Florida Senate Polled On Anti-Irish And Anti-Catholic Attitude

WASHINGTON, June 11, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Florida's repeal of the Mac Bride Principles legislation, passed in 1988, continues to cause political waves and provoke strong emotions.

Governor Rick Scott signed Senate Bill 7024 on May 21.

Florida's action shocked and outraged Irish-Americans who regard the Mac Bride Principles as sacrosanct— and as the most effective campaign ever against anti-Catholic discrimination in Northern Ireland.

Fr. Sean Mc Manus— President of the Capitol Hill-based Irish National Caucus, which launched the Mac Bride Principles on November 5, 1984— did not hesitate to brand the Governor's and the Senate's action as, in effect, anti-Irish and anti-Catholic— whatever the intention.

And now Fr. Mc Manus has written to Governor Rick Scott and all forty Florida State Senators polling them on the issue: "Surely you had to be aware that repealing Mac Bride— passed in 1988 to ensure that Florida dollars would not subsidize anti-Catholic discrimination in Northern Ireland— would inevitably be seen as anti-Irish and anti-Catholic? Would you have been similarly complicit in an act that would be seen as anti-Cuban-American, anti-Jewish-American or anti-African-American?

By this letter, I am polling you and all the other Florida State Senators on this matter. Your response— or lack thereof —will be widely shared among the large Irish and Catholic population of Florida.

Please answer this direct question: Were you aware that you were being complicit in an anti-Irish and anti-Catholic act in repealing the Mac Bride Principles legislation? Please respond before End of Session — in 18 days."

Fr. Mc Manus explained: "I am aware that the Governor and the Senators may have been duped into being complicit, and we want to give them the benefit of the doubt. Back in 2002 there was a similar sneak attack against the Florida Mac Bride Bill, but we beat it back. This time, however, the sneak attack succeeded but we must not allow it to stand. Mac Bride must be reinstated. This is a matter of justice— and of Irish-American honor and fidelity."

CONTACT: Sean Mc Manus, 202-488-0107, [email protected]

SOURCE Irish National Caucus

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