Leave them be

Tommy McKearney

There is little doubt but that the Andersonstown News faithfully reflects the views and outlook of the Sinn Fein leadership in a fashion similar to how Belfast’s other nationalist newspaper The Irish News once carried the views of the Roman Catholic pontiff and hierarchy. There is something very disturbing therefore when we see the management of the A/Town News use its financial and political muscle to curb alternative publications such as Anthony McIntyre’s website The Blanket.

The latest round in what has been an ongoing tiff over the past couple of years began when major media outlets named a West Belfast man as the informer known as Stakeknife. Most of the Irish based media gorged itself on the story and few bothered to pull any punches. Most of the local commentators displayed scant regard for the unfortunate Mr. Scapatticci or his family and speculation was intense. The Blanket website also commented on the story but was restrained by comparison with other better known brands and certainly was much less explicit than at least one well known local political figure.

Personal umbrage was however apparently reserved for Anthony McIntyre and his website and when he ran with a skit about an Andersonstown News interview with Fred Scapatticci, the newspaper threatened legal action against any other publication carrying the piece. There has been a few outlets scared off by the threats and the latest casualty in this row is a New York journalist who has felt obliged to resign from the US based  Irish Echo because he commented unfavourably on the A/Town News behaviour.

When all is said and done, the campaign against Anthony McIntyre is the unprincipled act of a bully. He has said nothing that others have not said and less than many. He is perhaps an irritating voice in the middle of West Belfast – yet that should be welcomed by not only the A/Town News but by those whose views inspire its editorial policy. The existence of a tormentor in the heart of Ballymurphy would be proof positive that the scurrilous old slander about Provo fascists was just that  - untruthful slander.

Alternatively, to attempt to crush him and his website leaves more substance to the claim than those of us who fought for a better tomorrow deserve to be labelled with.

Tommy McKearney….23 June 2003