GERRY ADAMS AGGREGATE

An Aggregate from Irish Blog, on the current raging controversy in the Irish Times, on how Gerry Adams and provisional Sinn Fein handled child rape, within the ranks of the Provisional IRA. Having personally resigned from Sinn Fein about 30 years ago having managed their office in Newry, I did receive unsubstantiated reports of such activity. I was however powerless to take direct action. I did however approach senior members of the organization about this and other matters of secrecy.

 I was told that at that time, we were in a war situation, where we could not afford the luxury of transparency. I subsequently resigned because of this transparency issue. There are many sincere Irish republicans from Republican Sinn Fein, who believe, that their communities are still in a war situation, with all of the evils, that all wars entail. The matter is extremely distressing to the minority of genuine people still alive in Ireland or those who have not emigrated. The gaelic derogatory term sliabheen, means mountain person as in the context of Adam's colleagues remarks, calling his ex colleagues in the real IRA in Derry, neanderthals , but many claim his vocabulary does not extend that far, and that it originally came from Gerry, who is a more pensive politician.



Fintan O’Toole: Tough questions for Adams on child protection
Opinion: SF wouldn’t tolerate evasive answers from other party leaders





Fintan O'Toole






Topics:
News
Politics


Tue, Oct 21, 2014, 12:58


First published:Tue, Oct 21, 2014, 12:01


Dumped out In December 2009, Gerry Adams told RTÉ radio that when, in 1997, he discovered Liam Adams was seeking a Sinn Féin nomination to run in Louth, “I moved immediately both to stop that and to get him dumped out of Sinn Féin without telling people why”.



The truth is that Liam Adams was never “dumped out of Sinn Féin”. A statement in the party’s own newspaper, An Phoblacht, in 2010 acknowledged Liam Adams remained active in “republican circles” and that he in fact became chairman of Sinn Féin’s Lower Andersonstown cumann for some years after 2000. The same statement also said, remarkably, that Gerry Adams was not aware his brother was the head of a cumann in his own constituency. I do not think that claim is credible.


At any point between 1987 and 2009, when he eventually made a statement to the PSNI, Gerry Adams, if he did not trust the police in Northern Ireland, could have gone to the Garda or to social services in the Republic, where Liam Adams worked for two significant periods with teenagers. He did not do so.

North’s DPP announces independent review of Cahill case
Maíria Cahill to meet Taoiseach tomorrow morning
Enda Kenny says ‘more cases’ in sex abuse cover-up
Allegations open potentially damaging debate for Sinn Féin
Ex-IRA member: Cahill’s account of interrogation rings true


Into this context came a second disclosure of sexual abuse to Gerry Adams. In 2000, Maíria Cahill had several meetings with him in which, she says, she told that she had been repeatedly raped by a senior IRA figure. This time, the allegations acquired a specifically political dimension – one of which both the British and Irish governments must have been aware.
Restorative justice At the time, as a quid pro quo for not kneecapping people, the IRA was being given significant involvement in the justice system through a scheme called community restorative justice.



In a 2005 public submission, the SDLP specifically referred to a report in the Sunday World in 2000 that a senior IRA figure in community restorative justice was an alleged rapist. This reference was to Maíria Cahill’s allegations.


It is inconceivable that Gerry Adams was not aware both of Ms Cahill’s allegations and of their political import. Yet we are supposed to believe he never asked her about the details of the case.


If Enda Kenny, Micheál Martin, Joan Burton or Peter Robinson had this abysmal record on child protection and this history of evasive answers, we know what Sinn Féin would have to say about it.


That not one of the party’s strong-minded women can manage to say it about Gerry Adams is deeply creepy. If you think ordinary cronyism is bad, consider what this party will do to protect one of its own.



Tue, Oct 21, 2014, 12:58


First published:Tue, Oct 21, 2014, 12:01



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iconoclast


Now that Sinn Féin-IRA’s disgusting hypocrisy, has once, again been laid bare, perhaps Garda Whistle-blowers could at last find somewhere else to take their tales of woe? Given the treatment meted out to Ms Cahill, a victim of the savage crime of rape, it would indeed be truly disgusting if some serving police officers of this State continue to have confidence in an organisation which continues to deny justice, a decent resting-place for their victims of murder-'disappearance,' and... » more


Robespierre


@iconoclast they are entirely separate points. If the Garda did not display worrying standards of internal indiscipline as evidenced by Morris and now the penalty points then this would't arise. Remember, in addition to opposition TDs, the Garda whistleblowers have met and were deemed credible by Varadkar and others. Because of Morris, it is their legal right to go to a TD and sometimes this could involve a democratically elected representative of SF.



