Richard Boyd Barrett: Irish Neutrality is Standing with the Oppressed
Richard Boyd Barrett sets out a definition of Irish neutrality and argues it means opposing empires, not indifference. In this speech he praises artists Aaron Rowe and Beoga for their solidarity with Palestine and criticises the Irish government for welcoming Donald Trump.
Richard Boyd Barrett locates Irish neutrality in a long tradition: Wolfe Tone, James Connolly, Constance Markievicz and Pearse, and the Irish Neutrality League of 1914. He argues that true neutrality refuses to stand with empires and instead stands with the oppressed and those who resist occupation.
He highlights the decision by Aaron Rowe and Beoga to withdraw from Ed Sheeran's US tour as an act of conscience that honours Ireland's history of opposing colonisation, oppression, enforced famine and occupation. Boyd Barrett presents their action as a modern expression of neutral principles.
Boyd Barrett says he does not trust the Irish government to defend that tradition of neutrality. He cites the recent visit of Donald Trump, noting Trump’s remarks about the use of American weapons in Venezuela and the seizure of oil, and questions Ireland’s response to hosting him while claiming to uphold neutrality.
Historical roots and meaning
Richard Boyd Barrett locates Irish neutrality in a long tradition: Wolfe Tone, James Connolly, Constance Markievicz and Pearse, and the Irish Neutrality League of 1914. He argues that true neutrality refuses to stand with empires and instead stands with the oppressed and those who resist occupation.
Artists' solidarity and contemporary examples
He highlights the decision by Aaron Rowe and Beoga to withdraw from Ed Sheeran's US tour as an act of conscience that honours Ireland's history of opposing colonisation, oppression, enforced famine and occupation. Boyd Barrett presents their action as a modern expression of neutral principles.
Government conduct and the Trump visit
Boyd Barrett says he does not trust the Irish government to defend that tradition of neutrality. He cites the recent visit of Donald Trump, noting Trump’s remarks about the use of American weapons in Venezuela and the seizure of oil, and questions Ireland’s response to hosting him while claiming to uphold neutrality.
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Transcript
This whole debate, to my mind, turns on what, do you say, neutrality is. And a neutrality, Irish neutrality, is not about being indifferent, it's not about not taking sides, it is about never standing with empires and always standing with the oppressed and those who resist empires. That tradition goes back to Wolfe Tone, the founder, first person to enunciate the idea of Irish neutrality and to James Connolly and Constance Markievicz and Pearse who set up the Irish Neutrality League in 1914 at the outbreak of the First World War to oppose both sides in that war, to say neither King nor Kaiser. Now, who do I trust with that tradition of neutrality? Because that is the real tradition and that is the tradition that people in this country support. I trust Aaron Rowe and Beogha, the Irish artists and musicians, who in an absolutely selfless, brave and courageous act decided to drop out of Ed Sheeran's US tour out of solidarity with the people of Palestine. And it's worth noting the words that Aaron Rowe used to explain his decision. He said he was doing it to honour this country's tradition of opposition to colonisation, to oppression, to genocide, to enforced famine and occupation. Now that is a real understanding of what Irish neutrality means. It's about opposition to empires and oppression and colonisation and standing with those who oppose it. Now, do I trust the Irish government in that regard with what they say is their commitment to Irish neutrality? No, I do not. No, I do not. The most recent evidence is the visit of Donald Trump to this country. Donald Trump, on a speech that nobody seems to have focused on in the US Embassy, was waxing lyrical about the use of American weapons systems and arms in Venezuela and an illegal attack on a sovereign nation. And he was absolutely explicit. It was disgusting. He boasted about the use of American weapons to illegally attack that country and then talked about all the oil. And we're getting along great with the people and Venezuela is so happy now, the big oil companies are moving in, they're starting to drill. Absolutely explicit. We use our weapons to attack countries and take their oil. But you invite him into this country, you roll out the red carpet from him and you treat him as if he's not an imperial monster, although you're happy to say that about Putin. Who is an imperial monster?