Arnold Schwarzenegger - The Gubernator

INTRODUCING Dan ÓNéill AKA ODD BODKINS

Dan has granted Soñar permission to publish his ODD BODKINS cartoon strip.

ODD BODKINS ON Soñar. Vol. 2 No. 3

With the passing of Labor Day, last Monday, the campaign season for the forthcoming American mid-term elections for the House of Representatives, the Senate, and State Governorships, shifted into top gear.

State of California law prohibits constitutional office holders from holding the same office for more that two terms, so incumbent Governor, Hollywood superstar Arnold Schwarzenegger, will end his term on January next.

Dan ÓNéill, AKA Odd Bodkins, gives his take on the Republican Governor's term in office.





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© Dan ONeill

Hugh Daniel O'Neill

Thirty years ago Hugh Daniel O’Neill was described as, “an innovator, a creator and a professional troublemaker” in a Forward to a collection of Odd Bodkins.

For seven years his Odd Bodkins cartoons ran daily in The San Francisco Chronicle and in 350 other newspapers throughout the world. At its peak, the strip had a readership of fifty million.

When he was hired at age 21 —the youngest cartoonist ever hired by a national syndicate— he was given three simple rules: no religion, no politics and no sex in the strip. He did his best to comply — he kept sex out of Odd Bodkins.
http://www.danoneillcomics.com/
http://origsix.com/index.asp

Open Letter to BBC Panorama Team - Irish Nobel Laureate Mairéad Maguire

Mairéad Maguire (Centre) at Gaza Blockade Protest Meeting in Long Gallery,
Northern Ireland Assembly
(Left) Gerry McHugh MLA (Right) Dr. Kieran Deeny MLA
© Joe ÓNéill



Editor's Note:
BBC Panorama Program Link
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00thr24/Panorama_Death_in_the_Med/

August 21, 2010
Open Letter to the Panorama BBC Team

Dear BBC Panorama Team

I write to you regarding your programme of 16th August, 2010, about The Freedom Flotilla and particularly the killings of unarmed civilians by Israeli Navy Seals on the ship MV “Mavi Marmara’, on 3lst May, 2010.

I have been campaigning for the rights of Palestinians for over ten years. I have visited Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories many times. I was part of the Freedom Flotilla in May on the MV ‘Rachel Corrie’, my third journey on a Free Gaza boat. I am deeply disappointed at the misrepresentation, lack of truth, and bias displayed by your programme.

This programme had an opportunity to inform and educate the public about the background to the flotilla, the motives of the passengers and crew on board the MV ‘Mavi Marmara’, who (like all of us on the boats trying to get to Gaza) were concerned for the suffering of the people of Gaza. Over 650 people – from all faiths and none, – from over 40 countries, representing the human family and uniting in nonviolent resistance to break a cruel siege (collective punishment is illegal under International Law) to bring hope and support to the people of Gaza. Before leaving their various ports, as part of the undertaking, all passengers made pledges of nonviolence, all people, and cargoes were searched, and all undertook to go in a spirit of peace to resist (as is our moral right and duty) the breaking of Human Rights and International Law by Israel through its siege of Gaza and occupation of Palestine.

This journey of courage and call for justice by people on board the MV ‘Mavi Marmara’ and the flotilla represented the conscience of the world. The boats carried no arms, and were no threat to Israel, but what they did carry were voices of dissent from every corner of the world, (including Jews) saying to Israel ‘no more sieges, occupations, wars and threats of violence’, we refuse to be silent in the face of your ethnic cleansing and persecution of the Palestinian people.

Our motives were honourable, we did it for the children of Gaza, knowing that in the end, truth and justice will prevail.

Sadly, the Panorama programme did not see the true significance of this historic journey and missed an opportunity for the media to fulfil its responsibility to ‘tell the truth and nothing but the truth’. They choose instead to try to demonize the passengers on the from the word go MV ‘Mavi Marmara’ by trying to make them out as violent terrorists. They choose to collude with the Israeli propaganda of lies and manipulation of facts thus trying to turn the victims into aggressors.