Johnny-Bellew


Maíria Cahill's immense courage in the face of the continual claptrap spouted out by the Shinners is quite something. I haven't heard one Shinner who has the guts to break ranks and fully support Maíria. Not one; no surprises there. Continue shining a light into that cesspit, Maíria.


maryobrien


@Johnny-Bellew


Have her parents?

Johnny-Bellew


@maryobrien


Have her parents what?

JayGee


Mairia Cahill comes from a staunch Republican family which has sacrificed much for many years in the Republican cause.

I am inclined to believe her version of events, and hold in contempt those members of SF who in a manner similar to the mental reservationists of the RCC, consider the protection of the Organisation more important than justice for victims.

maryobrien


@JayGee


Like her parents and uncle then?


MountainMan2


@JayGee

Gerry Adams gave himself the right to mental reservation and to lie at will in the quote shown in my contribution above.

Joined at the hip, the RCC, Sinn Fein and the IRA (which still hasn't gone away you know).


OldCodger


Everybody knew these things went on. Everybody knew this when the peace process was agreed. All the commentators said stuff like this would come out and be dealt with as SF - a revolutionary movement - became a part of the political establishment.

We all knew before now; why are we making such a fuss about it now? SF will weather this storm, and will hold together just as Adams kept it together for the peace process; the caravan will move on.

And just for the record, I do not support SF.

mattbrown


@OldCodger "Everybody knew these things went on." - these things; i.e. the covering up of child abuse by SF. Really?

"And just for the record, I do not support SF." Hmmm.



Robespierre


@OldCodger Stuff like this... protecting paedophiles and rapists? That kind of stuff. What a strange posting. Have you any empathy?


DeclanRyan


@OldCodger Very well said, I also do not support SF.


maryobrien


@Robespierre




protecting paedophiles and rapists? The Irish people and STate are still supporting them. Hence the miserly sum the Irish are paying out, with the RCC for the abuse inflicted on those weaker than them.

iconoclast


There goes the 'new generation' of Sinn Féiners in politics. Whatever chance they had of credibility and making progress outside their own umbrella-clique, it's well gone now. It is dissapointing that capable and decent and effective Sinn Féin politicians are so ham-strung and compromised by the 'old-guard' and the evil deeds of the past. Perhaps these Sinn Féin young bloods need the moral and physical courage to cut adrift the sad, old millstones of the past- starting with Adams and his... 

Robespierre


@iconoclast All it takes for evil to prosper is for good men(sic) to do nothing.


maryobrien


@Robespierre




You mean like the Irish who have stood idly by for decades when unwanted children were used and abused in Irish homes. Everyone knew, from the simple fact that as kids we were threatened we would be sent there if we were bold!


TOOMUCHNOISE


Great article Fintan. I'm not a SF supporter but I have always admired Mary Lou McDonald who is obviously an extremely intelligent, funny, forceful and articulate woman and I am surprised at her attitude to this. She is the natural leader of a SF purely political but the only reason Gerry Adams is still chief is because SF remains a political party backed by a private army. We are at a political crossroads in this country right now and the future threatens to be interesting.............


ardri


Sinn Fein have one hundred per cent supported this woman, what's questionable is Martin and Kenny's decision to abuse her vulnerability in a desperate attempt to ingratiate their parties with the electorate . The dozen or so previous attempts by the gombeen men to damage Sinn Fein with their politics of sleaze didn't work ,neither will this.

BrianClarke

I.m no fan of Gerry Adams or his party but when I was trying really hard to get articles and links to my blog about all of this, several years ago I was censored in all of the mainstream media in Ireland. Enda Kenny, Micheál Martin, Joan Burton and Peter Robinson may not personally have enabled child rape but all of their political parties most certainly did, along with the Irish mainstream media. Ah but now that Gerry's Party threatens to take Government, it's a different story because its not want the banksters want...


maryobrien


@BrianClarke

You will get blasted and accused of being a Shinner now. Because the bovinity of the Irish roars really loudly when they are assailed with complex matters like truth and justice. They don't like to be bothered by such trivia. A lynch mob is their reflex. They still wont shift off their *** to actually do anything though.

Not even for victims of sexual abuse.


maryobrien


So let me understand this:


1 You do not hold Aines Adams mother to have any responsibility.

2.You do not hold Aine Adams to have any responsibility.

3. You do not hold Maria Cahill, and her uncle Joe Cahill, and her parents to have any , responsibility for not going to the police with her allegation of rape.

