Christians aren't under attack, our largest party of Government are Christianists

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The DUP is alarmed at the persecution of Christians at home and abroad. The bizarre thing about this is that it was the DUP and their religious militiamen who demonised, say persecuted, Christians here in Ireland.  

Paisley left the Orange Order after a member attended a funeral Mass. The Free Church was a reaction to the insufficiency anti-Catholic Presbyterian mainstream. Paisley said,  "CRA (Civil Rights Association) equals IRA". Is it any wonder young Protestants thought all Catholics supported the IRA? 

That shuddering history is easy to forget. Especially since the "separated brethren" of the DUP have gone ecumenical and joined the Papes and Romanists, standing square against the latest bogey man and target of religious panic. G.K. Chesterton was right:
"The Calvinist Ulsterman may be more of a Catholic Irishman than is commonly realised, especially by himself."
The scoundrels have found refuge in unity, utter desperation. Yes, Catholics are no longer the greatest threat to liberty and Northern Ireland, it's the gay constituency. You can see the historical parallel, right?

There are a lot of liberals out there who're saying, 'Oh yea I think the Equality Commission has gone too far', tacitly nodding along that clerical line that Christians are under attack. Saying "OK" to that shrill, splenetic hyperbole and overstatement. For shame.

Belfast, once "the city of religious nightclubs", Northern Ireland, governed by a remote and removed theo-unionist, play-banning, creationist sect, unrepresentative of the people of the British Isles, is not under attack from the irreligious. That is a flat out, thumping lie used to whip up clerical panic and terror just as it happened in the past. We're governed by Christianists who want to enforce their religious world view by way of law. As Katy Hayward said, they would use the freedoms of a liberal democracy to end those liberties.

Nowhere more have we seen outrageous overstatement, the inversion of lexicon and logic and the flying of bogus equivalencies than with young Jeffrey on BBC Spotlight. I've been through this before: Christians smear the gay community to whitewash their own bigotry - It takes religion to practice and enact by force of law polygamy. Where do we know people who have multiple wives?Utah.

But this latest line from Jeffrey was particularly egregious. Effective at spreading panic among the credulous, but dastardly conceited and egregious and dangerous. This was it: Comparing the request put to Ashers to bake a cake in support of marriage to asking a Falls Road baker to sign off in support of the Shankill Butchers. Intolerable. That is what we're working with and it has to be repudiated and countered effectively. With flat out fact, like as Fionuala Meredith said:
"Christians are certainly not an oppressed minority in this country, that has to be said very, very strongly, they run the place, they define so much of our lives here."
And as Gavin Boyd of the Rainbow Project said:
"We have all the evidence that we need to show that lesbian, gay, bi and trans people experience severe and prolonged forms of discrimination that has enormous impact on their mental health. I would love to see a study that shows me that Christians in the UK have negative mental health outcomes because of their experiences of being Christians and being discriminated against for their religious beliefs. So I can accept that people feel left behind but I do not accept that they are discriminated against."
The wild exaggeration is the sound of an animal cornered, someone who knows it's End Game on all these issues. We're witnessing "The Tidal Wave for Marriage Equality" and a "legal deluge" where objects stand in the way.   

This isn't a little shop being bullied by Goliath. The shrieking is unfounded. Ashers is in alliance with the largest political party the DUP, the Catholic Church, the Caleb Foundation and a host of evangelical denominations. They have the pocket and ear of the Evangelical Alliance led by religious big mouth Peter Lynas. This group is part of a global theo-conservative web with access to huge revenue and funding streams.  

Liam Clarke showed us the disproportionate hold Free Presbyterian crazies, the people who think they on a small Irish land mass will be raptured while humanity all go to hell, have on the DUP.

With the rolling out of rights, the world sincere Christians have known has not ended, just changed. The leeching of rights to African Americans was opposed stridently by white people, often based on religious grounds. The words of Lyndon B. Johnson stand as counsel for us, he said as he signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964:
"The purpose of this law is simple. It does not restrict the freedom of any American, so long as he respects the rights of others. It does not give special treatment to any citizen. It does say the only limit to a man’s hope for happiness, and for the future of his children, shall be his own ability. It does say that those who are equal before God shall now also be equal in the polling booths, in the classrooms, in the factories, and in hotels and restaurants and movie theatres and other places that provide service to the public."
Just as the DUP and "devout" Protestants demonised, prejudiced and opposed Catholics, they're doing it with the LGBT minority.

They would never use the anti-Catholic language of the past. But anti-Catholicism was only one of many religiously inspired intolerance we're seen wiped away.

This line of "sincerely held religious beliefs" is another bogus slogan. Time after time "sincerely held religious beliefs" have been altered and edited to take Christianity up to speed with society. They keep resisting, we just have to remind the hard-liners they did this hissy fits last time.

This has to be put down. You're on the wrong side of history. Just like Paisley said when he sat with McGuinness, they'll be saying in a few years:
"If anybody had told me a few years ago that I would be doing this, I would have been unbelieving."
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#TimeForChange

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GUEST BLOG

In case you happened to miss it yesterday, I made a wee blog post; The Death of the Progressive Unionist Party?


