The programme of events in Belfast to commemorate the Centenary of the 1916 Rising was rolled out in Belfast City Hall.
Tom Hartley, former Lord Mayor of Belfast and Sinn Fein councillor, invited Unionists to take part in the commemoration.
Jeffrey Donaldson got things into perspective!!!
“here we have Sinn Fein proposing a parade to mark the Easter Rising, when over 100 British soldiers were murdered in Dublin”.
Comments: 100 british soldiers were shot while they shelled Dublin city centre. All the leaders of the Rising and their friends/family members were summarily executed. Hundreds of Irish people were interned in England and Wales.
At Easter 1916 Ireland stood alone and faced up to the might of the British Empire, later inspiring many other colonies to make their bids for independence.
Nelson McCausland lives in Denial-land
“There was no rising in Ulster, and they have nothing locally to commemorate”.
Comment: There were no Battles of the Boyne or the Somme in Ulster either. So they have nothing locally to celebrate. Tell that to the Orange Order with its 4,000+ parades/walks/marches every year!!
https://audioboom.com/boos/3738992-loyalists-urged-to-help-commemorate-1916-easter-rising-but-pup-says-no-way
This seems to be the only Unionist/Loyalist strategy!
Query: Can they seriously expect people to believe the nonsense they spout?
They don’t expect everyone to believe it. They don’t even expect a majority to believe it. They just need enough to swing things, to believe it. As
George W. Bush allegedly remarked
“You can fool some of the people all the time, and those are the ones you want to concentrate on.”
Even a blind man can see who doesn’t want to move forward in NI and who might!! Although many people are open to new ideas, a certain percentage of the population will always believe they are always right.
Query: So why don’t they want to move forward?
1) In the Unionist/Loyalist experience holding firmly on to their uber Brit-Nat ideas has served them well. Since 1912 they have succeeded in defying Westminster with the threat of armed insurrection. They have held on to power and until very recently total hegemony in NI.
2) Unconstructive thought patterns
Ulster Unionists/Loyalists are unaware of their own character flaws or shortcomings. This obliviousness is what keeps them from actually being objective when facing the issue of Irish Nationalism/Republicanism.
3) Things are fine just as they are
What is most comfortable, even if dangerous in the end, is what people are normally drawn to the status quo is, always, hard to challenge.
Query: What happened after 1916 where the “peaceful, unaffected” six counties were concerned?
4. Personally rewarding behaviour
Anti- Irish nationalist/republican/language attitudes and sectarian bigotry are considered satisfying, regardless of how others perceive them. At least one dominating human need is met by this behaviour, hence the difficulty in eliminating it.
Query: What are these needs?
a) The need to feel a sense of belonging – to clubs, co-workers, religious groups, professional organizations, sports teams, and gangs.
b) The need for respect from the UK, status, recognition, fame, prestige, and attention.
http://www.judecollins.com/2015/10/unionism-and-the-easter-rising-by-ciaran-mc/
http://www.epictimes.com/tag/george-w-bush/
http://atodmagazine.com/2013/10/28/writing-tip-just-write/
