Who could have imagined…

Queen Elizabeth delivers a speech at a state dinner in Dublin Castle last week as Taoiseach Enda Kenny looks on

Let's go back in time. Let’s go back, say, 50 years. 

The year is 1961.  Could an Irish American couple in Brooklyn, or Boston, or Bayonne, have comprehended the dizzying events which unfolded in Ireland these past few days?

What would they have said?  What could they have said? 

Let’s use our imagination.  Speculate a little bit, shall we?

“I had the strangest dream last night,” the man -- let’s call him Patrick -- says, as he settles down at the breakfast table next to his wife.  Let’s call her Kathleen.

“I dreamt the Queen of England went to Ireland,” says Patrick, who is past his 60th year, and who was born in Ireland but came to the U.S. when he was still in his teens. 

Kathleen was born here, though her parents were born in Ireland.  They have raised their children and can now spend certain mornings leisurely talking about the events of the day, or their family or, on occasion, their strange dreams.

“Not only was the bloody Queen in Dublin,” Patrick says.  “But she actually went to Croke Park.”

“I don’t believe it,” Kathleen says.

“What’s not to believe?” Patrick responds.  “Twas my dream, not yours.”

“I don’t believe it,” Kathleen says, “because that’s nearly as bizarre as my dream.”

Patrick has been married long enough to know he should not point out that his wife has this habit of always trying to top him.  Instead, he just listens.

“I had a dream the president was in Ireland.”

“Kennedy?” Patrick says.  “Imagine that.  Half the kooks in the states weren’t willing to pull the lever for JFK because the randy fellow is Irish Catholic. 

Can you imagine what would happen if he hauled off and went over to Ireland.  They’d shoot him, they would.”

“It wasn’t Kennedy,” Kathleen says calmly.  “That’s what’s so weird.  It was the American president, all right.  He paid a visit to an ancestral home, a little place in Offaly.  But here’s the crazy part.”

“He was Protestant, wasn’t he?” Patrick offers dryly, sipping coffee.

“He was black.”

“Kennedy was?”

“No, the president.  In my dream.”

Patrick had to admit, this time around, his wife had successfully topped him.   The only thing left to wonder now was what they had had for supper last night, because whatever it was led to bizarre dreams.

“It’s just as well,” Patrick now says.  “If the Queen ever made a trip to Ireland like that she’d never make it back to Buckingham Palace.”

“It could happen,” Kathleen ventures.  “Some day.”

“Not until they iron out that mess to the north.”

“It’s been quiet.”

“Lord knows for how long.”

“I simply meant it could happen,” Kathleen says.  “Unlike my crazy dream.”

“What’s stranger?” Patrick wonders.  “A president in Ireland?  Or a black president?”

“A black Irish president!” Kathleen says, astonished.  “He was shaking hands with an eighth cousin or something.  He said is feidir linn to the cheering crowds.”

“What does that mean?” Patrick asks.

“Yes, we can.”

“We can what?”

“How should I know?” Kathleen responds.  Before Patrick ventures, “I guess it could happen.”

Now it is Kathleen’s turn to grumble. But Patrick says firmly, “Oh, do you think every lad and lassie who came over here during the last 100 years swiftly met a companion from Cork or Kerry?  My granddad told me stories of uncles and cousins who came over to New York, the Five Points, and places like that. 

“He said some of the blocks looked like Ireland and Africa had gotten together for a long, wild party.”

“But still,” Kathleen says.  “A president?”

“We got a Catholic one now.”

“And look how hard that was.  And with all that racial business still down south?”

“It’s been quiet.”

And now Kathleen points out that it is not likely to stay quiet for long. Patrick and Kathleen are then quiet for a moment.  They sip their coffee and chew their toast.

“If anything like that does ever happen,” Patrick says.  “It will be long after you and I shuffle off to a place that may or may not be better.”

“Perhaps even our children, too.”

“I hope not.”

“It makes you wonder, though,” Kathleen adds with finality.  “If there is a day down the road where these things can happen, what does the future after that hold.”

(Contact “Sidewalks” at tomdeignan@earthlink.net)

John Boehner’s Catholic controversies

House Speaker John Boehner.

House Speaker John Boehner, up until recently, was known for crying in public and the oddly orange hue of his skin. 

A series of unfortunate events last week, however, turned him into a public figure who couldn’t please Catholics no matter what he did.

This is a story about two Irish Catholic priests, the ongoing fallout from the Catholic Church sex scandals, the looming 2012 presidential race, and how religion plays a complicated role when it comes to hot-button topics such as abortion, but also poverty, immigration and social justice.

This all began when Republican Boehner was invited to give the commencement address at Catholic University in Washington D.C.  There is often a kerfuffle when invitations such as these are extended. 

