Showing newest posts with label unionist. Show older posts
Showing newest posts with label unionist. Show older posts
Wednesday, 3 June 2009
Monday, 25 May 2009
Jim Allisters Election Leaflet
Having received Jim Allisters euro election leaflet I'm struck by four things:
First, it makes very little mention of any European issues or TUV policy on the EU
Second, it smacks of pre-GFA DUP rhetoric which is outdated and offers nothing positive or inspiring!
Thirdly, it features Jim in a number of Lenin-esque type poses; having no less than 9 pictures of the man himself, is he big headed or is modelling a side line?
Finally, how can an MEP affect change in the Storment set up? It's almost as ridiculous as Diane Dodds claiming she'll smash her parties partners in government?
For those Unionists wanting to punish the DUPers for whatever reasons, the most important way get at the folks on the hill is to vote for Northern Ireland to play a role at the centre of the union; to put Allister number 1 is a waste of opportunity, so to Diane Dodds!
Jim Nicholson and the Unionist/Conservative New Force actually have a opinion on Europe as well as Northern Ireland, plus they want to put us at the centre of the UK government like we were in the 19th century!
For me Jim Nicholson offers an alternative that's refreshing, UK unionist and honest, for British unionists voting for the Unionist/Conservative coalition will secure our position within the union.
First, it makes very little mention of any European issues or TUV policy on the EU
Second, it smacks of pre-GFA DUP rhetoric which is outdated and offers nothing positive or inspiring!
Thirdly, it features Jim in a number of Lenin-esque type poses; having no less than 9 pictures of the man himself, is he big headed or is modelling a side line?
Finally, how can an MEP affect change in the Storment set up? It's almost as ridiculous as Diane Dodds claiming she'll smash her parties partners in government?
For those Unionists wanting to punish the DUPers for whatever reasons, the most important way get at the folks on the hill is to vote for Northern Ireland to play a role at the centre of the union; to put Allister number 1 is a waste of opportunity, so to Diane Dodds!
Jim Nicholson and the Unionist/Conservative New Force actually have a opinion on Europe as well as Northern Ireland, plus they want to put us at the centre of the UK government like we were in the 19th century!
For me Jim Nicholson offers an alternative that's refreshing, UK unionist and honest, for British unionists voting for the Unionist/Conservative coalition will secure our position within the union.
Friday, 22 May 2009
Gaeilge
The recent Londonderry DPP meeting held in Gaelic sparked the usual response from reactionary unionist politicians, however personally I'm not threatened by the Irish language, those Protestants who react with complete animosity to the Irish language are helping militant republicans to politicize a legitimate part of the UKs collective cultural heritage.
Unfortunately Gaelic nationalists use Irish to define it as a sole part of Irish nationalist indentity, but why should it be so? Ulster Unionist member Sir Ian Adamson speaks fluent Gaelic, indeed my grandmother (who was a Southerner) spoke Irish yet was a proud unionist and a monarchist. In the 1970s there was an Orange Lodge in Belfast that promoted Gaelic and Irish Protestant culture.
Gaelic as a language is dwindling as numbers of native speakers decrease, also there is a lack of interest amongst Southern youth in learning it, beyond what they're force fed at school - I know for me being made to learn French at school was a put off - also English is the de facto national language of Ireland.
Personally I believe outside of a cultural context Gaelic is limited, aswell as being constrained by a narrowly defined political identity, interest in reviving the language might be better suited on a voluntary cross-cultural basis.
Unfortunately Gaelic nationalists use Irish to define it as a sole part of Irish nationalist indentity, but why should it be so? Ulster Unionist member Sir Ian Adamson speaks fluent Gaelic, indeed my grandmother (who was a Southerner) spoke Irish yet was a proud unionist and a monarchist. In the 1970s there was an Orange Lodge in Belfast that promoted Gaelic and Irish Protestant culture.
Gaelic as a language is dwindling as numbers of native speakers decrease, also there is a lack of interest amongst Southern youth in learning it, beyond what they're force fed at school - I know for me being made to learn French at school was a put off - also English is the de facto national language of Ireland.
Personally I believe outside of a cultural context Gaelic is limited, aswell as being constrained by a narrowly defined political identity, interest in reviving the language might be better suited on a voluntary cross-cultural basis.
Thursday, 21 May 2009
Two Examples of Unionism
As a unionist I have always admired the example set by Sir Edward Carson, his philosophy was whole heartedly "Union first". He was not a bigot nor was he a partitionist, as an Irish unionist and a Dubliner, his motivation was to save Ireland's place within the United Kingdom.
Though he is seen in a very narrow light by both his nationalist detractors and loyalist admirers, his leadership of Ulster Unionists was to him a way to preserve all-Ireland for the union, the 1920 Government of Ireland Act and subsequent partition were by no means his preferred solution but he had to accept the reality of Ireland’s situation.
He acknowledged that a part of Ireland within the UK was better for unionism than no part. Disappointingly he turned down the offer to be elected Northern Irelands first Prime Minister, had he done so perhaps his pragmatic non-parochial example would have created a state free from discrimination and fear of "the other side" or "the enemy within". Instead he chose to warn unionists and Protestants:
"We used to say that we could not trust an Irish parliament in Dublin to do justice to the Protestant minority. Let us take care that that reproach can no longer be made against your parliament, and from the outset let them see that the Catholic minority have nothing to fear from a Protestant majority."