4.You condemn the IRA for conducting a 'kangaroo' court in the absence of Cahill going to the RUC.

5. You do not condemn Ms Cahill for not following through on her case earlier... 

maryobrien


Have they linked Adams to the graves in Tuam yet? It is surely on a matter of time.


MountainMan2


@maryobrien

No - but Adams is still connected with the graves of The Disappeared. Maybe one of these years he will come clean about his role in these most despicable IRA murders


maryobrien


@MountainMan2


Your ignorance is scary. Very very scary. You should dress up as a lynch mobber of Halloween, you are making a good attempt to be judge, jury and executioner in this case.


MountainMan2


Little lies, big lies, dissembling, half truths, evasion and deflection - it must be Gerry Adams talking about the IRA or his own bloody history with that murderous mob!

"I believe Gerry Adams was never a member of the IRA" - it must be Mary Lou or some other senior Sinn Fein Figure!

"We can be revisionist, and that's a good thing to be at times -" : Gerry Adams gives himself permission to lie about the past!

- "but we shouldn't airbrush our history" - except of course when we lie about our...






BrianClarke

@MountainMan2 None of these parties have a right to hold public office, they supervised child rape since the foundation of the two scum states!



maryobrien

@MountainMan2

Oh, well that's ok. The Cahill family is completely off the hook for not defending their daughter. And so is the SDLP, Sunday World, his uncle, your ma, etc etc etc.


GA is the only morally bankrupt TD in the Irish Dail, is that what you are saying?

BrianClarke

You people in the Irish media don't seem to care just how sick Ireland is to informed, intelligent, people around the world, I wouldn't have to go far to see how traitorous the Irish media, along with its bankers are about Ireland and it's people. Beware of the Risen people!


Adams accused Taoiseach of making 'sliabheen' remarks over Mairia Cahill

Fionnan Sheahan and Niall O'Connor

PUBLISHED21/10/2014 | 17:27






VIDEO: Cahill to meet Taoiseach tomorrow


Taoiseach Enda Kenny has clashed with Gerry Adams in the Dail over Mairia Cahill's allegations of sexual abuse cover-up by the IRA and Sinn Fein.


Mr Kenny will refer the case of Ms Cahill's rape to the Oireachtas justice committee for examination.

The Taoiseach told Mr Adams if the allegations were being made about Fine Gael, he "wouldn't last five minutes".

"Not five minutes," he said.

"You attended and spoke to this young woman. And she says you weren't speaking about the weather," he added.

Mr Kenny said the "false assumption of a war being waged" did not justify abductions, shootings or kangaroo courts.





VIDEO: Pressure mounts on Sinn Féin over Maíria Cahill


He is due to meet with Ms Cahill in Government Buildings tomorrow.

The Taoiseach also targeted Sinn Fein vice-president Mary-Lou McDonald for criticism.

"You can't have blind allegiance from your deputy leader," he said.

Mr Adams accused Mr Kenny and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin of "playing politics" with the issue and denied the allegations.

Speaking following his heated Dail exchanges, Mr Adams stood by his claims that there was no Sinn Fein 'cover-up' and insisted that he requested that Ms Cahill's uncle Joe bring the abuse claims to the attention of the authorities.

"Absolutely. I met her at the request of a family member who was quite concerned about her and as I’ve said, on quite a number occasions, when I learned subsequently, remember, Mairia Cahill was an adult at that time, I was well intended in meeting with her," Mr Adams said.

"I met her to help her. Anybody else she’s named in Sinn Fein who I’ve spoken to has assured me that they’ve tried to help her and were well intended in dealing with her.

"And she’s acknowledged that her uncle Joe asked her to go to the RUC and it was at my request that she did that because once it became clear to me, subsequently, that there was this entire situation of alleged abuse, of the IRA, of all of this, I went to Joe and said ‘Joe that needs to go to the RUC’."

Mr Adams also accused Mr Kenny of making “sliabheen” remarks.

“I think the Taoiseach’s comments were entirely reprehensible. I made that clear. The way that he and the leader of Fianna Fail have dealt with this very, very sensitive issue has been to politicise it,” he said ahead of an event at Liberty Hall.

“The assertion, allegation, the accusation that Sinn Fein has been engaged in a cover-up, that’s totally and absolutely untrue. That I have been engaged in a cover-up, that’s totally and absolutely untrue.

“The issue of abuse of any kind is the most heinous kind, most particularly child abuse. Anybody who has any information on this, including the Taoiseach and the leader of Fianna Fail should bring it to the appropriate authorities.”

