I find this very hard to say this but I just watched the RTE news and saw the McCartney family press conference, I was absolutely disgusted to see them with two "journalists" from the Sunday World at their sides. There is not a shadow of a doubt that the families campaign is fully justified and should be supported but I now firmly believe they are being manipulated by anti republican elements. I can see sticky fingers all over this!
If there is so much fear to come forward with information how come journalists seem to know so much?

Anti- peace process elements, Brit Securocrats, Worried Southern politicians and now it's all the media? It won't wash BWD.

I imagine the McCartney family are intelligent enough to have realised from the outset that in order to attain and maintain a high profile for their campaign it would, by definition, require dealing with all aspects of the media.
They would have known as well that the price for that would be certain sections of the media using the case for their own ends - it's a trade off, simple as that.
The same applies to a lot of the political interest.

I made a prediction on here that the republicans would make some maegre offering towards the family and, once the family rejected those as insufficient, it would accuse them of being manipulated and the demonization of the family would commence. It appears that the prediction is starting to appear to have been correct.

The McCartneys are themselves Sinn Fein voting republicans so I think they have a fair idea about what they are doing and who they are dealing with. If the IRA does not want a media circus probing their activites then they should stop murdering people are robbing banks.

may be you picked me up wrong I am not trying to demonise the family nor am I blaming the Securocrats etc, the individuals responsible should receive no mercy from the courts and the family are right in what they are doing, no hesitation in saying that, but it would appear they are being manipulated by gutter journalism at its worst. I could take bets the Sunday World will name further people tomorrow jeopardising any chance of a fair trial

BWD- without the media this would have been swept under the carpet. The RM is happy with the media attention when it suits and never a worry about fair trials when they use the media - including their own media - in cases THEY want pursued. Remember that poor devil of a civil servant smeared by MM ?

Josephine Milnes paints a disturbing picture of what life is really like living in a republican area. Everyone should take note, not just nationalists, but Unionists need to understand what is going on and offer some sympathy to those who are under this cosh.
Its easy to condemn the IRA and Sinn Fein, but spare a thought for the little people caught up in the cross fire living in fear.
We need a people's campaign.

I am glad to see people standing behind the people of the Ardoyne, the Short Strand and other enclaves.

I wonder where these people where, when the same communities were under attack by loyalists mobs, and Death squads.

I am sure many stood with unionist politicians, and the police, when they villified those communities.

It is a myth to suggest that thes communities live in feear of the Republican movement, that is witnessed by the fact that these people go out in their droves, without coercion to vote for Sinn Fein.

These people also look to republicans to proect them from drug dealers and hoods, as well as from loyalists.

It is clearly time to move forward to a new situation when these people can have an accountable and representative police service. Sinn Fein will play its roll in delivering it.

It is a myth to suggest that thes communities live in feear of the Republican movement

How do you know ? I'll take the word of locals like
Ms Milne over someone thousands of miles away.
The proof is that 70 people kept quiet when a well-liked local man was butchered. That's fear.

Spirit-Level
"but Unionists need to understand what is going on and offer some sympathy to those who are under this cosh."

Not much imagination required "to understand" seeing as the same thing is going on in their own areas.

I know much more than u Davros, my family is from the Strand. And I have family in friends in west Belfast.

What was that Nationalist area you say u live in?

Whats the word on the street in your hood?

Paddy, when's the last time you were in the Short Strand ? Things have moved on. You should come back some time.

Were you ever in the strand Roger?

I remember not so long ago the Short Strand being attacked, stoned, shot at, and petrol bombed, and the residents being blamed for it and villified by unionists, the police, and the press. It seems not much has changed at all.

I remember not so long ago the Short Strand being attacked, stoned, shot at, and petrol bombed, and the residents being blamed for it and villified by unionists, the police, and the press. It seems not much has changed at all.

First hand or via media reports ?

Paddy, since I'm not a unionist, a police officer or a member of the press I'm not sure why you're directing that comment at me.

Jacko
"Not much imagination required "to understand" seeing as the same thing is going on in their own areas"
Straight up you're right,
both sides need deliverence.

Roger WHy am I directing that comment at you?

Because you directed this at me:

"Paddy, when's the last time you were in the Short Strand ? Things have moved on. You should come back some time."

If you have never been in the strand, how would you know if things had changed?

And Davros, from first hand account.

a.k.a 'Hearsay' :)

no, personal testimony of people who lived in one of the streets involved, not hearsay.

Talking of hearsay, on what do you base your views of recent events, if not hearsy, inuendo, dodgy intelligence, and unresearched media opinion?

Davros tell us about your first hand experience, or are you just a smug, armchair, pedantic know it all? Thats a question, not an accusation.

And by the way Davros it is interesting that you dismiss attacks on Nationalist enclaves as "Hearsay", when you are so eager to tar all republicans with the brush of criminality, based not on proven fact, or solid evidence, but on opinion, and dare I say it "Hearsay"!

PC- hearsay is a technical term :)
I'm busy reading about Gerry and the Hunger Strikes, so I'll not explain the concept to you.

Davros, Is that your answer to my question:

"are you just a smug, armchair, pedantic know it all?"

It's the only answer you are getting my American friend :) I don't fancy a yellow or red card.

Davros

>It's the only answer you are getting my American friend

ummmmmm......just a hunch, but I don't think PC is American.

Unless, of course, you were just trying to wind him up ;-)

Wind up eh?

Davros, I am as American as you are British!

When was the last time you lived in Britain!

I live in the United Kingdom which is part of the British Isles P-C. My flag is the Union flag and the Queen is on my currency and my stamps.

I must have hit the funnybone.

Davros
I invite you to Brighton for St.Pats
are you so disposed sir? ;)

Brighton ? I'll let you know closer to the time ... and in part depending on the score today ;)

"If you have never been in the strand, how would you know if things had changed?"

Where did I say I'd never been in the Short Strand again ?

You came back to me with some stuff about the activities of the police, unionist politicans, loyalists and so on. Why ? I don't speak for any of those groups.

And to your other point, there's an awful lot of double standards in this discussion. On one hand people are prepared to accept what is being said in the community. On the other hand, when it suits them, the same people are prepared to deny what is being said in the community.

Has David Trimble been to the Short Strand recently at all or is he too busy playing golf elsewhere ?