Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Ignorance of Unionism
I'm probably going to upset a few of my fellow nationalists with this post (wouldn't be the first time!) but I feel the need to highlight the ignorance that so many nationalists have towards their unionist brothers and sisters. Let me highlight this thread on Slugger O'Toole which contains comments from people in response to this article by Roy Garland in the Irish News. It's an excellent article by Mr Garland in my opinion and well worth a read as he highlights what is really required in order to have a United Ireland and he condemns the typical Sinn Féin rhetoric and bullshit. However, for many Slugger contributors, it was a case of in one ear and out the other. Let me highlight and also analyse some of the comments left by Slugger's nationalist contingent. So without further ado:
Henry94
"It is clear that a lot of unionists are unhappy with the way the north is being run now by the British government and many are also unhappy with the only alternative to that which is power-sharing with Sinn Fein."
In fairness I think unionists are unhappy with the litany of concessions which have been granted to Republicans, most recently the OTR legislation. This legislation is a disgrace and who can blame unionists for being unhappy with the status quo?
"So instead of giving out about Sinn Fein for offering an alternative future they should be themselves putting forward a vision for a partitioned future that works. If they have one."
People are giving out about Sinn Féin because they aren't offering an alternative future. One would be forgiven for thinking that their raison d'etre is to defend partition seeing as almost all their proposals wind up the unionist community in some way!
smcgiff
"If SF can do no right in the eyes of unionists, then why not at least push their own agenda?"
What do you think they are currently doing?!
Fraggle
"Unionists are pushing their agenda - it doesn’t include nationalists, in any other role than sitting down, shutting up and taking wahtever (sic) is handed to them, they should be honest enough to admit that."
MOPEry. (sigh)
George
"One way to avoid surrender and humiliation is for unionism to finally accept that to be Irish and independent is as honourable a tradition as to be unionist and British."
Hold on, what? Is he seriously advocating that unionists throw away their national identity?
spirit-level (commenting on George's comments above)
"That’s the solution to the “identity” problem, also the solution for the one flag to be adopted, representing the green and orange traditions equally. The tri-colour."
Sorry mate but it's not the solution to the identiy problem. What George advocates is for unionists to denounce their national identity and it is not acceptable for nationalists to demand that of them. That is asking unionists to surrender their heritage. Adopting the tricolour is not necessarily a solution either. If unionists don't want the Irish tricolour as their flag in a United Ireland then it shouldn't be used. Simple as that.
Fraggle (again)
"If politcis is uncomfortable for unionists, it’s their own fault, after all, they are the ones who currently have things their way."
More MOPEry.
irishman
"One would think unionists had committed no wrongs upon nationalists in the past."
D'oh! Even more MOPEry! Why does it always come back to the past when we are discussing issues for the future?
"It illustrates how bereft some unionists are of vision and confidence."
Yikes. Any more insults you want to throw at the unionist community?
Having read the above comments, I can't believe unionists don't want to be part of a United Ireland! I mean, nationalists clearly understand their needs so well!
When are these people going to realise that the border on maps and globes is not the real dividing line? The real dividing line is the ignorance nationalists have towards the unionist community!
A United Ireland needs to be a compromise - not a humiliating surrender for unionists!
Henry94
"It is clear that a lot of unionists are unhappy with the way the north is being run now by the British government and many are also unhappy with the only alternative to that which is power-sharing with Sinn Fein."
In fairness I think unionists are unhappy with the litany of concessions which have been granted to Republicans, most recently the OTR legislation. This legislation is a disgrace and who can blame unionists for being unhappy with the status quo?
"So instead of giving out about Sinn Fein for offering an alternative future they should be themselves putting forward a vision for a partitioned future that works. If they have one."
People are giving out about Sinn Féin because they aren't offering an alternative future. One would be forgiven for thinking that their raison d'etre is to defend partition seeing as almost all their proposals wind up the unionist community in some way!
smcgiff
"If SF can do no right in the eyes of unionists, then why not at least push their own agenda?"
What do you think they are currently doing?!
Fraggle
"Unionists are pushing their agenda - it doesn’t include nationalists, in any other role than sitting down, shutting up and taking wahtever (sic) is handed to them, they should be honest enough to admit that."
MOPEry. (sigh)
George
"One way to avoid surrender and humiliation is for unionism to finally accept that to be Irish and independent is as honourable a tradition as to be unionist and British."
Hold on, what? Is he seriously advocating that unionists throw away their national identity?
spirit-level (commenting on George's comments above)
"That’s the solution to the “identity” problem, also the solution for the one flag to be adopted, representing the green and orange traditions equally. The tri-colour."
Sorry mate but it's not the solution to the identiy problem. What George advocates is for unionists to denounce their national identity and it is not acceptable for nationalists to demand that of them. That is asking unionists to surrender their heritage. Adopting the tricolour is not necessarily a solution either. If unionists don't want the Irish tricolour as their flag in a United Ireland then it shouldn't be used. Simple as that.
Fraggle (again)
"If politcis is uncomfortable for unionists, it’s their own fault, after all, they are the ones who currently have things their way."
More MOPEry.
irishman
"One would think unionists had committed no wrongs upon nationalists in the past."
D'oh! Even more MOPEry! Why does it always come back to the past when we are discussing issues for the future?
"It illustrates how bereft some unionists are of vision and confidence."
Yikes. Any more insults you want to throw at the unionist community?
Having read the above comments, I can't believe unionists don't want to be part of a United Ireland! I mean, nationalists clearly understand their needs so well!
When are these people going to realise that the border on maps and globes is not the real dividing line? The real dividing line is the ignorance nationalists have towards the unionist community!
A United Ireland needs to be a compromise - not a humiliating surrender for unionists!
# posted by United Irelander @ 12:04 AM 
© 2008 United Irelander.