Mr Adams refused to say whether he believed he has been damaged by Ms Cahill’s allegations.

“The electorate will have the opportunity to judge this and many other issues,” he said.

He added that he would be willing to meet Ms Cahill if she requests to do so.

“We were in touch with her. I am quite prepared, the party is quite prepared, and that’s a matter we can work out with her if she wants to meet with us. I’ll meet with anyone.”


Leitrimlady


I think it's pathetic and hypocritical to hear politicians state "I believe Mairia Cahill". Politicians are not truthful. They all lie. Some lie more than others but in the end they are all liars. They don't care about the truth and they don't care about justice. They care about power and they will say and do anything to keep it.
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Patbolando

If they are found guilty they have the comfort of knowing its wont be a kangaroo court.
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eamonmelia123

As much as this poor girls attacks need to be sorted out and the animal jailed she needs to realise that Kenny will use this to score as many points he can get at the expense of SF simply because SF are going to destroy them at the next election, if this girl thinks that Kenny cares about her she is sadly deluded,
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Katy

@eamonmelia123 She doesn't care, victims never do care about the politics of it. There are more victims out there, three so far were raped by Cahill's rapist. It's not about politics for the victims, it's about getting justice, acknowledgment of wrong doing. If Adams and Mary Lou had done a real mea culpa they wouldn't be in the mess they're in now.


gluglug

There are too many people trying to use this squalid affair for their own personal agendas and something just doesn't smell right. Wnen the hidden agendas are revealed there will be some very unhappy protagonists left with egg on their face.
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Katy

@gluglug oh please -- you keep trying to make this go away using politics -- this is about a 16 year old rape victim who was then further victimized, even terrorized, by the IRA. She wants some kind of justice. Keep on point.
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jamesbond

Hi Spudpotatoe, if you are referring to myself as being F G, it might go some way in explaining why you call yourself spud, clean out your ears
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Patboland6 hours ago

I am sorry but there is not justification in attacking the Government or FF on this. The bottom line is that Sinn Fein having knowingly colluded in sexual abuse of a young girl. That is disgraceful. It cannot be justified in terms of the nationalist struggle. Sometimes the price for a united Ireland is too high. When it involves sexual abuse or the abuse of minors that Lin has been crossed. Surely we should all agree with that?.
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@Patboland

colluded..? has that been proven..




Katy1324 hours ago

@Hope_ @Patboland yes, it has, to my satisfaction, and that of many. It's Mairia Cahill with all of the credibility here, not Gerry and not Mary Lou.


Offaly

@Patboland ''The bottom line is that Sinn Fein having knowingly colluded in sexual abuse of a young girl''

When were Sinn Féin foundguilty of a cover up Pat ? Did I miss something ? Or are you simply taking on board what others are saying without any proof and coming to the conclusion that it is true ? Can I put your mind at ease with the news that the DPP in the six counties are reviewing the case linked to these allegations and Sinn Féin have welcomed this announcement.





Wesley

@Uibhfhailii

You keep believing like the usfeul idiot you are. You're a great party man altogether offaly. I think anyone with a semblance of a brain (maybe if you know someone, you could ask them) can make their own minds up on this matter and it doesen't look good for Dear Leader. Obviously, your moral standards are inferior to most so I won't be expecting any enlightenment from you any time soon.



Uibhfhailii

@Wesley @Uibhfhailii First of all, you can leave the insults to one side. Just because I hold the view that the shameful display of political opportunism by the leaders of FF/FG demonstrated again today in the Dail, surrounding the Mrs Cahill allegations, doesn't necessarily mean I 'am beholding to any party.




FascistsInGov


@Patboland

Magdalene laundries , artane , letterfrack , ferns , etc etc etc


just what did enda Kenny known during his 3 decades in dail eireann ?





Katy1324 hours ago


@FascistsInGov @Patboland Why are you trying to divert attention away from the abuse and mistreatment of Mairia Cahill? Is it an inconvenient truth for SF/IRA?
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SamVin

@FascistsInGov @Patboland The patriots of 1916 were to give us a just society. The survivors gave us the Magdalene laundries etc, etc, etc. Apparently their disciples are of the same vein.
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Spudpotatoe

hasn't abuse been going on in Ireland all the time. The laundry girls that had babies who were abused by the system and then by the nuns. Deaf ears hear no tales and bring things out to suit your needs never helps. Fine Gail seem to be throwing s**t around hoping it will stick to other parties.Clean your own house up first.




Hairylemon

@Spudpotatoe What a pathetic effort of a response. You guys in Norn Iron have been blinded.




jamesbond


what do you say of the word accountability, do you know what it means.



