"Anti-Imperialist Unity" A New Poem

For the first time in about two years I wrote a new poem. I will usually do more than one at a time, but I am so excited about this that I wanted to post it ASAP. I explain how I write my poems here. (as I mention in that post, when I use the first person, I am almost never using my perspective, but I don't feel like changing all the first person terms, and I guarantee you I haven't attributed an opinion in this one to Costello that is in conflict with what he believed)

You can find all my poems by clicking on the "lyrics" label at the bottom.

“Anti-Imperialist Unity” based on “Unity is Power” by Kill, Baby, Kill, original lyrics are here.

1. The title is a phrase used by Seamus Costello, who was a leader of the Irish Republican Socialist Party and its military wing the Irish National Liberation Army. He believed in this concept, although I’m not sure what groups he had in mind besides his RSM and the Provisionals (what have been called in recent decades Sinn Fein and the IRA). Maybe he hoped he could convince his former comrades in Official SF and the Official IRA (the other side of the 1969/70 split that produced the Provisionals), but probably not. Probably People’s Democracy (a civilian but militant left-wing anti-Partition group born as a part of the civil rights movement that had taken place between 1967 and 1972), who I have reason to believe were friendly to the IRSP. Maybe 1-3? tiny left groups that were anti-Partition and maybe one or two tiny republican groups that I can’t think of. And maybe unaffiliated individuals would be welcome. I haven’t read his speeches and interviews in a long time and am not sure I can find them, but I imagine the unifying principles would be at least a lukewarm belief in socialism and a firmer opposition to Partition. He died in 1977, so this about the period 1975-1977.                 
2. The RUC were until late 2001 the police in N. Ireland.
3. I doubt Army bases were in anything smaller than a medium-sized town (i.e. Omagh, Strabane).
4. Starting around the beginning of the conflict and continuing in recent years some statistics about average pay indicate that the cost of labor is lower in N. Ireland than it is in Britain. On the other hand, the rate of unionization is higher in N. Ireland, but I think this has little effect because

A) sectarianism divides workers from taking effective action together,

B) it’s difficult for passionately anti-sectarian socialists to get into major positions of power in N. Ireland’s labor movement,

C) many of those who might take that kind of role were busy with the National Question and related issues and/or had/have criminal records from republican activity (something similar could be said about some reformed loyalists, for example the late David Ervine),

D) although the Churches aren’t nearly as central to N. Ireland politics as you might think, the Catholic Church there is not that of El Salvador’s late Archbishop Oscar Romero,

E) center-right politics dominate the Unionist community, perhaps because bigotry and colonialism tend to do that (i.e. most leftists advocate against that kind of shit, and are ignored even when they focus on issues that are purely class), and

F) it might be relevant that the police were, until recently, VERY prepared to break some heads and until recently had excellent political cover if they did so (potential strikers may have also been reluctant to confront soldiers with powerful rifles who were trained for aggression and had even better cover if they killed someone),

G) there is no labour party with the kind of power that the British Labour Party has in Britain (the SDLP don't count, see this and SF is hated by Unionists (you could say something similar about the SDLP, either because they're Catholics, or because they're socially conservative and middle-class, so the vast majority of those Protestants who are working-class and/or progressive don't vote for them))

More evidence for what I say in the last line of the 1st verse is found in the following facts taken from the book Northern Ireland: the Orange State by Michael Farrell:

“In 1974 45% of all firms in Northern Ireland employing 500 or more workers were controlled from Britain, as were 28 out of 51 firms employing between 250 and 500 workers” p. 326

5. The pride would be both the working-class kind and the Irish kind.
6. Fenian is a derogatory term for Catholic and republican, but has been adopted by republicans.
7. James Connolly was Ireland’s greatest socialist and greatest republican.
8. Republicans did a lot of feuding. Even if it was slightly unavoidable, it was bad. People who were, to one degree or another, good republicans and/or socialists were lost. It was demoralizing for the communities they were based in. It distracted form fighting the British. It was used by the British in anti-republican propaganda.
9. In 1975 the IRSP became one of the two first political parties in Ireland to call for gay rights (the other one was PD). I wouldn’t be surprised if in the mid-70s about 25% of the Provos supported gay rights (in 1991 a publication by and for IRA POWs published an article by a gay Volunteer calling for the movement to recognize the contributions made by gay and bi-sexual Volunteers).
10. **27% of this poem is me, 73% is the original.