What I thought I was producing yesterday afternoon in the throes of belting my political frustration out on the keyboard, was nothing more than another rant, much like any other I have published to my site.  Turned out to be an altogether different beast entirely …

With massive thanks to LAD for sharing the post, over 4,000 people had read my mutterings and musings before lunch time today. And since last night I have been inundated with very kind and generous comments by those who agree with the sentiments I shared, and even nice words from those that did not.

While I have nothing else specifically to add to what I said yesterday I thought it only right to address some of the questions and comments put to me since the blog published. Many I simply do not have the time to reply to individually while some also deserve more than a few lines. Hence the arrival of a new blog post to do just that.

I suppose the first thing to mention is my remarks on Gareth Cole. While not one person disagreed with me on the character of the guy, few people did point out the following on his Twitter bio:

“My tweets don’t necessarily represent the PUP and may be used to stimulate debate”
 
Cole's twitter account https://twitter.com/GarethCole_PUP
In my opinion, if any politician uses their Twitter account to promote their electoral campaign, makes it abundantly clear that they are a candidate for their respective party, and plasters their face and party email address over their bio, rest assured your actions on that account may reflect on your party. If in addition you are being inappropriate and your fellow party members not only choose to ignore but defend your actions, you can be pretty certain that it is reasonable to conclude that your actions are representative of your party.

I have never understood the disclaimer many politicians, or public figures, use on their social media accounts. It is the real world equivalent of masturbating in public while shouting, “Please don’t tell the boss!”

When you are a public servant representing others and you choose to open a social media account, whatever you say and do on there will be held to very close public scrutiny, and rightly so! If you don’t like it, get out of politics or off social media. Simple really!

Let me put it another way. Imagine Gareth Cole had a column in the Belfast Telegraph and published half of what he has published on his Twitter timeline through the newspaper. Would he still be as openly defended by his PUP colleagues? Would he still be a candidate for Carrickfergus? Would he even still be a PUP member? Would he even make it to print?

I suppose my overall annoyance with Gareth Cole is in the fact that he will go on the canvassing trail soon doing the whole door to door thing. What Gareth will show up on your doorstep that day? Will it be the Gareth that will claim to bring jobs, security, rejuvenation, and all sorts of wonderful things to all the good people of Carrickfergus? Or will it be the Gareth that will absolutely do feck all for any Republicans, posts photos of Anna Lo with the headline, “Tiocfaidh Ar LO”, always ready to stir anger and hate towards Nationalist communities, and will be only too happy to put a Union flag up on your nearest available lamp post?


The later Gareth is unlikely to produce itself in the real world, though I would have so much respect for him as a person if he did deliver the true version of himself. No, I am sure it will be the aforementioned fictional Gareth knocking on doors with a wonderfully bright innocent smile.

Damn shame that he is even still being put forward as a credible candidate …

Bigger shame that his party and colleagues cannot comprehend the damage he is doing them all …

I had dozens of messages from young men and women from, what they described as, working class Loyalist communities across Northern Ireland thanking me for my words and wishing that they could put in to words also how they were feeling. They wanted to be able to tell people it’s not all about flags and marches in those communities and that they wanted more.

This is what angers me more than anything! How is it even possible that these young people feel that they have no voice? How the hell are the people charged with giving these people a voice not being held to account for an unacceptable failure of their duties? Because they do not rally behind flags and protests they are of no worth?

Despicable! No excuses or apology can even begin to fathom it.

The only thing I can say is to any young (or older) person left to feel abandoned by those that call themselves (and clearly not fit to be) political representatives, is that you have the loudest and greatest voice of all; your vote!

Don’t vote for any of them. If anyone has put flags and marches to the fore of any of the real issues that genuinely affect you, vote for none of them! Vote for a party that is prepared to tackle the things that matter to you.

Better yet, why not vote for a party where their political policy is all inclusive? Try voting for a party the works for you irrespective of whether you or your community is predominantly Catholic or Protestant. There is nothing to fear and everything to gain by breaking the mould of an unspoken political staple in Northern Ireland of voting based on religion, not policy.

You can make a positive change if you become the change that you want! There is no better time than now!
Most parties are holding voter registration sessions across the province. If you are not registered then do get yourself registered. If you choose to register through a session held by any particular party do not feel you are then obligated to vote for that same party. You are not. Your vote is between you and the ballot box, no one else.

Please do not feel any pressure or intimidation to vote for a party that puts you and your needs second.
I will respond to each and every one of those people individually that have contacted me with concerns and expressed a desire to be heard. And if any of those people do have something to say I am more than happy to give a platform through my blog.

In closing my blog yesterday I alluded to a point that the PUP, DUP, and UUP are all chasing the same vote. I have been asked by a few to explain and expand on the point, so I will.

The catalyst for my blog was that News Letter article. It was a confirmation that PUP had become as hard line as the DUP and UUP has ever been in order to scoop up the support of the more “extremist” voter.

So is it any surprise that the DUP and UUP have not criticised Billy Hutchinson’s comments? After all, any derision of Billy’s views would be a derision of the voters they are so keen to keep under their wing.

Billy Hutchinson "killing catholics justified" comments gnored by the DUP and PUP
I think it is a given that both DUP and UUP (and PUP) see the Alliance as the single biggest threat to them, or more specifically they see Anna Lo as the one that can potentially turn the tide. They have proven that well in recent days.

