So that’s it for another year. All done and dusted bar the shouting (and the Scarva Sham Fight). I live in a staunchly Loyalist town, and strangely, as a nationalist, always have , so I have the unenviable pleasure of seeing all the sectarianism and vile bigotry first hand every year.
The fact that we hear Loyalism and by extension Unionism proclaim ‘this is our culture’ while putting up posters with the words “Michelle O’Neill is a fenian slut” and “Kill all taigs” scrawled on them makes me wonder just how long this type of ‘culture’ can continue. It is clearly based firmly on the foundations of hatred toward one’s neighbour. Hatred toward the person they share this shared society with and that’s what is so absurd about this so-called ‘culture’.
How, in a shared society can a culture be based on and centred around the hatred, domination and suppression of those Loyalism is supposed to be at peace with, sharing this stateen (to borrow a term from Jude) and working with to build peace. Surely this culture goes against everything our peace process is based on – that being parity of esteem. The 11th and 12th of July is one big celebration of sectarianism, of incitement of hatred of anything Catholic and Irish and more importantly division and people outside of Ireland are starting to notice that.
Barry Whyte wrote a piece for Newstalk on the bonfires. The headline was – ‘Reporting From Belfast Where Bonfires are Burning’. In it he spoke to many people. One was an American who, when asked what he thought replied the bonfires and the burning of flags and posters reminded him of the Klu Klux Klan in the 50s and 60s. Does that sound like a culture which brings tourists to the North?
On the 12th we saw Unionist leaders and indeed Loyalist grass roots community workers come out in condemnation of the effigies, flags, slogans and posters placed on bonfires to be burned. Many claimed “decent Loyalists” were saddened and angry that all this paraphernalia was added to the bonfires and those who do add the disgusting, insulting slurs and flags are in the minority. While that may well be true…why don’t political Unionist leaders and grass roots Loyalists step up and remove the slurs and paraphernalia themselves? Wouldn’t that be a sign of leadership? Afterall, that’s what these people claim to provide to the Loyalist people and if they are in the majority, as many claim, what’s the problem? Instead, every year we hear the same old sorry statements of how it isn’t acceptable to have flags, effigies and emblems on bonfires. The same old sorry, tired drivel from people who do nothing to back up their complaints and calls for action. Even Bryson came out in condemnation of the posters and effigies. However, in true Bryson form he claimed the Tricolour was fine to burn.
Unionism is severely lacking leadership on the matter of culture and what its acceptable outpouring should look like. Instead, political Unionism uses this outpouring almost as a leverage with the soul intent of garnering votes from a politically disenfranchised grass roots Loyalism.
Shailesh Vara, the latest in a long line of Secretaries of State for the North decided straight away it would be a great idea to release a statement like this – “The Twelfth of July is an important cultural date and will be enjoyed by many thousands across Northern Ireland. For those attending parades today, I wish them a safe and enjoyable day.” Nice of him to extend verbal flatulation of that type to Orange men while their bands are playing tunes which include lyrics such as “Up to our knees in fenian blood”. We share society with these people who every year without fail (the past two being exceptions thanks to Covid) celebrate the perception, real or not that they wish genocide on all Catholics and Irish in the form of “Kill all taigs” and “All taigs are targets”.
It’s about time we started forcing Unionist politicians to step up to the mark and ensure they show proper leadership to their electorate. Consistently they use their electorate as political pawns, leaving them in limbo until the next time they are to be used and abused. As for bonfires. I sincerely hope Nationalists don’t embarrass themselves the way Loyalists do on bonfires this time. It’s about time we stood up and actually showed leadership in this country rather than mimicking what Loyalists do just to cause offense and incitement. It has to end if we want to move forward.
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