So much wrong in the North today, the Catholics are being oppressed
What's the point of fighting each other, when the North’s in a mess?
RUC Barracks in every district, Army bases in every town
The Brits are occupiers and they’re trying to keep the cost of labor down

This is the voice of Costello, a voice full of pride
Calling out with a message now- we must all be allied
So listen fenians and reds, listen well, unity's a must
If we can't achieve to unite as one our efforts will go bust

Chorus:
Unity is power, unity is grand, Unity’s the weapon to defend our land
Unity's the answer to Connoilly’s call
Unity will set our class and nation free, Unity will bring us final victory
If we stand united, we will never fall

All these senseless feuds only give the Brits a laugh
Comrades we must stand as one, fighting on the people’s behalf
Shoulder to shoulder, brothers and sisters, make sure we'll never fail
So stick together and act as one, united we'll prevail

Chorus

To all of those who share our beliefs: United we will win
Unity brings victory, it's the power from within
So join our ranks on the battlefield, together side by side
To fight our people's enemies and for Irish freedom and gay pride

Patsy O'Hara

It occured to me that the song I wrote earlier about Bobby Sands could and should apply to all the hunger-strikers who died in 1981 (as well as other republicans who died on hunger-strike). I'm not going to do this for all of them on or around the anniversary their deaths, but I think I'll compromise and do it for some. The first member of the Irish National Liberation Army to die on hunger-strike in 1981 was Patsy O'Hara.

This song is "Those Lyrics." It's also one the top 10 out of about 60.

For the rest of the poems click on the "lyrics" label at the bottom (there are at least two pages worth of posts, so click on the "older posts" at the bottom of the first page).

"Son of Ireland" based on "Son of Britain" by Saga, original lyrics are here.

1. Patsy O'Hara was the fourth of 10 republican prisoners to die on hunger-strike in 1981, demanding to be treated as prisoners of war instead of as criminals. See most of the second half of this for how much support they had) (also this for more of the background)
2. Considering the original, I should explain what is probably obvious, that Irish pride is almost always very different from white pride. (I just heard something making me think that it's probably a small minority of northern nationalists that would talk about "Irish pride"; I still feel odd completely re-writing that line, so I'm going to keep it)
3. James Connolly was Ireland's greatest socialist/republican.
4. There are 32-counties in Ireland.
5. Unfortunately, the line about preasuring the enemy is more or less an endorsement of Sinn Fein's strategy, and O'Hara's movement, the RSM, is not very impressed by that, but I can't think of anything to do about this and am reluctant to not mark his death.
**5. 46% of this version is me, 54% is the original.
6. My thoughts on the Republican Socialist Movement are here.
7. I give this song/poem five out of five stars.
UPDATE 2/3/11 8. When I say he was an anti-fascist soldier, I don't mean that the enemy he was fighting was fascist, because overwhelmingly they weren't. But he was anti-fascist and he was a soldier.
UPDATE 2/3/11 9. Derry is N. Ireland's second largest city.
8. There's some anti-fascist stuff, and although the original is by a scandanavian not British Nazi, it's about a british nazi who was a major supporter of the British and Unionist causes.

From the great city of Derry, a warrior came to us.
He inspired courage and bravery in a struggle that's so just
Patsy O'Hara has fallen, but his memory still lives on.
So it will continue, when the British presence has gone.

Chorus:
Our ranks are filled with comrades, marching down the street.
We are preassuring the enemy, let's force them to retreat!
Patsy O'Hara is still marching, walking by our side.
His words are still clear and loud, his spirit full of pride!