The political crucifixion from loyalists of Anna Lo for making innocuous comments about a united Ireland and describing Northern Ireland as a colony, while comments about murdering Catholics goes unchallenged, is appalling!

How does that even happen? How can anyone’s sensibilities determine that describing a country as colonial is disgusting and offensive, and yet someone justifying murder is just a bit “meh!”

Anna Lo. She has views. It's a disgrase!
It is a vulgar and crass political game which the DUP and UUP have been playing for decades. It would be easier if either, or both, just used the campaign strapline, “Say No to Lo, say “meh” to murder”.

The PUP have also tried to play the game but haven’t the wit nor experience to play it well. Very cleverly, DUP and UUP have sat back and allowed PUP to get the hard line all wound up over flags, OTRs, parading, and let the continued UVF affiliation and Hutchinson comments slide so as not to “offend” those hard liners.

You can then be sure that when the time is right, both the DUP and UUP will come out swinging and exasperating that a PUP vote will weaken the Unionist vote overall. And with the PUP doing all the donkey work and getting their hands (and reputations) dirty to put fire in the belly of those that can’t see past the end of their flag pole, the hard liners will vote as they have always done for fear that there might not be anyone to shout about their flags.

Together with the ridiculous assertions on Anna Lo and the Alliance intention to unify Ireland, they will also effort to swing back the moderate Unionist to voting DUP/UUP having not had to spout a single word on extremism, while the PUP have no chance of getting the moderate because of their blind embracement of extremism.

Game over, and the death of the PUP.

But how did Anna Lo become such a threat to the Loyalist parties? The irony is the UUP, DUP, and PUP created the threat themselves.

As you all are no doubt familiar, Anna Lo made some comments about flags and murals some time ago which provoked the most ludicrous reaction from the loyalist parties. But the condemnation then transformed in to a much uglier beast. The racist abuse that Anna Lo received was horrific! And not one loyalist politician (that I am aware of) could bring themselves to condemn it unreservedly without getting the wee sly dig in about her thoughts on murals and flags.

Deplorable!

The outpouring of support for Anna from the majority of people in Northern Ireland was incredible, and rightly so! And at that point it became all too evident that the failure of DUP/UUP/PUP to respond to the racial abuse with any kind of dignity was losing them the moderate.

And now, despite Anna getting continued abuse online and off from loyalists for her mural and flag comments, our political leaders in the loyalist world still continue to portray her as the single biggest threat to the Union to claw back the moderates they failed to retain.

And that my friends is why the DUP and UUP have taken a deplorable tact to avoid addressing the Hutchinson comments on the murder of innocent Catholics. I am running out of negative superlatives in these past days to describe these poor excuses for leaders.

So remember boys and girls, a vote for DUP/UUP/PUP is a vote for racism, flags, and ignorance of murder to keep the Union intact and keep the flag flying all year around. Your health, education, social well-being, etc, they might get round to at some point.

I have been asked opinion on some other things; murals, parades, dealing with the past, looking to the future, and a host of other things. I am not sure that my opinion or thoughts would be any more interesting or relevant than the next persons. But the engagement from people empathising and relating to what I have written so far has been humbling.

So I will, over the course of the coming days and weeks, share some of those opinions and look forward to engaging some more on the real issue that affect every single one of us.

#TimeForChange

USED WITH VERY KIND PERMISSION AND ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED HERE

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The Death of the Progressive Unionist Party

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GUEST BLOG 


Billy Hutchinson, leader of the Progressive Unionist Party, declared himself the saviour of Northern Ireland and the Union, as detailed in an interview published by the Belfast News Letter yesterday.

Belfast News Letter 19 March 2014

The murders mentioned happened in 1974; crimes to which Hutchinson pleaded guilty at that time.
In the News Letter interview, Hutchinson stated quite clearly he wouldn’t try to justify what he did or didn’t do. Well, aside from suggesting that the two Catholics murdered were perhaps IRA members based on “intelligence” prior to venturing on to the Falls Road that evening, he didn’t try to justify it. Ok, aside from that, he did also mention that the IRA had left him with no option to do what he done. But apart from those couple of points he didn’t try to justify what he done.

Actually, declaring that his part in those murders helped solidify and strengthen the Union will no doubt provide a justification for his deeds among few Loyalists, those Loyalists that perhaps regard Michael Stone, Lenny Murphy, Johnny Adair et al as, “Loyalist Heroes”.

That is maybe a bit unfair. Many people that I have engaged with on this, of sane and rational mind, did feel that Hutchinson was simply being honest and that such honesty should have been welcomed. And I respect that viewpoint. But was he really being honest?

Here is the brutal fact of the matter. The only thing that Billy Hutchinson done when he played his part in murdering two Catholics was push more young Catholic men and women towards the IRA in their call to fight against the Union, the threat of Loyalist terror, and the “British occupation”. And by the same token, with every atrocity the IRA committed, more young Protestants were driven to take up arms to protect their own communities and defend the Union.

That is the reality, the honesty. Both “sides” were instrumental in indirectly causing the deaths of people on their own side as well as directly causing them on the opposite side. All those that took up arms illegally in the “conflict” have the blood of their own people on their hands as well as those they killed or maimed … fact!

