A chairde; Recently I received this e-mail from Laure' LeDuc conserning a petition signing to help an Irish Comrade stay in America. I think this is a good idea as he has done nothing wrong here and emigrated legally. The only reason he is being considered for deportation is because the british government is pressuring our man prez. billy into this. Just a side not, funny isn't it that the last preson to help defeat the Irish was "william of orange" and now we have "william of arkansas" working against us. Anyway, please go to the web page http://fonc.logicle.com/ and sign the petition - maybe with our help we can turn the treatment of Catholic Irish and POW's around. Go raibh mile maith agat T. Kirwan ============================================================ ====================== A chairde, We are trying to collect signatures to help Noel Cassidy remain in the US with his family. A native of Co. Monoghan, near the border Noel was always interested in Gaelic culture. He was first arrested at the age of nine for selling Easter Lilies ( which are associated with the 1916 rebellion). In the 60's Catholics, inspired but Martin Luther King Jr. and the American civil rights movement, began to push for civil rights in the North. With the beginnings of the civil rights movement widespread persecution of Catholics began. Noel helped people fleeing the Loyalist programs in the North to find shelter in the Republic of Ireland. He joined Sinn Fein and became active in political and cultural activities. In February 1978 Noel was stopped North of the border and taken to Gough Barracks for interrogation. He was "interrogated" for 3 days. When this failed to yield anything, a document ( not in his hand writing ) mysteriously appeared in Noels Pocket. Of course he had been searched when he was first arrested, but we must assume a miracle allowed the document to so conveniently appear, when nothing else could be be found to charge Noel with. This document had the names of UDR members on it. Noel served 13 months in prison awaiting trial. He was offered a chance to leave prison and go free with time served if he would confess to possession of the document, but he still maintained his innocence. He was then sentenced to two more years in Long Kesh. At this time Republican prisoners were "on the blanket" a protest in which, demanding their rights as POW's the inmates refused to wear a convicts uniform. They went naked except for one thin blanket, and at times even this was taken from them. They spent 24 hours a day in their cells, no use of exercise yards, or even toilets. They were subjected to routine beatings and abuse often soaked down with hose and left cold and naked in their cells. Another deal was offered Noel, wear the prison uniform and be out in 5 months. Noel refused and spent the whole two years on the blanket. Shortly after his release the prisoners went on Hunger Strike. Ten young men including Bobby Sands would die on that strike. Noel came to America to bring word of their sacrifice and the terrible abuses on the H-Blocks to the American people. He now has an American wife and child and has been a productive citizen for over 16 years. But he is facing deportation because he was once imprisoned in Long Kesh. Our country is supposed to offer political asylum to those whose "life liberty or freedom is threatened on account of race, religion, or political opinion" (INA act 208 Asylum). US courts have granted political asylum on a number of occasions due to the conditions that existed in Northern Ireland. Unfortunately the federal govt often tries to over rule these decisions. In one case the govt stated it would continue to appeal as many times as necessary until a "favourable" decision was reached. We are asking everyone who receives this letter and wants to help Noel to sign his petition at: http://fonc.logicle.com/ If you have trouble accessing this petition contact me at laureleduc@earthlink.net Also please forward this letter to at least 5 people, this way it can go out like a chain letter to as many people. Also for those of you willing, I am trying to assess how useful this method is in gathering signatures, so if you want to help me in this send me an email that says " I signed" to laureleduc@earthlink.net . You will not be contacted in anyway unless you request further information, or to be added to a mailing list for other Irish and human rights issues. Thank You Laure' LeDuC