Patsy O'Hara's weapon, was the life he was willing to give
His spirit fills my backbone, and there it will always live.
An anti-fascist soldier a man who made Thatcher see
that she could not break those inspired by James Connolly

Chorus

When the 32-County republic rises, we wont forget this man,
who bravely fought and suffered and gave his life for Ireland
Fulfilment of his mission is now our destiny -
To free our nation, and to set our people free.

Chorus

One last note: Even with the songs that are only about 10% me (and at the upper end, one is 75% me), I have a request, although I don't have strong feelings or expectations about this. First, I want credit for these songs. Second, I'd appreciate it if the notes follow the lyrics around the internet. If you modify the lyrics further, please either make some notes for the changes if you leave some of my changes, or just provide a link to this URL so people can see my version. Although I'm not sure how many people will like what I'm doing with the lyrics, to one degree or another (depending on how much I changed them) I'm proud of these songs- and at the risk of getting a little personal, if people like the songs, I could really use the extra boost of getting credit for them right now (or if you don't like them, they were all written by Sarah Palin- that fascist, what kind of sick person enjoys altering racist lyrics?).

Ireland's Red Army

Here is one more song, it's "Those Lyrics."

The rest of the songs/poems can be found by clicking on the "lyrics" label (there are at least two pages worth of posts, so click on the "older posts" at the bottom of the first page).


UPDATE 11/23/11 I just deleted a poem which was awkward for a couple of reasons- poetic and personal.

*****

"Ireland's Red Army" based on "Fourth Reich Fighting Men." Like "Pulling On The Boots" this is from the movie Romper Stomper and the author is unclear, probably the same as "Pulling On The Boots" (I have a feeling it's not by a racist band but was made just for that movie). The best I can do for a complete set of original lyrics is this.

1. This is about the Irish National Liberation Army from 1974 until 1982, my thoughts on that are here. The first 2-3 years or so the Chief of Staff of the INLA was Seamus Costello.
2. Although I did one song that was based on racist stuff specifically referred to the IRA, in general I avoid publishing stuff based on racist songs that are about actual organizations, since they might not like that- I have a similar attitude about ANY songs about actual organizations. Referring to the IRA seems okay, a lot more acceptable than one about Sinn Fein.
3. I went with the INLA because I felt like keeping the 2nd line of the 1st verse, and I also wanted to keep the reference to dressing in drag. The first line I wanted to keep pretty much required me to refer to the early years of the Provisional IRA, but back then they were probably ridicuously homophobic. The political ally of the INLA, the IRSP, was, along with People's Democracy, the first Irish political party to support gay rights, in 1975.
4. The first line of the 3rd verse refers to the fact that in the early years of the INLA, all/almost all of their members had been in the Official IRA, which from 1970 to 1972 was sort of on the offensive, and then from 1972 on they ceased operations aimed at getting the British out. The INLA was formed in 1974.
5. I'd be surprised if, the entire conflict starting with 1970, more than 5 five times did the security foces actually retreat because they were recieving too much fire or something like that, but it still kind of works for the song and it rhymes.
6. As I explain here there is very little anti-Protestant hate and that the anti-Catholic kind will decline a lot within a few generations of Ireland being united. I would also say that what little anti-Protestant hate there is will also decline as inequality for catholics evaporates. That post also explains why a socialist state is more likely with Ireland united than divided.
7. The RUC were the police until late 2001.
**8. 41% of this version is me, 59% is the original.
9. Since the original is Australian, I should point out that there's lots of left-wing and anti-homophobic content. See this for why that's important.
9. The line about drag isn't perfect, but it's slightly based on the original and I had to keep the word "drag." It's meant as a statement against homophobia, even though there's not more than a weak connection between being gay and cross-dressing.
10. I give this song/poem four out of five stars.
11. Considering the original, I should say that Irish pride is very different from white pride (most of the time). (I just heard something making me think that it's probably a small minority of northern nationalists that would talk about "Irish pride"; I still feel odd completely re-writing that line, so I'm going to keep it)

