Editor's Note

Hello and welcome to our upgraded Ireland’s Big Issue magazine’s website. In this fast moving world all is evolving, so we must also. This process may take a little time to get right so please bear with us as we make subtle changes along the way.

It is appropriate that this first issue in the new format features Ireland’s Homeless World Cup Teams.  It is hard to appreciate what it is like to face and try to overcome major difficulties in life  when everything seems insurmountable and you haven’t  the maturity, experience or tools to deal with those issues. In some cases it can take  many years of hardship and disillusionment before a person reaches a point where they can come to terms with their past. It is a long  difficult journey full of ups and downs but with help and support people can and do find their way. Many of the individuals who make up our Homeless World Cup teams have overcome such adversity  and now find themselves representing Ireland at an international football tournament, what an achievement !

It has not been easy and there will be more obstacles ahead, such is life, but for these men and women to achieve what they have, both on and off the field of play is a testament to their courage and resilience. I’m sure I speak for all Ireland’s Big Issue readers when I wish them the best of Luck in the Homeless World Cup, Oslo, Norway Aug 23-30th .

Gaza/Israel

Internationally as the world turns we seem to be entering one crisis after another which makes it hard to be optimistic. 

What is wrong with Israel?

Of all people it’s hard to reconcile the genocide that is being perpetrated in Gaza with a people who suffered so much at the hands of Hitler’s Germany. I do recall the Jewish people worldwide quite rightly calling out those who knew about the Holocaust but did nothing to stop it, although it has to be said those atrocities that were committed then were not as widely known. There is no excuse now. 
Where are those good people now ? 
Why don’t they speak up ? 
Why don’t they protest outside their Israel’s embassies worldwide. Except for the few who have the courage to call out the Israeli government, the rest remain silent !

Evil exists because good people do nothing

Netanyahu & Co need to be called out by their own people especially those living outside the heavily censored Israel. It is time  for all  influential and the high profile people within their  community to stand in opposition to the politics of hate fostered by the Israeli government in their name. The American people also need to stand up for what’s right and protest against the Israeli hold on their government and persuade president Trump to do the right thing.  

All should listen to the voice of Israeli peace activist Vered Berman (see World Issues article in our current edition ) who speaks with honesty and the knowledge of the personal toll that politics of hate brings. It is time that Jewish people stood up against the tyranny of Netanyahu’s government and embrace the politics of peaceful coexistence, or risk forever being remembered as    the ‘chosen people ’ who stood by and did nothing while thousands of innocents perish like their ancestors in WW11.

On a brighter note On behalf of Ireland’s Big Issue I would like to thank you for your support to date and ask that you continue to support us. As there is no charge for Ireland’s Big Issue we do need your support to continue highlighting the issues that impact our lives and bring you a truthful, balanced view of what is happening in our world, while continuing also to support Irish Homeless Street leagues.

I hope you enjoy this edition our 313th

Sean - Editor

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