Friday, March 03, 2006
Here come the spin doctors!
My city of Dublin is apparently a sectarian, monolithic and mono-cultural city, and perhaps so too is my state according to this letter in the News Letter by Dr JE Hazlett Lynch, of the 'West Tyrone Voice'.Yes it hasn't even been a week since the Dublin riots and already the spin doctors are out in force and trying to portray last week's incidents by the pondlife of Dublin (and parts of NI) as a reflection of the majority as a whole. Poor Dr Lynch was so shocked at the outbreak of a riot - something which never ever happens north of the border - that it's amazing he was even able to write his letter, but he has! Permit me to analyse parts of it:
"It is very disappointing that people from the Protestant/ unionist/ loyalist community cannot hold a parade in the capital city of the Republic without being subjected to sectarian treatment from people who are still utterly opposed to anything British, Protestant, or whatever, and supportive of everything republican, terrorist and criminal."
Well it is a shame that violence occurred, certainly.
"And given that the Agreement gave Dublin a say in what happened in Northern Ireland, it seemed proper that the unionist/ loyalist case be taken to that city."
That's funny, I thought part of the reason for the march was to basically tell Dublin and the people of Dublin that they had no right to have a say in what happens in Ireland's north.
"What happened last Saturday gave the lie to the idea that Dublin is a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, nonsectarian city - quite the reverse. It has, sadly, demonstrated that it is a sectarian, monolithic and mono-cultural city, if not state."
Uh-oh, our secret's out! Actually I must admit I think those two Chinese people sitting in front of me on the bus today and the three Spanish guys at the back of the bus were saying the exact same thing...
"If the IRA campaign of terror and sectarianism is being justified by the great and the good, the very same reasons can be marshalled to justify the respondent backlash, were a united Ireland to be imposed on us, even with a democratic vote."
Um, why has the IRA been brought into this?
"A united Ireland has been put back and will not now be a runner for any unionist."
D'oh! It was just about to happen and everything before last Saturday, wasn't it? Now those people who don't even make up 1% of the Irish state's population have gone and scuppered everything!
"To their credit, those who wanted to march did not put one foot wrong, and thanks to the Garda, protection was afforded them."
The Garda - what state are they from again? The sectarian, monolithic and mono-cultural one, right?
"Sadly, they were unable to speak in Dublin because the sectarianism of that city could not be contained by the State forces."
Could it not? I've heard from people who were out on Saturday evening who said order had been restored by then...
"This should serve as a timely reminder to our politicians to withdraw their overtures to IRA/ Sinn Fein that would promise a power-sharing government in Northern Ireland with them."
Um, what? As I understand this, a riot conducted mostly by Dublin scangers is reason enough to destroy the idea of a United Ireland as well as a power-sharing executive in the North? Who knew these scumbags had such political clout?!
"Victims simply do not want the IRA in government in Northern Ireland, either locally or regionally, under the guise of Sinn Fein. What has such a goal to offer the innocent victims' community in Northern Ireland who suffered at their blood-stained hands?"
Yes this is all very relevant to the Dublin riots last weekend!
Dear oh dear. This sort of nonsense is wearing a bit thin. The riot was a sad day indeed for the majority of people on this island who are decent people so let's not start taking the piss with inane comments.
People are talking about how last Saturday's events will relate to the issue of partition. My own view is that last Saturday's events are more significant for the people south of the border than north of the border. In the south, people aren't used to this kind of thing and it has been somewhat of a wake-up call. Irish people are quite apathetic by nature and while the issue of the North has tended to be ignored by quite alot of people down here, it was thrust in people's faces by a minority of bigots and thugs. The issue was brought to the people.
My own opinion is that the people of the south will respond in a positive fashion to last Saturday's events and that it will lead to a strengthening of what constitutes proper republicanism amongst the Irish people.
In recent times, countries like France, America and Britain have suffered problems with race relations in recent times while Ireland has not. This is evidence to me that the majority of Irish people get what it means to be part of a republican society which "cherishes all the children of the nation equally".
If Dr Hazlett wishes to make silly and insulting comments after last Saturday's disappointing incident then he is, ironically, all the things that he professes to hate - sectarian, monolithic and mono-cultural.
# posted by United Irelander @ 2:10 AM 
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