Extending the hand of friendship to Unionism: Wise or unwise?

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Re Adrian Watson's role in the affair, when his constituents rang him up to complain, did he not have the option of saying "I hear what you say Mr(s) SadBigot but wise up you braindead w**ker"

[slow corner back]

Re Adrian Watson's role in the affair, when his constituents rang him up to complain, did he not have the option of saying "I hear what you say Mr(s) SadBigot but wise up you braindead w**ker"

It was intresting how Councillor Watsons " support" for St Comghalls did not appear until he had been on talkback and got his ass handed to him on a plate by Dunsieth. He quite happily phoned Tesco of his own free will to complain " on his constituents behalf" about the collection. If someone phoned him to complain about an OO parade through Antrim would he pass that complaint onto the Grand Lodge of Ireland? I think not.

[Turlough O Carolan]

As I see it, the GAA may retain its (historic) Nationalist political ethos; or, it may hope to appeal to Unionists in NI. It cannot do both simultaneously.

Your organisation, your choice.

P.S. Can the title of this thread be changed, so as not to specify Counciilor Watson? He has made it clear that not only was he was not the person who originally complained to Tesco, but in fact he has approached both Tesco and the local GAA to try to resolve the problem. As he said himself, he has "no problem" with the GAA club in question.

Many Unionists still don't like the Irish language - despite the fact that it is one of the oldest languages in the world, predating any political differences on this island. Unionists talk about the nationalist ethos of this and that; the fact is for a large swathe of them, there is a very distinct hatred of Irish culture, unless they can manipulate its mythology to reinforce its own prejudices (ie Red Hand of Ulster stripped of its
Gaelic origins and becoming a Loyalist symbol). If they had respect for it, they'd treasure the Irish language - most of them do afterall live in towns and villages that derive their names from old Irish words. But they are more comfortable labelling it as Fenian language, it should not be supported unless Ulster Scots gets equal funding, etc.

[armaghniac]

The type of people that caused the problem in Antrim are prejudiced. They start with prejudice and the look to things like naming of teams to justify their position. I could boycott Craigavon shopping centre on the basis that it is named after an unpleasant leader from the opposite political persuasion. People will say that this is not the same, but it is exactly the same. Craig was a fellow traveller of the UVF, someone who was instrumental in establishing the likes of the B Specials, a group who killed many innocent people when he was charge. You might say that the leader of a faction is not responsible in the way that the foot soldiers are, but the bigots would not apply this to nationalist leaders nor people generally to the likes of Hitler. In any case Craig fought in the Boer war, an unpleasant imperial adventure that featured the introduction of of concentration camps. 

The point is that even extreme nationalists don't go on about Craigavon all of the time.