Thousands in Ireland Protest Bush Visit

[dArKeR]

By SHAWN POGATCHNIK, Associated Press Writer

DUBLIN, Ireland - Thousands of left-wing activists marched through the Irish capital Friday to protest the arrival of President Bush (news - web sites) for a brief summit with European Union (news - web sites) chiefs.

Rallying under the "Stop Bush Campaign" banner, the crowd of about 10,000 waved signs denouncing Bush as a warmonger and calling for an end to American military flights though Shannon Airport, a strategic refueling point used by thousands of U.S. troops each month.

The protesters marched from north Dublin to the south-side office of Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, whose decision to keep Shannon available for Iraq (news - web sites)-bound forces has angered many in this officially neutral nation.

"Good people of America," read one placard, "vote that son of a Bush out."

"If we don't speak out, our silence will be taken as consent," Dublin Mayor Andrew Montague told the crowd. "This president lied to the world about the reasons for invading Iraq."

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040625/ap_on_re_eu/ireland_bush_1

pic
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/040625/481/xsnn10406252109

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http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/040625/photos_wl/mdf607609

I'm ashamed Americans don't have massive protests to Impeach aWol.

Don't forget to rate these a '5'.

[riverwalker]

1. The Irish GET it...when will we?

"If we don't speak out, our silence will be taken as consent," Dublin Mayor Andrew Montague told the crowd."

[Cha]

6. I know...I loved that statement by the..

Dublin Mayor Andrew Montague ...the Mayor of Dublin,yet!

[2Design]

2. what a great line

"Good people of America," read one placard, "vote that son of a Bush out."

[mountainvue]

3. Erin Go Bragh!

[peacetalksforall]

4. Why do people in other parts of the world see us better than we see us...

and protest louder?

[Cha]

7. It's the media...they have better access to

the non propoganda and get the real news...which our mainstream has not been privy to...that is why F9/11 is such a beautiful treat!

Thank you, Michael Moore.

[DemoTex]

5. Irish friends, all:

We hate Bu$h more than you can imagine. We are fighting him and his repressive regime tooth-and-nail. Help us please. Protest the "using" of Ireland for the re-election of George Bu$h. He is only there to whore his re-election chances. Stop him please. We are counting on you.

[leftchick]

8. Nice photo...

I hope to find more...

[struggle4progress]

9. Bush Gets Chilly Reception on Eve of Meeting in Ireland

By ELISABETH BUMILLER
Published: June 26, 2004

ENNIS, Ireland, June 25
<snip>
"Fury and fear as town is turned into a fortress," the headline in the Irish Examiner said. The newspaper quoted the mayor of Shannon as saying that the town's residents were being made into a potential target for a terrorist attack.
<snip>
Mary O'Rourke, the leader of the Irish Senate, ... refused to attend a recent dinner in celebration of Mr. Bush's impending visit at the home of the American ambassador, James C. Kenny ....
<snip>
"The notion that what we saw in Abu Ghraib is somehow typical of the United States is a terrible calumny," (Chris Patten, the European Union's commissioner for external affairs) said. "Where I think there is a legitimate worry in Europe is whether or not the administration and others are as committed to the application of the Geneva Conventions as we are. I think once you start hair-splitting about the Geneva Conventions you risk getting into a good deal of difficulty."
<snip>
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/26/international/europe/26NATO.html?ex=1088827200&en=277adbf57900f3f7&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE

[oldhat]

10. To the Irish nation!

Happy Bloomsday to you!

L'chaim! Skoal! Bottoms up, boys!

:beer:

[dbt]

11. What a horrible stain on that beautiful place!

Bad enough that we have an unelected, murdering fool for a king. Worse yet that this pinhead represents us among the people who built so much of America!

The Irish came here in waves after an imperial power starved them out of their very homes and land. They brought us strength and humor and music; they tried to teach us all what could be possible if you just didn't give up on your dreams.

Give up we did. We accepted the Traitors' Decision that put bu$h in the White House; our Irish forebears would have made his life a living hell--if they had allowed him to sit his lying ass in the chair to start with!

In the Famine parlance, America took the soup. We CHOSE to be helpless as our country was stolen from us in broad open daylight. Now, it is our SHAME to watch as bu$h minces upon the very Earth that birthed so many of us! We can only hang our heads as this yammering ape REPRESENTS us in the Homeland!

Ireland, we are sorry that you have to share our disgrace in such a public manner. May the stain of bu$h be washed away soon!

:cry:
dbt

[Nile]

12. While thousands protested...

millions did not.

[Speed8098]

14. And your point is????

What exactly are you trying to say?

[lostnfound]

18. Survey showed less than 1 in 5 Irish wanted Bush to visit Ireland..

World leader pretend..

http://www.breakingnews.ie/story.asp?j=105815280&p=yx58y5986&n=105816040&x=

Overwhelming 'no' vote to Bush’s visit to Ireland
29/05/2004 - 08:30:51

Two out of three people living in the East Constituency say they do not support next month’s visit by US President George W. Bush to Ireland.

A poll published today, shows that less than one in five people surveyed are in favour of the visit.

Five hundred people from the constituency were questioned for this latest Irish Examiner/Prime Time poll. It indicates widespread opposition among the public to the US occupation of Iraq, with 67% of those polled claiming they are not in favour of President Bush arriving in Ireland for a meeting with EU leaders.

[leftchick]

13. Why am I having a hard time finding photos of the protest?!?

Nothing on Yahoo and only this from google. Anyone?

[DoYouEverWonder]

16. I think we're having another one of those news blackouts

There has been very little news on the wires the last two days.

[lostnfound]

15. "Left wing activists"?? I'm sure the protests are much broader than that..

Even some conservatives don't like bloodthirsty kings.

[DoYouEverWonder]

17. Remember how the Irish treated Clinton?

I just found this article from the last time Clinton visited. What a contrast.



http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/front/2000/1213/fro2.htm

Like white-headed pint, President worth the wait

December 13, 2000

If Bill Clinton is short of work in his retirement years, he might consider a role as a walking Guinness advertisement.

He's smooth, goes down well with the Irish, and has a white head; all the whiter, he said himself, since he became involved with Northern Ireland. He's a lot warmer than a pint of Guinness, admittedly. But the other thing he has in common with the black stuff is that, like a proper pint, he can be slow arriving.

<snip>

In between, the Taoiseach thanked the President for his unfailing support throughout the years of the peace process, recalling that the "talks about talks and meetings about meetings" had been so numerous that future historians would be "dizzy" following them. Having drunk pints for two hours, the audience knew how the historians would feel.

But when the Taoiseach told the President Ireland would never forget his efforts, the words were loudly applauded.

<snip>

At one point, he even seemed to brush away a tear. It was probably just an itchy eyelid, but his farewell to Dublin was an occasion worthy of nostalgia. By the end of the afternoon, there wasn't a dry glass in the house.

[DoYouEverWonder]

19. This is how the Irish great our current pResident