Bizarrely I find myself banned from posting on Slugger O’Toole.
I have tried posting a few things tonight but I keep getting a message saying that I am banned from posting. Now you might well say that I do not comments from members of the Alliance Party…and of course you would be right. This is a BLOG (I am a SDLP member) which promotes a Nationalist, Republican and Socialist view. There is nothing that a member of the Alliance Party could add to the discussion. This keeps the discussion here focussed. Besides, there are plenty of other media opportunities for the Alliance Party, who have benefitted from gerrymandering to the extent that their influence is greater than votes cast for them.
Slugger O’Toole is a MESSAGE BOARD and an entirely different dynamic. It encourages diverse views….or apparently it does.
So what is my horrendous crime? Well maybe…nothing. Mick Fealty thinks it might be a “slip” and will look into it.
But there was a thread earlier tonight when Ian Parsley, occasional Alliance Party member had a go at Dr Alasdair McDonnell…SDLP Leader and MP for South Belfast. No problem there of course. But I did feel that I had to point out that Mr Parsley is married to Paula Bradshaw, who just happens to be the Alliance Party candidate in …South Belfast.
Mr Parsley challenged me “with respect” to comment on the substance of a speech recently made by Alasdair. I merely replied “oh dear” which seems to have been deleted and this comment might have led to me being banned from Slugger. I would not have thought saying “oh dear” was offensive.
Like, I say …Mick is looking into this. During an Election Campaign, it seems a bit odd that Slugger would be banning commentry from one of the few SDLP voices on the MESSAGE BOARD.
Wasnt it only a few weeks ago that Slugger O’Toole was telling is all about Freedom of Speech and going on about “Je Suis Charlie”. As Freedom of Speech issues go….”oh dear” doesnt seem to be up there with posting cartoons of The Prophet (Peace be upon him). Still its all relative.
But what is my recourse if Mick tells me that I am banned.
Well….Amnesty International seems a good idea. Patrick Corrigan is the man I should be talking to….after all he stands at the City Hall defending bloggers from Saudi Arabia. And he presents events atAn Féile which advocate Freedom of Speech. He carries placards proclaiming “Je Suis Charlie”.
The least I expect from Patrick Corrigan is for him to be at Belfast City Hall with a placard saying “Je Suis FitzjamesHorse”.
Keeping An Eye On the Czar of Russia 
Congratulations on getting banned. That’s you and SammyMac banned then. At least you’re in good company.
Its good for the Blog statistics. Sammy would be proud.
Jesus Fitzjameshorse!
The same!
I studied him at school, in RE. He was a joiners son who used to go around the lakes of Fermanagh telling people that his was the key to a council house and his father’s house had many extensions ( planning permission pending) and famously fed 5,000 on two pieces of soda bread and 5 vegetable roll.
No Vegetables!
Paula Bradshaws selection boosts Alastair McDonnels chances. Bradshaw is no Anna Low. Alliances share in South Belfast will be halved. Alliances focus will also be on East Belfast and trying to hold on there.
All Alliance canvassers will be in East Belfast.
They will bus in people from Fermanagh and Derry.
I get the impression that Ms Bradshaw got very lucky in the Council Elections last year.
She was the better known of the two Alliance candidates in Balmoral DEA and she got their one safe seat.
In Botanic, there was also a safe seat. I think most people would have assumed that Duncan Morrow was a certainty but he lost out to a running mate, Emmett Somebody (too lazy to look it up).
With Anna Lo, not likely to stand in 2016, it was always likely that the lead candidate would be Morrow or Bradshaw.
The Council Elections seem to have put Paula Bradshaw in pole position.
There is of course a safe Alliance Assembly seat there…but wont the Alliance Selection Convention be interesting.
Duncan Morrow with Alliance DNA written all thru him
And Paula Bradshaw-Parsley, who doesnt have Alliance DNA.
Of course I may be totally wrong.
But there are big Alliance beasts in and around South Belfast. Anna Lo, Bryce Dickson (?) and Geraldine Rice for example.
Actually,
I DELETED THE REST HERE.
I agree with a lot of the comments that are made about UUP and Unionist Culture.
The person mentioned would certainly disagree with some things here. And as he/she has no right of reply here, its probably fair to not publish it.