Unwelcome Visitor is not a man or a woman. It is Racism!

Cultural Boycott of Israel??
Anti-Arab Bias in the North??
A big NO to both!

Latest News:

Aosdana members urge policy of non-co-operation with state-funded cultural institutions

Aosdana passed a motion proposed by writer Margaretta D'Arcy. It encouraged Irish artists and cultural institutions "to reflect deeply before engaging in co-operation with Israeli cultural institutions." Before that, Aosdana voted on a motion, proposed by composer Raymond Deane and seconded by the same Margaretta D'Arcy, "to end all cooperation with Israeli state-sponsored cultural events and institutions." This motion was defeated in the organization's general assembly.

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The Irish government responded to the Aosdana motion by saying it was "firmly opposed to any proposals for an academic or cultural boycott against Israel."

John O'Donoghue, minister for arts, sport and tourism, said he was happy the motion had been voted down.

"The only way forward is through an inclusive approach of dialogue with and between Israelis and Palestinians. The government is working directly with the parties, and with our partners in the EU, for the revival of a credible peace process with the clear objective of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," he said.

A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs said: "Minister Dermot Ahern has worked with both Israelis and Palestinians to bring a lasting settlement to the conflict. The way forward is to be inclusive and to engage both Palestinians and Israelis."

He added that the decision by Aosdana was "a matter for themselves".

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Israel's embassy in Dublin released a statement condemning the motion as "wrong, unjust, biased and based on misunderstanding and misinformation."

Ambassador Zion Evrony said, "It appears that a very small number of Aosdana members... have misled others and imposed their views on the whole organization."

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D'Arcy, for her part, wrote an open letter to the ambassador attacking his views: "Mr. Ambassador, who the hell do you think you are, interfering with Irish artists, prescribing what we may or may not reflect upon?" she fumed.

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Nobody has ever asked Ms D'Arcy who the hell she thinks she is talking in this way to the ambassador of a sovereign nation.

Aosdana in Another Controversy

It is not the first time that Aosdana, an affiliation of government-funded creative artists in Ireland, is involved in such a controversy.

In 1997, the group voted to support the continued membership of the wartime Nazi collaborator and propagandist Francis Stuart after he said on a British television documentary that he did not regret his role in working for the Nazis at a time when the extermination of the European Jews was already under way.

Francis Stuart (1902–99), an Irish writer and member of Aosdana who wrote in one of his books: “The Jew is the worm that got into the rose and sickened it,” received a Saoi (Gaelic for ‘wise one’) award in 1996 (the highest honor the state can give an artist). He was also known for his antisemitic radio broadcasts made during World War II There was some outcry at the award and calls for Stuart's removal from Aosdana.

The Irish-language poet Maire Mhac an tSaoi, also a member of Aosdana, tabled a motion calling for Stuart's resignation and a condemnation of his sentiments as expressed in the programme. The motion was defeated by 27 to one, causing Maire Mhac an tSaoi to renounce her own membership.

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This is how you can contact Aosdana:

aosdana @ artscouncil.ie

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Anti-Arab Incidents in the North

On a different note, I am getting reports about the sharp increase in the occurrence of anti-Arab incidents in Northern Ireland. It very much looks like some people living on this island never stop trying to stir the pot of racism and xenophobia.

If you are a victim of such incidents on this side of the border, or have information about them, please report them here.

This is the website of The National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism (NCCRI) is an independent expert body that seeks to provide advice and to develop initiatives to combat racism and to work towards a more inclusive, intercultural society in Ireland.
You can visit their website at http://www.nccri.ie
or e-mail them at

info @ nccri.ie

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My older post about the same thing (March 2007)

The Western Writers Centre website (http://www.twwc.ie) describes the book "calling for a cultural boycott of Israel" as "admirable"!

Have a look at this post here

Apparently, this is a boycott of all the Israeli writers, no matter if they are pro-oppression or anti-oppression, pro-Arab or anti-Arab.

We are nearing the Intercultural and Anti-Racism Week, 19 - 23 March, with the official UN International Day Against Racial Discrimination on March 21st, so maybe it is time for us to raise our voices against such things?

This is how you can contact the Western Writers Centre:


Fred Johnston, Director

Fred @ twwc.ie
sylfredcar @ iolfree.ie

The staff:

Judith @ twwc.ie
Angela @ twwc.ie


Yours sincerely,

Anthony Anatoly Kudryavitsky,
writer and literary translator
ak2004 @ planet-save. com

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I've since got the following from Fred Johnston, Director of the Western Writers Centre:


Dear Sir -

Your remarks about the cultural boycott of Israel is
both uninformed and slanted. You give the impression that such a boycott
would be racist? Well, then, sir, tell me what the Israeli attitude
towards the Palestinians is when they refuse visas for Palestinian writers
to travel to Ireland. I think, sir, you want everyone to support you
rather blindly and you will take no criticism. I am well aquainted with
that idea. So now the Western Writers' Centre is your enemy? Your
attitudes on this seem, well, rather totalitarian, to me, sir.

Fred Johnston
Mon, 12 Mar 2007

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My reply to this, sent to Fred Johnston on the same day:

Uninformed? Ok, give me some information then. From what I've read in the twwc website, I gather that it is a one-sided racist boycott. Can you prove that I am wrong? If I am, I will be the first to admit it.

Generally, I don't like any kind of oppression, and I would criticise the Israeli government for many things they did; same with any writer who supports the oppression of the Palestinians. But I will never support a boycott of writers on the grounds of their nationality/religious beliefs.

And of course, my enemy is not the Western Writers Centre but racism and xenophobia. Let us hope that they are your enemies, too.

Regards,

Anatoly Kudryavitsky
Mon, 12 Mar 2007

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So what do you think about this? Would such a boycott serve the interests of the Palestinians, the Israelis, and the Irish?

Please feel free to leave your comments below. Thank you.