Sammy Wilson’s #dupconf routine – complete with doubtful gags about SF’s Long Creche
Sammy Wilson’s speech was billed as ‘finance’, but was in reality his usual mid-afternoon comic turn to pick up the spirits of the delegates who were still in the hall.
You can hear the full 20 minute routine over on Audioboo (mp3 download).
In one section about 5 minutes in, he was commenting on the recent Sinn Fein Ard Fheis in Belfast’s Waterfront Hall. He referred to the crèche – labelled by Sinn Fein (rather than Sammy) as ‘Long Crèche’ – and tastelessly suggested: (mp3 download)
The babies were in cages, wrapped in blankets. They wouldn’t eat their dinner either – and you want to see what they did with the nappies.
Can you imagine, Ah wee Seamus’ dad would’ve been proud of him, 15 months, he’s mastered a dirty protest already.
Tasteless. And not in the spirit of the party leader’s speech.
Update – BBC Radio Ulster’s Talkback picked up on Sammy’s comments at lunchtime (6 min 35 secs in) …
Alan
Actually rather consistent with the party’s overall message, save for elements of Peter’s speech which cynically employed Shared Future vocabulary as a mask for the party’s real views. And even then, the cutting personall comments about Nolan have overshadowed that PR exercise.
Chris
Great to see you back again and so avidly following every word that trips from the mouths of the DUP.
It is a shame you have all been so preoccupied. There has been a really interesting thread at
http://sluggerotoole.com/2011/11/23/the-smoking-gun/comment-page-1/#comments
but none of the more erudite SF regulars here have been posting on it – just in case you missed it because you were all so busy with the DUPers and wanted an opportunity to ‘set the record staright’ with the official Party line
Hands up those for whom these comments reveal anything they didn’t already know or surmise about Sammy Wilson ?
” cynically employed Shared Future vocabulary as a mask for the party’s real views.”
…takes one ………?
Paul,
Man? Ball please!
Sammy with his suit on- does he still not know that people ars smiling at him-not what he says-
Cynic2- you not see my comments on that post- you followed thatcher who give in to the Provos-
I wonder if Sammy ever made any jokes about himself being on the front of the Sunday World starkers? Wilson is about as funny as an ex-economics teacher being made micro-minister for finance in the Stormont Assem…. Oh, hold on.
I always thought there was something incredibly ridiculous about Sammy Wilson. Like he’s a spoof of a real politician.
That he is finance minister in the north says a lot about the county council nature of Stormont.
Alan: Tasteless. And not in the spirit of the party leader’s speech.
To be fair, “Long Creche” was a Shinner joke, and the extension to mentioning the dirty protest was an obvious one. It may even have occurred to a few of the more reflective republicans at the time.
And annoying though it may seem to republicans, the dirty-protest was always a sick joke to unionists. If republicans wanted to impress us, they should have tried something a bit more dignified.
Reader,
I agree entirely. I could never get my head round why republicans thought people would be impressed by prisoners smearing their excrement over the walls of the room they were in. It smacks more of self contempt to denigrate oneself to a sub bestial level rather than committment to a cause.
If the comments from the Waldorf and Statler clones in the Shinner circle are anything to go by Sammy hit his audience right where he intended to.
sonofstrongbow
So by implication you feel that at least sections of the audience are as witless, cheap, crass and vulgar as some of Mr Wilson’s comments are ?
michael-mcivor: thatcher who give in to the Provos
I fear you missed the point of the original long and detailed post, which pointed out that several hunger strikers died even after “thatcher who give in to the Provos”, and speculated as to why that happened. Cynic’s suspicion seems to be that Chris, fordprefect and RoC couldn’t have pretended to miss that point.
Irrelevant anyway – there’s no obligation on anyone to engage.
On reflection though, it was unhelpful for Sammy to pander to the worst elements of his audience by using the name “Seamus”.
When I listen to that comedy turn from Captain Mainwaring, sorry, Sammy Wilson, I despair. [edited moderator]
The real joke about Wilson is how he continues to short change the electorate with his mountain of fulltime jobs. A voting record of 143 votes out of 402, 35.6%, in the Commons demonstrates that never mind do all 3 to a high standard, he isnt even doing one of them well.
“there’s no obligation on anyone to engage”
….true ….but what they refuse to even engage on can be very illuminating and it seems strange that several individuals who are normally all strong supporters, leap to SFs defence on every issue and are rigidly ‘on message’ all chose not to engage on the same issue at the same time
I have to ask them, are they working in co-ordination? If so how is that managed?
@ Reader You said “If republicans wanted to impress us, they should have tried something a bit more dignified.”
Like marching peacefully for civil rights and getting machine gunned down by the British Army real dignified-like? Like that?
ike marching peacefully for civil rights and getting machine gunned down by the British Army real dignified-like? Like that?….
oh dear, lets remember the men in the maze were criminals, terrorists who should have been allowed to die in their excrement
its digusting for provo supporters to talk of civil rights given the number of lives they took both protestant and catholics.
(sigh) Sounds like the British are ramping up (yet) another revisionist history campaign. So boring. Oiche Mhaith.