Who can forget the outrage when President Obama -- who supports a woman’s right to choose on the
issue of abortion -- was asked to address Notre Dame’s graduating class a couple of years back?
Other Democrats have faced similar protests, whether the issue is speaking at a Catholic college or receiving communion during a heated campaign.

For this reason, Boehner (who was himself raised Catholic) seemed like a safe choice for Catholic University. 

After all, though Catholics have traditionally been Democrats throughout American history, a shift has taken place in recent decades.  Especially among avid churchgoers, the lean towards the Republican Party has become prominent.

Perhaps that’s why over 70 priests, nuns and faculty members from Catholic colleges decided to examine Boehner’s record on issues that are not abortion, and yet are still important to church teachings.

"Your record in support of legislation to address the desperate needs of the poor is among the worst in Congress. This fundamental concern should have great urgency for Catholic policy makers. Yet, even now, you work in opposition to it," their letter reads.

The letter particularly cited proposed cuts in the Boehner-supported budget to Medicare, the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program and food stamps. 

According to the letter, the budget "guts long-established protections for the most vulnerable members of society."

Boehner ended up giving the commencement address (and, of course, weeping), without referring to the dust-up. 

Interestingly, this conflict didn’t get nearly the attention that other church-politician conflicts normally get.  Why?

I suspect the mainstream media prefers it when Catholics keep things simple and stick to abortion, rather than thornier social issues such as the death penalty, poverty, labor rights and even immigration.

But in case Boehner thought he had earned a well-deserved rest from Catholic controversy, he was wrong.
Boehner also recently nominated an Irish American priest, Father Patrick J. Conroy, to hold the position of chaplain for the House of Representatives.  The position opened up when another Irish American, Father Daniel Coughlin -- the first ever Catholic priest to hold the chaplain position --announced his retirement last month.

On the surface, this seems like an acknowledgement of Catholic political clout. 

However, things got ugly last week when House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, rescinded earlier support she’d lent to Conroy’s nomination.  Pelosi’s office said “new information” had come to light regarding Conroy. 

Though accused of no wrongdoing himself, Conroy works for the Oregon Province of the Society of Jesus, commonly referred to as the Northwest Jesuits.  This order agreed to pay $166 million to victims of sexual abuse earlier this year.

According to Pelosi, Boehner's office did not mention that settlement during the vetting process.
Conroy is expected to land the coveted chaplain’s post.  But not before proving what a lightning rod Catholicism can be in this day and age.

And just wait until presidential contender Newt Gingrich -- thrice married -- gets on the campaign trail and goes on and on about his newfound Catholic faith.

Maybe it’s good that Catholics can cause trouble for both Republicans and Democrats.  For too long, politicians have sought to exploit their connection to religious values, without thinking through all of the implications of this connection.

Or, perhaps, things will just keep going on the same messy, messy course.

(Contact Sidewalks at tomdeignan@earthlink.net or facebook.com/tomdeignan)

A nation of ‘insecure’ immigrants - debate set to get nasty

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn.

There is a new book out by Georgetown professor Susan Martin entitled A Nation of Immigrants. That title is a no-brainer for a book such as this, though we’ve thrown that noble phrase around for so long that we’ve lost track of where it actually originated.

Fittingly, as The New York Times reminded us this week, it was that most famous Irish American, John F. Kennedy, who also wrote a book entitled A Nation of Immigrants back in 1958. Of course, that book was released at a time of historically low immigration to the U.S.

Martin’s new book reminds us that immigration has always been a vexing question for Americans, and that includes 18th century Americans who lived in this country when it was practically still a teenager.

In recent weeks -- especially with the killing of Osama bin Laden -- the debate over immigration has waned somewhat.

But with the election of 2012 looming -- Newt Gingrich planned to announce this week that he would be entering the race -- you can bet the debate over immigration is going to rise back to the top of the agenda.
And just as likely, you can bet it’s going to be nasty.

For proof of that, we can take a closer look at two prominent Irish Americans who are speaking out against a controversial federal program which, critics say, unfairly targets undocumented immigrants.

Just last week, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn came out and said he was planning to sever his state’s ties to what was believed to be a voluntary partnership with the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which is overseen by the Department of Homeland Security.

Known as Secure Communities, the ICE-run program was designed to target undocumented immigrants who are also known to be dangerous criminals.

Who could be against that? Especially in this age of terrorism? And especially now that we know Osama’s followers are likely to seek revenge for his death?

So why would Quinn opt out of Secure Communities?

Well, first of all, this was supposed to be an optional program. State governors signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the understanding that their states could opt out of the program.

ICE officials, however, are now beginning to claim that the Secure Communities program is, in fact, mandatory.

Furthermore, it turns out that while ICE claims the program targets only hardened criminals, the reality is very different.

Quinn and many others are claiming a high percentage -- as many as four in five -- of immigrants targeted under Secure Communities have no criminal record or were picked up on minor offenses.

