In pre-Twelfth mode…….Slugger O’Toole sagely commented that the Twelfth is a day for all of us. In post Twelfth mode, Slugger will be holding an online debate next Tuesday wonderfully entitled “What’s Eating Ardoyne?”
It does not seem like Slugger to host a debate without knowing that the outcome would reflect the “group think” and agenda that Slugger even more shamelessly promotes.
So a key component here will be that “Orange Day” is a day for us all to celebrate……even if you have just got a kicking outside St Patricks Church. It will probably note that Catholic youths in Ardoyne are outside Sinn Féin thinking. And there will be much hand-wringing about our divided society. A veritable fest for “lets get alongerists”.
Keeping An Eye On the Czar of Russia 
I saw a banner on tv with the words “republicanism = cultural apartheid” Aside from the gross misuse of the word apartheid and everything it meant in south Africa, will we ever see a republican parade down sandy row anytime soon? Of course not. In fact the notion that these parades preceded by the ritual burning of anything associated with Irishness, are “for us all” is frustratingly deluded. A work colleague who is from the mourneview estate in lurgan, son of a life long orange man, once told me “I work and socialise with Catholics all year round, why should I hate them for a few days in July?” personally I have no problem with people celebrating their culture even if that culture is partly celebrating hate towards another…but seriously, can they not just keep it to themselves and those who wish to participate. The same work colleague said of the last 12th where the parade was rerouted through the mourneview estate said it was the best 12th they ever had, no bother at all. Incidently their 12th this year was in loyalist heart land of Keady…this is what eats ardoyne
Mr Fitz, Slugger has completely failed to get a post up on the, now infamous, ‘Famine Song at the Church’ video that has now gone mainstream. Perhaps I’m being unfair as I’ve commented on another thread there. What’s your take on it?
Not surprisingly not a peep from the Unionist mainstream politicos, have Alliance been sleeping off the twelfth as well?
Around the time of the three or four contoversial marches at Drumcree, people tried to re-invent Orange parades as a great local Mardi Gras which would/could/should attract visitors to see it all.
Of course its about fifteen years since an Orange Parade actually got down the Garvaghy Road.
Yet it remains an article of faith of “lets get alongerists” that the Twelfth can be something more than sectarian. Not surprisingly therefore that the leading “lets get alongerist” message board should feature the notion that the Twelfth is a day which belongs to us all.
The challenge for the Orange Order is that it must make up its mind what it actually is. Benign, religious, indeed Christian gentlemen in Norn Irons villages……even then it is variable…….or the bully boys from North and West Belfast.
People notably Rev Brian Kennaway have actually tried to get the Orange Order to change. While supported by “lets get alongerists”, they have received little or no support from the nationalist/Catholic community. Nor should they.
This has made Orange Order take one step forward and then rush back to its default position of anti-Catholic bigotry….such as the Famine Song thing.
It is not the responsibility of nationalists/Catholics to facilitate an anti-nationalist or anti-Catholic organisation.
Time and time agan the Orange Order shows itself as it really is.
Sometimes Reconciliation is just not possible.
The risible nonsense that we must always split the difference between opposing points of view has to be challenged. Thus it is a “lets get alongerist” fantasy that residents are as bad as the marchers. Or that Celtic is as bad as Rangers.
It is a legacy of an unresolved conflict.
Conflicts have…..sadly……one way of being resolved.
Surrender at Appomattox Courthouse (1865)……USS Missouri(1945).
No reasonable person believes that the Union and Confederate sides were “all the same”
No reasonable person believes that about WW2..that the western allies were as bad as the Nazis.
Or that the Bosnians were as bad as the Serbs.That the ANC were as bad as the old South Africa.
There are of course other ongoing conflicts. Libya and Egypt have ended….at least for now. But there was no agreement between Gaddafi and his rebels. Or Mubarak and his rebels. Syria seems likely to be playing out to a bloody resolution. No Conflict Resolutionists will be able to bring those sides together.
Nor will a Good Friday Agreement work with Israel and Palestine. Sadly that conflict will only end when one or other side is wiped out.
This did not happen in Norn Iron. Nobody won. Nobody lost. Conflict Resolutionists trying to “impose” a solution wont work. We should not even try.
Of course in part…but only in part…this is thru the prism of History Books being written by the Victors.
But it is a travesty of History to say that one side is as bad as the other.
And thats at the heart of “lets get alongerism”. And the cod academic discipline of Conflict Resolution.
That answer should be published in the Times. (The Irish Times of course)
Well said. I would naturally try to pick a point of contention but I can’t with this.
Ive edited the post a little to bring in Palestine-Israel and various Middle East places.
The ‘Famine Song at the Church’ needs to be condemned without qualification by those asociated with Saturdays activites and there must be a case for the misuse of license fee by the BBC for its coverage of a ‘festival’ that seriously damages community relations.
It does. But while most Orangemen would also condemn it….or perhaps not want to think about it, it is certainly not too unusual. It is the mirror image of Catholic teen thugs who would just want to attack parades even if agreed.
But these kinda band are the underside to the Orange culture. And nobody doing a BBC live commentary will mention it. Nor will it make the Field reports on Twelfth Night when the journos around the country will be bringing us the “churnalism” of a good day out was had by all…..just like Titanic, Open Golf, clipper boats in Derry.
I dont think it sets back reconciliation …..in itself…..but it does set back agreements on parades (and thats very different)
typo ‘Saturdays activites’ should have read Thursdays activities
FJH,
What we are talking about here is an organsiation/event/festival (the twelfth) being given extensive BBC coverage and portrayed as inclusive and positive, when as the church episode illustrates, contains many elements/members/behaviour which are sectarian. I am not sure if the BBC have been invited to defend their coverage – but they certainly should be.
“It is the mirror image of Catholic teen thugs who would just want to attack parades even if agreed.”
Can’t agree with that,the incident outside the church is completely different – an organised band with apparent paramilitary connections to its name and authorised to take part in the days activities, and under the watchful eye of Police and politicaians(I understand Nigel Dodds was near by) took part in what must be incitement to racial/religious hatred whilst the BBC championed events cause.
After the ‘marching season’ is mostly finished – Orange Parades through Belfast and other urban areas should be suspended indefintely until there is a review of the sectrainism associated with parading.
re. “I dont think it sets back reconciliation “. I think you are seriously underestimating the impact the church video will have.
Just to be clear…..I dont think Reconciliation is really affected because Reconciliation is not possible.
The faux/sham Reconciliation will be affected.
BBC coverage of the Twelfth has been a feature since “Colonel” Jimmy Hughes in the 1960s.
The challenge for them was really in the 1990s and early 2000s…..Drumcree and Ormeau Road……and they failed.
They glossed over the excesses and will always do so.
The journalists subscribe to the narrative. Its a festival (dont ask any awkward questions on the day itself)…….and we have the shameful Twelfth Night coverage from a cross-section of “Fields” where the human interest stories are given prominence. Brother Billy McBilly is 97 years old and this is his 84th consecutive Twelfth….Reality such as the incident outside St Patricks will never get a look in.