Comments on The Pensive Quill: Wrong Tune

Westie, sorry. That was me posted just above Anth...

2009-08-05T10:55:21.130+01:00

Westie, sorry. That was me posted just above

Anthony

Westie, very briefly. Look at how the Adams intern...

2009-08-05T10:51:15.404+01:00

Westie, very briefly. Look at how the Adams international campaign ofr unity is laughed at when considering the campaign by Conor Murphy. It was viewed a lot like the march for truth along the Falls, something not to be taken seriously. That ended up being ridiculed as the march for half the truth. I see nothing in these things that will secure their supposed objective.

As for the

Anthony I know the main issue you have is the Ref...

2009-08-03T22:38:32.339+01:00

Anthony

I know the main issue you have is the Reformist v Republican question.

However, do you genuinely not believe that SF and the body of people that represent/support the party are not sincere and committed in their quest for a Free and Independent Ireland. You'll probably know that Conor Murphy is to lead a country wide project over the coming months/year to engage

Westie, we can only agree to differ on the issue o...

2009-08-02T12:24:05.797+01:00

Westie, we can only agree to differ on the issue of commemorations. My logic is more persuasive to me than it is to you and vice versa. In my view it is impossible to stand shoulder to shoulder with Willie McCrea and the PSNI against republicans while at the same time honouring the republican dead, some of whom died at their hands or as a result of their prompting.

Furthermore, this is

Anthony I thought the last post read like one of ...

2009-08-01T19:20:25.585+01:00

Anthony

I thought the last post read like one of yours and had actually addressed my response to you before I read it again!

Personally, I think you are being a little disingenuous with regard to SF's motivation for commemorating the fallen republicans of our past. A lot of time, effort and money have gone into establishing fitting memorials and the places and events act

Westie, sorry for forgetting to sign off on the la...

2009-08-01T15:23:28.245+01:00

Westie, sorry for forgetting to sign off on the last post you replied to. It was me, Anthony who wrote it but with being away mastering the different format has defied me!

The reason SF put so much into commemorating the past is that they don´t want it torn from their grasp by somebody else. Seems simple enough. It is a matter of positioning themselves in the eys of a section of their

Westie I am not a dissident and don’t subscribe t...

2009-08-01T01:40:13.710+01:00

Westie

I am not a dissident and don’t subscribe to the militant theory of pulling a wheelbarrow from the front weighed down with dead history.
You assumed that I must be a dissident for having a go at Sinn Fein’s policy of criminalizing republicans even if you don’t agree it would be a difficult task to prove otherwise considering the well documented statements from the leadership

Anonymous I have chosen to stay with the mainstre...

2009-07-31T23:10:36.910+01:00

Anonymous

I have chosen to stay with the mainstream Republican Movement for a whole host of reasons that are not the subject of this post or many other that appear on the forum. Just one very minor but important example, if Sinn Féin are so anti Irish Republican, why do we put so much effort into ensuring that our brave dead are continually remembered with dignity and pride year on

Westie, I would not make too much of the supposed ...

2009-07-31T08:00:32.759+01:00

Westie, I would not make too much of the supposed difference between the community attitude to rioting in the 80s and today. Apart from the hunger strike era I imagine people found rioting a serious inconvenience. That was how it was as we moved through the 70s away fronm the early years. By 1976 when the riots were going on over Frank Stagg people hated them. And of course the SDLP response was

Tain Bo - I obviously don't agree with all you...

2009-07-29T21:26:40.955+01:00

Tain Bo - I obviously don't agree with all your views on SF and i'm sure there'll be other debates.

Anthony - Sorry to have disappointed you a chara.

Maybe as a minority view on the forum, I am falling into the time honoured position of 'defending your corner, no matter what'.

A useful discussion as always, and one to ponder and follow up on at

Westie, since the start of time people have forsak...

2009-07-29T18:12:56.049+01:00

Westie, since the start of time people have forsaken causes to become what they previously opposed. In their defence they have invariably cited ´things have changed.´ Also since the start of time radicals have critiqued those who have abandoned causes by means of measuring the gap between what was promised and what was delivered. It is a legitimate mechanism of accountability. Those who abandon

Westie I agree with you that the stone throwing d...

2009-07-28T18:39:14.535+01:00

Westie

I agree with you that the stone throwing days should remain in the past and more importantly the militant days are over which leaves only dialogue.
I am not a strategist though see little point in Sinn Fein losing future voters/supporters by condemning residents (the mostly rioting youths) and not putting the real reason for the minor rioting on the sectarian marchers. The

Tain Bo I suppose I must have spoken with differe...

2009-07-27T23:11:05.954+01:00

Tain Bo

I suppose I must have spoken with different Ardoybne residents than yourself and that is fine - I know there is divisions within Ardoyne and the surrounding areas which reflect the wider debate this forum permits.

I am certainly not flag waving and you were right to highlight the long standing cause of the problem, i.e. the totally unnecessary loyalist return march

Westie I spoke with quite a few Ardoyne residents ...

2009-07-27T01:02:03.245+01:00

Westie
I spoke with quite a few Ardoyne residents including family members who live there rather than watch videos or listen to the state reports. They have a different view from your sources as for outsiders agitating Mr. Gerry Kelly is not exactly a local of Ardoyne so to dispute who can and cannot enter into the area is ridiculous.
I am unclear what media source denied plastic

Can't agree with the direct comparisons betwee...

2009-07-25T18:55:02.800+01:00

Can't agree with the direct comparisons between SF now and the SDLP position in the eighties. One reason for this - every Ardoyne resident I heard from was totally disgusted at the wreckage and ruin going on the area by kids and a lot of outsiders. I don't think there were too many residents in nationalist areas during the eighties who strongly opposed what the majority of young men in

It's not so long ago the shinners used to refe...

2009-07-21T11:34:42.571+01:00

It's not so long ago the shinners used to refer to the SDLP as the 'Stoop Down Low Party' when they themselves have 'Stooped Further!'

The truth according to who ever wants to believe i...

2009-07-20T22:25:07.295+01:00

The truth according to who ever wants to believe it. I find the content of the post amusing, great to see Gerry Kelly stand up and defend Stormont and also make such comments about rioting and shooting at his police force, has he forgotten how he and his comrades vilified SDLP and Peace campaigners for exactly what he is now condemning, how long will Sinn Fein voters listen to and support this

Starry Plough, it is a good question and one I wou...

2009-07-20T18:42:43.287+01:00

Starry Plough, it is a good question and one I would like to elaborate on at some length. So, I will put a piece together explaining why I think it is an appropriate descriptive term based on an underlying analytical assumption. If you feel it needs to be critiqued after that, as you may well do, then you can have full space in the blog to do so rather than have your response tucked away as a

Good strong points as ever and the difficulty for ...

2009-07-20T10:29:52.774+01:00

Good strong points as ever and the difficulty for Sinn Féin in criticising others for doing exactly what they did themseleves, is clear to see.

One point I am struggling with in your posts though is the term catholic politican. The church is dying, many if not most people who vote SF, or any party for that manner, are no longer church going. So why the use of this phrase. I simply find