Chorus
Costello's Fighters, that’s who we are
We’re living in the sewer, but we’re gonna go far
You see our numbers growing, the rising red star
Costello's Fighters, that’s who we are

We fight the system, we fight the war
You think you’ve seen enough of us, there’s gonna be more
We're gonna unite the country, the working-class will soar
Costello's Fighters, winning the war

Chorus

We march so proud, carrying the flag
Attacking the Brits, and the RUC slag
In solidarity with those who dress in drag
Costello's Fighters, carrying the flag

Chorus

At last on the attack, fighting as one
The fighting isn’t finished ’til the job is done
The battle isn’t over ’til the war is won
Costello's Fighters fighting as one

Chorus

Fighting in the alleys, Fighting in the streets
Attacking the Brits, making them retreat
When the war is over, it'll be the end of the hate
Everyone will live together in the socialist state


One last note: Even with the songs that are only about 10% me (and at the upper end, one is 75% me), I have a request, although I don't have strong feelings or expectations about this. First, I want credit for these songs. Second, I'd appreciate it if the notes follow the lyrics around the internet. If you modify the lyrics further, please either make some notes for the changes if you leave some of my changes, or just provide a link to this URL so people can see my version. Although I'm not sure how many people will like what I'm doing with the lyrics, to one degree or another (depending on how much I changed them) I'm proud of these songs- and at the risk of getting a little personal, if people like the songs, I could really use the extra boost of getting credit for them right now (or if you don't like them, they were all written by Sarah Palin- that fascist, what kind of sick person enjoys altering racist lyrics?).

I Owe My Allegiance Only To The Working-Class

Seamus Costello once said the title for this post. He was the founder and primary leader of the Irish Republican Socialist Movement from it's formation in 1974 (partly by people leaving Official Sinn Fein) until his death in 1977.

I'm a republican-socialist in the Irish sense. Does that mean I support the Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP) and the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA)? Overwhelmingly, today, no. Also, there are tons of republican-socialists in Sinn Fein, and to one degree or another in other republican groups, and there are independent ones. But as a good, if slightly misguided, republican-socialist, I did, in the late 1990s flirt with the IRSP. And I believe that during the period 1974-1982 it was amazing. But I have not supported the RSM since 2000 and this post is about the first several years of the IRSM, not the time since 1982 (some people would advise me to keep that praise about the early years to myself, but after YEARS of thinking about it I am convinced that Seamus Costello was a great republican-socialist).

Shortly I'll go into a lot of detail about why I like the IRSP during that period, and then I'll describe why I don't like them today, and then I'll offer some thoughts on the other dissident groups. But first I want to clear something up.

In 2001 I found an archived email to some left-wing list that contained a letter to the editor of the Irish News I had written (it was criticizing Sinn Fein over the NY City St. Patrick's Day Parade). At the top, the person who sent it said I was a member of the IRSP. Although I did come close to joining once, I never even sent in an application. The email was sent 2 years earlier, so I didn't bother issuing a correction to the list I wasn't even on.

More generally, at the time I was significantly closer to SF than to the IRSP. My support for the IRSP included:

1) I was on their N. American email list.
2) When the library of the INLA prisoners was somehow destroyed (it somehow involved a loyalist attack), there was an appeal for good pinko books. I sent a bunch, hopefully all/most were enjoyed.
3) At one point, for sort of stupid reasons, I sent them my copies of two amazing anti-unionist and socialist books.
4) When I sent them a check for some merchandise, after emailing a couple times about not receiving the stuff, I told them to just keep it as a donation (I'm not sure if I even checked if the check was deposited).
5) I put out a small amount of IRSP lit. when I was tabling.

