A Leadership of Fools – by Michael Lagan

There is a disgraceful dereliction of duty taking place in and around political Unionism.  The NI Protocol and the DUP leadership battle have brought the old Loyalism and Unionism to the fore.  Once again the Orange Order have called for Stormont to be demolished and Unionist political ‘commentators’ are back to the rhetoric of militarism and supremacy.  Political Unionism showing it has absolutely no appetite to put the old ways back in the proverbial bag, is testament to the fact political Unionism will use the fragility of its own constitutional position and that of its grass roots, to get what it wants if not given freely.

The words within the promises and pledges from Jeffrey Donaldson and Edwin Poots show exactly the kind of ‘Northern Ireland’ the DUP actually wants and it ain’t pretty for anyone other than Unionists and those of no constitution.  At a time when Unionism requires a leader willing to talk to Nationalists and Republicans and impart that ‘philosophy’ on grassroots Unionism, Edwin Poots and Jeffrey Donaldson are turning the DUP into an even more hard-right Unionist party than it already was and traveling in the polar opposite direction from that necessary leadership.

Listening to young Unionists, one would be forgiven for thinking we’re already living in a united Ireland.  Talking about “Catholics from down South eradicating our culture” even though Loyalist culture in the South of Ireland, has more freedom than it does in the North, they just don’t feel the need to have bonfires and demonise their opposite culture.  Loyalist kids are literally saying the Troubles would return if we had a united Ireland, that they would have no choice but to fight for their culture.  

I note an extreme amount of hypocrisy in this mindset, which becomes frustrating for those like myself, born in 1981 and lived through the Troubles like many others, which extends to both adults and politicians, where Loyalists are complaining they have to fight for their culture when they really don’t have to.  It continues to be what it was, compared to when Irish Catholics and indeed Nationalists and Republicans were quite literally forced to fight simply to be Irish by identity and by culture.  I could go on about housing, jobs and rights but it has all been said in the past by a number of personalities throughout history.

Why do Loyalist children feel this way? Because it is fed to them.  They are convinced that Catholics and Ireland are bad and their Loyalist culture is under threat.  However, what they aren’t fed, what they aren’t shown, is that their needs, social and economic are more akin to that of a Catholic and indeed Nationalist child on the other side of the ‘Peace wall’ than those they traditionally look to in England.  Children need to be brought together and in that lies the danger for Loyalism and Unionism.  If Protestant/Loyalist kids were brought together with Catholic/Nationalist kids they would see they are nothing like the snarling animals adults make them out to be.  

You see, Nationalism and indeed Catholicism have nothing to lose in this scenario.  I have found that the majority of Nationalist and Catholic families do not portray Protestants and Loyalists in the same animalistic light that Loyalists portray their opposite.  That is also my experience from my own family where my father and uncle, both past members of the IRA, with my extended family being staunch Republicans, taught peace.  In fact when I was first beginning to talk about joining certain organisations and becoming ‘more involved’, my late uncle and my father actively dissuaded me from doing so, instead directing me toward peace and politics.  My two best friends were Loyalists with the father of one being an ex- member of the UDR.  Not surprisingly he didn’t like his son being friends with a taig, and often made comments alluding to this and wouldn’t allow me through the front door, “wouldn’t let a taig set foot in his house” … yes, those were his words.

My family however, regularly fed and watered my two Loyalist friends, brought them in when it was raining and never had a problem with us being friends even when they became distant approaching the 11th and 12th of July.  One of my Loyalist friends is now a social worker in Dublin, working with socially deprived young people who need help, and I’ve never been more proud of him.  However, I sometimes wonder what a Loyalist child would think of a Loyalist from Carrickfergus helping Irish kids who need help socially and economically, probably in the same way he could help a Loyalist kid from the Shankill Road or East Belfast.  Well, in his words – “It’s almost impossible to help Loyalist children Michael, Loyalist paramilitaries like it as it is and they hold the balance of power in their own communities.  It’s easier to retain a hold over impoverished communities which is why, when funding is directed toward Loyalist communities, paramilitaries take it all leaving little for communities.  It allows Loyalist paramilitaries and Unionist politicians to retain the status quo that they are always ignored, with their only tried and tested response being violence”… Let that sink in!

In this we see clearly what the next DUP leader must do, however unlikely that may be.  He must dispense with sectarianism, he must stop putting Loyalist paramilitaries above the Loyalist people, after all Loyalist paramilitaries are the only GFA paramilitary groups still active and recruiting.  He must stop meeting Loyalist paramilitaries and instead meet with Loyalist children and engage directly with Loyalist communities and push the rhetoric of peace rather than a rhetoric of a culture in peril.  He must break the connection between a culture in peril and a united Ireland as realistically, it is a falsehood to say they are connected.  He must, as an imperative, start speaking meaningfully to Nationalism rather than treating it like an alien in its own country.  

If Jeffrey Donaldson becomes leader of the DUP, things will come to a head in a timely manner, being more suave and measured in his speech and actions.  However, if Edwin Poots becomes leader of the DUP, speaking to his fundamentalist and extremist base, matters will come to a head so fast it will be hard to keep up.  If I had a vote, I’d vote Poots for DUP Leader.  In the end, neither will cut ties with Loyalist paramilitaries, both will continue the narrative of a culture in peril, neither will meaningfully talk to Sinn Fein or Nationalism, and in the end the DUP will never be the Unionist political powerhouse it once was, in fact…it has signed its own demise.

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