Comments on The Pensive Quill: Victory to Blanketmen

John, manipulation of the situation has focussed t...

2009-10-03T18:07:05.458+01:00

John, manipulation of the situation has focussed the minds of many in recent times. It extends beyond the hunger strike. Time out of number I have heard that question asked 'what was it for?'

Westie, I think now the evidence points clearly to...

2009-10-03T18:04:04.449+01:00

Westie, I think now the evidence points clearly to the Brits coming in with an offer, that the prisoners said yes, the leadership said not enough. The why rather than the what is what tasks minds now. Of course a Dictaphone might settle matters - but for someone to say it was doctored by securocrats.
It adds nothing to the debate to smear Fitzgerald. Your opponents will only point to

Interested There may be some common figures in pl...

2009-10-02T22:56:54.154+01:00

Interested

There may be some common figures in place between the then and now, but it wasn't so much the individuals I was talking about as to the circumstances, the tensions, the stakes and the determination of our people inside and outside the jail at that time as opposed to the recent and current political decision making. There were other key figures involved as well at that

Thank you, AM I will look up some of these and yo...

2009-10-02T21:56:23.165+01:00

Thank you, AM

I will look up some of these and you are right being removed from the day-to-day obviously affects perception.

I suppose the most troubling aspect of what you write and what I have read elsewhere or viewed online is the sense of dignity, humility and humanity that was displayed by many of you and your comrades - with the 10 hunger-strikers and their families

Westie, good to hear from you again. I don't ...

2009-10-02T21:39:43.438+01:00

Westie, good to hear from you again. I don't think that the approach you suggest it valid. Should we ignore science and just stick to the bible? What do we do when evidence comes up that suggests another way of looking at things? If you choose to believe the SF narrative, fine. People can believe what they want. But nothing should be placed in the way of somebody developing an alternative

John, I suppose not being directly involved in the...

2009-10-02T21:31:40.983+01:00

John, I suppose not being directly involved in the struggle allows you to escape the shibboleths so many of us involved were shackled to.

Yes there was stuff done on this. It is the type of question I would frequently get asked at conferences or by students/academics doing research. So most of the discourse around it would be recorded by those types. From memory there were also

TP "I think there is a danger in trying to a...

2009-10-02T13:51:48.186+01:00

TP
"I think there is a danger in trying to associate the past with the present”. Sorry but not sure I understand the statement it seems to me that the leaders involved in 1981 are the same leaders today and from there own admission except Gerry Adams were all members of the Provo’s so they had to be close to the heart of all that was happening. Martin Mc Guinness was there in 1981 and

Anthony 'It has not been demonstrated that th...

2009-10-01T23:00:35.596+01:00

Anthony

'It has not been demonstrated that the SF leadership sabotaged a deal rather than merely played a poor hand. The longer the debate goes on, however, the worse SF seems to look.'

I think there is a danger in trying to associate the past with the present in this, all too important and sensitive issue for us all.

I think the only truth that will ever

AM Not having been directly involved in the strug...

2009-10-01T20:21:51.366+01:00

AM

Not having been directly involved in the struggle - can you give me your opinion of what should have happened in the 90s instead of going down the path to the current arrangement. If you have outlined this elsewhere just point me to the link but I just want to get some context.

Regards

A case of maners and decency I think on your part ...

2009-10-01T19:26:06.148+01:00

A case of maners and decency I think on your part Anthony. That's why you make the destinction. I'm not generally rude..cynical posibly..but I've seen too many cute hoors and sociopathic creeps in a small place to care about P'S and Q's...if they advocate it..or if the hat fits...stay well clear!

We all owe a debt to Richard O'Rawe and those ...

2009-10-01T09:20:56.414+01:00

We all owe a debt to Richard O'Rawe and those who have supported and encouraged him. This is a very complex tale, but one thing that is not complex is the truth.

There is absolutely no valid reason that I can see why the truth should not have come out without O'Rawe being put though what the ringer. Beyond that is the way some people within SF have traditionally come to do

Larry, no doubt it is thick but accuracy is vital ...

2009-09-30T22:05:18.328+01:00

Larry, no doubt it is thick but accuracy is vital in these things. I think his behaviour has been disgraceful but I would never label him a tout. Although for him and others to be currently advocating a strategy of touting I sometimes wonder why I bother making the distinction.

agh I think his skin is thick enough at this stage...

2009-09-30T21:31:41.534+01:00

agh I think his skin is thick enough at this stage lol old steaknife might have been sacrificed to protect him lol rolling about the floor with laughter! bit of a pantomime at this stage.

Larry, admittedly I don’t follow it any where near...

2009-09-30T20:13:53.800+01:00

Larry, admittedly I don’t follow it any where near as closely as I would have done some years ago. It amounts to a claim being made that a deal could have been reached before the fifth hunger striker died. Why it was not secured is a matter for discussion. It has not been demonstrated that the SF leadership sabotaged a deal rather than merely played a poor hand. The longer the debate goes on,

Anthony, living abroad for a while and now in the ...

2009-09-30T09:46:21.069+01:00

Anthony, living abroad for a while and now in the Southern part of this island I've not really followed the debate on this too closely. I don't buy Northern papers. What I gather is there was a possibility of a deal before the 5th hungerstrker died but SF leadership were more interested in ratcheting up the support that the crisis was bulding. Is this close to the mark? They unnecessarily