John_h

We have had Gerry Adams role (or non-role) in Jean McConville's murder, his knowledge (or lack of knowledge) of his brothers abuse of his daughter, now again Mairia Cahill's rape and his recollection/denial of all things in past.

If it was any other political party Mr Adam's would have been dropped like a hot potato and his party members would be calling for his resignation and distancing themselves from him as if he had ebola.

Not SF however, they have gathered round him and are fighting off all comers, a bit the British army at Rorkes Drift repelling the Zulus.

It really questions the SF's mindset do they still have military mindset or a political mindset ???

Either way it makes no difference. Gerry Adams will survive, retain leadership of SF and Ms Cahill will be forgotten. When all the dust has settled she will probably have to leave Ireland as the hard line republicans in the north will make her position untenable.



Tony

Are you so naïve that you don't see FF and FG playing politics with this issue simply to garner some votes? Are people that gullible that they actually believe politicans feigning outrage?




Leitrimlady

@John_h
I will not forget Mairia Cahill! Her courage is admirable



Uibhfhailii


''Mr Adams accused Mr Kenny and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin of "playing politics" with the issue and denied the allegations.''

The only sensible piece in this article.





jamesbond

Right or wrong Enda Kenny, Michael Martin, and Gerry Adams have brought this very sad saga of M/S Cahill firmly into the public domain, whilst appreciatig that M/S Cahill highlighted this personal issue, we must give her the benefit that her motive was purely in seeking justice for herself and others in the same circumstances, only M/S Cahill and Gerry Adams truly knows what she sought and discussed, with Gerry Adams, the overwhelming facts acknowledged by all is that she was raped and abused by a person in the I.R.A. which was under the control of Gerry Adams, in my opinion that is why she met him by agreement , Gerry in the interest of M/S Cahill, his organisation, and the upper house, he has the remit to end this now.



Cecil

You had better bring your evidence to the authorities.



Tony

There are no depths Kenny and Martin will not sink to in the hope of getting another vote at SF's expense.

Kenny finally showed his true colours regarding Northern Ireland when he said the "false assumption of a war being waged" - Our Taoiseach clearly just didn't care that Catholics were burned out of their homes, British army in civilian clothes shot dead unarmed innocent people on the street and the British government colluded with loyalist paramilitaries. These victims must have just been under the "false assumption of a war being waged".

This electorate is under no "false assumption" about our great Leader, primary school teacher from Mayo and his true colours. Election please.


Uibhfhailii

@Tony1221 The likes of our current Taoiseach would have demonised the Cahill family and the community they come from in the past, as nothing but '''terrorists''.

Those who follow Reeling in the years, would have seen Joe Cahill pleading with Dublin for help in 1969, when Bombay St, Conway St were being burned by Unionists, for those pleas to fall on deaf ears. Martins and Kenny's parties can share the blame for the way they neglected those people, they were duty bound to protect under our constitution.



JAFFMAN

"Mr Adams accused Mr Kenny and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin of "playing politics"

Unfortunately we only have tweedle dum and tweedle dee to ask the hard question on our behalf but these questions still need to be ask! It has been Sinn Fein that has played politics fast and loose with the plight of this Brave Woman hiding its ugly side from the electorate!

No more excuses Gerry, we don't live in an Islamic State we violence and abuse against woman is tolerated!

BATARD BRITISH EMPIRE AGGREGATE

Mark Twain once wrote
“Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn't,” while Irishman Oscar Wilde said "the truth is rarely pure and never simple."Anyone closely acquainted with the Irish troubles, will certainly attest to this, in fact they would probably add, that it is more often than not, truly bizarre. Ireland being Britain's first colony was, and is still used, as a test laboratory for empire building techniques. Kitsonian counter revolutionary techniques in particular, along with the lucrative drug rackets, are being used for community control, paedophile blackmail, agent provocateurs, false flag agents, political internment, the judicial/media terrorist narrative, are just some of the better known techniques of the brutal British black arts, where quite often, the most innocent, being the most frequent victims. The Craigavon 2 on the right column are just one example. Below is a small aggregate history.

Lord Louis MountbattenRoyals 

THE HALLETT REPORT No. 6
UK Indymedia - Lord Mountbatten linked to Kincora child abuse ring
"Lord Louis Mountbatten was a pedophile, adulterer and homosexual incestuous lover for 10 years with...the former King Edward VIII....was truly troubled by the revelations he too had betrayed the Canadians to the German Army, resulting in the open slaughter of those 4,000 men...the British monarchy arranged for MI-5 to blow up his boat, happily covering their trail; by fitting up four IRA men....the tactic of blowing up one of your own leaders to cover up any incriminating evidence...was a face saving device to distract from even more damaging intelligence about the British monarchy working for the Germans, against peace, and for a prolonged war."--Hitler was a British Agent by Greg Hallett
The Americans murdered Mountbatten and Thatcher's ...


