Roger
Casement, one of our great, and too little sung
heroes (because he was gay?).
Not
for me to say, I could not give a damn which way
a person is inclined to be sexually. Freedom,
that's what Republicans, true Republicans, hold
to.
Roger
Casement in the dock, dignified and heroic. Compared
to some who would call themselves "Republican"
today? I rest my case.
There
was no teaching of Republicanism, there was no
time in 1969 — but there was time since;
unless, there was an "elite" who wanted
to run the show?
Baah,
baahs and votes were the target, and they were
got. But what had any of that to do with Republicanism?
Nationalism, fair play in Northern Ireland, yes,
all to do with that. And relative success in an
SDLP sense. So tell us, "Sinn Fein",
and you do not warrant the title, are you just
the SDLP with a Militia?
Now
there is no getting away from it. They cut us
deep and hurt us hard. In our wildest dreams we
never thought they could sink to such treachery,
to don the British Uniform. Our comrades, our
volunteers, those we fought beside, shared cells
with, are to become part of the British State
called Northern Ireland.
Are
to embrace Partition, to accept the rule of their
British masters and tough luck to you who died
or were killed. What lies could have been told?
What mind could accept these lies?
Yes,
we are all tired. But rest, do not surrender.
Do
not surrender. I plead with you who have doubts
so wellfounded that you, I, know they are true
doubts. This is a blind alley and at the end are
waiting the muggers.
They
have made it good out of this sell-out. A life
beyond their dreams. It is only for the few, as
are all political settlements. Big jobs, big salaries
for those who never threw a stone. Step forward
Mary Lou. Give us your credentials? Ambition and
cheek. You would claim victory over our dead volunteers
graves, the back of my hand to you, you pup!
This
is not the end. This is a new beginning. The dross
will fall into comfort in Dail Eireann, Stormont,
Europe. That is their life's desire. We are bigger
than that, we want more than that because we want
it for all the people, not just for ourselves.
We want equality, in jobs, in thinking, in rights
to opinion, in sexual orientation, in all the
freedoms valid in a civilised society.
Hold
firm. We are all low, but we are here, and we
are not going away! You may well live to regret
that statement, Mr. Adams. You are like the Titanic,
and you can be sunk.