I think that's it. To give you an idea of how I was NOT very close to the IRSP, shortly before I went on my first trip to the North right around Jan. 1st 1999, I was put in touch with the brother of one of the INLA 1981 hunger-strikers, who wanted to hang out with me in Derry. I declined- I didn't want to get in that deep with the IRSP. (In the late 1990s I was closer to supporting Sinn Fein than the IRSP in terms of literature I put out while tabling on campus and bringing speakers to campus)

Two general points before I proceed. Whether it applies to the early period or since 1982, the IRSP is a little bit, perhaps significantly, to the left of me- I don't think you'll find any people in the IRSP who use the term social-democrat (I call myself a democratic Marxist/lefti-wing social democrat). That's got almost nothing to do with why I don't support them today. And if I was politically active during that earlier period, although I would have also expressed some degree of support for SF, I probably would have primarily supported the IRSP.

Here's why I like the Republican Socialist Movement during that earlier period:

1. Electorally, they had the support of about 1% of the Nationalist community, although there were probably many who supported them but, as republicans and as revolutionary socialists weren't voting. Probably most of the 40% of the Nationalist community who supported the IRA also sort of supported the INLA, and probably most of the 40% who sort of supported the IRA kind of, sort of, supported the INLA (the first 40% is based mostly on solid election figures, the second is a pretty reasonable estimate, based largely on what I've heard about support for the hunger-strikers in 1981).

2. They gave their lives disproportionately on hunger-strike in 1981 (well, based on everything I've read, there's no way that INLA members were 30% of republican prisoners at that time, but they were 30% of those who died).

3. From 1978 to 1980 when he was killed, the Chief of Staff (leader) of the INLA was Ronnie Bunting Jr. His father was Ian Paisley's (the notorious anti-Catholic bigot) right hand man who organized attacks on the civil rights movement in the late 1960s.

I give Ronnie Bunting Jr. a lot of extra points for breaking from the sectarianism of his father. Also, and I'm not sure I'd bother saying this if it were just that he was a Protestant, but considering who his father was, I give the Volunteers of the INLA a lot of extra points for accepting his leadership. (that doesn't mean I'm saying that republican groups not led by Protestants are sectarian, but it's not insignificant that he was chief of staff)

4. Bernadette Devlin-McAliskey was Co-Chair of the IRSP for the first year. She left because she felt that too much emphasis was being put on the armed struggle, but she remained friendly with them, and has continued to be in recent years.

5. In 1975 they became one of the two first political parties in Ireland to call for gay rights and possibly the very first to support abortion rights.

6. UPDATE 1/29/09 In the late 1970s, according to Tim Pat Coogan, the Provisonal IRA (now known simply as the IRA), collaborated with the INLA.

7. Seamus Costello, who was the primary leader of the IRSP and was Chief of Staff of the INLA, was one of Ireland's three greatest republicans/socialists. That's based on the following:

A: He was on the following bodies when he was killed (they all appear to be in the Republic of Ireland):

Wicklow County Council, County Wicklow Committee of Agriculture, General Council of Committees of Agriculture, Eastern Regional Development Organisation, National Museum Development Committee, Bray Urban District Council, Bray and District Trade Unions Council (of which he was president 1976-77)

B: Nora Connolly O'Brien, daughter of James Connolly (Ireland's greatest socialist/republican) said after Costello's death that of all the people she spoke with who claimed to be followers of Connolly, Costello was the only one who fully understood what he meant.

C: Eamonn McCann wrote highly of him, sometime years after his death.

D: Bernadette Devlin-McAliskey spoke highly of him after his death.

E: Dr. Noel Browne (he was a senior minister in a coalition government in Dublin shortly after world war II) spoke highly of him.

F: Tony Gregory spoke highly of him.

G: His speeches and interviews indicate a very good understanding of the connections between national liberation and socialism. He also believed in anti-imperialist unity and in dialogue with Loyalists. Critically he believed that when talking with loyalists it was important to be honest with them about being republicans and socialists (apparently there was a history of republican and non-loyalist socialists not doing this). Also, at the conference mentioned below, there was at least one loyalist, so he did talk with them at least once.

H: When he attended a conference in America in 1975 to which participants to the conflict were invited, he spoke for three hours as scheduled, and was then later asked to speak for another two hours.

I: UPDATE 1/29/09 Sinn Fein, in at least two ways, indicated their respect for him after he died.


