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I
read with interest various editorials in relation
to the recent Mayoral wreath laying at the Somme Commemoration
ceremony. Much of it similarly stated the ground breaking
initiative of a Republican mayor honouring the War
dead, and reaching out the hand of friendship, while
others were a little less forthcoming. Yet very little
space was afforded to the real reasoning of that war.
While many, many working class dead were being 'honoured'
I would ask is it honourable to be sent to your death
by those who cared nothing for your life?
Many
raised the argument, why was the republican Mayor
honouring at a British monument while after years
of torture and murder republicans and nationalists
were still presently being attacked by the same establishment
which sent these men to their deaths. While some editorials
argued for inclusiveness in death as in life others
talked of the 'naive' young men who thought they were
fighting a Nationalist cause. In effect many different
but partly consensual arguments were put to attempt
to direct the attention one
way.
Whatever
way this is dressed up it was but a war of imperialism
where many lives were lost solely for that interest.
Whether whipped up under the banner of Nationalism
or Imperialism it was the working people who were
the cannon fodder, it was they who gave so much and
gained so little. Yet it was the ruling classes who
used various flags from the safety of their castles
to inflict the misery and bloodshed on millions for
the interest of their class and imperialism.
As
I flicked through the editorials and scanned through
the papers at the Lord Mayors attempted embracing
of 'both sides' by honouring the dead, I found it
difficult to find a mention of that war of imperialism
which sent these men to their deaths, within the papers
or from those '''socialists''' who took part in or
witnessed the event. To honour the dead of such a
war without mentioning the reason of its cause is
but to dishonour the memory of those dead. To attempt
to open the hand of friendship while with the other
embracing the revisionism of that war of imperialism
distort that memory. To speak of 'naive' nationalists
going to war rather than an war of imperialism lends
support to that ruling interest.
The
whole scenario has been about remembrance solely of
the dead. It may be seen in republicans eyes beneficial
for the Republican Lord Mayor of Belfast to be seen
to remember many British dead. Yet I would say it
was far more beneficial for the British for a Republican
Mayor to not only remember the dead but forget to
mention the cause of their death. In case some for
whatever reason may have forgotten, it was simply,
British Imperialism.
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