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<div class="gmail-new-details" id="gmail-article"><h2>Sinn Féin leader reaffirms abstentionist policy at Markievicz celebrations</h2>
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<div class="gmail-ctx_content"><span><p><img src="https://www.breakingnews.ie/remote/image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/a12847ec59b04931c52232ef3cd5fbabY29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNTQ0Mzc2ODMz/2.39068893.jpg?crop=0,22,3500,1991&ext=.jpg&width=600&s=bn-890830"></p><p>Mary
Lou McDonald has used a speech at the centenary celebration for the
first female MP to reaffirm her party’s stance on abstentionism.</p><p>The
Sinn Féin leader spoke on Saturday at an event dedicated to Constance
Markievicz, who was elected to the House of Commons as an abstentionist
Sinn Féin MP in 1918.</p><p>The party have come under renewed calls to revise their policy and take their seven seats in Westminster.</p><span class="gmail-twitter-tweet gmail-twitter-tweet-rendered" id="gmail-twitter-widget-0" style="display:block;max-width:100%;width:550px;min-width:220px;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"></span><blockquote class="gmail-twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">“Constance
Markievicz could have taken the easy path, could have turned a blind
eye and lived in comfort. But she didn’t. She chose a life of struggle. A
life of service, a life of hope and a life dedicated to change” - <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MaryLouMcDonald</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/V%C3%B3t%C3%A1il100?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Vótáil100</a> <a href="https://t.co/XyXSMFidPk">pic.twitter.com/XyXSMFidPk</a></p>— Sinn Féin (@sinnfeinireland) <a href="https://twitter.com/sinnfeinireland/status/1071452607909150720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
<p>As the vote on the draft Brexit agreement nears, Taoiseach Leo
Varadkar called on Ms McDonald’s party to give up the seats to
representatives who would take them, enabling them to vote in the
critical ballot next week.</p><p>Sinn Féin have remained steadfast in
their policy that they will not take their seats in the House of Commons
or pledge allegiance to the Queen, a point reiterated by Ms McDonald on
Saturday, before taking aim at her political rivals.</p><div class="gmail-bb_iawr" id="gmail-bb-iawr-inarticle-bn_inread_desktop" style="display:block;overflow:hidden;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;width:100%;height:1px;opacity:0.01"><div class="gmail-bb-media gmail-bb_wrapper gmail-bb-muted gmail-bb-phase-init gmail-bb-mode-commercial gmail-bb-state-idle" id="gmail-bb-wr-inarticle-bn_inread_desktop" style="background-color:rgb(248,238,238);width:100%;margin:0px auto;height:334px"><div class="gmail-bb-layer gmail-bb-content-layer"><div class="gmail-bb-layer gmail-bb-subtitle-layer" style="z-index: 0;"><div class="gmail-bb-subtitledisplay" style="width:80%;text-align:center;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;color:rgb(255,255,255);background:rgba(0,0,0,0) none repeat scroll 0% 0%;line-height:initial;font-size:13.36px"><span style="color:rgb(255,255,255);margin:5px auto 0px;background:rgba(0,0,0,0) none repeat scroll 0% 0%"></span></div></div></div><div class="gmail-bb-layer gmail-bb-skin-layer gmail-bb-muted gmail-bb-phase-init gmail-bb-mode-commercial gmail-bb-state-idle"><div id="gmail-bb-skin-rkwxp8egse" class="gmail-bb-container"><div tabindex="0" class="gmail-bbv gmail-bbv--medium gmail-bb-is-landscape gmail-bbv-autoPlayNextActive--false gmail-autoPlayNext--undefined gmail-bbv-autoplay--false gmail-bb-state-loading gmail-bbv-timeline--false"> <div class="gmail-bbv-controls-wrapper"><div class="gmail-bbv-controls gmail-bb-false gmail-bbv-playout--autohide gmail-bbv-timeline--false" style="background-color:rgba(0,0,0,0)"> <div class="gmail-bbv-progress gmail-bbv-slider-component gmail-bbv-inverted-false gmail-bbv-disabled-false" tabindex="0" style="width:100%"><div class="gmail-bbv-slider-value gmail-bbv-horizontal gmail-bbv-active-false gmail-bbv-inverted-false gmail-bbv-expand-direction-up gmail-bbv-click-zone-small gmail-bbv-borders-false gmail-bbv-zero-undefined" style="background:rgb(255,204,0) none repeat scroll 0% 0%;border-radius:2px"><div class="gmail-bbv-grabber gmail-bbv-horizontal gmail-bbv-active-false gmail-bbv-inverted-false gmail-bbv-expand-direction-up" style="background:rgb(255,204,0) none repeat scroll 0% 0%"><i class="gmail-bbv-nbsp">!</i></div> </div> <div class="gmail-bbv-slider-background gmail-bbv-horizontal gmail-bbv-active-false gmail-bbv-inverted-false gmail-bbv-expand-direction-up gmail-bbv-click-zone-small gmail-bbv-borders-false" style="background:rgba(125,125,125,0.5) none repeat scroll 0% 0%;border-left:medium none;border-right:medium none;border-top:medium none"><i class="gmail-bbv-nbsp">!</i></div> </div> <div class="gmail-bbv-controls-container"> <div tabindex="0" class="gmail-bbv-volume"> <div class="gmail-bbv-svg-container"> </div></div> <div class="gmail-bbv-volume-pane"><div class="gmail-bbv-slider-component gmail-bbv-inverted-true gmail-bbv-disabled-false" style="width:20px;margin-top:5px"><div class="gmail-bbv-slider-value gmail-bbv-vertical gmail-bbv-active-true gmail-bbv-inverted-true gmail-bbv-expand-direction-undefined gmail-bbv-click-zone-small gmail-bbv-borders-undefined gmail-bbv-zero-true" style="height:80%;background:rgb(255,204,0) none repeat scroll 0% 0%;border-radius:2px"><div class="gmail-bbv-grabber gmail-bbv-vertical gmail-bbv-active-true gmail-bbv-inverted-true gmail-bbv-expand-direction-undefined" style="background:rgb(255,204,0) none repeat scroll 0% 0%"><i class="gmail-bbv-nbsp">!