UUP Larne Borough Councillor Mark Dunn had an platform piece published in today’s Newsletter in which he challanges the percievied ideological supremacy the Republican movement purveys over the hunger strikes.
Unionism should be willing not only support and represent the innocent victims of the troubles, but also challenge the majority voice of nationalism’s tailored story glorifying a sustained sectarian murder campaign to a relatively unscarred generation of young people.
One truth that escapes Sinn Fein Youth’s story to young nationalists is that the prisoners who went on hunger strike were not in prison due to their belief in a united Ireland, or even obtaining one through force. They were sentenced for crimes including murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to murder, bombing, hijacking and membership of nationalist murder gangs.
He also expresses concern at the percievied motivation of nationalists voting Sinn fein to many unionists.
The problem is, that it is not an unreasonable conclusion for law abiding people to draw from this campaign, that a vote for Sinn Fein is a vote for retrospectively legitimising murder.
I used to write and get paid, now I read and don’t.
Former UUP staffer, currently living in London. @mjshilliday
Discover more from Slugger O'Toole
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
