Its
time to form an all-island Unionist Forum to rejuvenate
the Southern Protestant tradition and give Northern
Protestants an effective voice in the running
of the Republic.
No
matter how deep the looming split within the DUP
over the St Andrews Agreement, the scene is set
for pro-deal Paisleyites to nominate the former
Dr No of Unionism as First Minister Yes in a few
days' time.
For
the first time since the 17th century's Glorious
Revolution, political Protestantism has the chance
to have a real say in the government of Ireland,
north and south, through the cross-border bodies.
Unfortunately,
Unionism has been fooled by the hypnotic propaganda
of republicanism which has constantly portrayed
the North as a failed state, and is now floating
the daft notion of repartition where the Northern
Prods would be crammed into counties Antrim and
Down.
Unionism
needs to start believing in the concept of the
Occupied Twenty-Six Counties, and begin the process
of feeding the rapidly expanding Southern Irish
middle class the reality their future lies in
rejoining the British Commonwealth of nations.
Since
1920 and the evil of partition, Southern Unionists
were forced to integrate for sheer survival into
the once Catholic Church dominated Republic, with
many Southern Protestant families having to flee
North because of IRA pogroms.
The
then Unionist leadership of Carson and Craig were
quite content to relax behind the B Specials controlled
border rather than orchestrate an invasion of
the South to seize more territory – especially
after the assassination of Free State icon Michael
Collins by anti-Treaty republicans.
More
than 80 years on from the killing of Collins,
pro-deal republicans within Provisional Sinn Fein
ironically find themselves the subjects of alleged
death threats from so-called purists who view
the Provos' political wing as supposed traitors.
It
makes you wonder what course Irish – and
republican – history will take should these
dissidents actually turn their alleged threats
into reality.
Likewise,
for once in a generation, Unionists need to think
constructively about the role of the cross-border
bodies. These institutions are not about Southern
republicans running the North, but provide the
best opportunity in 100 years of re-establishing
a 21st century version of the Protestant Ascendancy.
In
the coming months, Protestants must come to recognise
the ideals of Revolutionary Unionism as the only
path to re-creating that once coveted Ascendancy.
This
brand of Unionism is based on the pillars of one
party, one faith, one Commonwealth. Not surprisingly,
talk of an all-island Unionist identity is met
with hysterical laughter in many hardline Protestant
fundamentalist circles.
On
23 November, many ageing Paisleyites may be commemorating
the 25th anniversary of the monster Third Force
rally in Newtownards attended by some 5,000 masked
men.
As
the Third Force's political messiah boomed out
his message of defiance that wet November evening
in 1981, any talk of a future DUP/Sinn Fein power-sharing
government at Stormont would have been greeted
with equal hysterical laughing, and more than
likely a hard kick in the head.
Revolutionary
Unionism is so dubbed because it forces Northern
Prods to think outside of the six counties. What
is needed first is a single party, simply called
The Unionist Party – a broad church which
will represent all shades of pro-Union thinking.
The
one faith concept marks a return to the Bible
principles of Jesus Christ as highlighted in the
New Testament.
Given
the loss of respect in the Catholic pulpit from
the convicted pervert priests scandals, the large
numbers of Prods who never darken a church door,
and the rise of militant Islam, there is a growing
need for a spiritual awakening in Irish Christianity
along the lines of the famous 1859 Revival which
swept through Ireland.
Many
Southern Catholics and Northern Prods could be
attracted to a pro-Commonwealth Unionist movement
– driven by an evangelical radical Presbyterianism
– which guaranteed their middle class lifestyles
would not be threatened by the ever expanding
European Union.
Revolutionary
Unionism would take the British islands –
including Ireland – out of the EU and into
the global economic security of the Commonwealth.
With
the rapidly increasing migrant population in the
South, there is the real danger of another fascist-style
Blueshirt movement emerging as racial tensions
begin to boil.
In
the meantime, the all-island Unionist Forum will
give Southern Protestants the real voice they
have been denied since 1920.