The fact that Israeli commandos started shooting from the zodiac assault boats and the helicopters from the word go was not stated. The audio and video footage used (provided by Israeli military intelligence) was proven to be doctored, and the IDF have admitted this.

Your programme showed audio containing what was purported to be anti-semitic remarks issued over the radio by members on the flotilla, and you showed a clip of a percussion grenade exploding in one of the Israeli zodiac assault boats. These things never happened. There is so much commentary in this documentary that is inaccurate that it does a grave disservice to investigative journalism and the BBC.

But the real people hurt by this programme, are the families of the 9 unarmed passengers who were assassinated in this unprovoked, illegal, massacre by the Israeli navy seals. So too the more than 40 unarmed people who were injured on the illegal military assault in International waters, whose only crime was to care about Gaza and its people.

The programme failed totally to cover the real suffering of the Palestinian people, it failed totally to cover the fact that the mass kidnapping of 650 unarmed world citizens and the high-jacking of 7 boats, was in International waters and it failed totally to ask the real questions of Israel ‘why is this Port of Gaza – the only port in the Middle East to be a closed military zone (42 years) – not open for the people of Gaza and Palestine to travel and trade with the world as is their human right?

Perhaps, the BBC Panorama will stop taking the propaganda of the Israeli Government (Jane Corbin travelling on Israeli Zodiacs embedded with Israeli military, hardly leads to objective report of facts). These same zodiacs which boarded all the flotilla ships (including the one I travelled on) kidnapped unarmed citizens, hijacked boats (an act of piracy), confiscated all possessions (which Israel still hold onto), forced all under military arms to go to Israel, detained all, violently assaulted many, imprisoned and repatriated foreigners – all an abuse of our human rights and most of which was not reported by BBC Panorama.

The role of the BBC is not to give credibility to the Israeli military but to report facts and allow the public to make up their own minds. By planting doubt in the minds of the public about the events on board the MV ‘Mavi Marmara’. It has done a grave injustice and further injury to the families of all those who were assassinated by Israeli Navy seals, on that terrible morning of 3lst May, 2010.

I would like to ask the BBC Panorama Team, ‘what do you intend to do to redress the injustice you have done to the good names of all those who were killed, and injured, and their families on board the MV ‘Mavi Marmara’ on 3lst May, 2010?

I await your response.

Peace,
Mairead Maguire
Nobel Peace Laureate http://www.peacepeople.com/

Ógra Fianna Fáil Summer School - Belfast 2010

L-R Tim OConnor and Minister Noel Dempsey
© Joe ÓNéill

L-R Seán Gallagher, Joe ONeill, Leas Cathaoirleach Ógra Fianna Fáil, and Gerry McHugh MLA
© Joe ÓNéill

With the official opening of their first constituency office in the six counties last month, in Crossmaglen Co. Armagh, by Taoiseach Brian Cowen, Fianna Fáil continue to market the Fianna Fáil party brand with the visit to Belfast this weekend by Minister of Transport Noel Dempsey, and Thomas Byrne, TD.

The Minister and TD Byrne were guest speakers at the Ógra Fianna Fáil Summer School, held in Queen's University Belfast. Over 100 activists from the party youth wing from all 32 counties attended the School.

Minister Dempsey, TD Byrne, and Dr. Elaine Byrne, Irish Times columnist and adjutant lecturer on Irish politics in Trinity College Dublin, addressed the first session of the School which was on the subject of, ''Reform of the Irish Political System''.

Speakers at the first afternoon session on ''The Economy'', were Dragon's Den star and Business Entrepreneur, Seán Gallagher, and Tim OConnor, Ex Secretary General of the Irish Civil Service.

The final session of the School was a lively debate on, ''Republicanism in the 21st Century'', with Chairman of the Armagh Fianna Fáil forum, Martin McAllister, and Alex Kane, Former Director of Communications with the UUP and a Unionist/Republican.

On the Friday sign-in for the event, Ógra members gathered at Queen's for a social evening, which members of the youth wings of the Democratic Unionist Party, and Ulster Unionist Party attended.

