Irelands first black mayor - Integration working?

Zombrex

Morlar wrote:

Actually its more a case of you pretending it has no relevance to the story.

No, its a case of me reading the articles. Did you seem my post about the head lines

If you think this is big news because he was from Nigeria then demonstrate that. Simply saying it is, when none of the headlines (how the papers gain the interest of the reading public) even mention he is from Nigeran, seems rather silly. You seem to what this story to be about him being Nigerian. Not sure why, but I'm sure you have your reasons.

The Corinthian

Wicknight wrote:

If you think this is big news because he was from Nigeria then demonstrate that.

That he is black is certainly the hook of the story though.

28064212

lisnageragh wrote:

We have a unelected Mayor by the people.

We have an unelected Taoiseach "by the people" too, do you have a problem with that?

lisnageragh wrote:

We have a failed asylum seeker who has become mayor.

He's quite clearly not a failed asylum seeker, otherwise he'd be deported

lisnageragh wrote:

We have a non national taking public office.

We have a non national elected to public office. Why is this a problem? He lives here, and has done for the past 7 years. His family are growing up in Portlaoise. It's not like he's an absentee official

lisnageragh wrote:

Too many cosy deals done by councils to select mayors.

Was this an issue with you before a black man benefited from it? If it was, then take it to a new thread, it has no place here. If it wasn't, then, quite frankly, you're a racist

lisnageragh wrote:

I would much prefer to see a Black/white Irishman become Mayor voted in by the people of the local community.

And I'd much prefer that we had Pat Rabitte as Taoiseach. The people of Ireland disagreed with me. The people of Portlaoise disagree with you

28064212

Just found this, it's from March 2005. If he does stand for election next time round, no doubt it'll be for the new Irish National Party. Probably wouldn't even understand the irony of its founder spending 23 years in England, or the fact that he himself moved to Portlaoise from Belfast

The Corinthian

28064212 wrote:

He's quite clearly not a failed asylum seeker, otherwise he'd be deported

That's actually not correct. It is possible to fail or (almost) indefinitely postpone an asylum application and not be deported.

We have a non national elected to public office. Why is this a problem? He lives here, and has done for the past 7 years. His family are growing up in Portlaoise. It's not like he's an absentee official

Where did you get this information? Is there a link to information about his background and past somewhere?

Was this an issue with you before a black man benefited from it? If it was, then take it to a new thread, it has no place here. If it wasn't, then, quite frankly, you're a racist

Is it just me or does the use of labeling of people with 'ist' terms denote a fundamental lack of intellectual effort from some people?

28064212

The Corinthian wrote:

28064212 wrote:

He's quite clearly not a failed asylum seeker, otherwise he'd be deported

That's actually not correct. It is possible to fail or (almost) indefinitely postpone an asylum application and not be deported.

Perhaps that's true, but you are not allowed to work while you have an asylum application in progress. Regardless, he was granted residency after his third son was born here (this was before they changed that law).

The Corinthian wrote:

28064212 wrote:

He lives here, and has done for the past 7 years. His family are growing up in Portlaoise. It's not like he's an absentee official

Where did you get this information? Is there a link to information about his background and past somewhere?

According to this site, he has lived in Portlaoise for 5 years (link dated October 2006). Also his business is based in Portlaoise.

The Corinthian wrote:

28064212 wrote:

...If it wasn't, then, quite frankly, you're a racist

Is it just me or does the use of labeling of people with 'ist' terms denote a fundamental lack of intellectual effort from some people?

Quite often, yes it does. However, I qualified my statement with a condition that, I believe, contains the esscence of racism. If lisnageragh has a problem with this "cosy deal" simply because Adebari is black or Nigerian, then yes, he is a racist. If he has a problem with cosy deals in general, then he is entitled to hold that opinion, but it has no place in this thread

Zombrex

The Corinthian wrote:

That he is black is certainly the hook of the story though.

thats what I'm saying. He is Irelands first black mayor, or possibly Irelands first non-national mayor. If we already had a ton of black mayors, or a ton of non-national mayors, I doubt many would care that he was Irelands first Nigerian born mayor.

For some reason Morlar seems convinced that this fuss in the papers is about him being Nigerian

Zombrex

28064212 wrote:

He's quite clearly not a failed asylum seeker, otherwise he'd be deported

Just to clarify (again) -

This guy failed his asylum application because he could not prove that he specifically was facing religious persecution or violence in Nigeria. He was allowed stay here in 2000 because his wife gave birth to child in Ireland while they were waiting for the asylum application to be processed.