Billy Hutchinson no more prevented the unification of Ireland than my ordering a Burger King was instrumental in saving the Irish fast food industry from the horse meat scandal. It is a preposterous and deluded notion, self-serving, arrogant, and completely callous.

The article itself is worth reading if only for the fact it is so hard to believe that a leader of any Northern Ireland political party would make such brash statements. It’s all true though.

It was said by some that perhaps the News Letter had taken his statements out of context. But a YouTube video of a Mr. Hutchinson interview also surfaced yesterday. Unfortunately it appears that the words conveyed in the article were an accurate reflection of Mr. Hutchinson’s belief in his role in two murders based on the video evidence.

There comes a time when you simply can’t justify the unjustifiable or defend the indefensible. Indeed, at the time of typing this, there has been no official word from Billy Hutchinson or the PUP on the newspaper article in question (I do stress official).

Well, when I say you can’t defend such a thing, certain PUP party members (unofficially) made a hell of a stab at it via Twitter (of all places), applauding the honesty of their leader, some suggesting they were privy to what was actually said, and the usual “whataboutery” that has become a strapline for political debate in Northern Ireland.

All, of course, complete pish.

The News Letter article was really the icing on the cake for a party that many years ago showed so much promise under the late David Ervine but in recent weeks has sadly shown glaring chinks in its inclusive, for the people, armour.

Gareth Cole (PUP Carrickfergus) is everything that David Ervine would have deplored in a human being, much less a Northern Ireland politician. His Twitter feed is nothing short of sectarian bile. There is no effort on his part to disguise his personal distaste of all things Republican and Nationalist. Which, for a party that talks about progress (hell, it’s even in the name) is a crying shame.

He actually said recently, “Why would I do anything for Republicans?”

This is hardly the voice of someone working for all the people. Indeed he has taken great pride in demonstrating on Twitter and Facebook on a number of occasions that Catholics are indeed not welcome in Carrickfergus before and during his time as a PUP candidate. And he makes no apology for it. In fact, when presented with his past expressions of hatred towards Catholic communities a PUP colleague suggested that the comments were, “three years old”, and in that time Gareth had, “changed”.

Obviously Gareth has not changed that much in 3 years …

His glaring ineptitude and appetite for riling communities against all things Nationalist and Irish was exploited over the St Patrick’s Day weekend when he was deliberately duped on no less than four occasions. The duping involved the sharing of pictures that were, allegedly, of St Patrick’s Day parades that took place in Belfast last Sunday and New York on Monday past featuring derogatory and sectarian sentiment. The pics were actually taken some years previous and had nothing to do with the parades of that day. Gareth had also forgotten about the time difference between us and our neighbours over 3,000 miles away on Monday having produced glorious photographic reports of an event that hadn’t even started!

Why would any “progressive” party have such a person associated with them? Much less put them forward as a candidate? Unless of course you were trying to attract a certain kind of vote? Taking all of his prejudice out of the equation, what kind of person would actually want to be represented by someone that almost daily demonstrates extreme incompetence and seems to feel that the only priority he has is to get as many flags and banners up around Carrickfergus as possible while making sly sectarian comments?

In the wake of an arrest of a 75 year old man with regards to the UVF murder of 15 people at McGurks Bar in Belfast in 1971, many PUP members were appalled that someone had been arrested while IRA suspects were free on as part of the On The Run scheme. Didn’t matter that the man may have been instrumental in killing 15 people, it was PUP feeling that an “all or nothing” should apply to all terrorist related investigations and arrests until the OTR issue was resolved.

I kid you not! Take in those words; “all or nothing”. Because of the OTR’s (which everyone except the PUP seems to understand the concept) they are suggesting that judicial process for all terrorist related crimes should halt until all OTR’s are arrested for crimes which …… well if they understood what the OTR scheme was they would likely appreciate how ridiculous the “all or nothing” statement is.

But I did give the benefit of the doubt and decided to address offline my concerns with one PUP member that has also declared an “all or nothing” approach to justice. Not a single solitary question I asked was answered directly. Instead everything I asked was responded to with a question.

As a voter and someone that very openly voiced approval and defended the PUP I found the tact from a party member highly offensive. Maybe I am too moderate for PUP to take the time with to be honest and frank …

Politically and publically, PUP (and others) describe OTR and handling of Republican/Nationalist crime as a “two-tiered judicial system” as opposed to the “all or nothing” reserved for social media. Two-tiered does have a nicer ring to it I will give them that.

Incidentally, not one PUP person was appalled (apparently) by the arrest of Ivor Bell in relation to the murder of Jean McConville on Tuesday, despite all OTR’s being free still from arrest or prosecution. There is a phrase for that way of thinking …. now what is it? Double standards? Politically biased? Prejudiced? Two tie.…. ah forget it!

An additional concern for me is the type of supporter that PUP seems to have gathered over the past weeks and months.

Like most of you, I am always horrified to see messages on social media from individuals spouting vile sectarian and racist comments. A closer look at a lot of those accounts, many have in their “Bio” or “About Me” that they support the PUP. On closer examination of the “followed by” or “friends” of said offensive accounts, PUP members and candidates seem to be on those lists!