Alan in Belfast, this is not incompatible with the party leader’s speech at all. Reaching across the religious divide has absolutely nothing to do with abandoning any sheer an absolute disgust at terrorists and disagreeing with Irish Republican ideals. A point that many other commentators can’t get through their thick skulls, and a fallacy that you seem to be promoting once more.
What is completely tasteless is the “long creche” thing from Sinn Fein in the first place. Burdening the image of the innocence of a new-born, with the disgusting guilt and shame of the vile excuses for human beings who not only thought it ok to take part in a murder campaign, but also thought that they could blackmail society by taking their own lives. I also find it tasteless that in your reports that you took the “long creche” thing so light-heartedly at the time of the SF conference.
Dina Shea: Like marching peacefully for civil rights and getting machine gunned down by the British Army real dignified-like? Like that?
The British never fired on a peaceful march. The main Civil Rights demands were met in legislation in 1968, and the Provos were not fighting for civil rights anyway – their essential demand was for a United Ireland (with Socialism tacked on as the first optional extra). History has shown that they were therefore wasting their time, and a few thousand lives.
But, out of the whole list, I am most impressed that you implied that the Provos were fighting for civil rights, and then accused *someone else* of revisionism.
Ironic that SF are complaining about ‘long creche’ when it originated from them. Didn’t take long for some standard whataboutery from dina shea.
My favourite so far is actually from said commentator accusing the British of a revisionist campaign!! Perhaps you should take to the stage with your routine:)
We live in a space where most reasonable commentators would agree that is SF who are attempting to revise ‘the conflict’ portraying the ‘liberating freedom fighters’ of the IRA like the ANC.
Oh and finally can we stick to the thread, I’ve had to reply to ridiculous comments rather than AIBs original post!!
….true ….but what they refuse to even engage on can be very illuminating and it seems strange that several individuals who are normally all strong supporters, leap to SFs defence on every issue and are rigidly ‘on message’ all chose not to engage on the same issue at the same time
I have to ask them, are they working in co-ordination? If so how is that managed?
Cynic
Yes, Cynic, it’s all a conspiracy, and we’re all coming for you!
I honestly know nothing of what clearly is vexing you, but if it has you this wound up, then I’ll take some satisfaction out of that. ;>
The serious question would be – when is it ever appropriate to make jokes about politically contentious deaths? Mocking the living – eg, Sammy’s caricature of Caitríona Ruane seems run of the mill for politics – but comparing babies with hunger strikers is in a different league.
Some quotes from Peter Robinson’s speech:
The DUP’s ambition will be the laughter of all our children, playing and living together, with a future that doesn’t see them having to leave our shores, but wanting to live here, in Northern Ireland, within the United Kingdom …
If I read the mood of our people correctly, we all now realise, as we have never realised it before, we are interdependent. If we are to move forward, we must move forward together …
We need to build one, united, shared and peaceful society. I tell you now is the moment. Miss it and we may miss it for ever. Miss it and we may drift and stray. We have the prospect of making a difference that previous generations never had or never took – a chance that future generations may never get or never grab. I tell you now is the moment.
We want to see respect given to our varied and colourful traditions. We want people to be able to express their culture with tolerance and respect, mindful of those who don’t share those values. And we want people who don’t share those values to show tolerance and respect to those who do.
‘I could never get my head round why republicans thought people would be impressed by prisoners smearing their excrement over the walls of the room they were in. It smacks more of self contempt to denigrate oneself to a sub bestial level rather than committment to a cause.’
Turgon
Yet you can get your head around the idea of a celestial knob-twiddler?
Dec,
Ah yes the Bobby Sands as some sort of messiah: yes republicans are indeed deluded.
Turgon
‘I could never get my head round why republicans thought people would be impressed by prisoners smearing their excrement over the walls of the room they were in.’
Then you really ought to read, or perhaps just listen, more. You should begin by realising that the dirty protest did not come about because republicans wanted to ‘impress’ anyone. You are beginning from a false understanding of what was going on.
Turgon,
Yes it’s not that difficult to grasp. You can’t fault the boys for wanting to make the place a little more like home; and make an idealogical point at the same time. Toilet tissue was of course brought to these shores by the Saxon invaders.
What have the British ever done for us………..
Strongbow Óg
Nope. Try again.
You should begin by realising that the dirty protest did not come about because republicans wanted to ‘impress’ anyone.
Billy,
It came about because the prisoners wanted to pretend that they were POWs a la ‘Wooden Horse’, but the evil Brits wouldn’t play ball. The prisoners then foolishly thought that they could gain sympathy, from anyone outside their own gene pool, by wiping their own shit all over the place. In fact by doing so they merely managed to make themselves look even worse than they had already managed to achieve by their equally disgusting terrorist campaign.
Ok Billy so I didn’t reference the strategic mission statement: “who here will object if, with a turd in this hand and an armalite in the other, we take power in Ireland?”
Happier now?
Decimus
‘It came about because the prisoners wanted to pretend that they were POWs a la ‘Wooden Horse’, but the evil Brits wouldn’t play ball.’