PRINCE of WALES & LORD LOUIS MOUNTBATTEN 1920
Edward Prince of Wales and his cousin Lord Louis Mountbatten relax in a canvas swimming pool on board.

The attack on the Shadow V was blamed on the IRA, but it is generally considered by intelligence that it was an MI-6 hit,
and the person that controlles the MI-6 is Princess Elizabeth and in particular Prince Philip THE HALLETT REPORT No. 3

Article below by Tim Hughes

---

The Rise of the British Empire The British Empire was the first genuinely global empire, an empire that ranged, at times, from the American colonies in the West, Australia and New Zealand in the East, Canada and her dominions in the North and huge chunks of Africa in the South, including Egypt and Rhodesia. These huge landmasses, and many other smaller islands and places besides, were to be shaped, controlled, dominated and otherwise brought under the dominion of a nation which, prior to colonial ambitions, was a small and perhaps dull and uninspiring set of countries. That the British Empire significantly kick-started the world into the modern era, and gave the world a unifying language is not really in dispute; but the truth behind the image certainly is, and the ugly reality behind the ever-polished and very-rarely challenged veneer of respectability the British, and hence the British Empire, in some quarters have tried to maintain. Where do we begin? At the beginning. Far from Britain being historically a never-ending line of tyrants and wayward rulers, Britain has been, to some degree at any rate, a parliamentary democracy that reigned in kings and queens and rulers, and was the first to have a popular revolution, under Cromwell, in Europe. The Englishmen who started the first serious forays into venture capitalism, were little more than pirates and adventurers who plundered the Spanish main, and wanted a slice of the wealth flowing out of the New World, of which ventures were often backed by Royal decree. Here begins the roots of the British Empire. From ideas of empire rose the ideas of capitalism, free trade, enforced labour, rigid hierarchies, the criminalisation of the poor, and severe and almost unquestioned divides between those who had and those who did not have, both at home and abroad. That this process made many people seriously wealthy cannot be disproved, that it also made many many more people far worse off is, in reality, more important an issue to deal with. That the legacies of empire are far reaching can be seen only too clearly in places like Ireland, Africa, India and much of the Middle East at this present time. It is when racism and prejudice are broached, that the Empire seems to come into its own; Ireland was the first serious attempt by the British Crown and Parliament, to begin a process of English colonisation, whose colonists would then take over the 'wilderness' of Ireland and use the land more profitably. The Irish were treated like the native 'Indians' a little later in America, as being 'in the way', nomads who were uncivilised, and, more importantly, who did not utilise, and particularly, did not 'own' the land they wandered. This is an important point to understand, and much rests on this 'belief', both in Ireland, America and much later Africa and other nations. The inference being, in English and British mindsets, that because nobody 'owned' the land, it was up for grabs. A simple point, but much laboured, and was the intellectual argument for such colonialism. The Englishman was a gentleman, the Irishman, and henceforth many other nationalities, was an uncivilised and uncultured brute. This 'excuse', compounded with other often faulty reasoning and intellectualising, was the reason why Englishmen sought to establish colonies that would make them enormous profits, buy themselves into the gentry, win fame and glory, and establish their names. Such ideas of civilisation and 'gentlemanliness' being used to excuse ethnic cleansing, land grabbing, slavery and untold injustices have their reflections in most if not all empires, and are seen clearest in the 'nazification' of early 20th century Germany; when notions of superior and inferior excused the most barbarous and evil of practises. Africa only really became a serious issue to the Empire at the end of the 19th century, but for centuries prior to this, was a source of wealth for Britain and Europe, primarily because of the slave trade, but also as a market for European goods, and as another outpost of European colonialism from the early 1600's. According to Iggy Kim and Peter Boyle, in their article How the rich invented racism, racism has its historical roots in the development of capitalism. Slaves could be purchased cheaply and brought in unlimited numbers from Africa. In the racist mode of reasoning, the next logical step was to conclude that, somehow, blacks must have been "naturally" inferior to whites. Two other factors assisted the advance of racist ideas in the 19th century: the expansion of European capitalism to include huge colonial empires in Asia and Africa, and the development of early theories of human evolution. Gross manipulation of the latter helped justify the new global oppressive relations of imperialism. Liverpool Docks Ports like Liverpool, Bristol, Cardiff and Glasgow, amongst no doubt many others, grew rich and powerful as a result of this trade, allowing merchants to expand, bankers to grow wealthy, companies to prosper, and many individuals to make more money than they knew what to do with; it was indeed a profitable trade, and also, more and more, a trade that is hidden from history. It is no exaggeration to say that the slave trade, and the profits it created, helped cement the emergence of