I personally have nothing to do with Facebook because of the spew that began to fill my page and unfriending was becoming a tedious task, especially for a platform I barely used anyway. Twitter though I do follow all that have engaged with me. I do not discriminate against ignorance and stupidity. But what I will do is challenge someone directly that chooses to fill my timeline with sick, uneducated, bile.

PUP members seem to abstain from such direct challenges towards Loyalists that are being sectarian or racially abusive. Well, there was this one time, when I called out a user, proclaiming he was a “proud Loyalist and PUP supporter”, who had been giving Linda Ervine abuse about her promotion of the Irish language. Two PUP members that were following the same individual quickly unfollowed him, two still follow him today. Point being, why did they not also call him out on his abhorrent behaviour?

By contrast, if you are promoting Republican/Nationalist sectarianism then watch those PUP tweets and retweets fly! Double standards? Politically biased? Prejudiced? Two tie.….  let’s not go there again …
I suppose the early sign that the PUP was starting to weaken was back in November 2012 when they changed their position on the flags issue. To quote Billy Hutchinson on the change of tact:

“The reason I want to change it is because of the behaviour of republican/nationalist representatives. It seems to me that they are not interested in the Good Friday Agreement, but what they are trying to do is remove all our Britishness. While they continue to try and remove our Britishness be it through parades or flags then we as a party will take a totally different position than we have in the past”.

Never once in my life have I ever felt that a flag, or lack thereof, has defined how British I am! The very statement undermines everything that it is to be British. The below is a word or two from a chap called Toby, just an ordinary guy, and what he feels it is to be British:
Being British is about loving this country, remembering the past and honouring the people who fought from the battlefields of France, to the deserts of North Africa, into the sands of Arabia and jungles of Asia, but also look to future, learn from history and build upon past mistakes, be proud to be British as we are a happy race of man, these islands a testament of Natures Beauty, we have inhabited these islands for Thousands of Years, we built a culture and identity that is uniquely British, we built an Empire stood defiantly against the evils of Hitler Nazi Germany and Stalin’s Soviet Union.

Today I think the only way to describe Britain is from a Poem by Alfred Tennyson;
“Though we are not that strength which on old days moved Earth and Heaven, that which we are, we are, one equal temper of Heroic hearts made weak by time but not in will, to strive to seek, but not to yield”
Remember We Are, We Can & We Will, go forward like a breath exhaled from the Earth….
I have travelled and lived in many countries all over the world for the past 13 years or so. I never in my whole time felt any less British because of the lack of a Union flag. And by the same token I have never felt marginalised or threatened by the flag of another country, anywhere! A flag will never define me or my British culture and it is abhorrent to suggest otherwise. My Britishness will be defined by my conduct, my nature, my pride, my tolerance, my empathy, my kindness, my charity, my acceptance, and my passion. Not even the loudest voice or biggest bully can take my Britishness away, much less the removal of any flag.

But, again, let’s be honest. Today’s flag protests are not about culture and Britishness. It’s a vote winner prompted by community leaders used to rile up the “less moderate” in to a frenzy. It is pathetic and cowardly that leaders of Unionist communities try to assert the flag issue as the denigration of British identity and the natural progression towards a united Ireland.

The flag issue is also being used, sadly somewhat effectively, as a platform for Unionist politicians to avoid dealing with real issues. And this riles me no end!

If you had a choice between, a) the Union flag flying above City Hall every day, or, b) improved housing, better education, more jobs, higher standard of healthcare, stronger policing, healthier economy, more social outlets, and everything that comes with effective politics, what would you choose?

Do not let your politicians hide behind flag and parade issues! Option b) is the sum of what makes Britain great! The right to have all that via democratic process is a right given over to us by brave men and women, both British and Irish, whom fought and died for our right to democracy and a better way of life.
The erosion of our culture and our identity is not through the removal of any flag. It is through the unwillingness or inability of leadership to deliver on what we as British citizens have a right to have.

Another thing that annoyed me in the News Letter article that Billy Hutchinson said was that working class Protestants were being treated like, “poor white trash”. This was clearly a play on a David Ervine quote where he (David) said, “sometimes it feels like I am representing poor white trash, always shouting about what them over there get and we get nothing”.

Surely it is up to the Unionist politicians to turn the tide, no? Or maybe it is up to the working class electorate to vote in those that will fight for their rights to everything “themmuns” are getting? Pretty sure that was what David meant; get off your arse and do something about it instead of whinging because no one is handing it to you!

Say what you want about Sinn Fein (and I know some of you will), but when I look at the Falls Road today and compare it to that of 20 years ago I am blown away by the rejuvenation on display!

I would love to see the same on the Shankill Road and other loyalist working class communities. I am just not sure which party will step away from flag protests long enough to deliver an equally resplendent deal for us.

I am not ignorant of why Northern Ireland is British. Much blood has been spilt over decades and centuries of conflict to establish the borders as they are today. I am fully aware of what the Union flag symbolises to some that I share this country with. I fully understand also why parades can be found objectionable by some from either side of the divide. I fully respect the desire of others to identify themselves as Irish. I embrace the fact that despite my British background I have roots and heritage in Ireland, much in the same way as the Welsh and Scottish identify themselves. I have Roman Catholic friends, close friends, and we share a mutual respect for each other’s beliefs.

