|
In
my opinion the riot was counter productive. We say
we want a United Ireland, so the marchers (Loyalists)
are now our responsibility. Not the brits'. How do
we deal with them?
Their
stance is that, once consumed into an all-island Republic
their 'rights' to march about the place and bang the
auld lambeg will be swiflty removed by us, never to
be seen again. And they can extrapolate from that
we will do the same to them and their culture. (Or,
in light of recent events, go bloody mental whenever
they try to 'express' it.)
While
we may disagree about their manner of expressing their
culture, there is really feck all we can do about
it,. Allowing them to march peacefully in the Capital
of the 26 Counties would have taken a lot of wind
out of Paisley & Co.'s sails. His current rants
on Irish Republican racism (in the 26 counties - he's
always ranting about it in the 6) towards his people
having now been confirmed in the minds of his voters.
Simply
allowing the march (regardless of personal feeling
towards the personalities involved), I feel would
have shown a maturity, a willingness to accept, that
would have been a huge step in showing protestants
just how secular modern Ireland has really become.
Preventing
the march -particularly using violent resistence in
front of the worlds camers when a peaceful sit-in
could just have effectively prevented it -has instead
entrenched loyalist opinion of the sectarian Republic,
intent on driving them into the sea. And has done
them a lot of good in world opinion.
Interestingly
- I saw an Armagh farmer on the TV today, he said;
"I came to march to make the Irish Governent
aware of my loss, because my Government doesn't care"
(or words to that effect). There was a perfect opportunity
for Republicans to reach out, to show that as United
Irishmen we care for all the peoples of this Country.
Think how this man might feel tonight, back at home,
knowing he was heard, listened to in Dublin. When
his own Government doesn't know who he is. Think instead
of how he actually feels, his voice having been drowned
out by sectarian screams and a hail of concrete.
Index: Current Articles + Latest News and Views + Book Reviews +
Letters + Archives
|