Capitalism, Britain's pre-eminence as a world empire, the beginnings of Britain's industrialisation, and the creation of a class of capitalists with untold wealth and power at their fingertips. Such unequal relations of wealth and power, creating vast divisions in Britain and around the world, would become uncomfortable realities for many people, and sooner or later would be justified or explained away in high-blown intellectual and scientific terms. Desmond Kuah, of the National University of Singapore, writes that by the middle of the nineteenth century, the British Empire was the largest and richest empire in the world. This naturally gave rise to the belief that the British themselves were the chosen race chosen to bring the benefits of western civilization to the backward areas of the world. With India's conquest, in ways militarily, economic, social, ethnic and even religious, came then, as with other dominions, justifications and intellectual reasoning about British, and White European, 'natural' superiority and the 'natural' inferiority of conquered people's around the world. In understanding and accepting the real reasons for empire, then a better understanding can be made of seeing the inherent divisions within the imperial system, and how racist and classist propaganda, to name but two, was heaped on top of centuries of brutal, merciless and systematic injustice for one real purpose, to make capital gain. Anthony S. Wohl, Professor of History at Vassar College writes that during the nineteenth century theories of race were advanced both by the scientific community and in the popular daily and periodical press. In his article The Function of Racism in Victorian England Professor Wohl goes on to argue that "to denigrate or point up the bestial, brute, savage nature of an outside group is to point up our own advanced state and protect ourselves against inner fears or tensions. Racism and class prejudice, in other words, not only serve as agents of political power, but also serve as buffers between a community and a nature that seems to be getting too close to it for psychological comfort." Social Class ideas in Britain followed many of the arguments that racist classifications did, and were equally pored over by scientists and social theorists. In Britain, class became an issue by the early 19th century. These classes were identifiable groups, and were most notably understood in terms of inequalities in wealth, social power, political power, life expectancy, living conditions, types of job and so on. Race and Class often overlapped, as the Irish would be seen as inferior both racially and in terms of their low-social status. David Cody, Associate Professor of English, Hartwick College argues that early in the nineteenth century the labels "working classes" and "middle classes" were already coming into common usage. The old hereditary aristocracy, reinforced by the new gentry who owed their success to commerce, industry, and the professions, evolved into an "upper class". Beneath the industrial workers was a submerged "under class" which lived in poverty. It could be argued that in some cases, this structure is still viable even today. The Fall of the British Empire Now, I wish to look at how Britain's decline as a world empire, effectively in the middle of the 20th century, was and has been in many cases a smokescreen for Britain's continued economic domination of large parts of the globe, and how Britain itself to this very day exercises divisions and injustices that impoverish large sections of the British populace, both ethnic British and other ethnic minorities. And how tying all this together, and at its very heart, there is a moral vacuum at the heart of those who control mass wealth and power at all costs, even the cost of a peaceful world.The reality of empire, both historically and at present, are so far from the rosy picture of a benign and benevolent undertaking, that an unlearned person might think they were discussing two completely different things. The reality of empire is power, and control of wealth and resources, always stacked unevenly and unjustly in favour of small groups of people. The story of the British Empire, now as well as then, is the story of how this power was and is wielded to create class and wealth divisions in Britain, and how these divisions were and are promoted around the world, in 'superior' white and 'inferior' natives and dark-skinned peoples of the world, all for an agenda of mass profit and wealth creation for a relative few, and the vastly unequal power relations such wealth creates, in Britain and the rest of the world. How these divisions are promoted, accepted, subtly held onto, and reinforced by supposedly benign British institutions like the Church of England, the Judiciary, the Armed Forces with their rigid class structures and so on. In the days of Empire on the global scene, it was a belief that the white man was superior, sensitive, intelligent and fit to govern, but in Britain itself, it was a class structure, again promoted as benign, that held sway; the effete middle and upper class gentleman holding wealth and power and exercising dominance over his social inferiors. Class and Race are still at the heart of a divided Britain, and a divided world. On these injustices were huge fortunes made, lands appropriated, empires carved out, colonies settled and wholesale destructions of cultures and ways of life. It is easy to attack a structure because you are not part of it, or because you or your family and so forth never really benefited from these structures. But it is the moral issue that is at stake here; the morals surrounding slavery, plantation systems, factory systems, enclosure