Orange Order has a right to parade

[Wasp]

Free speech, free association, in a British city? Not if Sally Penton’s views are accepted. Her letter, of September 13 could have come straight from the Irish Republican terrorists’ instruction manual on how to bully others into submission.

The Orange Lodge parade in Carlisle

After years of murder and mayhem by supporters of the IRA the Orange Order still survives, albeit walking in many cases in Northern Ireland only when and where the Republican movement permits, just as Sally Penton suggests.

There was no sign of sectarian politics on Saturday, that is generally introduced by the Order’s opponents as a propaganda tool. And as a child I watched Orange parades as entertainment in company with my Catholic neighbours, and with no dissension.

The Republican-inspired violence of the late 1960s saw an end to that, but that spirit of live and let live is now slowly returning.

Note too that many of the marchers wore medals for service in this country’s Armed Forces. They, like I, took risks Sally so that you and I could have the right to our opinion.

Sadly, however, there are still some in this country who disagree so I reluctantly withhold my name and address for publication.

Name and address supplied

First published at 11:33, Thursday, 17 September 2009

[Bilk]

Sept 20, 2009 20:09:20 GMT Wasp said:

Free speech, free association, in a British city? Not if Sally Penton’s views are accepted. Her letter, of September 13 could have come straight from the Irish Republican terrorists’ instruction manual on how to bully others into submission.

The Orange Lodge parade in Carlisle

After years of murder and mayhem by supporters of the IRA the Orange Order still survives, albeit walking in many cases in Northern Ireland only when and where the Republican movement permits, just as Sally Penton suggests.

There was no sign of sectarian politics on Saturday, that is generally introduced by the Order’s opponents as a propaganda tool. And as a child I watched Orange parades as entertainment in company with my Catholic neighbours, and with no dissension.

The Republican-inspired violence of the late 1960s saw an end to that, but that spirit of live and let live is now slowly returning.

Note too that many of the marchers wore medals for service in this country’s Armed Forces. They, like I, took risks Sally so that you and I could have the right to our opinion.

Sadly, however, there are still some in this country who disagree so I reluctantly withhold my name and address for publication.

Name and address supplied

First published at 11:33, Thursday, 17 September 2009

Well said that man

[Bilk]

The problem with what you have just said m8 is there are few arterial routes through Belfast (just as a for instance) where there is not an enclave of Catholic/nationalists only too ready to get offended . e.g. at the bottom of the newtownards road where I live is Short Strand which has to be passed to get into town. Same applies if the parade where to take the only other route, that is the Albertbridge road. The Short Strand runs through from the bottom of the Netownards road to the bottom of the Albertbridge. There is also an enclave of Catholics at the top of the Newtownards road at Ballyhackamore. Somone paranoid would think it was a deliberate ploy, because these enclaves sprung up at the beginning of the "troubles" pre the early 60's.
At the bottom of the Shankill road we have Divis Flats and the surrounding Catholic/nationalist enclave. The parade on the 12th cannot take the route to it's destination without passing there. These people came to live in these areas long after the original parades began there, hence the term often used by those arguing the orange cause "traditional route". If AOH parades offended me (which they don't) I definately would not go to live in an area where they passed, hence the term "travelling a long way to be offended". Not to mention the number of people who travell long distances to be in an area where a parade is taking place.
Anyway getting offended at another persons religeon and their right to express that religeon is to me offensive. Then again that is just a personal opinion. I'm not religeous, nor am I a member of the OO but I feel that all religeous organisations have a right to parade or celebrate as they please. The boys brigade and other such church based organisations have been attacked by these stupid people too, how silly is that?

[Wasp]

Fantastic post bilk, well said.

[Harry]

Sept 21, 2009 13:45:52 GMT @setanta said:

No one denys the Orange Order right to parade. What is called into queston is the routes and times of those parades.

Setanta it makes no difference. Republicans want a stop to the parades full stop. Christ at 7.30 on a sunday morning there was still a crowd out to be offended.

The sooner Republicans stop playing the victims ploy the better. The mask is slipping and certain groups and individuals are being shown for what they are.