In the thunderstorm of unionist criticism over Martin McGuinness’s headstone, I find myself in total agreement with a statement by the UUP’s Doug Beattie: “What is on his headstone is exactly what I would expect to see on his headstone”.
Every single unionist politician who is now crying “Outrage!” knew that Martin McGuinness was in the IRA. He never concealed that fact, so it’d seem somewhat odd if it weren’t included on his headstone, along MP, MLA and Minister.
Ian Paisley Sr, Gregory Campbell’s once- party leader whom I’m sure he respected and admired, worked with and became friends with Martin McGuinness. Arlene Foster (current leader of Gregory’s party, whom I’m sure he respects and admires), worked with and attended the funeral of Martin McGuinness. Queen Elizabeth (Britain’s Head of State, whom I’m sure Gregory respects and admires) had a cordial handshake with Martin McGuinness on several occasions and invited him to a gala dinner. How odd that these revered unionist figures accepted McGuinness’s past but Gregory Campbell, Doug Beattie and others seem to find it impossible.
The headstone lists the major areas of McGuinness’s life. Should it have concealed in death his IRA past, which In life he made no attempt to conceal?
It comes down to allowing your opponents to choose their own heroes. In the middle of Lisburn there is a large group statue honouring the UDR. According to Anne Cadwallader’s book Lethal Allies, the UDR was involved in the killing of dozens of innocent Catholics. And throughout the north there are cenotaphs, at which every November unionists gather to honour the dead who served in Britain’s armed forces. That’s the armed forces which killed fourteen innocents in Derry and eleven innocents, including a priest, in Ballymurphy. The same British armed forces which engaged in obscene torture and killing in Kenya and built the first concentration camps in South Africa.
Maybe Martin McGuinness’s headstone, small and modest in comparison, would have been more acceptable to Doug, Gregory and Co if it had included Ulster-Scots as well as Irish.
Isn’t it ironic that the unionists who tried to constantly highlight that Martin was in the IRA are the same unionists who are now most vocal about his headstone acknowledging the same fact.
Political unionism was “outraged” that not enough focus was put on MMcG IRA past after his death. That’s it was being airbrushed.
Political unionism is now again “outraged” that on his headstone it makes reference to his IRA past. Not being airbrushed. Literally it has been set in stone.
Political unionism love to be “outraged”.
Dear , dear…they really are like Pavlov’s dogs..Ring a bell and you’ll get a bark.I suppose that in the absence for something to do or talk about for the foreseeable future , they’ll have to resort to the old tried and tested tunes. .There’ll be more of this nonsense as the days, weeks and months tick by and they learn nothing and their jobs gradually slip through their fingers.I’m just glad I don’t have to listen to this unthought through garbage orated from the seats of government. They don’t get it .The man is dead.He was honest with them .They all know what he was and what he did in the past and they were supposed to be working with him for this past twenty years to provide us with a better society, across the board. He also knew what they in their turn did too. They very obviously didn’t understand that last bit.
” They very obviously didn’t understand that last bit.” I think you’ve nailed it there, PK…
How dare they tell the truth about Marty McGuinness?
It was bad enough when he admitted to being in the IRA – but now his followers and admirers are telling us the truth also.
We are outraged, upset, angry, apoplectic – and forby, we’re not happy!
‘They very obviously didn’t understand that last bit.’ But they did and that’s why they try to raise such stupid smokescreens – logic and unionism just don’t go together!