The Republican Socialist Martyr's Flute Band, Belfast, is conducting an online poll. How can the band be improved? More flutes, drums, songs, what? A more plausible underlying dogma?

The results so far.

In case you were wondering: according to the MIPT Terrorism Knowledge Base, The Irish Republican Socialist Party (ISRP) is the political arm of the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA), which numbers some 50 members, and has at least been adhering to a cease-fire since claiming responsibility for various killings and bombings of non-combatants in 1998 and 1997 (detailed via the MIPT link).

So now they play their flutes and drums, and piddle on about an Irish Marxist Republic. Their North American affiliates appear from time to time, like at this recent event to honor a guy from Eugene, Oregon who set some sport utility vehicles afire to protest global warming. Oh, and the good Irish Socialists would also like us to know that they are all the way down with the "insurgents" in Iraq.

...the IRSP support the resistance fighters presently engaged in liberation struggles against Anglo-American imperialism, because we know that imperialism's interests are directly counter to those of working people everywhere. The Anglo-American axis of imperialism, under the guise of its 'war against terrorism,' is seeking to swiftly erode civil and human rights of people around the world.

Yeh. I think I know what they can do with those flutes.

Posted by Matt Rosenberg at June 20, 2005 06:10 PM