I say again, let’s go through this for the less intelligent amongst us:

Why would unionists be interested in Sinn Feins manifesto?

"to the conflict created by Sinn Fein in the late 1960's"

Wow... your comments are an absurd example of bias. Whatever your political leanings this is a ridiculous statement.

Poitin, I think the point is that the whole SF manifesto is "an absurd example of bias."

Robert - know thine enemy. It's much easier to repudiate the myths in SF propaganda if you take the time to find out what lies they're actually spouting.

Robert - know thine enemy.

I'd prefer "its unionist taxes that would have to pay for Sinn Fein leftist crap if it were to be intorduced."

Michael, a great article. I produced something similar which was much less charitable to SF and also much more long winded - there was just so much drivel I couldn't stop writing - nearly 3000 words!

You misssed a couple of crackers, I think, with something Sinn Fein called for:
"changes to the inquest system [so] the wholesale abuse of the past will cease".
Yep, those more guilty than anyone of abusing the past are calling for others to stop it! You couldn't make it up! [pg 15]

and the revalation that not only are nationalists less likely to be in employment, they are also more likely to be unemployed! [pg 16]

Beano, your comment has been removed as it makes no sense now that the comment to which you were responding has been deleted A.U.

beano,

what are you implying?

"They feed off the inferiority complex of Nationalists and therefore it is not in their interests to shake off the victim mentality."

How depressing to find the same prejudices infecting the next generation of unionism.

beano

"the revalation that not only are nationalists less likely to be in employment, they are also more likely to be unemployed!"

in terms of government statistics, it's not a binary state - not that nationalist under-representation in the workforce would matter to you

I'm sorry MCT, I am not worried so much by underrepresentation as by discrimination and there is a difference. It's cute to notice that Sinn Fein only single out areas of nationalist/catholic underrepresentation though. Working class protestant males are underrepresented in hihger education in Northern Ireland - which I don't believe to be discrimination either, there are often other factors involved.

John - I'm stating that Sinn Fein are basically trying to use the same issue as 2 different reasons why nationalists are the most oppressed people ever.

With spelling like that, is it any wonder they're under-represented in higher education?

"Make no mistake, Sinn Fein have no notions of equality, they want affirmative action to the point of revenge."

A similar statement as to what a right-wing fanatic or a member of a white hate group, would say in the United States about affirmative action for African Americans. Birds of a feather?

"They feed off the inferiority complex of Nationalists and therefore it is not in their interests to shake off the victim mentality.""

Again, something like you would hear from a white hate group explaining why African Americans are not succeeding!

Working class protestant males are underrepresented in hihger education in Northern Ireland - which I don't believe to be discrimination either, there are often other factors involved.

Yeah Beano, they can't spell...or at least, if you're a working class protestant male, you're letting the side down

"revalation" (sic) I presume you mean revelation?

The other side to the coin is the totally onesided manifestos produced by unionist parties. One would think from reading them that there are no nationalists living in the north.

Unionists had eighty years to get their cold house for catholics in order - and they made a pigs ear of it. The party's over - for Trimble this week, for the DUP in the not too distant future.

Unionism is a bankrupt political idea and it's day has come and gone. Unionism, you are the weakest link, goodbye.

O Ch - by the same token Irish nationalism/republicanism has had over 100 years to provide a warm house for Northern Prods - and so far there's Billy Leonard and Ivan Cooper. By your reasoning Orange and green are both failures. I agree. Unionism and nationalism/republicanism have both failed miserably. 19th century political philosophies calling out to 17th and 12th century mentalities.

Forwards to a European socialist republic.

Flipping heck. Only "both" was supposed to be in bold. Sorry

In a way I agree with Davros - unionism, which is a form of nationalism, is a failed political idea. Republicanism - and I'm talking about broad republicanism - has yet to be allowed to prove its worth. Republicanism is my guiding light - and I intend to vote SF because that's the only way to get to the point where real broad republicanism can be made to work in an Irish context. None of the other parties - FF. FG. PD, LAB, - want anything to do with republicanism even though they proclaim loudly and shrilly their republicanism. They're only a bunch of mé féiner careerist partitionists.
After republicanism gets to pole position, the way is clear for socialism and all the other isms to persuade the people whose policy is the most equitable and effective.

With spelling like that, is it any wonder they're under-represented in higher education?

Posted by: beano; EverythingUlster.com at May 2, 2005 01:52 AM

Oilbhear

You make some good points and seem to be a republican idealist and as such I have a question for you.
Hasn't the behaviour of Sinn Fein over the years done nothing but besmirch the cause of true republicanism?? It seems to me that a legitimate political viewpoint has been hijacked by career criminals and gangsters who have used it to fulfil their own personal and private agendas.
Now that Sinn Fein has emerged as the mainstream party of not just republicanism, but also northern nationalism the outlook seems even bleaker. Don't you feel that you're republican ideals would be better served by republicans in the true sense of the word?????

The only rights abuses of Irish speakers that I can remember reading about have happened in the Republic, where folks have been unable to speak Irish in dealings with the government or hassled otherwise. There have been a fair number of those though, sadly. So I would say SF should work on that in the current Republic while they're waiting for the 32 county socialist one.

I see from where you are coming O Ch. I disagree with you, but you make more sense of Republicansism than most.
Cheers.

A similar statement as to what a right-wing fanatic or a member of a white hate group, would say in the United States about affirmative action for African Americans. Birds of a feather?

So you deny the point made? Sinn Fein genuinly wants equality for all?

same old same old slugger, again an awful lot of punters are reading this thread and wondering where the rules of officaldom are. this thread is just a slive of unionist drivel, this post is not even going to start picking apart the rubbish here, this post is directed at sluggers monitors.....

"...conflict created by Sinn Fein in the late 1960's..."

"...the inferiority complex of Nationalists..."

"....So Gerry Adams talking to himself the other week was about exposing UNIONIST intransigence. Not the refusal of the IRA to live up to seven year old promises and it was most definitely not prompted by a bank robbery and a murder...."

Remember folks Sluggers one and only rule "play the ball not the man, unless its a republican and then we will join you in bouncing up and down on him"

oh dear its my national victimhood showing again