Instead the premiership of Northern Ireland was held by James Craig, an Ulster Protestant and Unionist leader. Craig’s unionism became inward looking and parochial, from being an active part of government life at Westminster, as Prime Minister of Northern Ireland he avoided contact with the UK government whenever possible.
Craig was very much a Protestant with a limited appreciation for civic or inclusive unionism. Although he may not have been an active bigot, like Eamon de Valera his opposite number in the Irish Free State, his national identity was more often than not defined in religious and cultural terms.
In 1931 de Valera declared:
"There was an Irish solution that had no reference to any other country; a solution that came from our traditional attitude to life that was Irish and Catholic."
In a St. Patricks Day address to the nation de Valera reiterated "since the coming of St Patrick 1500 years ago Ireland has been a Christian and a Catholic nation she will remain a Catholic nation". Thus the war of words between the narrow strands of unionism and nationalism was fixed.
Craig declared in return "they still boast of Southern Ireland being a Catholic State. All I boast of is that we are a Protestant Parliament and a Protestant State." His reactionary and narrow view of Unionism was unfortunately the example followed by successive Prime Ministers; similarly those who followed in the wake of Eamon de Valera in the Irish Republic followed his Catholic Nationalist agenda.
My Unionism like Sir Edward Carson’s is not based on a narrowly defined religious or cultural philosophy, although I am proud of the cultural roots I have, by religious or cultural identity is separate from my unionist principles. I believe our place should remain within the inclusive, tolerant and multi-cultural United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
James Craig’s Protestant unionism and political Orangeism are at odds with the civic inclusive nature of Britishness defined within the UK, I am proud of my Irish Protestant roots and Orange culture, but neither of those defines unionism within the UK which embraces many cultures and religions. Unionisms future lies at the centre of the union as a tolerant inclusive society
Though he is seen in a very narrow light by both his nationalist detractors and loyalist admirers, his leadership of Ulster Unionists was to him a way to preserve all-Ireland for the union, the 1920 Government of Ireland Act and subsequent partition were by no means his preferred solution but he had to accept the reality of Ireland’s situation.
He acknowledged that a part of Ireland within the UK was better for unionism than no part. Disappointingly he turned down the offer to be elected Northern Irelands first Prime Minister, had he done so perhaps his pragmatic non-parochial example would have created a state free from discrimination and fear of "the other side" or "the enemy within". Instead he chose to warn unionists and Protestants:
"We used to say that we could not trust an Irish parliament in Dublin to do justice to the Protestant minority. Let us take care that that reproach can no longer be made against your parliament, and from the outset let them see that the Catholic minority have nothing to fear from a Protestant majority."
Instead the premiership of Northern Ireland was held by James Craig, an Ulster Protestant and Unionist leader. Craig’s unionism became inward looking and parochial, from being an active part of government life at Westminster, as Prime Minister of Northern Ireland he avoided contact with the UK government whenever possible.
Craig was very much a Protestant with a limited appreciation for civic or inclusive unionism. Although he may not have been an active bigot, like Eamon de Valera his opposite number in the Irish Free State, his national identity was more often than not defined in religious and cultural terms.
In 1931 de Valera declared:
"There was an Irish solution that had no reference to any other country; a solution that came from our traditional attitude to life that was Irish and Catholic."
In a St. Patricks Day address to the nation de Valera reiterated "since the coming of St Patrick 1500 years ago Ireland has been a Christian and a Catholic nation she will remain a Catholic nation". Thus the war of words between the narrow strands of unionism and nationalism was fixed.
Craig declared in return "they still boast of Southern Ireland being a Catholic State. All I boast of is that we are a Protestant Parliament and a Protestant State." His reactionary and narrow view of Unionism was unfortunately the example followed by successive Prime Ministers; similarly those who followed in the wake of Eamon de Valera in the Irish Republic followed his Catholic Nationalist agenda.
My Unionism like Sir Edward Carson’s is not based on a narrowly defined religious or cultural philosophy, although I am proud of the cultural roots I have, by religious or cultural identity is separate from my unionist principles. I believe our place should remain within the inclusive, tolerant and multi-cultural United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
James Craig’s Protestant unionism and political Orangeism are at odds with the civic inclusive nature of Britishness defined within the UK, I am proud of my Irish Protestant roots and Orange culture, but neither of those defines unionism within the UK which embraces many cultures and religions. Unionisms future lies at the centre of the union as a tolerant inclusive society
Friday, 15 May 2009
Monday, 27 April 2009
The Disappeared: PIRAs Inhumanity
A new site is to be examined in the hunt for one of the Disappeared of
Northern Ireland's Troubles.
The site is in County Louth in the Republic of Ireland, where the
remains of the Crossmaglen man Gerry Evans are said to be buried.
It has been claimed he was shot 30 years ago by the IRA as a suspected
informer.
It comes as the assembly passed a new bill to help the relatives
of the Disappeared and other missing persons.
Q: What separates the dissidents from the Provisionals? A: Time!
The PIRAs depravity is once again highlighted by their on going mental torture of those related to the so-called "disappeared" ie those murdered in cold blood, buried in bogs and fields all over Ireland. The victims of these continuing crimes against humanity, the relatives, are often traumatised and too tired to call the PIRA on their heartless campaign of cowardly human rights abuses.
But then the republican movement doesn't believe that any of its actions were wrong.
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