The Guardian’s leader on Saturday, declares that at the very least Hugh Orde’s pointing of fingers may lead many to believe that Ian Paisley was right about Sinn Fein after all.
…it is a reminder of the deep rootedness of a degree of armed criminality in Irish political life, north and south of the border, which even a completely united Ireland would no longer prevent. Tens of thousands of people will to vote for Sinn Féin this year, as they did last year. Their votes are entitled to respect, and other parties – and the British government – are bound to continue to look for safe compromises and common ground with them. But respect for their party is another matter. Those who continue to vote for Sinn Féin should think about what they are doing. If nothing else, they have achieved the improbable feat of making decent people listen to the Democratic Unionist party and wonder whether Ian Paisley may have been right after all.
Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
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