THE IRISH TIMES has a section headed “Opinion and Analysis.” Perhaps it’s no accident that it is so headed for boneheaded. opinions have primacy in its columns and analysis rarely gets a look-in. A recent example was a, presumably paid for, “analysis” by a professional academic Dr.Christopher Kissane of the London School of Economics which stated that Ireland should stay territorially divided until “a majority of Unionists” in the Six County Statelet deigned to decide otherwise. The paper, uncharacteristically, published a prompt refutation of that pernicious nonsense by Jude Collins, whose pro-Bono offerings would not even earn him a seat in Croke Park.
Perhaps Dublin’s now defunct and intellectually pretentious Sunday Tribune never grabbed your attention. But, about thirty years ago it had a leading article declaring that “until a majority of Unionists” in “Northern Ireland” became United Irelanders Britain’s rule there must prevail. I wrote a column attacking the Sunday Tribune in THE IRISH DEMOCRAT. About 10 years ago the London Edition of THE SUNDAY TIMES had a letter from Dublin with the nonsense previously published by the SUNDAY TRIBUNE and currently peddled by Analysts in THE IRISH TIMES. I wrote to the Sunday Times, which held my letter for possible publication but did not print it, nor any refutation of the Dublin letter. (I discovered, and accidentally deleted my letter and the paper’s acknowledgement of it. So you are, perforce, denied the pleasure of their perusal.)
I find it hard to accept that intellectuals and academics who recycle the same old nonsense are mere scrambled eggheads. For that nonsense consistently serves an anti-democratic and anti-Irish purpose. The apparently silly hacks are whores in their hearts, and their hearts are of a base metal.
Bertie Ahern has been peddling the same crap recently.
The good Friday agreement is clear. 50% plus one.
These people should READ this international agreement
Tony
Have you a link?
Thanks
Giordanobruno,
Semantics aside, you know Tony means the GFA stipulates ‘a majority’ i.e any figure commencing 50.1% or greater of the NI colony statelet’s population?
What’s your view on the thrust on Donal’s blog post: de facto downgrading the voting power of we Irish in the North to appease a majority of British Unionists is outrageously undemocratic and offensive?
Ruaidri
My view is what it has always been, that the terms of the GFA should be honoured.
There are views currently being expressed such as Bertie’s and Fintan O’Toole’s recently and also the article by Christopher Kissane,which are being misrepresented in my opinion.
None of them are trying to rewrite the GFA and how could they even if they wanted to?
Arguing that it would be better to have a larger majority than 50%+1 in order to make a more successful Ireland is simple good sense do you not think.?
Instead of discussing the ideas raised all we get is manplaying and namecalling.
‘Whores’ ‘hacks’ ‘eggheads’ ‘traitors’ ‘westbrits’ and so on ad infinitum.
Giordanobruno,
Yes, it ‘would be nice’ if a majority of NI British Unionists voted to unite Ireland but the aforementioned make it a virtual requirement before unity would be supported by them. That is unacceptable.
Espousing views that do not accord with the terms of the GFA are plain wrong and unhelpful. The above named are in effect encouraging British Unionists to imagine they have some special right to (again) usurp the democratic wishes of a majority (as they did during 1912-14) and that is both stupid and dangerous.
Ruaidri
To me the comments mentioned were not addressed to unionists they were addressed to those espousing a United Ireland.
Effectively they are saying we should not rush into a referendum right away.
That is a perfectly valid point of view and it does not in any way negate the GFA.
Now why would any sane person listen to Barmy Bertie…..his whole political career has been one of controversy and scandal…The Motiarty Tribunal , is but one sad episode….if he’s adding his voice to the Unionist agenda ,then there is probably some financial reward lurking somewhere !