acts, criminalisation of those left out of the enormous wealth created by Britain for centuries. Yes, it may be an issue of envy, but it is also one of injustice heaped upon further injustices, and of institutions in Britain like the Judiciary and the established Church of England, who rather than speaking out compounded the guilt by being ineffectual, obscure and often mouthpieces for the power and injustices meted out. The heart of the myth is the fallacy of English fair play and justice. A mere glance at history, and at present day affairs shows there is only greed and naked self-interest, compounded with injustice and a lack of any real morals whatsoever. The real enemy is injustice. In Mark Curtis' eye-opening book 'Web of Deceit: Britain's Real Role in the World', the realities of British power and greed are encapsulated in factual chapters, which have been written after studying declassified information of Britain's role in a number of global situations. This is truth, from the horse's mouth so to speak, and it does not make particularly edifying reading. As well as his page by page dissection of well-spread lies by the British elite when tackling popular uprisings in Africa, British Guiana and many other places throughout the 20th century, he criticises the media, even the liberal, intellectual and so-called independent media and journalists, for largely ignoring the injustices sown by Britain. This speaks of a bigger picture, and of the class structures within Britain itself, where individuals have colluded and conspired to ignore unpalatable realities so long as they in some ways benefited. In present day terms, we might well ask why in Britain, at the heart of a modern democracy, there are vast gulfs of wealth disparity between rich and poor, and we might ask why a country awash with wealth and resources should become even more divided than poorer countries, with an immoral class system that remains basically unquestioned at this time. Mark Curtis writes, in his aforementioned book: "The reality is that British governments bear significant responsibility for global poverty-not only as a former colonial power that shaped many of the current unjust structures, but in their championing of a world trade system and economic ideology that enriches the few and impoverishes many more...Yet I do not think I have ever seen a media article that mentions that Britain might in some way systematically contribute to poverty in the world. Is this not extraordinary?" Remarkable certainly, and extraordinary perhaps so, but somehow this tallies with everything anyone who merely wishes to be honest about the British Empire, and about the realities of empire; those of unequal power and wealth relations, and of little or no moral culpability or responsibility. The fuel of the British Empire was not coal or wool after all, but an incredible lack of concern for those trampled underfoot in the quest for bigger and bigger profits. And just as Britain, like America, has traditionally backed right-wing dictators and right-wing monarchies and powers in other countries around the world, those regimes often denying even basic rights to the mass of their own people, so Britain has learnt these injustices well, and kept large amounts of British people in the dark, and in poor paying jobs, in run-down areas economically, whilst allowing other groups to prosper often unjustly at the expense of those who are politically, economically and socially oppressed. Sound familiar? I expect it does. In Liverpool at this present time, one of the major ports at the height of Britain's imperial power, the reality of wealth creation, and of British civilisation and British society is unveiling itself in 'Regeneration' and the much-touted 'Capital of Culture'. Liverpool is a working class city, a town that, whilst a relative few made fortunes and good livings, has been a city traditionally poor, with low paying employment and few real prospects for the average citizen, both historically and at this time. The ball starts rolling when rich people can make more money, and most Liverpool people, those born-and-bred, and many more besides, see in Regeneration a cynical exercise in money making, and another gravy train for overpaid yuppies, consultants, city councillors, politicians and speculators of all kinds and of every hue. I have personally interviewed lots of people in the city centre who have said they are being sidelined, and basically booted out of the city to make way for overpriced restaurants and trendy wine bars, and higher paying rents. This is just another in the long phase of injustice meted out by British wealth and power. That of poor and ordinary people being sidelined to make some rich people even richer, and of all the injustice and hypocrisy that all this entails; low wage economies in the world's 4th richest country, higher taxes for poor people, higher prices in Britain, an average wage in Liverpool of £9000 after the billions flooding in from Europe over the last decade and perhaps more. You may well ask why, in all of these capitalist speculations, a little more of the huge wealth floating around cannot be shared a little more fairly. And therein, in these questions, are answers to be found. They are uncomfortable answers, but true all the same, and they all point to greed, hypocrisy, injustice, breathtaking double-standards, corruption in places high and low and wilful immorality. The aftermath of the British Empire can be seen clearly around the world, and in Britain itself, divided by unjust class and racist systems, and particularly in the 'gold rush' speculations of Liverpool's Capital of Culture. It's heart is empty, and its morals are non-existent.