Whether or not people take this to mean that he was lying in his asylum application is I suppose up to them. Some people believe that all asylum seekers are liars, and others I guess believe that they are all telling the truth. Without knowing anything about the details of the case I think it is impossible to tell. He could have been lying, or he could have genuinely feared for his safety but was unable to prove that he was being specifically targeted. I support the decision to refuse asylum (and I'm a hippie pinko liberal) but I've no problem with him being here (legally) because of his child (I voted against the citizenship referendum).

The Corinthian

28064212 wrote:

Perhaps that's true, but you are not allowed to work while you have an asylum application in progress. Regardless, he was granted residency after his third son was born here (this was before they changed that law).

That doesn't really answer the 'failed asylum' or 'false asylum' accusations though, one way or another.

Nonetheless, there's actually very little information on the chap to for us to either defend of damn him, in fairness. This all reminds me of the Olakunle farce when people all made up their minds the moment they heard that a Leaving Cert student was being deported and were later shown up as fools when the facts eventually emerged.

28064212

The Corinthian wrote:

This all reminds me of the Olakunle farce when people all made up their minds the moment they heard that a Leaving Cert student was being deported and were later shown up as fools when the facts eventually emerged.

Which facts? I didn't follow this story, can only remember the main details, don't remember anything after he came back

Zombrex

28064212 wrote:

Which facts? I didn't follow this story, can only remember the main details, don't remember anything after he came back

As far as I remember his parents had no valid grounds for asylum.

robinph

Wicknight wrote:

thats what I'm saying. He is Irelands first black mayor, or possibly Irelands first non-national mayor. If we already had a ton of black mayors, or a ton of non-national mayors, I doubt many would care that he was Irelands first Nigerian born mayor.

Well we have a President who was born outside the state so now having a non-national Mayor should hardly be an issue.

The Corinthian

When the story was first picked up all the usual lemmings were bleating about this poor 16-year old Leaving cert student being deported by the evil racist government. Except he wasn't 16, he was 20, and he wasn't innocent because he managed to get arrested for driving without tax or insurance not once, but twice and then went on to try to remain on the basis that he'd knocked up his Irish girlfriend. Needless to say public opinion turned on him.

Regardless of his race or colour, this chap was painted by a sympathetic public as something he was not because people jumped to all the wrong conclusions about him. Something similar is happening here with people assuming that this new mayor is either a saint or sinner, based upon gut reactions rather than any real handle on the facts.

Nevyn

Y'know you really would think that Ireland has never had a major who was not irish white and christian.

billy the squid

robinph wrote:

Well we have a President who was born outside the state so now having a non-national Mayor should hardly be an issue.

Ireland had a claim on the territory in which our president was born at the time she was born if I am not mistaken?

Also people in Northern Ireland are entitled to become Irish Citizens if they wish.

Victor

The Corinthian wrote:

Regardless of his race or colour, this chap was painted by a sympathetic public as something he was not because people jumped to all the wrong conclusions about him. Something similar is happening here with people assuming that this new mayor is either a saint or sinner, based upon gut reactions rather than any real handle on the facts.

In fairness, the vox pop in Portlaoise, together with the fact that he got elected point to him being in some way competent.

Or at least less incompetent than his opposition.

FYI

Ironic letter in today's Irish Times:



IMMIGRATION AND MULTICULTURALISM


Madam, - Fintan O'Toole (Opinion, June 26th) writes that there is an Irish tendency to catch up with bad ideas just when they have been discredited elsewhere. Perhaps nowhere is this more true than in the writing of several Irish Timescolumnists, including Mr O'Toole himself, on the subjects of immigration and asylum. The staple diet fed to your readers on these subjects consists essentially of a series of vacuous clichés on the supposed benefits of multiculturalism to Irish society, just as the disastrous results of the application of this policy in other societies are becoming increasingly clear all over Europe.

So Irish people are deemed racist if they object to uncontrolled immigration, especially from outside the EU. Ditto if anyone dares to point out that most asylum-seekers are simply economic migrants trying to circumvent the laws on immigration or to suggest that failed asylum-seekers should be deported to their country of origin.

Equally, one is guilty of Islamophobia if one dares to suggest that women should not be allowed in public places if they wear veils which cover their faces. And to suggest that women who object to this idea should be invited to return to their countries of origin is both Islamophobic and racist. Two crimes for the price of one, according to the multiculturalists.

Foreigners recently arrived in the country who are not citizens and who may not even wish to become citizens are routinely described as members of "ethnic minorities", as if their families had been resident in the country for centuries. Or they are labelled the "New Irish" without anyone asking if they have the slightest desire to become Irish or see Ireland as anything other than a place where they can make some money. Just to make a simple comparison, I doubt if many of the Irish who arrived in England as economic migrants in the 1950s would feel happy at being described as the "New English" or "New British", no matter how long they lived there.

