Saturday, August 11, 2007
“Black armbands have a history.”
In the Irish Times, Susan McKay points out that tomorrow’s ‘March for Half-Truth’ by Sinn Féin is, in reality, their annual commemoration of “10 republicans who died on hunger strike in 1981, so to take part is to show solidarity with the IRA as well as with the victims of the British forces.” That places it in an area of activity identified previously by Liam Clark. Susan McKay also links in the on-again-off-again-on-again [but don’t tell anyone - Ed] deal over OTRs and she’s critical of the latest appropriation of victims
But what is the campaign for truth? Adams, who says he was never in the IRA, referred to the fact that some of the victims’ groups taking part in the march and rally are calling for “an international-based, independent truth commission”. He adds that this is something that Sinn Féin “will look carefully at”. But why the caution? Perhaps because although Sinn Féin needs to reassure the victims from its own community that it hasn’t left them behind, the truth is, it doesn’t want a truth commission any more than the British government does.
Remember the on-the-runs legislation a few years ago? Sinn Féin signed up for that to get its exiles back, and then had to abandon it when victims’ groups and the SDLP pointed out that this was a law that would make it impossible to pursue the truth about collusion. The party is not going to make that mistake again.
All the signs are that the British and Irish governments both take the shabby view that the new powersharing regime at Stormont is best protected by leaving the past alone for the foreseeable future.
Sinn Féin can safely seem to support calls for a commission, confident it isn’t going to happen.
McKay is not, as far as I can see, opposed to demanded the truth.. as I’ve noted out before..
Anyway, how can it possibly be right to ignore evidence of such corruption, and to refuse to learn the real history of the Troubles? The British will look bad, Sinn Féin has dirty hidden history and so has the DUP. But if our new democratic institutions aren’t strong enough to withstand the truth, they aren’t strong enough.
.. just opposed to demanding half-truth.
Black armbands have a history. Those campaigning to force Britain to tell the truth on its vicious part in the Northern violence need all the support they can get.
This is a just cause, and Sinn Féin’s appropriation of it serves it badly.
Pete Baker @ 08:01 AM
Would Gerry and Martin and all the others not still be bound by that spurious “code of honour” McGuinness used to avoid telling the truth at Saville ? That he was able to hide behind something that should never have been allowed means that there is no future for a truth commission - just lots of propaganda mileage for Gerry and the shinners in calling for the truth of what hapened to those at the top of THEIR hierarchy of victimhood, safe in the knowledge that nothing will actually come about.
Posted by on Aug 11, 2007 @ 09:32 AMMadradin.
You wish!
Pete.
>>Sinn Féin has dirty hidden history and so has the DUP.<<
Funny how I don’t get the impression that this is an offensive against the DUP.
Do you personally not want some kind of truth commission? Regarding SF, they are shrewd enough to realise that the Unionist community are so behind on issues of equality that any imminent enquiry may anger them, allowing them to be used to sidetrack the current fledgling democracy. SF have sacrificed too many principles to allow this to happen.
>>Sinn Féin can safely seem to support calls for a commission, confident it isn’t going to happen.<<
I hope it does and so should SF regardless of the bum assumptions of others.
Posted by on Aug 11, 2007 @ 09:49 AMHang on a minute here Prince - you reckon Sinn Fein is campaigning for a truth commission but only half-heartedly because they don’t want to annoy unionists too much in case it provokes their poor wee backward heads into bringing down the great Sinn Fein peace process?
You really are a total fantasist.
Posted by on Aug 11, 2007 @ 09:59 AMTakes one to know one SRR!
I honestly can’t think of any reason why Republicans would not push determinedly for one. Unless, as all the propagandists would wish us to believe that the Brits really have got so deep into the leadership as to expose it all. One way or the other bring it on!
Posted by on Aug 11, 2007 @ 10:10 AMThis is a just cause, and Sinn Féin’s appropriation of it serves it badly.
Pete Baker @ 11:01 AM
So Pete who else has even taken an interest in this cause?Surely the SDLP, who claim blood free hands, should be shouting from the rafters about this! This has a direct affect on the nationalist (and unionist communities if they would only admit it)and with no paramilitary connections this would be a good show piece for them. They could appear to actually care about the nationalist community instead of just being a bunch of appeasers. This is why SF has had such a great success against them, Sinn Fein are willing to stick their brass knecks out in support of the community while the SDLP plays turtle and retreats into their shell. You call it hypocracy I call it guts. SF know this can all come back to bite them on the ass but they are willing to take the chance because they know this issue needs to be dealt with
Posted by on Aug 11, 2007 @ 10:15 AM“honestly can’t think of any reason why Republicans would not push determinedly for one”
- Then try thinking a little harder.
Posted by on Aug 11, 2007 @ 10:31 AMSF are at least attempting to redress the balance, having been the victims of Unionists and British Gov’t propaganda over the last 30/40 years.
So that is to be welcomed, whether it leads to anything like a truth commission, who can say.
Let’s hear what Gery Adams has to say tomorrow.One thing I do know is there was an inquiry into the death of a soldier at Deepcut barracks.
He had 2 bullet holes in his head, and it was recorded as suicide, which is impossible.
So don’t hold your breath on the British Army telling the truth, they’ve never done it before.And in a recent example in Iraq, where an officer squaddie murdered an innocent Iraqi in detention; the inquiry after was just a complete white-wash.
They are masters at covering up their stink.I seem to recall the IRA admitting and apologizing for many many incidents.
For the Unionist hypocrite, he slithers about wearing a mask, inhabiting a dark world based on a “fear-based false dignity”——and the fact that he’s acted like total arsehole since 1690, is obvious to everyone but himself.