I am fearless in understanding and appreciating the realities and history Northern Ireland is steeped in. I will never succumb to blind hatred for someone because of their religion or nationality. Another facet of being British I guess …

David Ervine was never one to shy away from the person he was in the past. He always made clear his intention to bring terrorists to the negotiating table and the reasons why this was essential to moving away from conflict. He never denied that he was without remorse for the Republican terrorists that had died at the hands of Loyalists terror groups, but never once glorified or justified the deaths of any “civilians”. He was never afraid to voice his support for the Good Friday Agreement. He understood why parity of esteem and inclusion for all was vital to peace in Northern Ireland. He never spoke like a politician, avoided double speak, always open, frank, intelligent, and honest in any conversation he had about his party and his policies. He never wavered from his beliefs and ideals in an effort to chase votes. He was a man of integrity and a true leader in the Unionist community.

His death remains the greatest loss to Northern Ireland politics today. David Ervine was the reason why I advocated the PUP to anyone, both Catholic and Protestant (and those undecided in their beliefs).

Yesterday proved that the PUP as I knew it died with David Ervine. But let’s face it, had I not been so blinkered I would have seen that the spirit of Ervine’s PUP had died some time ago.


And that is why I can no longer support the party. While inept candidates are put forward, a continued regression back to “whataboutery” and divisive thinking, and by making real issues secondary to a flag on City Hall, and a reluctance to break ties with the UVF, there is nothing the PUP can offer me or my community.

But please do not misunderstand me for a moment. There are some truly bright lights in the PUP who have lots to offer. And I for one will continue to have no issue promoting anything or anyone that can give a positive contribution to Loyalist communities, irrespective of their party or background. Pity politicians cannot take the same view instead of scuppering great initiatives from other parties to win brownie points.
Will the PUP leadership allow those bright lights to pursue productive engagements to make a difference? Or will flags and parades continue to be the priority across the party? Certainly it seems most will unwaveringly toe the party line. But the danger in that is that as the party policy continues to move away from progressive politics there will be casualties within the party. Members will have to make choices as to stay the course or jump ship for their sake of their own political aspirations. And if members begin to leave for pastures new, the party itself will fall in to disarray.

Aside from losing my vote, the PUP has made it clear by its actions and conduct that it no longer seeks the moderate vote. Or at least the moderates are highly unlikely to support PUP in future.

So now we have DUP, UUP, and PUP all chasing the same vote. What the PUP has effectively done is split the vote thus weakening the DUP and UUP in the process. It is nothing more than an over confidence that PUP will win anywhere it stands in. But by God they are going to make it tough for the big two. Or, if like me, PUP was my alternate to the DUP and UUP, has Billy Hutchinson and company allowed votes to slip away from all three Unionist parties?

Was it a smart strategy to destabilise the big two? Or an ill educate move that will see support for the Unionist parties dwindle? I guess May 2014 will tell the tale ….

USED WITH VERY KIND PERMISSION AND ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED HERE
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What are we gonna do about Bobby?

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The citizens of Carrickfergus really will be spoilt for choice come this May's council electons.

First there was the tale of the Unprogressive Unionist Party (uPUP) candidate Gareth Cole and his nocturnal fleg erecting activities and a dark history of posting inappropriate material on Facebook - including a suggestion that "it high time we blow UTV and newsline up the fenion (sic) loving bastards" Click here for the full story.

It seems the PUP are delighted that such a person should represent them and indeed one prominent council candidate, the fragrant and lovely Izzy Giles tweeted:

So far neither Mr. Cole nor the party have explained or apologised for any of Mr. Cole's posts.

We can only imagine what a proper political party would do were one of their election hopefuls to express a desire to blow up a TV newsroom or set fire to the former Lord Mayor of Belfast.

Not to be outdone the Undemocratic Unionist Party (uDUP) have now selected the charming Bobby Harrison-Rice as a council election candidate in Carrickfergus.

Some of you may recall that Mr. Harrison-Rice was forced to stand down as Vice Chairman of the Carrickfergus Policing and Community Safety Partnership when some of his rather unsavoury views were reported in the local press.

If you missed the posts here are Mr. Harrison-Rice's views on:

PRESIDENT OBAMA:

 

JULIAN SIMMONS:


























THE FRENCH:


























 MUSLIMS:



























STEPHEN NOLAN & THE BBC


Lovely stuff.

The Belfast Telegraph yesterday reported that a uDUP source had confirmed Mr. Harrison-Rice will stand as a party candidate in the forthcoming council elections.

Interestingly the selection was not made by local members of the uDUP but was (we are told) a central office decision.

Asked about the the decision to stand Harrison-Rice the uDUP stated "We are presently going through the process of selection and when that's completed an announcement will be made in due course."

We can't wait.

Good luck Bobby.







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I know nahim

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Pic via https://twitter.com/molloy1916


So Nigel Dodds knows nahim.

Gregory Campbell knows nahim.

Jim Allister knows nahim although he says that Nigel Dodds and Gregory Campbell are lying when they say that they know nahim.

Tom Elliott knows nahim either and says it's all a disgrace.

