Parading Their Differences



I've been reading Jeremy Paxman's book 'The English - A Portrait of a People' recently and was struck by his description of the ugly Orange Marches whose participants pretend to be celebrating their 'Britishness' every year.

Yet in reality, as Jeremy Paxman points out, the Unionists are all about parading religious differences and their virulently anti-Catholic outlook which is why they are not remotely like 'the rest of us' since the vast majority of people in the UK have a live and let live attitude to life.

Jeremy Paxman 

"For a while after the Acts of Union some people - and acts of Parliament - called Scotland 'North Britain' and England 'South Britain', self-consciously referring back to a time before England. The hugely ambitious took to calling Ireland 'West Britain'. All were making a political point and the terms are almost identical now: the North British call themselves Scots, while the South British are as or more likely to say they are English or Welsh as British.

The only place where this rule does not apply is the north of Ireland, where Catholics will tell you they're Irish and Protestants will claim to be British. But they too are making a political point. The Orange parades in Northern Ireland, those booming, swaggering, marches every 12 July, are almost the only popular rituals to celebrate Britishness in the British Isles. (The others are official events like Trooping the Colour or semi-official, flag-waving sessions like the last night of the Proms.)

But the sight of thin-lipped old men in bowler hats and arrange sashes marching to their pipe-and-drum bands mean nothing to the rest of Britain. The paradox is that this great proclamation of belonging, that the Ulster 'loyalists' are in some deep sense the same as the rest of us, merely serves to make them look utterly different."   

Whites Only BBQ (5 July 2014)


The hard won peace process in Northern Ireland is under siege again as religious bigots insist they have a civil 'right' to parade and celebrate bogus cultural values under the noses of and in the faces of their neighbours - a bit like people demanding the freedom to hold a 'whites only' barbecue in the former slave states of America, if you ask me.

Donaldson says loyalist parade response 'will be peaceful'

Loyalists have held a protest camp in north Belfast since last year's ruling

Loyalist paramilitaries will take a "peaceful approach" over the restriction of a contentious parade, DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson has said.

A joint unionist statement was issued by parties including the paramilitary-linked Progressive Unionist Party and Ulster Political Research Group.

Mr Donaldson said those parties had pledged there would be no violence.

Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness said when large crowds are on the streets, it was "something that cannot be controlled".

"The agenda in north Belfast is being led by the UVF and the Orange Order," said the deputy first minister.

"I think it's very disappointing that we have now seen effectively the Ulster Unionist Party and the DUP throw in their lot with those who would attempt to foment conflict on the streets."

Police were attacked by loyalists in the Woodvale area of north Belfast on 12 July 2013 after the same parade was restricted
Police were attacked by loyalists after the same parade was restricted last year

On Thursday, unionist parties walked out of talks about contentious issues in Northern Ireland, in protest at the Parades Commission barring an Orange Order march from returning along part of north Belfast's Crumlin Road on 12 July.

The road separates unionist and nationalist communities in north Belfast, and it is the second year in a row that the commission has ruled against the return leg of the 12 July parade marching along the route.

In recent years, there has been serious rioting in the area.

A joint statement by the DUP, Ulster Unionists, Traditional Unionist Voice, Progressive Unionist Party and Ulster Political Research Group talked of a "graduated response" to the Parades Commission's determination.

Mr Donaldson said further announcements about their plans would be made later on Friday, but they were "seeking to develop a programme that will enable people to channel their frustration about this, but in a constructive, non-violent and peaceful way".

'Clear statement'

He said the importance of the joint statement was that political representatives of the UVF and UDA had committed to a non-violent response.

"We can only seek to use our influence - at the end of the day, we are not in a position to direct people and to order them into what they should do," he said.

"We rely on others to use their influence, and I take it at face value the commitments that have been given.

"If it turns out that people do engage in violence they have to answer for that, and we will hold them to account.

"That's why we wanted to bind people into a clear, unequivocal statement which makes clear that violence and unlawfulness can be no part in what we are seeking to achieve."

Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt said the 'graduated response' would "become more obvious as the days and weeks roll out".

"All I'm prepared to say at the moment is that graduated is not necessarily the same as escalated, and everything we do will be lawful and peaceful," he said.

Mr Nesbitt added: "What we have done collectively as unionist leaders is show leadership and say 'you don't have to do this any other way but politically'.

"As political leaders, we are prepared to act and react when people are not treated fairly."

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said the walkout was part of an "escalating crisis within the political process" in Northern Ireland.

"This week we warned David Cameron that the political process in the north is deteriorating," he said.

"We told him that the British and Irish governments, as co-equal guarantors of the agreement, should not acquiesce to unionist threats and must ensure continuing progress and this has to include implementing agreements already made that are the sole responsibility of the two governments."

Martin McGuinness told BBC Radio Foyle he believed First Minister Peter Robinson's position was being weakened by elements within the DUP "who are hostile to being in government with Sinn Féin and the whole concept of equality".

Asked if he felt Mr Robinson was a "lame-duck first minister", the deputy first minister said: "It appears that no decisions can be taken by the leadership of the DUP without the agreement of what I consider to be extreme elements within the party.

"He has not been able to take decisions - you can make your own judgement on that."

Ugly Face (1 July 2014)



The ugly face of Glasgow is on show at the moment as a series of dreary 'Orange Walks' parade through the city to celebrate the victory of Prince William of Orange over King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. 

Now unlike other wars and battles, the tone here is not one of commemoration and sadness about the loss of life caused by these conflicts - where both sides pay their respects to those who fought and died. 

Unlike, for example, the recent inclusive ceremonies in France to commemorate the earth shaking events of World War Two where the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, stood side by side with the French President, Francois Hollande, and the UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, while emphasising their common bonds and shared values.

But that's not what the Orange Walks are all about, not for a minute, because these ugly parades are all about triumphalism and celebrating a great 'victory' over historical enemies - they are exclusive, elitist events which set out to parade differences instead of bringing people together on a cross community basis.

And what drives the Orange Walks is good old-fashioned religious bigotry which is sad to see in this day and age, but looking on the bright side these events are slowly dwindling and losing their significance too most Scots who can find other ways to celebrate their culture and identity.      

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