La Mon, unionist perceptions and the future of the past
The commemorative service marking the 30th anniversary of the La Mon murders was held on Sunday at Castlereagh Borough Council offices. It was attended by a number of relatives and a few politicians including Iris Robinson who has previously used Parliamentary Privilege to name those allegedly involved in planning the murders. Suzanne Breen’s article here on La Mon is still harrowing to read.This event along with a number of other equally iconic events still informs the views of very many unionists on the republican movement and its leadership. I would submit that the vast majority of unionists whatever their views on the current political arrangements still regard the IRA as sectarian killers, never anything else: this article quoted in the Newsletter sums up such a position quite succinctly. If the republican movement were ever serious about unionist engagement it is specifically with events like these and the other ones which we all know of that they would have to begin. Instead unionists perceive themselves as getting lectures from republicans about “moving forward” along with hero worship of republican “martyrs”, and claims that such “martyrs” were themselves just as much victims as their actual victims. That along with a quick throw away remark about republicans recognising that some of their actions caused hurt to others. Comments which are spectacularly insensitive and inadequate in the face of the events they purport to relate to.
Such unionist irritation is not helped by the attempts by some like the Consultative Group on the Past to describe the troubles as a “war” and the quite threatening (to unionists) suggestions that the “truth” behind the troubles might “surprise” unionists.
Such events and descriptions whether from benign though foolish motives such as Eames Bradley or sinister ones from the republican movement; result in anger and suspicion within the unionist community and simply reduce the chances of reconciliation. No better is, I submit, to be expected from SF. Eames Bradley, however, might yet reconsider the wisdom of their whole project but I fear the Arch Bishop and his cohorts are too blinkered and self important to consider a radically alternative analysis of their mandate: that would be by holding their own council and saying nothing if indeed what they will say would be better left unsaid.
PS. Are you going to tonight’s match?
Willow
She who must be obeyed is working tonight till 8, so i have all the weans to deal with, I’ll watch it on sky. The way Celtic are playing at the moment though I would absolutely love to be there. I know I have been rightly critical of late, but with us on our game(and they are not), the atmosphere at paradise on a European nights. We are going to murder them, only we can’t blame the Brits for it, Agreed? lol.
I just realised your game, get me talking nonsense about fitba, and……………….lol!
Anyhow, I think you will find that I have claimed that the Brits could be found vicariously liable for the actions of Unionist murder gangs. There are lots of equations, Say for example, they were using guns brought in by British agents. or they had an opportunity to kill someone, but disobeyed the handler not to do it ect………….. I doubt if the British had much input in the early days, but their interventions are well documented since then. Witness the attempts to implicate the IRA with the Paul Quinn murder. Should they have been IRA men, and used IRA equipment, sanctioned or no, then by implication I reckon the IRA would be vicariously liable.
“Vicariously liable” for *all* loyalist murders on the basis of vicarious liability for some?
Yet “vicariously liable” for *some* nationalist murders on the basis of vicarious liability for some?
Sorry, doesn’t work.
>>“Vicariously liable” for *all* loyalist murders on the basis of vicarious liability for some?< <
I'm sorry, am I supposed to have said this? considering that I don't understand the above quote?
>>Yet “vicariously liable” for *some* nationalist murders on the basis of vicarious liability for some?<<
Apart from repeating yourself in the same sentence, yup!
You have been arguing (or at least supporting Dishonest Bob’s argument) that all loyalist murders should be lumped into the list of killings by the state.
Yet you say that only “some” nationalist murders should be included.
>>You have been arguing (or at least supporting Dishonest Bob’s argument) that all loyalist murders should be lumped into the list of killings by the state.<<
Certainly, but only when it was on their watch, and on the terms as I have described above in accordance with vicarious liability. We could, in a manner extend it to the early days if we wished to. When killings were done by British legal and illegal militia’s, say by the B-specials and the UDA on the one hand and UVF on the other. I suppose because the north of Ireland was under their jurisdiction, and often members of legal and illegal militia’s were one and the same ie B, C-men?UVF UDR/UVF. However I am really referring to the time later on when the British through whatever agency were more hands on.
I’m not really sure what else there is to say here, if you believe that the British were vicariously liable for state murder. One is too many.
Prince Eoghan: “If I am a murderer, I shall hang anyhow, regardless of whether I am guilty of *all* the murders and misdeeds attributed to me. ”
Not bloody likely… most likely get the needle, or else die of old age or an overly starchy diet.
True in the US Dread, here in Scotland you are on easy street sometimes within 10 years. Shocking! In fact sometimes I reckon the procurator fiscal’s office has done away with murder. Easier to get a conviction for culpable homicide.
Prince Eoghan: “True in the US Dread, here in Scotland you are on easy street sometimes within 10 years. Shocking!”
All a matter of what a society is willing to tolerate.
Prince Eoghan: “In fact sometimes I reckon the procurator fiscal’s office has done away with murder. Easier to get a conviction for culpable homicide. ”
Felony cases to be bureaucratically processed, like cheese, eh? Stamp ‘em twice and pass them down the line.