Peter Robinson knows nahim and he's threatening to resign because no-one told him what he doesn't know.

Teresa Villiers knows nahim and says that it's all been passed to David Ford to sort out.

David Ford says he knows nahim about sorting out what Teresa Villiers is on about.

Gerry Kelly says everyone is talking shite when they say they knew nahim.

Meanwhile Danny Morrison says everyone knew everyhing.


 Mr. Morrison may well be correct.

In 2008 Tony Blair's former Chief of Staff published his memoir 'Great Hatred, Little Room: Making Peace in Northern Ireland" available here

The book contained the following passage:

Presumably Dodds, Allister, Campbell, Robinson, Elliott et al were made aware of this book and what it alleges. They are politicians after all and they do have advisors.

Why did they say nahim at the time?

Why are these matters being dredged up now?

I'm saying nahim











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We're very worried about Edwin

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We at LAD are very concerned about Mr. Luke Poots, a co-opted DUP councillor in the City of Lisburn.

Peter Robinson, First Minister with Luke Poots co-opted Councillor
It is understandable that in the run up to May's council elections Mr. Poots should be under a great deal of stress but we fear the mounting pressure may have affected his judgement.

Last night Mr. Poots decided to contribute to the Facebook page of the Alliance Party and commented on online sectarian posts regarding South Belfast MLA Anna Lo in a not so sympathetic manner:

Bizarrely rather than comment on the clearly racist post by 'Jonathan Boyd' Mr.Poots then claimed that he had in the past been the victim of a 'hate campaign' including threats of rape. He then went on to claim that members of the Alliance party had been part of this hate campaign.

We would like to make it clear that we utterly condemn any form of abuse or threats but would point out that Mr. Poots has made allegations in the past without producing any evidence whatsoever. We would also question the wisdom of making such claims on a social networking site but we leave it to others to speculate on Mr. Poots' motives.

According to today's Irish News the Alliance Party are seeking "clarification" on Mr. Poots' posts



Today however things took a new turn when Mr. Poots not only repeated his claims but also stated on his Facebook page that: 

 "the group that posted a lot of the material online engaged in regular discussion with Alliance party members who like to run me down and I quote one of their staffs (sic) responses to the group who were making fun of these allegations such as rape (which is by no means funny or a joke) "im a bit in love with @******* now. Great posts!" "
We assume that he is referring to this exchange with Slugger O'Toole writer David McCann who had just published an interview with a few of us here at LAD.


As you can see the Alliance staffer was not writing to us at all and Mr. Poots really should consult a dictionary for a definition of slander.

We would like to make a few things clear:

  1. There is no connection between LAD and the Alliance Party. In fact there is no connection between LAD and any political party. As you know we abhor democracy so why would we support a political party? We asked Alliance Chief Whip Stewart Dickson for a comment and he said "We have no connection with LAD."
  2. We have never been involved in any threats towards Luke Poots and if any such threats were made we condemn them unservedly.

Today Health Minister Edwin Poots claimed on his Facebook page that complaints had been made to the PSNI regarding threats to his son:


If any complaints have been made to the PSNI (as Edwin Poots claimed back in November) we will be pleased to assist them with their enquiries.

Ulster Star November 22 2013
All of this leads us to ask the following questions:

1. When was a complaint made to the PSNI and what was their response?

2. What evidence exists of these alleged threats and when will it be made available to the public?

3. What evidence exists of our involvement in any such threats (should they exist)?

4. What evidence exists of a link between the Alliance Party and LAD?

 
We look forward to hearing the answers.



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Publish and be damned

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One of the big stories of the day on UTV and social media has been the accounts of Israeli police questioning a suspected Irish bombmaker in the West Bank after arresting him "last night" over contact with Palestinian militants.

We did a little tracing back an discovered the source of the story was one "GEORGEfromdaSHANKILL" aka Impongo2 on Twitter and also a frequent poster of loyalist themed videos on You Tube.
 


UTV's News Editor Chris Hagan was quick to respond:

and a story promptly appeared on the UTV website:

Not to be outdone the DUP were quick to issue a press release penned by East Belfast DUP MLA and Policing Board Member Robin Newton:





So far so VERY disturbing.

So let's go back to the source, GeorgefromdaShankill's Daily Mail story.

We clicked the link and all looked legit:



However we noticed that the desktop version does not show a 'published on' date so we decided to click on the mobile version:


Oh dear.

It would appear that the UTV have inadvertently published an eleven year old story and the DUP have been as quick as ever to respond.

Don't bother clicking on the link to the UTV news story: http://www.u.tv/news/Israel-police-arrest-IRA-bombmaker/063b75be-f5e6-400d-ac5b-c070d2df98c4 - it's been removed.



















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Thou Shalt Laugh

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The decision by Newtownabbey Borough Council to ban the Reduced Shakespeare Company's production of The Bible: The Complete Word Of God (Abridged) at theTheatre At The Mill was last night reversed after a campaign spearheaded by L.A.D.

We launched the hashtag #ThouShalt Not Laugh

 


 

Started an email campaign to Newtownabbey Councillors:

 




Supported the Billy Ballsup petition which gained 2741 signatures in 24 hours

 


















and:

Published a blog on the subject by Brian John Spencer

 

 

 















If you're lucky enough to have got tickets to the show which is now SOLD OUT it's now time to celebrate the victory so it is.