Rather ideologically put, but substantially accurate.
‘The prisoners then foolishly thought that they could gain sympathy, from anyone outside their own gene pool, by wiping their own shit all over the place.’
False. You don’t actually know why they smeared their bodily fluids on the wall, do you? You think it was some sort of nihilistic performance art, don’t you?
‘In fact by doing so they merely managed to make themselves look even worse than they had already managed to achieve…’
If they had been doing it for the reasons you believe, then your reaction would be quite correct. However, they were not doing it for the reasons your believe. You don’t know why they were doing it, and your understanding of their motivation is false.
Strongbow Óg
I’m quite serene, thankyou. I’m just pointing out that your understanding is false, and based on propaganda rather than facts.
Actually, the Norman’s actually smeared their own excretment on their castles which were otherwise white washed.
They also displayed containers of their exctrement at the doors of their castle.
“Toilet tissue was of course brought to these shores by the Saxon invaders.”
The irony of that one was that themediveal Gaelic lords had a poor opinion of English standards of cleaniness given that it was the Gaelic custom to bath daily and the English didnt.
They also found the custom of using a rag to blow your nose and then putting it back up your sleeve to be disgusting.
If they had been doing it for the reasons you believe, then your reaction would be quite correct. However, they were not doing it for the reasons your believe. You don’t know why they were doing it, and your understanding of their motivation is false.
Billy,
So what were these reasons that turned the act of rooting around in your own shit into a laudable enterprise?
Just a quick show of hands; anyone strongly unsympathetic to the aims, objectives or modus operandi of the hunger strikers willing to condemn Wilson for being a cheap, vulgar, crass, parochial, bigmouth disgrace ?
“Just a quick show of hands; anyone strongly unsympathetic to the aims, objectives or modus operandi of the hunger strikers willing to condemn Wilson for being a cheap, vulgar, crass, parochial, bigmouth disgrace ?”
Nah… free spech and all that.
Alias
Not saying he shouldn’t have said it, merely monitoring reaction to what’s been said.
I have no problem with Sammy saying what he thinks or thinking that way – freedom of speech and freedom of thought.
Alias
So you’re content for a man of that intellect, witlessness and crassness being accountable for the Finance portfolio. Good for you. That tells us a good deal about how you think as well as what you think.
Alias,
Elected representatives have a duty to behave in a proper manner. Young Protestant lads in the north can see the finance minster talking like that and assume it’s acceptable, when it’s not acceptable from an elected representative in a normal society.
Wilson would be reprimanded by any proper party in any proper society. But of course it’s the DUP in peace wall loving Northern Ireland so it’s all perfectly acceptable there. Next we’ll have Gerry Kelly cracking jokes at the Sinn Fein conference about dead RUC or British soldiers.
Nun,
At least we can be assured* that the education portfolio has rested within the safe hands of people of great erudition and tact for the past decade.
*Blatant and shameless whataboutery alert.
What about a broadcast ban? Oops, I suppose some actor chappie would only end up saying the same thing with an even more deadpan delivery.
If Sammy doesn’t pass muster because he kills a joke that’s setting the bar pretty low for some of the other darlings sitting across the chamber from him.
Decimus
No whataboutery on my part, I can assure you. I’m simply curious about whether this level of cornerboyism is what people are happy to regard as acceptable discourse from those public representatives in positions of significant importance to all of us, whether they’re at their own party conference or whether they’re not. I’m not that surprised about how unsurprised I am that some people don’t appear to regard this kind of tasteless, dullard demagogic pish as beneath us all. Trust me, I don’t care what particular colour of rosette they’re wearing.
Nun,
The whataboutery is all mine. I can’t see why people should be getting upset about an er, crap joke, when we do indeed have other politicians in the executive who boast about the exploits of the scummers who were responsible for the bulk of the murders carried out here. Indeed they openly and happily employ some of them.
Decimus
‘So what were these reasons that turned the act of rooting around in your own shit into a laudable enterprise?’
They didn’t smear their bodily fluids on the walls because they thought it was a ‘laudable enterprise.’ They did it for reasons of hygiene. It’s amazing that you don’t know this; and an indication of how thoroughly propagandised much of the population here is.
They did it for reasons of hygiene.
Billy,
Thanks for that. Have you any idea how much it costs to replace a computer screen?
Nunoftheabove asks a very good question, which I hope he won’t mind my repeating:
‘anyone strongly unsympathetic to the aims, objectives or modus operandi of the hunger strikers willing to condemn Wilson for being a cheap, vulgar, crass, parochial, bigmouth disgrace?’
The replies he has received have been incredibly lame. Suffice to say, it’s not an issue of freedom of speech, since no-one is suggesting that Wilson should not be allowed to say what he said.
The question is whether anyone is willing to criticise or condemn him for the cheap, vulgar, crass, parochial, bigmouthed, disgraceful way he has chosen to exercise his right.
Anyone have the courage to face up to the question, or the decency to condemn Wilson’s indecency?
I paid about £120 recently.