Multiculturalism, as now expounded in Ireland, classifies people according to their "culture" and esteems the most reactionary and backward elements of the "culture" concerned at the expense of its members who might wish to integrate into Irish society.

It is utterly destructive of the idea that eventual common citizenship should involve anything more than the right to hold an Irish passport. In a society which is becoming more and more atomised and unequal every day, it further weakens social cohesion.

The Labour Party, in particular, appears to have become completely colonised by this sort of nonsense - which may be one reason for its continued marginalisation in Irish politics, which on current form is well deserved. - Yours, etc,

ED KELLY, Szeged, Hungary.:D

Link: http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/letters/2007/0705/index.html#1183410298467

Zombrex

FYI wrote:

ED KELLY, Szeged, Hungary

Irony, thy name is Ed Kelly

walshb

Wicknight wrote:

http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0628/adebarir.html

"A Nigerian who arrived in Ireland as an asylum-seeker seven years ago is set to become the country's first black mayor in Portlaoise.

Rotimi Adebari, who was born in Okeodan in southwest Nigeria, is expected to take the chain of office in Portlaoise this evening."

Now don't know anything about the guy, so I don't want to fall fowl of any reverse racism and assume he is personally great just because he is black.

But I do think it is a good sign of how integration can work in Ireland, and a welcoming sign that people in Irish communities can see past stereotypes of colour and heritage

http://www.politics.ie/wiki/index.php?title=Rotimi_Adebari
http://exceptional-lives.blogspot.com/2006/05/intergrating-ireland-who-is-rotimi.html
http://www.socialentrepreneurs.ie/home/social_entrepreneurs/awardees/

Was there no other candidates for the position?
I certainly am not begrudging him, but what was the whole
set up in relation to him receiving the title.
It seems to me we simply gave it to him rather
than give it to 'one of our own'??
Sure that's Ireland for you.

28064212

walshb wrote:

Was there no other candidates for the position?

The other members of the council

walshb wrote:

I certainly am not begrudging him, but what was the whole set up in relation to him receiving the title.

The members of the council elect the mayor. He was elected by 6 votes to 3. According to the Irish Times:

He was elected under a mayoral pact that sees the position rotate among the Fine Gael/Sinn Féin/independent members of the council.

Link: http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2007/0628/breaking61.htm

walshb wrote:

It seems to me we simply gave it to him rather
than give it to 'one of our own'??

Why does it seem that way to you? You think someone in 'the government' just took a look at Portlaoise town council mayoral position and said "right, give it to the black guy so we don't look racist"?

walshb

28064212 wrote:

. Why does it seem that ? You think someone in 'the government' just took a look at Portlaoise town council mayoral position and said "right, give it to the black guy so we don't look racist"?

Yes!!!. These same people wouldn't have a decent word for their neighbour...
It's fashinable nowadays to be seen as someone who is either saving the planet, saving Africa or falling over asylum seekers. It's not genuine however IMO. Thease same people wouldn't give their neighbour a crust of bloody bread if asked.

nacho libre

28064212 wrote:

The other members of the councilThe members of the council elect the mayor. He was elected by 6 votes to 3. According to the Irish Times:Why does it seem that way to you? You think someone in 'the government' just took a look at Portlaoise town council mayoral position and said "right, give it to the black guy so we don't look racist"?

yes, perish the thought he might have got it on merit. :rolleyes:

K-9

Quote:
He was elected under a mayoral pact that sees the position rotate among the Fine Gael/Sinn Féin/independent members of the council.

Link: http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2007/0628/breaking61.htm


Them bloody independents! Next Cooper Flynn, Healy Rae and that fella from Eurostar or whatever you call it?, oh yeah McGrath will be getting special little arrangements. Wait a minute!

Sure we'll probably have SF mayors next Wait a minute

Maybe we have bigger worries than some "black mayor"

spooiirt!!

From the book Great Government Goofs* by Leland H. Gregory, III:

"The United States Government's Food and Drug Administration takes longer to approve or disapprove drugs than similar agencies in any other country in the world. It's great to think that they're being cautious: but maybe there's another reason. The FDA recently put out their Equal Employment Opportunity Handbook spelling out 'practical' guidelines for hiring. One segment of the handbook related this hiring tidbit: The normal requirement of 'knowledge of rules of grammar' and 'ability to spell accurately' should be overlooked, since it may interfere with hiring of 'underrepresented groups or individuals with disabilities.' The statute later explains that the interview process should not be used 'to judge highly subjective traits such as motivation, ambition, maturity, personality, and neatness.'"

Makes sense to me. Of course, the rainbow of diversity should always be favored over something as trivial as competence.