|
|
Post by An Fear Dubh on Aug 26, 2009 9:33:26 GMT
I agree with you Wasp on the poor leadership being shown to the Unionist community by their political representatives. This is why I believe community organizations like the OO need to step forward and push the view of that organization thus making it difficult for the political reps not to jump on the band wagon and before you know it you have taken them into area that they did not want to go, or were reluctant to go to.
I also agree about the lack of accountability of the police. Where they fail to use the law and turn a blind eye, or look the other way.
It is too easy and safe to be negative, it is easy to avoid confronting the reality. It is time that Unionist politicians gave strong positive progressive leadership, instead of the old weak negative fudge.
Local people need to be in control of policing and justice, thus ensuring that the police do act when and where they should and not be selective with their dispensation of the law.
|
|
|
|
Post by earl on Aug 26, 2009 10:32:11 GMT
Reg Empey is in the media saying that the P&J post should not go to a non-unionist. That's a slippery slope that NI has already been on. No post is outside the remit of any person of any political persuasion according to the GFA. Looks like the UUP are finding it hard to let go of past bad habits.
|
|
|
|
Post by An Fear Dubh on Aug 26, 2009 13:23:44 GMT
Then David Ford of the Alliance Party (who has been widely suggested for the job, and Reg knows this) fits the bill, being 'Unionist' with a small 'u'.
|
|
|
|
Post by An Fear Dubh on Aug 26, 2009 13:33:40 GMT
But all these public press statements are just playing to the media, what is being said behind closed doors is different. The DUP was so hung up on SF having autonomy in any ministry that they set in place double locks etc, at St. Andrews. They have since found out that such restrictions works both ways! But will that stop them from making the same mistake again? Of course not! The paranoia within Unionism ensures that who ever gets the job will be very restricted as to what power they have. And it suits SF to have a local government that is seen as restricted by unionist fears.
|
|
|
|
Post by earl on Aug 26, 2009 16:39:40 GMT
Then David Ford of the Alliance Party (who has been widely suggested for the job, and Reg knows this) fits the bill, being 'Unionist' with a small 'u'. It's because of a letter of support from some chap in the Alliance party, who stated his support for Ford, but also stated that he himself was a republican. Clearly even the mention of the 'r' word within the alliance party was enough to scare the beejeebus out of old Reg. His main aim though is to out DUP the DUP. SF and the DUP have compromised and agreed that Ford is probably the best for the job and Reg is just trying to stir up those old jittery unionist fears of the boogyman to get one over on the DUP. |
|
|
|
Post by An Fear Dubh on Aug 26, 2009 20:53:40 GMT
Come on Earl! You are having me on! A member of the Alliance party claiming to be a republican!! The concept is impossible with Alliance policy. I know SF are doing political somersaults, but no one active in Alliance would be stupid enough to bracket themselves as republican, hold on I take that back, Alliance party members are stupid!
But then Fianna Fail and yourself claim at times to be republican, and any nationalist/catholic is republican according to Harry and Wasp. My definition of what makes a republican follows the lines laid out by Wolfe Tone.
|
|
|
|
Post by Wasp on Aug 27, 2009 14:24:04 GMT
afd I just want to correct you on something, I do not view or never have been of the opinion that being catholic equates being a republican.
|
|
|
|
Post by earl on Aug 27, 2009 15:31:55 GMT
Madam, – As an Alliance insider, I can assure Fionnuala O’Connor (Opinion, August 20th)there is a very long way to go before Alliance would even consider accepting any justice and policing ministry which may or may not be devolved before 2011. And as for Alliance nominating itself for any such position, that is fantastic speculation masquerading as purported fact.
I don’t love David Ford as our party leader only because he, for instance, has just led us to our best performance in a European election since 1979. I respect and admire him as our party leader for many other reasons: his organisational competence, his lack of ego, his affability even when under pressure. And for me, as a nationalist and a republican, most importantly, for his consistent agnosticism on the question of either the union or a united Ireland.
Such genuine agnosticism is extremely rare in Northern Ireland. And it is one reason why Mr Ford is perfectly suited to lead a party whose membership includes unionists, nationalists and “others” working together to overcome sectarianism wherever we come across it.
Alliance and its members have been at the forefront of confrontations with unionists over issues such as flags in towns like Carrickfergus and Bangor for most of the past 40 years.
The threats and intimidation we have undergone as a result of taking such stands usually go unreported and unnoticed by those outside of our families. I work in a bomb-proof building because of threats from the unionist side for stands Alliance has taken in the past.
Even now, after Alliance MLA Anna Lo’s vocal support of the Romanians, as The Irish Times has reported, we who work in Alliance HQ do so knowing racists have threatened to destroy the building.
In point of fact, it was not just “small left groups and evangelical churches” which criticised the PSNI in the light of recent racist attacks on the Romanian community. Ms Lo herself has been most vocal in criticising the PSNI for its sluggish, inappropriate and ultimately, as the Romanians left Belfast, tragically unsuccessful response to the threats to the Belfast Romanians. – Yours, etc,
STEPHEN DOUGLAS,
Assistant Director
(Development Campaigns)
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland,
University Street,
Belfast.
Reg Empey's Letter:
|
|
