It is Saturday in the community of Jobstown - an area lately known for harassing the Irish Deputy Prime Minister (Tánaiste) Joan Burton TD of the Labour Party - when she visited local graduates of the community college, An Cosán, during the economic troubles of the previous decade.
Since that flash point of social disturbance which rallied the Left-Wing against the Centre-Right Wing little improvement has been made in the lives of the people who are very angry about their lot as tenants in a Landlord-Corporate profit-pool.
This writer has lived in the area for 3+ years and witnesses the consequences of lack of social investment and social infrastructure: house-burnings, robberies, drug-trafficking, vandalism, litter strewn everywhere...
Just today I went to give my Salaams, (Word of Peace), to my neighbour Dillon who recently moved in from Ballymun. The previous tenant had left in fear of his safety after he told me noone would say 'hi' or exchange greetings with him. So the landlord brought in Dillon and his partner and children.
The area is an unemployment blackspot.
Many people have little to do with their time and struggle to find meaning and purpose. Dillon likes hemp plants. People in the area report that they would like to see legalisation of hemp and I agree.
As I walked around to deliver an Islamic book and a small bag of potatoes to the Family, Dillon decided it was time to Patriarch the territory. Along with a few threats, enlisting of aid from the now defunct neighbourhood watch, he appealed to the Patriarchal women who have internalised the Patriarchy.
The typical appeal to the Garda was made.
When I was distracted Dillon twisted and struck a haymaker punch onto my left chin striking me onto the road. He then followed up until I was pushed over a kerb.
Immediately I got up and demanded to know what the real problem was.
Dillon admitted he just wanted to fight me but not while my hands were down. I told him I did not want to fight and was only a messenger.
I said, "Peace". And the party broke up.
Truly this incident was the consequence of Fine Gael Landlord-Banker-Capitalist social policies starving the entire area of investment since long before either Dillon or I arrived. How long until we deal the blow to the political party chiefly responsible for the social mess: that being Fine Gael?
Daily the people of Jobstown are squeezed by the invisible hand of the private-economy.
By time the reality will come true that the people are minnows before the Corporate Bosses State.
The urgent need is to improve the ecology of the Jobstown Area by inward investment from the National Exchequer: a position currently filled by Fine Gael: Paschal O'Donoghue TD and reinforced by Colm Brophy TD and Cllr. Baby Perepaddan.
Urgent is the task ahead to oust the Arch-Patriarchy.
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