Slugger O'Toole

This user has not yet written a description

Latest comments from Darkwing (see all)

Darkwing has commented 8 times (0 in the last month).

1. Comment on Progressive Unionist Party launch manifesto with titanic pledges
   on 23 April 2011 at 7:12 pm

   Scrabo,

   The exclusion of female candidates is probably more to do with the fact the number of women in the PUP rapidly declined during Dawn Purvis’ leadership. Some of those past female members (and many more new ones) have since came back into the fold but it would be a bit strange to expect them to fight an election mere months after rejoining the Progressive Unionist Party.

   Female candidates should be chosen because they are ready, willing and capable – not because they are female.

   As for the lack of conflict transformation content – I have the manifesto in front of me and it mentions numerous Troubles related topics including ex-prisoners and historical enquiries.

   Did you not read it???

   Go to comment

2. Comment on #AE11 Open Thread: East Belfast (#bele11)
   on 4 April 2011 at 9:32 pm

   Dawn has stuck by the political principles she was taught over her time in the PUP & as an MLA to her credit.

   Now that is a definate mis-truth had she stuck by her principles she would still be leader of the P.U.P, she was only thinking of herself and her career when she left. As for representing the working class????? Dont make me laugh, she comes up with one report timely enough just before the election and this is working class representation? I’ll be voting for someone who lives in East Belfast for a start who see day to day problems and not through rose tinted glasses. Photoshop worked wonders on her posters too.

   Maybe a map required for the working class areas of East Belfast for in 4 years as an M.L.A and a Party leader havn’t seen her about too much. Quangoland here she comes.

   Go to comment

3. Comment on Loyalist paramilitaries and “civilianisation”
   on 3 April 2011 at 9:23 pm

   Turgon,

   Oh so they will do all this for free will they? If I look out my window I see several pigs flying past even as we debate.

   Once again I will state that along the interfaces in our province men and women continue to give up their time and effort free of charge to make sure that the local residents, sometimes elderly and disabled can live in relitive peace without fear of bottles, bricks and other objects coming from one side or the other. Many are vilified in their own community by the baying crowd of “get into them” supporters for taking their stand against sectarian/recreational rioting on their doorstep.

   If you so want loyalist’s locked up why was your party collecting signatures for a petition to get Torrens Knight released? Why the hypocrisy?

   Go to comment

4. Comment on Loyalist paramilitaries and “civilianisation”
   on 3 April 2011 at 8:54 pm

   Like I have stated Turgon…no where in the article did they ask for jobs or money to go away. What the article stated was that they are encouraging their membership to get involved in local iniatitives that already exist such as cross community interface work(unpaid), get involved on the political front within a political party(unpaid) to help make a difference to the community in a positive way from which they came.

   Your arguement here is mis-informed and in fact nonsense.

   Go to comment

5. Comment on Loyalist paramilitaries and “civilianisation”
   on 3 April 2011 at 8:20 pm

   Alternatively what we should do is lock these criminals up

   Yes,and then certain members of the T.U.V can petition for their release like they did in the case of Torrens Knight.

   Hypocrites

   Go to comment

6. Comment on Loyalist paramilitaries and “civilianisation”
   on 3 April 2011 at 7:45 pm

   Turgon

   I have also read the article which appeared in the Belfast Telegraph regarding civilianisation of certain organisations and i believe that you have either failed to understand due to your blinkered outlook or have mis-read the article. Not once did i read that the organisation involved wanted for or asked for jobs, or good jobs like you describe. What the article said was that they wanted their members to get involved in community initiatives and groups to not only educate younger members of their community to steer clear of the path that they themselves had taken, but to also help young people to understand why they got involved in the troubles and how that after 40 years and a lot of soul searching it was the wrong path to take. Working with youth in the dangers of drugs, gangs, and also the upset that anti-social behaviour causes without losing their identity or their culture helps younger adults to learn from others mistakes. Young people have a tendency to listen to people they can associate with e.g. a neighbour or someone from their area rather than someone who has never seen or known hardship. This in turn is helping the community to help themselves for the future. Many, if not all of these groups are voluntary community groups. Across Belfast and indeed across the province there are many young men and women on both sides of the community giving up their time and effort on a nightly basis to ensure that residents along the interfaces can live in relative peace, again free of charge. The people do this to ensure that we don’t take a path of hating thy neighbour and “Tit for Tat” attacks on either community, knowing where this will lead.

   There are many other initiatives which are of course unpaid this is only one example of such. I think you have taken the comments of Jackie McDonald regarding ex prisoners unable to get taxi licenses and forged it with the stereotypical view that in some way both organisations are somehow looking for money to go away when neither article states this.

   Go to comment

7. Comment on #AE11 Open Thread: East Belfast (#bele11)
   on 3 April 2011 at 5:22 pm

   With Dawns constant reference to the late David Ervine and also to Gusty Spence i sometimes wonder has she adopted P.U.P policy whilst wearing another hat. From living and working in East Belfast with a close eye on the community/politics front I wouldnt be so quick in ruling out Brian Ervines chance in taking the seat. From the rumours on the ground he has the full backing of the old support, and with a new all inclusive, vibrant regime in place now within the P.U.P he has the wider backing of the community, churches and his ex pupils of which there are generations upon generations. (he was an ex teacher in Orangefield). I don’t believe Dawn is electable having just scrapped in last time round on the sympathy vote from David Ervine Supporters, i’ve yet to even see her about in East Belfast, I didn’t even see her when she was leader of the P.U.P. David Ervine would be ashamed in how she ran the P.U.P into the ground over the years, going totally against all what she supposedly stands for “Working Class”, to me she is the prime example of a politician…A Careerist who will trod on anyone to get where she wants to be. Sadly for her this time round in my opinion, it’ll be back over the Queens Bridge to South Belfast for some quango do gooder job that no one cares about.

   Go to comment

8. Comment on Catching up with Brian Ervine
   on 6 March 2011 at 10:36 pm

   Turgon

   “Leading members of the PUP past and present are convicted murderers: Billy Hutchinson and Gusty Spence being the two most prominent examples. David Ervine (the man under whose picture the current PUP leader seems proud to sit) was a convicted bomb maker and it seems highly unlikely that he was arrested during his only attempted bombing attack.”

   Incase you hadn’t realised Turgon the assembly and councils across the province are full of murderers and bombers, even the middle class unionist parties have ex paramilitaries in their membership. The situation we find ourselves in here in Northern Ireland is a unique one. Many people from all backgrounds have a history and a record. Of course that is no way excusable of the acts that they carried out, the peace we have here isnt where we want to be but at the moment it is the best we are going to get. Pointing the finger of blame to the past is in no way helping to quell any sectarian hated of our younger generations and so providing oxygen to fan the flames of division.

   I have a belief that of course there is a criminal element out there who will use the cover of organisations to line their own pockets, these people are not welcome and only hold back progress from where we need to be.

   Go to comment