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Varadkar: 'Racism too is a virus... We don't need to look across the Atlantic to find racism'

The Taoiseach today spoke at length about racism at home and abroad in the wake of the killing of George Floyd.

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TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR has said we’ve witnessed “the absence of moral leadership or words of understanding, comfort or healing from whence they should have come” in the United States in the wake of the killing of George Floyd and the subsequent protests over the past week. 

He said the world had watched “in horror” at the events in the US in recent days, and said that “racism too is a virus… [that is] never easy to cure”. 

In a speech in the Dáil, the Taoiseach said we “don’t have to look across the Atlantic [Ocean] to find racism”, and said we have “many examples in our own country”. 

He said that the country had come together in the fight against Covid-19, and said that same sense of community would be needed to take on racism in this country to change the experiences of young people of colour in Ireland “for the better”. 

George Floyd killing

The killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, by police in Minneapolis has caused an outpouring of anger and protests around the world. 

There have been scenes of looting and violence in some parts of the US in the wake of the killing, and US President Donald Trump was widely criticised for tweeting that “when the looting starts, the shooting starts” last week.

He has since claimed he will send the army in to quell protests, and his former Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said last night he was trying to “divide” America

In Ireland, a Black Lives Matter protest was attended by thousands in Dublin on Monday, and a further protest is planned this weekend

Speaking in the Dáil today, the Taoiseach said there’d been a “palpable outpouring of emotion” since Floyd’s killing.

He said: “We’ve also seen genuine revulsion of the heavy handed response [in the US] in some instances, towards peaceful protesters and journalists. And we’ve witnessed the absence of moral leadership, or words of understanding comfort or healing from whence they should have come.

It is right to be angered by injustice. Racism too is a virus, transmitted at an early age, perpetuated by prejudice, sustained by systems. Often not recognised by those it infects. Possible to counteract and correct for, but never easy to cure.

Irish experiences

The Taoiseach then turned to his own experiences, and those of others, in Ireland and said that racism is not unique to the United States.

“The Ireland I grew up is a very different place to the one that we live in today,” he said. “In recent decades we’ve been enriched by racial diversity, people of colour who came here, and more were born here.”

He said we’re “fortunate” to have a policing model based on consent, with strict gun control and a highly professional police force in An Garda Síochána we can be “proud of”. 

“However, we don’t need to look across the Atlantic to find racism,” Varadkar said. “We have many examples in our own country. Discrimination on the basis of skin colour is pernicious. Sometimes it’s overt discrimination when it comes to getting a job or promotion or being treated less favourably by public authorities, including sometimes government officials.

Sometimes it manifests itself in the form of hate speech online, bullying in school, name calling in the streets, or even acts of violence. Sometimes it’s almost innocent and unknowing, and all the more insidious. Little things, small but nonetheless othering.
Being asked where do you come from originally, because your skin or surname looks out of place. How often you go back to the country that your mother or father was born in? Being spoken to more slowly. Cultural and character assumptions made based on your appearance. Being made to feel just that little bit less Irish than everyone else.

Varadkar said that “sadly this is lived experience for many young people of colour growing up in Ireland today”. 

He said a strong sense of community had helped the country during the Covid-19 crisis, and this would be needed to help take on racism and change the experiences of young people of colour in Ireland for the better. 

“We can learn from the mistakes of other countries,” he said. “And make sure that we do not follow their path or be subject to their fate.”

‘We too need to do our bit’

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald agreed with the Taoiseach that racism was a global problem, and said “we too need to do our bit”. 

In the Dáil, she said anyone within the Irish system that decries racism but fails to “dismantle the disgraceful, discredit system of Direct Provision is no good at all”. 

McDonald said such talk was also not acceptable when “open, blatant discrimination” is still present against the Travelling community. 

“We have the diagnosis, now we need the treatment,” she said. “The ball is in our court. What do we do? That’s what the death of George Floyd asks of us.”

On the issue of Direct Provision, Varadkar said he accepts that some accommodation is “substandard” but it was “ultimately a service provided by the State”. 

He also said that Direct Provision is “not the same thing” as a man being killed by police, as in the case of George Floyd. 

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    Mute stephen kavanagh
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:12 PM

    I’m glad she’s mixing with all the great thinkers of the day

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    Mute Uncle Monty
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:21 PM

    Bunch of tinkers alright…

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    Mute Duck Knight
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:33 PM

    Smart move by Hillary. Sort out the idiot vote

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    Mute Ryan Anthony
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:36 PM

    Seeing these ***res get pumped up PR wise makes me angry, I’d say I’d be even more so if I had daughters. Whats it teaching them? Don’t be intelligent, don’t work hard, don’t develop yourself don’t have a career plan, just accidentally on purpose release a porn tape of yourself naked taking a hammering from behind for the whole world to see, act dumb, ignorant and light headed, fake date a few famous guys being seen holding their hand on red carpets in front of dumb photographers and you’ll get $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$…do it the other way you can still make it…and be paid $0.70c for every situation where a man makes $1.

    You can even run to become the first female President after decades of hard work and compromise…and then some PR man will tell you that you have to associate with one of the ones who released a tape of herself being jackhammered and acted like a dumb sh111t as part of bringing in the youth vote.

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    Mute stephen kavanagh
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:40 PM

    So right Ryan, I simply wouldn’t bother if I was her, I’d sooner not be President, it smacks of desperation if she thinks that can get her the youth vote, most young people would see through that instantly

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    Mute VinHeffer89
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:46 PM

    Sadly, many, many young people actually won’t see through that, Stephen.

