Jude Collins

Tuesday 22 October 2013

John McAllister gives Sinn Féin a lecture




OK, confession time: I like Basil McCrea and John McAllister. I've met both of them and there's something innately and genuinely charming about both of them. Basil has a boyish air of innocence  ('Who, me sir? Scoff the cake??') and John has a rural solidity and quiet friendliness. Granted, it doesn't always come across on TV but that's how I found them. They've also shown the good sense to leave the Ulster Unionist party which is struggling to be hard-line and look liberal at the same time. So I'm well-disposed towards both men.

Maybe that's why I admire John's comments at a Sinn Féin conference in London. The fact that he attended and spoke are both good. It's what he said that is a wee bit harder to swallow.

He asks Sinn Féin to embrace the constitutional position of Northern Ireland, just as 175,000 Irish people have embraced the UK's capital city.  That injunction has two stumbling points. The first is that republicanism by its nature is opposed to the constitutional position of Northern Ireland. Any action it takes is motivated by a desire to free itself and the people of the north from Mother Britain's embrace. The second is that of the 175,000 people in London, it's a safe bet that if economic circumstances in Ireland allowed them to live and work at home, they would be on the nearest plane. They don't so much embrace London as accept it as a fact of life when you come from a divided country.

John also urges Sinn Féin to drop this nonsense about a referendum on Irish unity - sure the polls show only 3.8% of people want constitutional change. Right. That'd be like the polls said that Fine Gael would sweep home with its referendum to abolish the Seanad. Saying stuff to a man or woman with a clipboard is one thing; being in a ballot-cubicle where you can affect historic change sought for centuries is quite another. And even if constitutional change were rejected, wouldn't that clear the air about present positions on the border?

John also says Sinn Féin should start talking about 'Northern Ireland', not 'The North' or worse still, 'the north'. Mmm. Maybe if there was less talk among unionists of The Province, and if the local BBC didn't see fit to call itself Radio Ulster, not to mention the University of Ulster, such a request might find more receptive ears. But even it didn't, using 'the North' or alternatives to 'Northern Ireland' is simply to say that you don't believe a state carved out along strictly sectarian lines, run by a system of gerrymandering and discrimination until the roof came in, and maintained even now by Britain's claim to legislate for its next-door neighbour, is a desirable state of affairs.  There are worse things this state could be called than 'the North'.

John says he wants to create “a Northern Ireland for all, in the new Ireland and in a new era in the history of these islands”. Has a ring to it, doesn't it?  But it'd take a bit of parsing before you knew what it meant. Especially that bit about 'a Northern Ireland in the new Ireland'.  So is that constitutional change you have in mind, John?  

I said at the start that I liked Basil and John. Actually they can be very annoying in the views they have. But to be honest, that contradictory element in people is less than rare. Sometimes the people you disagree with politically can be genuinely nice people. And vice versa. So nothing personal, John, but we can only do business when we all know what we're talking about. 

12 comments:

  1. First rule of Jude;thou shalt not criticise Sinn Fein.They are above criticism !

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    1. Hardly much need to, given the massed mass media pundits lining up to do so. And what makes me think you'd add weight to their numbers if possible??

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  2. "John also says Sinn Féin should start talking about 'Northern Ireland', not 'The North' or worse still, 'the north'. Mmm. Maybe if there was less talk among unionists of The Province, and if the local BBC didn't see fit to call itself Radio Ulster, not to mention the University of Ulster, such a request might find more receptive ears. But even it didn't, using 'the North' or alternatives to 'Northern Ireland' is simply to say that you don't believe a state carved out along strictly sectarian lines, run by a system of gerrymandering and discrimination until the roof came in, and maintained even now by Britain's claim to legislate for its next-door neighbour, is a desirable state of affairs. There are worse things this state could be called than 'the North'."

    Is it really unfair of me to interpret that as "well tough titty Unionists, you made mistakes in the past and we'll continue to punish you for it even if you ask us nicely"?

    Institutions were named Ulster this and Ulster that.

    True.

    However, when it comes to radio stations, schools and universities many refer back to old long dead places: Strathclyde police, West Mercia police, Universities of Strathclyde and Northumbria, Wessex radio....
    Doesn't have to be spot on, there's a sense of posterity to an extent.

    And you also said (in yer Brolly blog) that there is not any great pan-nationalist movement to have imperialistic names undone.

    So if they're not such a big deal then why treat them as such in the context of this argument?

    Most Republican and Nationalist parties have have accepted Northern Ireland's existence.
    They don't have to like it, but with the Unionist leadership and indeed IFA leadership being what it is, well, it's probably a temporary state of affairs.

    In the meantime, is it really so hard to pay a bit of faux-respect and call Northern Ireland 'Northern Ireland' when we're talking in an official capacity or even a sporting capacity e.g. instead of 'the North of Ireland football team' or the 'North of Ireland Deputy Minister'?

    As for tits who always refer to NI as Ulster, well, we tend to call them the TUV or the Protestant Coalition.
    And we spend a lot of time laughing at them courtesy of L.A.D.

    The more I read your blog the more I think all this shared space malarky is a one way street.

    You do realise it makes life difficult for moderates like me to make fellow Unionists think differently about the GAA, Gaelic culture and such like?

    There has to be some mutual respect and give yet all I'm seeing is "Unionists must give and we can hold onto everything. Cos they were mean to us. Peace through revenge"

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    1. CG - That last paragraph is simply not the case. Tell me that the DUP have been more active in reaching out to nationalists/republicans than SF - or the SDLP.

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    2. PS I should have added 'towards unionism' - just in case you thought they were reaching out to themselves...

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    3. "PS I should have added 'towards unionism' - just in case you thought they were reaching out to themselves..."

