Leo Armstrong - Citizens First

Open Letter from Leo Armstrong
Fellow Irish Men and Women,

Over the past 6 months I have endevoured to set up a new political party due to my frustration at how our country has been allowed to be destroyed by the present government and their cronies.   As I then stated in my letter to the Irish Times, if there was an election tomorrow morning, I could not nor would not vote for any of the present government or opposition.  They have all let us down.  There is no real leadership coming from any quarter as day by day the situation continues to grow worse with the possibility of the IMF moving in early next year.

People died for this country almost a century ago.   I am not asking you to lay down your life.  All I am asking you is to stand up and be counted and, as the late President Kennedy said, 'don't ask what my country can do for you but what can I do for my country?'   You can also include 'what can I do for my children and their childrens future?'   Do you want them to emigrate as I and thousands like me had to do in the 50s and 80s. 

Are you waiting for someone with a magic wand to make things better?   You will be waiting for a long time.   This is Ireland, not 'Coocoo land'.    Yes, this is Ireland were the ordinary people are not been listened to.  This is a country where the media - RTE, The National Newspapers are all in the pockets of the main political parties and big businesses and where the man in the street is given very little in the way of media coverage to ensure he/she does not rock the boat.   If you are happy to accept this status quo I would suggest you need not continue to read any further as you would be wasting your time.  Furthermore, if you believe getting together to create change is a waste of time I would also suggest you cease reading any further.

I want people who are ready to get up off their backsides and do something for their country and don't allow this shower of politicians and bankers continue to destroy your country one minute more.   You owe this to yourselves and your children.  

Recently I sent out an email to all members/lapsed members of Citizens First, a political party we set up in Kilkenny on 17th August last, suggesting we get together with other like-minded groups.   Very few responded but those who responded were very enthusiastic about the idea.   I believe this is the road we should go down.   Although we appear to have an overwhelming number of people angry they do not appear to want to do anything.  For the life of me I cannot understand this.  Surely if one is angry about a situation you don't just bury your head in the sand and hope it goes away.   This economic crisis will not go away just like that.  You and I must become politically active and help, in our own small way, get this country back on its feet again so we and our children can look forward to a better future.   You and I can no longer depend on our present local TDs.   They have all let us down.

I know both Direct Democracy Ireland and Citizens First have experienced 'in-fighting' which caused problems.  We must overcome these little squabbles for the greater good and join forces.  As I stated in both my emails and at last Wednesdays meeting in the Central Hotel, Dublin, we should put up candidates in the forthcoming Byelections.   The amount of publicity small parties and Independents get in Byelections is massive.   They are entitled to time on National TV, the National and Local Media will cover these Byelections much more than ever before and with a new political movement in the fray this will be of immense public interest.   By approaching these Byelections in a planned systematic way and the publicity we would get, we would be laying the foundation for a real challenge to the whole political system when the General Election is declared.

We need to act and act now.  If ever there was an opportunity to change the political scene in Ireland and rid ourselves of the old civil war politics, now is the time.   Fianna Fail have been in power too long and Fine Gael  and Labour would not bring in the political change we need to bring this country back from the brink.   We need a new political structure where the Citizen comes first and where the democratic will of the people can not be trampled upon again by ensuring direct democracy is reinstated in our Constitution and all political decisions come from the Bottom Up and not Top Down.

If you believe in what I have outlined above please contact me immediately and we will get the ball rolling.....indeed why not have someone go forward in the forthcoming Byelection in Donegal South West.

This email has been given wide circulation.

Kindest Regards
Leo