. Until then, Winton had not spoken about his part in rescuing the children. His wife Grete doesn't know about it, until she sees the old book in the leather case. It is filled with photographs, letters from the families and the names of the children. She takes the book to Elisabeth Maxwell, Holocaust researcher, and wife of Robert Maxwell. When Robert hears about Winton, he publishes an article in his 'Sunday People' newspaper, which leads to the 'That's Life' special. Winton is dubbed "Britain's Schindler" by the media, referring to the German businessman Oskar Schindler, who saved 1,200 Jews from the Holocaust.

In a landmark 1988 episode of the BBC TV program 'That's Life', Winton sits in the audience as the TV host, Esther Rantzen, begins to talk about his rescue of Czech children in 1939. As the camera pans over the audience, guests begin to stand up – these are some of the children (now older) that Winton rescued. This is the first time they have seen Winton in fifty years. Eventually, Winton realizes the importance of what he has done. Finally, too, he is able to deal with the guilt and sadness he has carried for the past fifty years, about the ninth train.

Honors

Nicholas Winton received a letter of thanks from the late Ezer Weizman, former president of the State of Israel. He was also made an honorary citizen of Prague. In 2002, Queen Elizabeth II knighted Winton for his services to humanity. He was named a British Holocaust Hero by the British Government in 2010. A statue dedicated to him outside Prague's main train station was unveiled in 2009. Finally, the Czech Republic awarded Winton the Order of the White Lion in 2014 for his rescue of the Czech children.

The Winton Train

On 1 September 2009 a special train took the original kindertransport route. Winton, along with survivors and their families went on the same journey as they had done seventy years before in 1939. Marianne and Debbie were on this train and it was a very special occasion for them. Debbie remembers that event, which gave her a new understanding of what happened. She also realized something else: Even in the abyss of despair, all is not lost. She herself is living proof of that!

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Tuairisc ó Mheiriceá – An Searmanas Seamróige!

Opinion from America - The Shamrock Ceremony!

by | 2024/03/27 | Current Affairs, International News, National News, Politics

Opinion from America - The Shamrock Ceremony!

Many people in Ireland were demanding that the meeting between Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and the President of the United States Joe Biden be canceled as a protest against the support given by the United States of America (USA) to Israel during its horrific attacks in Gaza. More than 30,000 people were killed there, most of them civilians. Around 250 people are killed on average every day in the Strip – six times more than in the war in Ukraine. There can be no excuse for the destruction and looting that is going on in Gaza - including the Holocaust. It needs to be stopped immediately. This is an unmitigated shame, and the USA is indirectly to blame, as they are a facilitator. In addition to financial and military aid, the US also provides large-scale political support to Israel. The US has vetoed 83 UN Security Council resolutions. 42 of those were against criticizing Israel and the most recent one (on October 18, 2023) against a humanitarian pause in the Gaza Strip.

After thinking it over, Varadkar decided to make the visit to Washington, instead of turning his back on Biden. He was determined to express a strong position to Biden, criticizing the policies of the genocide that are being implemented by Israel, and that it is unacceptable for the western world to support Israel in relation to the same policies.

The Shamrock Ceremony

Varadkar attended the events celebrating St. Patrick's Day. An important part of the celebration is the visit of the Taoiseach to the White House to chat with the President of the United States, face to face. That is a great privilege, and no other country, especially a small country, is able to have such a chance, year after year. As important as it is, I was very pleased that Varadkar did not cancel that annual meeting. Also, isn't it better to have a difficult conversation, instead of a boycott?

The two had a private conversation at first, discussing many topics. Biden and Varadkar then gave speeches. Varadkar bluntly said that the problem for the Irish people is that the US is still giving military support to the Israelis, despite what the Israeli military forces (IDF) are doing in Gaza. At the same time, he accepted that the US was working hard to enforce a ceasefire in Gaza. It's interesting that Biden agreed with everything Varadkar said, but actions speak louder than words, and Biden's words and actions are in disagreement so far.

Here are a few excerpts from Varadkar's speech:

“Almost 250 years ago, we Irish were in the American War of Independence. Exactly 100 years ago, the United States became the first country to formally recognize the newly independent State of Ireland and establish diplomatic relations.”

"And tonight, let us all reflect on the words of President Kennedy when he urged us to do 'the most important work of peace' to protect the weak and the small, as he said in the Irish Parliament: ' from Cork to the Congo, from Galway to the Gaza Strip'.

"Mr President, as you know, the people of Ireland are very worried about the disaster that is unfolding before our eyes in Gaza. As I travel the world, leaders often ask me why the Irish have so much compassion for the Palestinian people. The answer is simple: we see our history in their eyes. A story of displacement and dispossession, national identity questioned and denied, forced emigration, discrimination, and now - hunger.

So we support your work and the work of your administration, to achieve a humanitarian ceasefire and to create space for lasting peace.

The people of Gaza are in desperate need of food, medicine and shelter. But especially they need the bombs to stop. This has to stop. On both sides. The hostages taken back home. And humanitarian relief allowed to come in.

Israel must reverse its rash decision regarding the ground invasion in Rafah.

And after 100 years of violence, as you said, the only way forward for security is to have two peaceful and sovereign states, side by side.

Ireland is ready to recognize a Palestinian state with like-minded partners at the right time in terms of peace.

Mr. President, we also see the history of Israel in our eyes. A diaspora whose heart was in Ireland generation after generation. A revived nation-state. And the revival of the language.

I believe that it is possible to be pro-Israel and pro-Palestine and I believe you believe the same.

Because the life of a Palestinian child has the same status as the life of an Israeli child.

And that the ambition of the Palestinian people to have their own homeland, a full-fledged State in the land of their ancestors, is on par with having a state for the people of Israel.

I also believe that there are lessons that can be learned from our own peace process in Ireland. A concept of equal respect and the importance of relationships in particular.

And also the vital role of America, personified by the chairman of our peace talks, Senator George Mitchell. There was a permanent secretariat based on American trust and oversight.”

Conclusion

The Taoiseach's speech tells its own story, and I think we all agree with what he had to say to Biden. I think things are going in the right direction but at a snail's pace. But I also think it's no coincidence that more is happening after the meeting between them than before. That is a small beacon of hope, and maybe there is a small chance that there will be a ceasefire in Gaza before long.

As a final word, Varadkar has announced that he will be stepping down from his role as Taoiseach and leader of Fine Gael. "After seven years, I'm not the best person for the job anymore," he said. I wiish you well in your endeavours, Leo!

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