We have a produced a poster which we would like you to bring along to the production on Wednesday or Thursday night.

1. Simply go to this link where you will find a high resolution version of this poster:

 
2. Print out the poster (preferably in colour) and if you can mount it on cardboard (a la Father Ted 'down with this sort of thing' placards)

3. Bring along to the Theatre on the night

4. Get together with friends and have your photograph taken and send it to us.

We will be awarding spot prizes for the best effort (LAD will be in attendance)

ENJOY THE SHOW AND ENJOY THE VICTORY




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Thou Shalt Not Laugh

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This is outrageous. A scandal. They claim to be offended by a play that is said to mock the bible, and by their offence they claim the right to shut-down that play. In a pluralist, democratic society there exists no right to not be offended. Free speech provides a license to offend.

The hardline Calvinist and Caleb religious tradition speaks for a minority in Northern Ireland (although a disproportionately large segment of political unionism) and makes very grand claims for itself. That the bible is the infallible word of God and that it is not to be made fun of. That the bible is the first, last and only book and that all reason, scepticism and inquiry must capitulate to one man's niche interpretation of a religious text. 

Claims that are to many absurd, outrageous and preposterous. Claims that are outright offensive to many people. 

Upon this conflict of ideas between the religious and irreligious, and by their grand claims, the religious open themselves up to scrutiny, criticism and mockery. A basic right and function in a healthy liberal democracy. 

However, not only do these religious fundamentalists claim to know the absolute and last word of god, but they hold their grand claims to be immune from scrutiny, criticism or mockery. They claim a special right, a special privilege and special protection. 

Again. This is outrageous. For too long people in Northern Ireland have bent the knee to this kind of madness and religious fundamentalism. It's high time people said no more. Up with this we will not put. 

One, on the matter of free speech. Since John Milton in the 17th Century the freedom to entertain and express opinions, no matter how offensive to others, has been cherished as a necessary pre-condition for a political society. 

And here's the first irony. John Milton wrote his famous defence of free speech in Areopogitica during the English Civil War, and directed it against Calvinist Presbyterians who were trying to turn the country into some sort of Presbyterian theocracy. 

Since then free speech has been defended and built upon in the face of religious moralists by great men and women like John Stuart Mill, Thomas Paine, Rosa Luxemburg and many others. It has been upon their work and upon the known rules of ancient liberty that have given us our distinctive western culture and freedoms. 

And here's the second irony. The Protestant tradition is supposed to be an authentic expression of the hard won civil and religious liberties gained through England's Glorious Revolution. Yet why do they deny others their basic civil liberty? Why oh why have the age old lessons of the Enlightenment and classical liberalism continually escaped evangelical Protestant theo-unionism in Northern Ireland? 

Two, on the matter of church and state, we should aspire to a secular Northern Ireland. To a naked public sphere. No lawmaker should attempt to create a legal code upon a religious code. No lawmaker should attempt policy or civic action upon a religious code. Because as Andrew Sullivan said: "All faiths, even the most popular, are by definition sectarian." In Northern Ireland we aspire to a secular democracy where we protect, defend and uphold religious freedom - as a private matter of faith, not as a public matter. As Thomas Jefferson said:

"History I believe furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government. This marks the lowest grade of ignorance, of which their political as well as religious leaders will always avail themselves for their own purpose. "

Three, we secularists have strong beliefs, strong principles and strong convictions too. We secularists too are offended by what the religious preach. But we don't go into churches and ban those preachers who preach anti-intellectualism, anti-science and virulent religious bigotry. 

Four, to be "British" is to lead in the world. Yet theo-Unionists seem utterly committed to opting out of modernity, to shutting the door on progressive legislation, and to keeping Northern Ireland as an "outcast from life's feast" as James Joyce put it.  

It's like the American Dad episode, Stan of Arabia. Stan the archetypal misogynist, super-religious Republican suddenly finds himself right at home in Saudi Arabia where there exists oppressive laws against women, gays and basic liberties. 
http://americandad.wikia.com/wiki/Stan_of_Arabia:_Part_1

Four, by the decision to ban the play, people have make a rod for their own back. They have given a license to every Muslim and religious fanatic who wants to ban every last piece of art & writing that could be deemed offensive to their precious feeling and religion. By doing this, Christians have elevated religious freedom far and away beyond freedom of expression. 

They would have it that the dumbest things be pumped into people's heads, and that nothing be said of this. We owe it to ourselves to have a media and civic debate that is not staid, dull and conformist and terrified of offending people; but that is disputatious, uncivil, rude and even offensive. 

There is a difference between disapproving of something and banning it and in that difference lies a free society.

Now the DUP have decided what you can and can't see. They've done the thinking for you. Are you happy with that? Will you stand for that?

We need to be extremely vigilant against any encroachments on our hard-won freedoms to express and entertain opinions. Matters of public interest are routinely chilled by litigious ministers. The DUP have upheld an old speech law that was described as a "national embarrassment" and as "repugnant" to the US Constitution. 

The urge and impulse to censor will always be a strong one, that is why Christopher Hitchens is right to say free speech needs to be defended by every generation. 
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