Slugger O'Toole

Latest comments from toker (see all)

toker has commented 13 times (0 in the last month).

1. Comment on “The flying of a Tricolour inside church walls is not something I approve of…”
   on 4 June 2012 at 9:43 pm

   This is old 1980s style unionism at its worst.Totally ridiculous.

   Is Sandra overend saying that God loves the union Jack more than the tricolour, is she aware that Church of Ireland churches such as St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin have the tricolour inside along with Republican flags from 1798, will she condemn them as well.

   This shows as much disrespect to nationalism as the Sinn Fein Belfast Lord Mayor’s actions showed to the Unionists.

   Surely Mike Nesbitts’s future UUP can approach these issues in a more progressive fashion and UUP politicians should not be trying to out do intellectual heavyweights like Ian mc Crea.

   Chris is right to raise this issue.

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2. Comment on “The trouble with the UUP is that it doesn’t really want a leader that makes decisions….”
   on 22 March 2012 at 12:44 am

   Can somebody tell me does the opposition startegy that Mccallister is proposing have a power sharing dimension to it to ensure there is always a unionist nationlist balance?

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3. Comment on Boston College to hand over Dolours Price interviews
   on 31 December 2011 at 10:49 am

   I think that in any democracy a free press should have rights however ,I sometimes think that journalists as some Levinson has showed us that they should not have any responsibilities at all to society
   I certainly think that if Ms Price has information on how peoples love ones lost their lives and to give families justice that all the information should be disclosed to the authorities.
   I am a Nationlist and I would like to think that if for instance that if a journalist had evidence on an issue such as collusion or the Dublin bombings that they should hand it over.

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4. Comment on Christopher Hitchens, 1949 – 2011
   on 18 December 2011 at 1:00 am

   It is true no matter that both brothers are great polemic commentators. The article that Flashman posted is excellent and very true he was certainly very brave and never held back in what he said even though you may not have agreed with what he said .

   One element that showed his fearlessness was his response when Diana died (by the way he made a documentary on this called the mourning after its online) Where he compared it with mass hysteria.

   I never understood his siding with right wing republicans many of whom were religious extremists over Ken Starrs false witch hunt of Bill Clinton over lewinsky I really never understood his motive is seemed to be a promotional stunt which lacked any principle.

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5. Comment on Runners jostle for position in the Red C #Aras11 Poll…
   on 25 September 2011 at 2:47 pm

   Does anybody know what Norris and other candidates are positioned in recieving transfers.that could make the difference

   There is a big difference in this poll compared to the one on joe duffy show and other ‘phone in’ polls seems that Mc Guinness supporters may have been ringing early and ringing often.Im sure none of this was orchestrated at all

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6. Comment on Not 2, not 3, but 4 SDLP leadership candidates to choose from…
   on 18 September 2011 at 11:34 pm

   I have no doubt as mentioned that Delores Kelly is a very good and dedicated constituency worker and works in one of the most difficultg constituencies to represent ,this in itself takes amazing courage.
   However if the SDLP need a deputy leader would they not be better adopting the system used by a lot of parties were the second in the contest gets the post. It could also give them a strong fighting force if they had a bigger name as deputy leader of the and it could unite the party both wings as seen with what happened previously with Ritchie if one part of the Party is unhappy it is hardly a recipe for success and stability
   Look how well they did when they had a strong when they had the team of Hume and Mallon .I think they need a stronger performer than Kelly for dputy leader.

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7. Comment on Day 2 in the New Republic house #ardfheis – updated with Adams’ closing speech
   on 12 September 2011 at 11:39 pm

   Was ‘New republic’ not the name of the PDs founding document in 1985 I hope Michael mc Dowell doesnt find out!!

   Is another left wing candidate along with norris if he runs and higgins going to make any difference it could be similar to what happened in France in 2002 when all the leftwing candidates consumed eachother.Could be very beneficial for gay mitchell if SF ran a candidate

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8. Comment on Sycophant. Fool. Traitor. Egotist. Motivated by financial gain. Lundy!
   on 11 September 2011 at 10:13 pm

   You have to give it to SF they are much better at PR than the SDLP.
   The sdlp did this last year with Norman Hutchinson and nobody seemed to care.

