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 25/08/2006 20:50 | |
fonte : irishvoice
Bloomberg Says Legalize the Irish
By Paddy Clancy
NEW York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg pledged on Tuesday to campaign for a better deal for undocumented Irish in the U.S.
The mayor was on a one-day visit to Sligo where he was greeted with a civic reception at the Town Hall before traveling 14 miles to Ballymote to unveil a monument to the memory of the Fighting 69th, a regiment distinguished in the U.S. Civil War and which was led by Brigadier General Michael Corcoran, a native of Carrowkeel, near Ballymote.
Bloomberg paid tribute to what he called the inter-twined histories and economic relationships between Ireland and New York. He said he expected even closer future links between the two.
But for that to happen the U.S. Congress would need to be convinced to adopt “a federal immigration policy that makes sense.”
Bloomberg said, “That means significantly increasing the number of visas we give out to those who want to come to America, and making sure that those who are already in America have an opportunity to stay.”
He added, “I know that many Irish New Yorkers are caught in the trap of our federal immigration policies. If we are going to continue to attract the best and the brightest – and Ireland has more than its fair share – we need to inject some common sense into our immigration laws, and I’m doing my best to make that case in Washington.”
Marching bands and traditional Irish musicians and dancers laid on a special show for the unveiling of the monument, which contains in its base a piece of steel from the Twin Towers.
About 50 anti-war protestors carried out a peaceful demonstration. Police said there were no arrests.
Among them was left-wing former Sligo Mayor Declan Bree who boycotted the official receptions to join the demonstrators instead.
“I could not in conscience participate in any ceremony where Bloomberg was guest of honor. Last month, following Israel’s attack on Lebanon, Mayor Bloomberg made it abundantly clear that he fully supported the Israeli regime and its invasion of Lebanon,” Bree said.
“Mayor Bloomberg also commended George Bush and the U.S. government for its continued support of Israel. By any interpretation of international law, the Israeli regime has committed massive war crimes against the defenseless people of Lebanon and Palestine.”
The visit was organized by local Sligo Fine
Gael TD (Member of Parliament) John Perry, an annual visitor to New York in March for the St. Patrick’s celebrations hosted by the local Sligo Association. Many members of the association also made the trip to Sligo for the festive occasion.
Among the dignitaries in attendance were dance star Michael Flatley and his new fiancée Niamh O’Brien (see story on Page 2), Irish Consul General in New York Tim O’Connor, representatives from the U.S. Embassy in Dublin, and New York-based Irish radio host Adrian Flannelly, who is the mayor’s liaison on Irish affairs. There was also a significant security presence in Sligo for the visit, which lasted less than a day as Bloomberg was due to depart Ireland on Tuesday evening.
“Brigadier General Michael Corcoran became one of the Civil War’s most revered heroes. When he returned to New York City after months of captivity in the South, enormous crowds thronged him in a parade up Broadway to New York’s City Hall,” Bloomberg told the guests at the dedication ceremony.
“When he died, his body lay in state in our City Hall, just down the corridor from my desk, and people came from far and wide to pay their last respects.
“All New Yorkers are deeply proud of our city’s connection to the Fighting 69th -– its past and present -– and we have been deeply moved by the supreme sacrifices its recent members have made.
“The Fighting 69th has always answered the call to defend and protect America… and on September 11, 2001, the call they answered was a local one. On New York City’s darkest day, the members of the Fighting 69th were one of the first military units to respond to the attacks.”
After the ceremony Perry hosted a reception at a local hotel in Ballymote. Speaking of the Irish who emigrated to the U.S. he said, “They brought with them their love of their native culture, language and arts. One of the most profound features of the Irish American story is the way that the love of Irish culture and heritage has been passed from one generation to the next.”
Bloomberg at one stage took time out from official ceremonies to stroll through the streets of Sligo where he purchased a hand-made sweater at Mullany’s fashion store which, he said, he plans to wear in the New York St Patrick’s Day parade next year.
“It’s great to be back in Ireland. This is not my first trip — I have been to Dublin many times. But it is my first real visit to the west — and from the people I’ve met this morning, I hope it will not be my last,” he said.
“At least now, when New Yorkers tell me how beautiful the west of Ireland is, I can look them in the eye and say ‘Tis.” |