My American Struggle for Justice in Northern Ireland ... and the Holy Land

Download or read book My American Struggle for Justice in Northern Ireland ... and the Holy Land written by Sean McManus and published by . This book was released on 2014-08-01 with total page 430 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This updated Holy Land Edition (2014) expands on the Irish edition (2011), the American Edition (2012) and brings the story totally current. It continues the compelling narrative of Fr. Mc Manus' long struggle for justice in Ireland... and, now, for the The Holy Land. The book reveals how Fr. Mc Manus prevailed against all odds ... How he refused to be silent in the face of injustice ... And how he “kept Congress on track regarding justice and peace in Ireland.” As one reviewer has said, “It makes one want to stand up and cheer.” It is a story of grace and courage, devotion and determination, persistence and perseverance – without bitterness or rancor. For over forty years, Fermanagh native Fr. Sean McManus has been at the heart of the Irish- American campaign against injustice in Northern Ireland. This is his personal account of how he mainstreamed Northern Ireland on Capitol Hill after Church and State exiled him from Britain in 1972 to silence him on the issue. He founded the Irish National Caucus in 1974, “the driving force that would diminish Britain's influence with the U.S. government.” He forced through Congressional action to stop the sale of U.S. weapons to the RUC and made the Mac Bride Principles on fair employment a powerful force. And all this time, he was opposed not only by the London and Dublin governments but also – and ironically and inexplicably – by elements in the Irish Republican Movement. Fr. Mc Manus also chronicles the events and social context that influenced his growing up in the parish of Kinawley -- a parish divided by the British-imposed Border that partitions Ireland -- in a large patriotic family. He gives thoughtful insights into seminary life in the 1960s, and how his faith, theology and philosophy of non-violence developed. The Holy Land Edition recounts his 2012 visit to Israel-Palestine, and served as the vehicle for his launching the Holy Land Principles – a corporate code of conduct for American companies doing business in The Holy Land. These Principles were based on the Mac Bride Principles, which Fr. Mc Manus also launched in 1984, and which are now universally regarded as the most effective campaign ever against anti-Catholic discrimination in Northern Ireland. Fr. Mc Manus is hoping that the Holy Land Principles will persuade American companies to adhere to fair employment in the Holy Land. If Catholics in Northern Ireland deserve these Principles, who is going to claim Palestinian Muslims and Christians do not? He said: “American principles must follow American investment – everywhere. No exceptions! Irrespective of how Americans view the problem there, one thing is surely right: American investment dollars should not subsidize anti-Palestinian discrimination in The Holy Land. And, therefore, I am confident that Americans will want all the 546 companies doing business there to sign the Holy Land Principles.” Like the Mac Bride Principles, the Holy Land Principles do not call for disinvestment, divestment, quotas or reverse discrimination. And, like the Mac Bride Principles, the Holy Land Principles have the potential for great good.