This has led to charges that Secure Communities is leading to the indiscriminate deportation of immigrants.
Of course, there is the old argument -- what part of illegal do you not understand?

Some people note the presence of an undocumented immigrant on U.S. soil is a crime in and of itself, so they should be deported either way.

But there are practical and historical reasons for worrying about a program such as Secure Communities.

It goes without saying that we should do everything we can to get terrorists or criminals out of the country.
More importantly, we need to do our best to keep them from getting in in the first place.

But let’s also not pretend that all past immigration -- including many Irish parents, grandparents and great-grandparents -- was legal and neat.

Furthermore, law enforcement officials such as New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly have voiced concerns over programs such as Secure Communities, and not just because of his own immigrant roots.

Police officials worry that driving immigrants into the shadows will make them much less likely to report crimes or act as witnesses. In this sense, the program does not deter crime at all.

The next thing to keep your eye on is what New York Governor Andrew Cuomo will do about the state’s participation in Secure Communities. Staff members said he is reviewing the details.

In the long run, one thing is for sure -- you can bet this is going to be more ugly than pretty when the 2012 presidential race heats up.

(Contact “Sidewalks” at tomdeignan@earthlink.net or facebook.com/tomdeignan)

The good and bad guys - FBI's most wanted and possible new head honchos

Upon hearing the news that terror mastermind Osama bin Laden had been killed, James and Patrick Dowdell reportedly sped from Rockaway to Ground Zero. They brought with them bagpipes to join the gathering crowds Sunday night and mark the killing of bin Laden, who was responsible for the death of their brother, FDNY Lieutenant Kevin Dowdell, one of nearly 3,000 souls who perished that awful morning almost a decade ago.

It was an indication of how the Irish American community -- hit so hard by the terror attacks -- responded to this long awaited news.

Now that bin Laden has been sent off to (we can only hope) a much worse place, there remain practical matters of law enforcement to sort out.

For example, it has generally been accepted that while Osama bin Laden was public enemy number one, Boston Irish gangster James “Whitey” Bulger was the second Most Wanted man.

If he is still alive, of course. As Irishcentral.com and other outlets have noted, rumors have been swirling that Bulger recently died of a heart attack in Costa Rica.

Either way, Bulger has proven useful to certain Pakistani authorities who are under the gun for possibly allowing bin Laden to live right under their noses.

"If Whitey Bulger can live undetected by American police for so long, why can't Osama bin Laden live undetected by Pakistani authorities?" asked Ambassador Husain Haqqani, in an interview posted on The Atlantic magazine’s website.

But maybe that’s enough about the bad guys. In the past week numerous Irish Americans have emerged who are “wanted” for all of the right reasons.

Consider two big-time crime fighters, one from New York and one from Chicago. New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and U.S. attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald are among those being considered to lead the FBI.

Current FBI head Robert Mueller took over the agency just one week before the terror attacks of 9/11. His 10-year term is now drawing to a close.

A committee led by Vice President Joe Biden is looking closely at replacing Mueller. Fitzgerald, the son of Irish immigrants, is among the candidates.

“Mr. Fitzgerald, a longtime prosecutor and a holdover United States attorney from the Bush administration, has a strong reputation for independence, as leader of the investigation into the leak of the name of a Central Intelligence Agency operative, Valerie Plame Wilson,” a New York Times analysis noted.

However, Fitzgerald’s “willingness to challenge the Bush White House could give its current occupants pause, though they would never say so in public.”

Kelly, “by contrast, is a Democrat with a strong law enforcement résumé.

“Before becoming commissioner of the New York Police Department, he was a Treasury Department official during the Clinton administration and supervised the U.S. Customs Service, the Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Senator Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of New York, has endorsed him for the F.B.I. position.”

The Times did note that Kelly’s age, 70, could pose a problem, given the 10 year-term FBI leaders serve.
Meanwhile, all of the news about the beatification of Pope John Paul II has made it easy to forget that the most popular Irish American priest of the 20th century is also “wanted” -- as a serious candidate for sainthood.

The case for Fulton Sheen’s beatification had stalled, reportedly because of conflicts between the New York Archdiocese and the one in Sheen’s native Peoria, Illinois.

Sheen was the star of a highly rated TV show in the 1950s called Life Is Worth Living. He also wrote best-selling books, a popular newspaper column, appeared on the cover of Time, and is credited for making Catholicism acceptable to many Americans in the 1950s.

This month Bishop Daniel Jenky of Peoria is expected to file documents with the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in the Vatican, which will then begin its own investigation into the cause of Sheen’s sainthood.

This comes as Buffalo priest Father Nelson Baker (1842-1936) also moves closer the sainthood, which would reportedly make him the first Irish American saint.

So, at this uncertain moment in out nation’s history, it’s useful to pause and realize that some people are “wanted” for all the right reasons.

(Contact “Sidewalks” at tomdeignan@earthlink.net or facebook.com/tomdeignan)