      It's OK Mr C, I hope I never give the impression of being so pedantic as to take things like that the wrong way.
      I understood what you meant.

      Admittedly, you have me on the DUP front, the fact that they infuriate me and make me doubt the future of Unionism doesn't disguise that.

      To be fair, I was thinking about how things are perceived in general (I bore people constantly with the idea of the importance of perception in NI).

      * The fleg - Though fair enough and indeed sensible in bringing it in line with the rest of the UK it is perceived as a concession by Unionis,

      * Parades - Again, though fair enough as they can't get their act together nor behave with decorum (in some instances) but again, is perceived as a Unionist concession

      * Removal of symbols from court rooms (though I confess to being ignorant on the details) perceived as another concession

      In many instances the leveling of the playing field are seen as concessions by unionism.

      And now that we want the playing field leveled a wee bit e.g. a bit of a break between the GAA and nationalism/republicanism and the uttering of the Voldemort-like words of 'Northern Ireland' we're told "No!".

      So you can at least see why this is the impression that many Unionists get.

      As I said, I'm all up for leveling the playing field, but not just the Unionist's 18 yard box, but the whole thing:

      e.g. No more GSTQ at NI football games (or any games really),
      no more Ulster fleg (cos it's considered offensive and has been out of use since '73),
      no more NI games in Windsor park,
      a 3 flag rule for council buildings across NI,
      a distancing between the GAA and overt nationalism and Republicanism, a strategy of 'wising the bap' from the Orange Order (mainly the Belfast OO),
      a sensitivity of commemorations (there's seemingly so many soldiers, volunteers, hoods, civillians, massacres and battles to commemorate), for SF to give the Irish language some breathing space so that Protestant or Unionist enthusiasts can have a fighting chance of un-demonising it to our fellow community peeps,
      integrated education

      And all that before we can even start to deal with all the 21st century problems.

      I know they're not to everyone's taste and who am I to decree the Golden Path (I ain't no Atreides) but some of the above certainly wouldn't hurt over the long term.

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  3. Jude
    Ni21 are the modern Unionist vanguard Wolf in sheep clothing. They hope to seduce post-conflict Nationalist youths with their 'lets-all-get-along-together' rhetoric. Unionism is keenly aware, they need Nationalist votes if the Union is to survive beyond the RoI recovering and the impending shift in demographics.

    Ghobsmacht
    Stop imagining Republicans in truth agreed to anything beyond, we must stop killing each other in pursuit of differing end goals. We all want the 6 counties to thrive but, whereas that's the ultimate goal of unionism it's only the halfway mark of the Republican end goal. I shall never believe that NI is a legitimate entity nor ever confer upon it any genuine sense of legitimacy and that's the plain truth - respect my right to believe and feel what I believe and feel and I shall afford you that same respect.

    @Irish_Gaels

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    1. I respect your right to believe what ever you want on this matter.

      You may believe something of David Ike proportions and if you do so be it, I only ask that you stop insulting people when in their company and refer to the internationally recognised body of Northern Ireland as 'Northern Ireland' in situations like 'Northern Ireland football squad' or 'First minister of Northern Ireland' NOT the Six counties XI or the 'First lizard minister of Lizard country' (or whatever Ike would call it).

      Out with the situations above well then 'the North' makes perfect sense. 'The North of Ireland football team' does not and carries innuendo and insult.

      Respect goes both ways and you basically just told me where to go.

      I'll call the Republic of Ireland what ever they wish to be called.

      I don't see why it has to be a one way street.

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    2. Ghobsmacht
      I was born and raised in the north-east of this island; it's as much my home as yours, and as an equal citizen I've an equal right to call my birth place what I want.

      It's unfortunate you feel offended by me presuming to actually exercise my right to free speech to state "I don't believe NI ever was nor ever can be genuinely regarded as a legitimate entity" but alas that's your problem, not mine. I respect your right to call your birth place and/or the south whatever you want and shall not seek force you to accept my alternative viewpoint of the same :-)

      @Irish_Gales

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    3. I don't recall saying that I was offended per se at one's opinion of "I don't believe NI ever was nor ever can be genuinely regarded as a legitimate entity".

      I recall informing you that I find it insulting that instead of using official names or indeed easier to say names such as or 'norn Arn football team' one goes the extra mile of saying 'the north of Ireland football team' or such like.

      It doesn't have to be a legitimate entity to have a football team,( though the 4 regional teams of the UK are exceptions to the FIFA standards).

      This 'respecting one's right's carry on is a charade used to get people out of tight corners.

      If you TRULY had some respect then you wouldn't put so much effort into being offensive.

      You can call it what you want, be be aware of hurt that your doing to your fellow Irishmen whenever you're doing it so if you do it in their presence.

      I try to be diplomatic, when talking about my home county (Derry) and tailor it to suit my audience if possible.

      If the audience is mixed then I'll tailor it to suit me as no matter what I run the risk of someone being annoyed.

      And I say the same about Orange parades and wot-not before you deploy that as a whataboutery.

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  4. Again it has to be pointed out that" a state carved out along purely sectarian lines" was something Sinn Fein signed up to. Sinn Fein misread the Boundary Commision detail and believed they could squeeze the NI state into Antrim and Down. But as Tim McGarry might say, "well this week who we can blame for state carving along purely sectarian lines" Or perhaps he may pose the question "who , can we blame for purely sectarian blogs",

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    1. Since I don't usually take my political thinking from the good-fun Tim, I'll skip that bit. But if you're saying I write sectarian blogs, I suggest two things, in this order: (i) remove your convenient anonymous mask; (ii) point out where in my blog I express sectarian sentiments.

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