AN TAOISEACH VISITS ''BANDIT COUNTRY''

(L-R) Dr. Ruari OHanlon TD, Martin McAllister, (Chair, Armagh Fianna Fáil Forum)
An Taoiseach Brian Cowen, Margaret Conlon TD
© Joe ÓNéill

Crowds welcome An Taoiseach in the square at Crossmaglen
© Joe ÓNéill

An Taoiseach Brian Cowen faces the press at Crossmaglen
© Joe ÓNéill

Hundreds of people gathered in the square of the Irish northern town of Crossmaglen, Co. Armagh, last night, to welcome Irish Taoiseach, (Prime Minister) Brian Cowen.

An Taoiseach, was on a visit to the town to officially open a constituency office of the Armagh Forum of Fianna Fáil. A dinner in his honour was held in the Cross Square Hotel which was attended by over two hundred invited guests. Local border TD Margaret Conlon, (Cavan, Monaghan) accompanied An Taoiseach to the event. On his arrival he was greeted by another Cavan - Monaghan TD and member of the Northern Strategy Committee, Dr. Ruari OHanlon, and chairman of the Armagh Fianna Fáil Forum, Martin McAllister. Ministers, Éamon ÓCuiv, (Minister for Social Protection) and Dermot Ahern, (Minister for Justice) also members of the NSC, attended the event, as well as many local border county councillors.

Before the IRA ceasefire, in this staunchly republican Co. Armagh town, and the surrounding border area, which was termed ''Bandit Country'' by the British media, British troops and police, billeted in the town's GAA sports ground, were under constant attack, and had to have their supplies airlifted in by helicopter.

Fianna Fáil northern forums have been accredited in counties Armagh, Down, and Fermanagh, and Antrim will launch in September.

John Fogarty RIP - A Proud Irish-American

(L-R) Jimmy Smyth, H-Block escapee, and John Fogarty.
At rally in support of H-Block escapees in San Francisco
fighting extradition from USA to Northern Ireland.
© Joe ÓNéill

It is with a sad heart that I have learned of the death of my friend John Fogarty.

John was a proud Irish-American, who never forgot his roots, and was a committed activist in support of those fighting injustice and prejudice.

Your tireless efforts on behalf of Irish unification, and your community activism, will be remembered by your many friends on both sides of the Atlantic.

Joe ÓNéill
Ireland

In Memory Of John P. Fogarty

SAN FRANCISCO - John Fogarty, longtime Irish American activist died Wednesday July 7,
2010 in Stockton, California, after fighting a long battle with cancer.

Fogarty was born in Bronx, New York, 1946 to William and Helen Fogarty. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Carol.

He is survived by his sons John Lynch, Sean Fogarty and Keith Phillips and his daughters Shana Fogarty, Meghan, Heather (Tony) and Whitney MacKenzie. Two brothers Kenneth and William Fogarty and one sister Rita Angelopoulas.

A staunch union supporter, John was a member of Local 510 Sign & Display for over twenty years.

Fogarty moved to San Francisco in 1968. He had been a long time activist for peace and reconciliation in Ireland. John had served locally, regionally and nationally in the Irish American Unity Conference, but it was his work on behalf of the H-Block Four that made him a well known figure within the San Francisco Irish community as well as Irish American communities across the country.

A true friend to everyone. A caring father, a loving grandfather. John was very respected and now will be mourned and missed by all who knew him.

Condolences can be sent to the Fogarty Family,
c/o Heather MacKenzie, 3126 Potomac Way, Stockton, CA 95201.

ORANGEFEST – ILLUSION OR DELUSION?

On the eve of the July 12 parade by Orangemen in Belfast, violence erupted in the west and north of the city which left 27 police injured, three from a shotgun blast. The confrontations occurred in the New Lodge and Broadway districts.

This morning's parade of the Orangemen, who celebrate the victory of the Protestant King William of Orange, over Catholic King James, at the ''Battle of the Boyne'' in 1690, passed off peacefully. The Orangemen will gather on the outskirts for a rally and political speeches before returning to the city and their neighbourhoods.

It remains to be seen if the peace holds later this evening as many of the marchers make their way past interface areas bordering Nationalist and Loyalist neighbourhoods.

All photos

© Joe ÓNéill

HAPPY 4TH JULY