What more to we need to know? ;)
Posted by on Aug 11, 2007 @ 11:06 AM“He had 2 bullet holes in his head, and it was recorded as suicide, which is impossible.”
Not necessarily - An automatic weapon will discharge more than one bullet.
Posted by on Aug 11, 2007 @ 11:10 AMCrumb
Not necessarily - An automatic weapon will discharge more than one bulletTrue but since the kick back from the intial bullet would have pulled the weapon out of alignment it would have required that he stop and re-aim his weapon hardly a likely scenario
but tell you what give it a try and tell us how it goes
Posted by on Aug 11, 2007 @ 11:20 AM‘I seem to recall the IRA admitting and apologizing for many many incidents.’
Aw well that’s all right then.
‘Sorry missus but on a dark night and with our brave lads tanked up to the eyeballs, your husband’s back looked just like UDR scum so we shot it. 16 times. Here’s some stolen cash in an envelope.’
Yes indeed a truth commission would help portray all sides in a much better light.
Posted by on Aug 11, 2007 @ 11:43 AM“For the Unionist hypocrite, he slithers about wearing a mask, inhabiting a dark world based on a “fear-based false dignity”——and the fact that he’s acted like total arsehole since 1690, is obvious to everyone but himself.”
- This is the sort of mindset that makes it easy to dismiss the murder of Protestants as something that doesn’t really require any further explanation. Good job Republicans aren’t bígóted though!
Posted by on Aug 11, 2007 @ 11:47 AMHey Sean
A British Army SA80 fires 650 rounds/min ie over 10rounds/sec but then if the facts dont fit lets make up our own “Truth” just like any commission would
Posted by on Aug 11, 2007 @ 12:03 PM“We promise to tell the ‘truth’, a bit of the truth, and nothing but a bit of the truth.”
Posted by on Aug 11, 2007 @ 12:10 PMGerry Lvs Castro, you got that round the wrong way, your example atypifies amateur loyalist death squads and their indiscriminate sectarian murders; the IRA were much better trained and professional, but still made mistakes.
SSR
I’m not into killing prods, sorry to disappoint you; but would I like to see the evil of sectarianism utterly destroyed, you bet.
No I don’t think republicans are bigoted.
But I won’t tolerate falsehoods dressed up as principles.
We just want to live in peace harmony and friendship with you in a united ireland.
The maths is not complex!Posted by on Aug 11, 2007 @ 12:48 PMto prince eoghan - just one name: jean mcconville - that’s why gerry doesn’t want a truth commission
Posted by on Aug 11, 2007 @ 01:42 PM“A British Army SA80 fires 650 rounds/min ie over 10rounds/sec but then if the facts dont fit lets make up our own “Truth” just like any commission would “
indeed.
Posted by on Aug 11, 2007 @ 02:52 PM“We just want to live in peace harmony and friendship with you in a united ireland.”
but you live in England !
Posted by on Aug 11, 2007 @ 02:53 PMCruimh
Carrying over this Ireland for the Irish nonsense on this thread Madradin. Please apply these same standards to all the right-wing dinosaurs in England that would support your position.
>>to prince eoghan - just one name: jean mcconville - that’s why gerry doesn’t want a truth commission
Posted by me on Aug 11, 2007 @ 03:42 PM<<That family deserves closure as much as any other, bring it on!
Posted by on Aug 11, 2007 @ 03:11 PMPauljames
So your theory goes that the next 649 bullets go exactly where the 1st one went?Plus automatic weapons if the did discharge more than once would in theory discharge more than twice so where are the rest of the bullets
Posted by on Aug 11, 2007 @ 03:18 PM“Please apply these same standards to all the right-wing dinosaurs in England that would support your position.”
None of them are posting here using words like “we ” and “us” ....
Still laughing at your
” I’m sure the RM were aware of talks between the leadership and the British from the beginning, even if the British public and prods in Ireland weren’t. ”
Posted by on Aug 11, 2007 @ 03:21 PM“So your theory goes that the next 649 bullets go exactly where the 1st one went? “
Straw men - it was claimed to be impossible for a suicide to have been shot twice in the head. It IS possible.
Posted by on Aug 11, 2007 @ 03:24 PMits possible god exists just not real likely
Posted by on Aug 11, 2007 @ 03:28 PMexactly prince.. staring wostfully into the North Atlantic in Coleraine, contemplating the setting sun on the British Empire is hardly close to the Action, more of a place to stick an old Edwardian Plant that doesn’t understand why the sun doesn’t shine anymore ;)
Good rugby game by your boys today.
well done!Posted by on Aug 11, 2007 @ 03:29 PMAye Parc, We (Scotland(happy Madradin))) managed to overcome an a bit of an experimental Irish team.
Madradin
>>Still laughing at your<<
Only too happy to give a sad auld fella a bit of a chuckle now and again. What say you on the search for truth and justice?
Posted by on Aug 11, 2007 @ 03:36 PM“Multiple gunshot suicides engender controversy because of the popular misconception that it is impossible for an individual to inflict more than one gunshot upon herself or himself. Because of this many are associated with conspiracy theories, which hold that those individuals actually were the victims of a homicide.[1] Forensic medicine has discovered, however, that suicides by firearm involving multiple gunshots, although uncommon, are by no means rare; as many as eight percent (nearly one in every twelve) of suicides by firearm involve multiple gunshots.[2] Suicides involving as many as six self-inflicted gunshots have been documented in the literature.[3]”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_gunshot_suicide
Posted by on Aug 11, 2007 @ 03:40 PM