That's it for that period. I chose 1982 as a cut-off point because it's one year after the Hunger-Strike, and one year before Sinn Fein decided they would not share a platform with the IRSP.

Why do I not support them today?

1. If they ran candidates, they'd probably get something like .5% of the Nationalist vote. This causes two problems for me. First, I'm reluctant to support armed organizations with such a low level of support, and second, it makes me wonder if there are some things local people know that I don't- for example, is there a little bit of truth to allegations of for-profit criminality or sectarianism.

2. They're anti-Good Friday Agreement. I could, and might, do an entire post on that, but let me explain why I largely support it- A: it's not that bad and B: about 99% of the nationalist community voted for it. (Here is that post)

3. In the 1980s and 1990s there was a lot of feuding involving the INLA. I won't go into the details but will say that even though it's likely I should not hold this against them, it still generates some concern, when feuding happens.

4. In 1997 the INLA issued a statement. At the time I wasn't too bothered by it, but I have since decided that it represented some degree of stupidity or sectarianism in the INLA. It threatened that the INLA would kill Orange Order (an anti-Catholic organization (see this for more info on why they should not be marching through Catholic areas)) members if their marches were forced through Catholic areas. Now, Orange marchers should stay out of Catholic areas, but I'm not sure if they're so bad that they deserve to be shot in that situation (I think they're only something like 90% as bad as the Klan), and even though I wouldn't call it sectarian, huge numbers of people would interpret it as such. It would have made more sense to threaten the security forces who were forcing the marches through.

5. When Eamonn McCann praised Costello, he said that he wouldn't like today's RSM.

My thoughts on the other main dissident groups:

Republican Sinn Fein and the Continuity IRA: First, and this goes for the next Movement as well, they need to go on cease-fire and stay there (for the foreseeable future). From what I've read, in 1998 no more than about .33% of the Nationalist community supported the continuation of armed struggle, I have no reason to believe that's gone up more than a tiny amount. Second, as far as I can tell, they're fairly socially conservative, whereas SF is very progressive socially.

32 County Sovereignty Movement and the Real IRA: Once again, go on cease-fire. They're probably roughly as left-wing, maybe a little less, than SF.

Eirigi: I'm not too familiar with them, they emerged during the last 4 years when I was only reading about 50 articles a week relevant to the North. I know Bernadette Devlin-McAliskey is friendly to them, so is the Troops Out Movement (A British group that is close to SF). As far as I can tell, a significant part of their disagreement with SF is over policing, which SF generally supports. Also, there's no doubt they're solidly left-wing. They have no connection to an armed group and generally do not support the continuation of armed struggle.

In a 2007 survey, only 2% of Catholics said the GFA was a bad thing.

So, if you decide to ignore the opinion of roughly 98% of the Nationalist community that either supports the GFA or who think it doesn't matter (21% of those surveyed), not to mention the 55% that support SF and the (likely) 75% of the poorest half of the Nationalist community that supports SF, and support dissidents, I strongly recommend you go with either the IRSP or Eirigi.

Also, what are my current feelings about the RSM?

1. I hope that their members are neither arrested nor killed (same for all dissidents).
2. I would support political status for their POWs (same for all dissidents).
3. The INLA, as far as I can tell, have been on a VERY solid cease-fire since shortly after the Good Friday Agreement, in respect of the fact that there is almost no popular support for armed struggle.
4. I assume that some majority of their members maintain the politics of Seamus Costello.

I want to say something about the killing of Seamus Costello. He was killed by the Official IRA. I could do an entire post on them, but I'll keep this brief. They, and currently they're represented politically by the Workers Party, are horrible. They had absolutely ZERO justification for attacking the RSM when a bunch of Official IRA and Official SF (the Officials were the other side of the split in late 1969/early 1970 that produced the Provisionals, now known simply as SF and the IRA) followed Seamus Costello to form the RSM. Including Costello, four IRSP members were killed. Although Costello was a military leader, he was also a civilian leader of the IRSP and held many positions in public or semi-public bodies, and was not a legitimate target.