</i></div> </div> <div class="gmail-bbv-slider-background gmail-bbv-vertical gmail-bbv-active-true gmail-bbv-inverted-true gmail-bbv-expand-direction-undefined gmail-bbv-click-zone-small gmail-bbv-borders-undefined" style="background:rgba(125,125,125,0.5) none repeat scroll 0% 0%;border-left:medium none;border-right:medium none;border-top:medium none"><i class="gmail-bbv-nbsp">!</i></div> </div></div> <div class="gmail-bb-right-side"> <div tabindex="0" class="gmail-bbv-share-pane"><div tabindex="-1" class="gmail-bb-notification" style="color:rgb(255,204,0)"><span class="gmail-center"></span></div> <div class="gmail-bbv-component-share-box"><span tabindex="0" class="gmail-bbv-share-item"></span> <span tabindex="0" class="gmail-bbv-share-item"></span> <span tabindex="0" class="gmail-bbv-share-item"></span> <span tabindex="0" class="gmail-bbv-share-item"></span> <span tabindex="31" class="gmail-bbv-share-item"></span></div></div> </div></div></div></div> </div></div></div></div></div>
<p>“These revisionists celebrate the election of Markievicz as the first
woman elected to Westminster, as they should,” Ms McDonald said.</p><p>“What
they ignore is her principled abstention from that parliament, her
pledge to never take an oath of allegiance to the power she meant to
overthrow.</p><p>“These revisionists attack Sinn Féin for that same
principled stance. That unwillingness to take an oath of allegiance to a
foreign power.</p><p>“I ask those revisionists: would they take that oath?</p><p>“One hundred years on and Constance Markievicz remains a troubling figure for those in power.</p><span class="gmail-twitter-tweet gmail-twitter-tweet-rendered" id="gmail-twitter-widget-1" style="display:block;max-width:100%;width:550px;min-width:220px;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"></span><blockquote class="gmail-twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">All roads lead to Lissadell <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rebels?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rebels</a> <a href="https://t.co/qslKJAg3uQ">pic.twitter.com/qslKJAg3uQ</a></p>— Mary Lou McDonald (@MaryLouMcDonald) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald/status/1071326854202699781?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
<p>“Because she stands against the hypocrisy of Irish political leaders calling on others to swear an oath to a queen.</p><p>“Because
she reminds them than no republic worthy of that title would tolerate
homelessness or partition or would be a home to poverty and inequality.</p><div class="gmail-read-more"><h3>READ MORE: <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="Britain" href="https://www.breakingnews.ie/world/what-is-the-norway-plus-brexit-option-that-uk-politicians-are-talking-about-890804.html">What is the Norway-plus Brexit option that UK politicians are talking about?</a></h3></div><p>“What would she make of this Dáil and the partnership of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael?</p><p>“Parties
that take the side of the landlords. That have stolen the dream of many
to own a home. That stand over a system in which a working wage is not a
living wage.</p><p>“What would she make of a Dáil that still behaves like a boys’ club?</p><div class="gmail-ad-container">
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<p>“What would she say to Leo Varadkar and Micheal Martin?</p><p>“My guess is that she would have a lot to say. She isn’t here to say it.</p><p>“So we must. We will, and we will be heard.”</p><span class="gmail-twitter-tweet gmail-twitter-tweet-rendered" id="gmail-twitter-widget-2" style="display:block;max-width:100%;width:550px;min-width:220px;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"></span><blockquote class="gmail-twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">In Lissadell House, the family home of Constance Markievicz, for an historic meeting of <a href="https://twitter.com/sinnfeinireland?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sinnfeinireland</a> Ard Chomhairle to mark the centenary of her election as the first abstentionist MP <a href="https://t.co/aREHHUnAlA">pic.twitter.com/aREHHUnAlA</a></p>— Caoimhe Archibald (@CArchibald_SF) <a href="https://twitter.com/CArchibald_SF/status/1071368736970629121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
<p>In a reference to Northern Ireland, Ms McDonald noted lack of
marriage equality, abortion rights and the Irish Language Act, which has
seen Stormont deadlocked for almost two years.</p><p>“What would she
(Markievicz) say about the continued partition of our country? What
would she say about the denial of basic rights to our people – the right
to speak our language, to health care and to love and marry who we
want?</p><div class="gmail-ad-container">
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<p>“We must continue on the road to true equality and finishing what
they started – we must continue the fight for a new, inclusive, united
Ireland.”</p><p>The event, held at the birthplace of Constance
Markievicz in Lissadell House, Co Sligo, discussed themes such as the
power of the vote, and the 1918 election.</p></span></div></div>
<br>-- <br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature">=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+<br><br> Harold F. Schiffman<br><br>Professor Emeritus of <br> Dravidian Linguistics and Culture <br>Dept. of South Asia Studies <br>University of Pennsylvania<br>Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305<br><br>Phone: (215) 898-7475<br>Fax: (215) 573-2138 <br><br>Email: <a href="mailto:haroldfs@gmail.com" target="_blank">haroldfs@gmail.com</a><br><a href="http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/" target="_blank">http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/</a> <br><br>-------------------------------------------------</div></div>