Moira Breen asks the key questions with regard to the recently-Instapundited editorial about the $500-a-plate fund-raising dinner for Gerry Adams in New York: "Who are these cretins? And, fools though they may have been, shouldn't they bloody know better by now? No?"
I imagine most heavy drinkers have experienced the vaguely- or ill-disguised IRA hat-passing ritual at this or that American "Irish" bar at one time or another. We're talking small change here, of course, not $500 brisket dinners. I have to admit that in those days it never occurred to me to wonder just how much terrorism the crumpled dollar from the sloppy fellow slumped next to me would actually buy. (I usually had other things on my mind in those situations.)
According to a defensive commenter on Moira's site, around 12% of the PIRA's budget comes from American contributions. The commenter sees this proportion as small enough to vindicate the contributors (and I confess I had assumed it would be a bit more) but it's actually quite a lot when you think in terms of total body count. As Emily says, even one penny is too much. I had also assumed that such fund-raising would be much, much more difficult in the aftermath of 9/11. I don't know whether or not that's true, but it's clear that the opportunities haven't dried up completely. (Where does the other 88% come from? I mean, besides from kidnapping, extortion, bank robberies, drug trafficking, that sort of thing?)
Doubtless, most have no idea where the money is going. But some, even those in the under-500 club, at least imagine that they do. At one of the two hat-passing episodes I've witnessed, a lumpy pile of clothes on the stool next to me temporarily sprang to life and assumed human shape long enough to contribute some quarters from his tip-pile and mutter "this is why they'll never target Americans." Perverse. But true enough.
As for Adams, I'm with Professor Reynolds: I'm surprised they let that guy walk around at all.
Posted by Dr. Frank at November 11, 2002 01:47 PM | TrackBack