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9. Comment on McGlone throws his cap in the ring, with a call for pluralist nationalism
   on 3 August 2011 at 12:45 am

   Pluralist nationlism. Its hardly a nrew idea it sounds like very “New Ireland Forum” to me and that was in 1984.
   Lets be realistic I don think that SDLP can ever out green or beat SF in tribal politics.Mc glone tried this before over saying that Protestants should learn Irish which looked at best silly and at worst bigoted.I am not saying that that is a total reflection on him.
   He also advocated a merger with FF this is hardly a winning formula .
   What the SDLP really needs to do is to present is a real clear alternative rather than endless boring jibes about the martin and Peter show.Does mcglone really think that a united ireland will benefit people in the north the nhs would dissappear over night,who souhtherners are essentially conservative, they would never pay taxes required..Also who is going to employ the masses of people that are employed by the british state.Lets not also go into the state of the souths economy! A united Ireland would lead to poverty,breakdown and hardship for all.
   They really need policies which appeal to the head rather than the heart, which they have by the way in areas such as North/South Coperation and the green economy.They need to show themselves as a party of government rather than one of a poor opposition.
   .I think opposition maybe the only place for them to present their USPs and differences from SF

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10. Comment on Post election, the SDLP’s position is like…
    on 14 May 2011 at 12:53 pm

    The Sdlps fortunes cant be blamed on anyone individual such as Margaret Richie or anyone else.
    It cant be helped by using merging with southern parties just imagine how worse things would have been if they were under the FF banner this election. Labour wouldn’t have been much better they have failed to connect with Ulster ,they have to the best of my knowledge never had a seat in ROI in the history of the state even this years Gilmour gale.
    Comparing SDLP to Alliance is insulting. SDLP are the architects of the GFA.( remember during the 1998 negotiations alliance were coming up with all sorts of silly policies to indulge their egos and trying to make their mark and to show that they were not a useless non entity)
    Alliance were also against the Hume Adams dialogue which undoubtedly laid the path for the Peace process. They were also against the Anglo Irish agreement which included enforcement of Fair employment legislation and to let nationalists fly the tricolours without being arrested and most importantly addressing the unfairness of partition by letting the Irish govt have an input. How can a party who claims they have committed to equality and peace ,be opposed to this. The Anglo Irish Agreement gave nationalists an equal tasked in NI and was a blow to support and drew allot of support away from the IRA.SDLP lead all these initiatives
    While only achievement alliance seemed to get was their members being made heads of quangos and getting into the unelected house of lords.
    Everybody knows SDLP cant out green SF why doesn’t it get back to presenting a radical and logical vision that appeals to peoples senses .I think Mc Devitt had it right that they should appeal on bread and butter issues and what he has said about what effect a united Ireland would have on our most poor and vulnerable.
    This is code for we cant afford a united Ireland(lets be honest we cant ,many sdlp and /sf members must know this in their heart of hearts) it would have a detrimental effect in our quality of life .Imagine how areas of West Belfast , Bogside and other deprived areas would suffer with the with drawl of health, housing and unemployment benefits. Do we really want to join up with a Conservative South this along with many factors such as our massive reliance on British public sector must make us realise .Would we be any better under a total unitary Ireland free of British rule , lets be realistic about it NO! As John Hume and many others have said you ‘Cant eat a flag’
    Should the SDLP an Republicanism not focus on a realistic and challenging vision an’ agreed Ireland’ making stronger links with the south in areas of Environment, Energy and Investment that will tangibly improve our daily lives and economic well. Lets get rid of outdated and infective bodies like Invest NI and Join up with the far more effective IDA and tourism NI (what is the point)
    This could excite and motivate nationalists and progressives who didn’t vote. The united Ireland by 2016 lets be honest to quote what Neil Kinnock once said of the Labour Militant wings goals that they were irrelevant to the real needs of real people’.
    Is the unitary model outdated and really that realistic?? Should the SDLP not lead this vision

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