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'Paddy Cosgrave was wrong to invite Le Pen - and wrong to use Northern Ireland in his justification'

David McCann, an expert on the politics of peace, can not equate Marine Le Pen with the stakeholders of Northern Ireland.

I WATCHED WITH interest the debate around the Web Summit’s decision to invite – then rescind – an invitation for Front National leader Marine Le Pen to speak.

In 2018, debates around free speech and censorship abound in political discourse but I wanted to outline why I thought the original reasons for the invite were wrong.

Paddy Cosgrave, writing last night on why he believed Le Pen should be given a platform, referenced Northern Ireland and placed particular emphasis on the broadcasting ban that was used against members of Sinn Fein.

I would just note a couple of things.

There is no censorship of Le Pen

As far as I am aware Le Pen is under no such broadcasting ban.

Her party attracted European wide attention throughout the first half of 2017 as the French presidential election took place. She and her supporters are free to articulate their views across many different platforms. That was not the case for Sinn Fein during the 1980s and 1990s, as they were shut out from any mainstream broadcasters. Le Pen on the other hand has endured no such censorship.

Another wrong parallel with our own context is this. Northern Ireland was in the grips of a conflict, where many different actors played a role. Parties like Sinn Fein were embraced, but it’s important to remember this largely happened only when they embraced peaceful means.

Gerry Adams on the Late Late

People such as Albert Reynolds were not handing Gerry Adams a blank cheque; rather they were intent on ensuring that the project of ending violence was supported. Even when that happened, I would direct readers’ attention to the first time that Adams appeared on the Late Late Show. On that occasion, he had to face a panel of critics and defend his views.

The Good Friday Agreement was achieved through talks – that much is true. But it was achieved by people who were fundamentally committed to reform and to changing their ways. The IRA and the UVF during the previous years had taken steps, through ceasefires and a subsequent declaration of decommissioning, to demonstrate this commitment.

In later years, Sinn Fein signed up to support the PSNI, met Queen Elizabeth and committed to a referendum policy on Irish unity. In pure policy terms we can point to a change in behaviour.

We can point to little change in the Front National aside from an attempt to promote a softer image.

National Front is not leading the ‘Opposition’

Since the 2017 French presidential election, when the party and Le Pen herself were under direct scrutiny, their fortunes have fallen. At the parliamentary election they won just eight seats, scoring just 13% of the vote. In contrast, another outsider movement, En Marche, won 350 seats, taking 32% of the vote. In both the presidential and parliamentary elections this new party has proven far more representative of the values of the people of France than the FN.

Le Pen is neither the Leader of the Opposition or even the head of the third party.  In fact, the Front National brand is so poorly regarded amongst French voters they’ve had to change their name.

In an age of political turbulence and the rise of the far right, it can be difficult to think about how we engage with their supporters. But we need to think about what voices are present to speak to the concerns they have.

Le Pen is not the answer to a high quality debate

How do we ensure that we produce a high quality debate? One thing I am certain of is that Le Pen is not the answer.

In the end, the decision to rescind her invitation was the right one. In an age of hot political debate and fake news, we need to all focus our minds on creating high quality debates about the serious challenges we face. Politicians like Le Pen don’t present solutions, merely scapegoats.

In Northern Ireland, serious men and women debated and talked to one another to achieve a noble goal, by doing so we achieved our peace process.

If you draw any lesson from our experience, it needs to be that.

David McCann holds a PhD in North-South relations from the University of Ulster, is a lecturer and deputy editor of political website Slugger O’Toole.

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    Mute Kerry Blake
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    May 1st 2017, 7:47 PM

    Well done Siobhán a great article. Respect and I wish you well on your next steps.

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    Mute Declan Hedderman
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    May 1st 2017, 7:45 PM

    siobhan brady you are a beautiful soul

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    Mute Gary Doggett
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    May 1st 2017, 8:04 PM

    Well done Siobhán, it’s very brave to articulate your difficulties in this way. Hopefully others will be encouraged to seek help too.

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    Mute Marie Gunbay
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    May 1st 2017, 8:15 PM

    I take my hat off to you Siobhan what an inspiration you are to people with mental health issues.

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    Mute Paul Foot
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    May 1st 2017, 7:39 PM

    Mental illness was very prevalent in this country for years – but hidden and denied. Like being anti-Catholic, gay or a West brit…

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    Mute lavbeer
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    May 1st 2017, 8:39 PM

    @Paul Foot: or being an arsehole maybe?

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    Mute Stephen murphy
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    May 1st 2017, 11:37 PM

    @lavbeer: You’ll find, Arseholes are needed and you’d be f%*ked without one.

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    Mute ChuckE
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    May 1st 2017, 9:32 PM

    A brilliant article and eye-opener. If more people could open up like you I’m sure many more could be helped

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    Mute B Collins
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    May 2nd 2017, 12:58 AM

    And fair play to the teacher who stepped up and supported her.

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    Mute 6ljJQRRU
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    May 1st 2017, 11:27 PM

    I think mental health issues are now understood which is positive There’s articles on it every day. What’s overlooked is I always feel sorry for family in this situation. They have to endure a lot often their own lives are put on hold. I think their needs should be recognised prominently as well especially that there can be other stressful things going on in their lives e.g. money worries, medical problems, elderly care etc.

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    Mute Stephen murphy
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    May 1st 2017, 11:40 PM

    @6ljJQRRU: I think, some of it or most is due to society and how we live. We are social creatures, living in a toxic environment and greed drives it.

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    Mute Patricia Tsouros
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    May 2nd 2017, 6:29 AM

    You are certainly a force breaking the stigma around mental health. Excellent personal article, well done.

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    Mute Leeann Amy Bryan
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    May 2nd 2017, 4:31 PM

    Well done Siobhan, great article. V. Inspirational best of luck with whatever the future holds.

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    Mute John O'Driscoll
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    May 3rd 2017, 4:24 AM

    Good woman Siobhain and fair play for your honesty and to Seechange also for support. World inside our heads most often does us far more damage than the world outside our heads. Guy on a plane in California once said that to me and he was a silicon valley guru one of the originals. Stayed with me ever since. Find it useful to recall quite often. Reframing and repackaging one’s own thoughts can greatly ease (dis)stress and promote eustress.

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    Mute Cathy O Rourke
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    May 5th 2017, 1:01 AM

    I would just like to thank you for this article. It has helped a small way to me understanding depression even though I have suffered bouts of it as well and am on medI cation now.. i was an adult when i began to get it. How utterly isolating and lonely it must have been for you at 13 to deal with this. I wish you the very best in life and keep up the writing. Cathy

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    Mute Fisher Jackson
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    May 3rd 2017, 5:28 AM

    I know people will be complaining about their marriage, and their relationship, especially the women, they usually complain about their husband does not love them anymore, their husband is cheating on them and even their husband left them, but my case was similar to theirs, my name is Sonia Walker, I am from Texas, USA, I had a very similar case with theirs, my husband, Walker left me with my two kids, for no reason, he said he does not love me anymore, he left for about 5 years, he never called me even my kids, I had a friend, Anita, she had a case similar to mine but her husband is now with her, I told her my problems I was facing, she told me about a great man that helped her to solve her problems, she introduced me to the great Baba ubeji, a man with great powers and kindness, he told me that my problems will be solved, so I believed, then after one week, it was unbelievable my husband came to me asking me for forgiveness, I accepted him, he has changed some much since when he came back, I just want to thank, the great Baba ubeji for his understanding and love, my friends if you are facing similar problems with me and even some other problem just email him at greatbabaubeji@gmail.com

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