Lastly, I leave you with a song and lyrics, by Ray Collins.. The YouTube video is here, the lyrics, preceded by some notes, are below:

1. As far as I can tell, like most republican songs, there are multiple versions- these lyrics should be about 99% accurate.
2. "Saoirse Go Deo" means "Forever Free."
3. The reference to Airey Neave. In general I don't approve of killing elected politicians, but Neave was almost 100% horrible- he was a Thatcherite Tory, may have been involved with dirty tricks against political opponents, and was calling for harsher measures in Northern Ireland, and was on the verge of becoming NI Minister.
4. "The Blanket" refers to a prison protest where republicans were demanding to be treated as POWs instead of as criminals.
5. Towards the end it refers to four of the 1981 hunger-strikers who died as part of the protest against criminalization. Patsy O'Hara said, as his last words, "let the fight go on."
6. When I sing this song it's dedicated to the early period of the INLA.
7. The Starry Plough is the flag of republican-socialism.

I'll sing you of an army brave
Who fights from the cradle to the grave
The people will be no longer slaves
With the INLA freedom fighters

Followers of Connolly
They fight to bring us liberty
Socialism we might see
With the INLA Freedom Fighters

Saorsie Go Deo is our cry
The Starry Plough, our flag flys high
England's tyranny we defy
We're the INLA freedom fighters

Rising throughtout the land
Connolly in head, gun in hand
The working class will take a stand
With the INLA freedom fighters

Fighting for the working-class
The priest condemns us at the Mass
That will not turn us from our task
As INLA freedom fighters

To make the Tory tyrants grieve
A Volunteer a bomb did leave
To kill Imperial Airey Neave
Twas they- the freedom fighters

Murder, torture, imprisonment
Our movement is still not spent
We vow to make our foes relent
We're the INLA freedom fighters

The Brits try to criminalize
Our comrades who on The Blanket lie
We'll make sure the struggle does not subside
We're the INLA freedom fighters

Captured guerrillas to prison are sent
As prisoners of war their time is spent
With heads unbowed and knees unbent
UNBROKEN Freedom Fighters

The news in 1981
A hunger-Strike for rights begun
A hollow victory was won
For ALL the Freedom Fighters

At British hands died Booby Sands
McCreesh and Hughes for the Five Demands
O'Hara's death, our symbol stands
We're INLA Freedom Fighters

Aye on beneath our banners high
To avenge our comrades who have died
"Let the fight go on" as Patsy said
We're the INLA freedom fighters

SMASH COMBAT 18

I found this video on YouTube. It basically describes how the IRA is going to smash Combat 18, an armed Nazi organization (I know the IRA decommisioned in 2005, but it makes an entertaining point about stopping Combat 18- it's kind of political fantasy in the post-decommisioning period, but a good political fantasy)
Some notes on the video before you watch it:

1. The UVF is a loyalist (Protestant/Pro-British) paramilitary.
2. The guys with heavy weapons and/or camoflauge are the IRA.
3. The video quotes an Irish National Liberation Army statement. As far as I can tell, the creator of the video (who is awesome) is close to the Republican Socialist Movement. I don't support them today, I flirted with supporting them in the late 90s, and I believe that from 1974-1982, they were amazing. I might post more on that later. See this post.
4. Although I'm sure the creator is anti-racist, it's disapointing that the video says nothing about loyalist/Nazi violence towards people of color in the North of Ireland.
5. The music is "Bash the Fash" by Oi Polloi. It pushes a message I only agree half-way with- that the best way to deal with fascists is through violence. I agree with Billy Bragg (the popular British left-wing singer-songwriter) when he says that although there are much better ways of dealing with fascists than beating them up in the street, he also does support beating them up in the street.
6. UPDATE 2/11/20 The person who made the video might be a little too eager for conflict with loyalists. Before you get the wrong idea about me, see the second note in the notes BELOW the poem here.

The youtube page of the creator is here



I appologize for the dificulty you'll probably have with some of the text.