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    Mute stephen kavanagh
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:59 PM

    Maybe not Vin but they still won’t vote for her just because she took a selfie with Kim Kardashian. So she’s lost street cred with those who look down on the Kardashians – a sizeable demographic – without gaining anything in return

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    Mute Liam Byrne
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    Aug 7th 2015, 3:06 PM

    Even a broken clock tells the right time twice a day.

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Aug 7th 2015, 3:50 PM

    Since when do young people vote?

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    Mute Jimmy Jim-Jim
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    Aug 7th 2015, 4:14 PM

    This will be long forgotten by the time that election rolls around.

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    Mute L-Plate
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:14 PM

    I think we a losing the concept of a selfie. What happened to a good aul photograph?

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    Mute Jimmy Jim-Jim
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:16 PM

    They may be lacking in the literacy department.

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    Mute GuinnessPower
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:13 PM

    Seriously who cares.

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    Mute LesBehan
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:29 PM

    I only have a vague idea who this is, I was never a big fan of Star Trek.

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    Mute Daniel Dudek Corrigan
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    Aug 7th 2015, 3:08 PM

    “Meanwhile, Kris Jenner also managed to get a selfie”

    No, that’s not a selfie…

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    Mute Mark Gerard Lochlain
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:15 PM

    Hurry up and post the Irish Water article about the lead pipes!!! It’s been on other social media all morning! What’s keeping the Journal??

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    Mute Supernova
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:23 PM

    Everyone I read about the Kardashians or look at pictures of them I just shake my head

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    Mute Jack DaCosta
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:32 PM

    What do Kim Kardashian and Hilary Clinton have in common?
    Answer:
    They’re both 99% false.
    Don’t mention it.

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Aug 8th 2015, 12:33 AM

    They always seem to have new dresses unlike Monica?

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    Mute Andrew English
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:48 PM

    Wow. America is truly f*cked. I would be ashamed if I was American. Imagine having to stoop that low in order to get some publicity. The majority of that aliens followers on Twitter won’t even know who Clinton is. Probably think it’s a selfie before she goes on to the Ellen show.

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    Mute James Reardon
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    Aug 7th 2015, 4:54 PM

    exactly, imagine our country voting for a president because she had a photograph taken with a woman famous for being a cum bucket. A good looking cum bucket. but still a cum bucket.

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    Mute Shawn Rahoon
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    Aug 7th 2015, 4:55 PM

    The majority of Americans couldn’t give a fiddlers f**k about kardashian or clinton. or what others think of them.

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    Mute Infidel
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:21 PM

    Wow never mind her email scandal or her plummeting poll numbers. The journal has begun it’s fawning extra early!

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    Mute stephen
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:30 PM

    Is there no barrel Clinton won’t scrape?

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    Mute Jack DaCosta
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:41 PM

    ‘Barrel’? (as in oil barrel)
    Subliminal puns.
    Very good Stephen.

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Aug 8th 2015, 12:32 AM
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    Mute thejynxeffect
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    Aug 7th 2015, 3:25 PM

    Hanging out with Kim Kardashian? Great way to appeal to the braindead

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Aug 7th 2015, 3:28 PM

    Sure, but it was all forgotten 3.5 seconds after the event. Kardashian fans don’t have big attention spans.

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Aug 7th 2015, 3:33 PM

    Is anyone a little freaked out by by this alliance between the Kardashians and Klintons? What if they join forces with the Ronulans? They could be headed for the neutral zone as we speak!

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    Mute Luke McDermott
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:21 PM

    This assault on the brain still isn’t as bad as the crap spewed by the GOP.

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    Mute Ryan Anthony
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:24 PM

    Gotta love the Dems…they’re so weak and ashamed of being liberals they are willing to vote for anyone the establishment says is ”centrist”. So you have Hillary going about with progressive language and speeches so another 08 does not happen. When she bashes the too big to fail banks who are funding her campaign they respond to the WSJ’s questions with “don’t worry, we know she doesn’t mean it”…seriously they said that.

    You have a candidate faking working for the voters, a special interest group admitting that they’ve basically got the candidate bought and paid for in a major world newspaper…and yet this person is still the absolute front runner, that’s when you know you have a broken system!

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    Mute tk0CXKzL
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    Aug 7th 2015, 3:36 PM

    so basically idiots who care about the Kardashians are being influenced to vote for Hillary for no other reason than photos with her. So in a round about way, the Kardashians are influencing the vote as to who could have their finger on the nuclear button. This is how crazzzy the world has become

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Aug 7th 2015, 3:27 PM

    Ah crap, now I have to hate Mrs Clinton.

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    Mute Charles Coughlan
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:16 PM

    Kim who…… Why demean yourself hanging around with a wannabe

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    Mute Luke Evans
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:25 PM

    rampant capitalist tr@mps

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    Mute The Guru
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    Aug 7th 2015, 3:25 PM

    Made out to be a spur if the moment thing. Sad fact is that this has probably been planned for months and even sadder it will probably have a very positive effect for Hilary.

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    Mute Garwig
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    Aug 7th 2015, 3:32 PM

    Bellends

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    Mute Brian Lenehan
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    Aug 7th 2015, 5:26 PM

    Hang on… Fox News hosted a monster two-part Republican candidates debate last night (which may well determine the future POTUS) and The Journal stages a blackout of it. Instead they publish an article about the probable Democrat nominee getting photos taken with a family of talentless attention-junkies?
    The Journal just doesn’t make sense to me anymore.

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    Mute John Reese
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    Aug 7th 2015, 7:02 PM

    Sadly this is what all young air head voters will care about…what celeb is supporting who.

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    Mute Anthony Byrne
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    Aug 8th 2015, 11:05 AM

    FS.

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Aug 8th 2015, 12:30 AM
    1
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