Slander Answered

tionalist community, by the combined In this review we make the point that Margaretta D’Arcy ommits a political account of the discussion in Women Against Imperialism concerning the tactic of non-payment of fines. Instead she gives a psychological explanationof the PD position on this tactic by suggesting that PD males did not want their women members to ‘‘gain too much kudos” or leave the field open to Sinn Fein members by their absence in jail. Basically that PD are a devious calculating bunch!

This is slanderous fantasy!

It is regrettable that Una O’Neill, in her review of the book in An Phoblacht (Jan 21st) takes up this matter in a petty sectarian way. She describes the logic of the ‘‘non payment’ tactic as “‘absurd’”’ yet quotes Margaretta’s opinions on PD’s opposition to the tactic as ‘‘fact” with which to ridicule PD. This kind of sectarian jibing will not help anti-imperialist women learn the lesson of the role of women in the national struggle. Margaretta is entitled to her epinion. An Phoblacht, however, focuses on this episode politically and begins to rewrite history. PD argued consist: ently that the ‘non-payment’ tactic could not substitute for the work that had to be done to build a mass movement. It could not, in and of itself, strengthen the anti-imperialist current which PD had fought to ‘build.and which had taken up the issue of Armagh at a time when the anti-imperialist organisations, including Sinn Fein, were indifferent to the ‘woman question.