War is an ugly business and should be only adopted as a last resort after the exhaustion of all other options. The First World War is a very apposite example of a completely unnecessary war between the European imperial powers which escalated out of control due to a network of treaties. The fallen represent tragedy not triumph. The poppy is the ambivalent symbol of this war. It signifies both the tragedy and the ‘glory’ of war with the incongruous and full endorsement of the main Christian Churches. It begs the question as to how we should commemorate war.
We may also ask was the Irish war of Independence really necessary when a viable, peaceful political pathway to Irish independence already existed? The ensuing conflict led eventually to the partition of the island and terrible carnage on both sides of the border. This was definitely not the outcome that the various adversaries desired.
Could the pursuit of the peaceful, political campaign based on establishing Home Rule/dominion status for all Ireland have avoided these disastrous consequences? Unionists, given time to consider their position, may have eventually opted for ‘Home Rule’ with adequate safeguards and inducements. Nationalists would have been given maximum devolution and the opportunity to achieve freedom without the blood sacrifice. It would have probably taken much longer but would have avoided the blood bath.
Was it prudent, in the case of the two main ROI political parties, to make this armed rebellion a part of their foundation myth? It seems ironic that they continue to simultaneously condemn recent IRA violence and eulogise the violent revolutionaries of the past. Unionism also hypocritically condemns the IRA and extols the activities of the pre-war UVF – their own illegal, private army which was the first of that era in Ireland.
This equivocation in relation to violence is now proving to be a political disaster given the imminent ‘centenary commemorations’. It is providing Sinn Féin with the means to claim this historical narrative and justify past Provisional IRA terrorism. Sinn Féin, quite logically from their perspective, can draw a direct line from the War of Independence to the ‘armed struggle’ of the IRA. Both wars led to untold misery and resolved nothing. Minority grievances within NI were mainly addressed through the Civil Rights movement which completely opposed violence.
The IRA campaign was also rooted in the martyrdom of Patrick Pearse.
Surely this veneration of warfare cannot represent the spirit of the upcoming remembrance events which should be aimed at reconciling former enemies. It might be useful to remind everyone that Arthur Griffith, the founder of Sinn Féin, was a pacifist.
GEORGE WORKMAN
Donacarney, Co Meath
Let’s have less of head-in-the-sand populist rhetoric
I would like to commend Brian Feeney’s take (December 9) on the reasoning behind Arlene Foster’s request to meet with Micheál Martin re, Irish State involvement in IRA killings during the Troubles. His succinct observations on her underlying rationale for such a meeting (at such a time) smacks again of pandering to the herd and the old chestnut of deflection politics.
No doubt, like others in her party, Arlene is well-educated and articulate but education and articulation would appear to be misspent when a modicum of wit or common sense from so-called leaders is grossly lacking.
Think about the logic.
Legacy issues are anchored in the bay due to political posturing, whataboutery and game playing. If all political parties at Stormont would stand united regarding a demand for an independent inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane, and this achieved success, would a precedent not be set on legacy progress and therefore, in effect, benefit everyone’s case, nationalist and unionist alike?
Would it not blast open the steel vault doors of the Tory government’s resolute reluctance for the evidence to out and set a path for all others’ pursuit of the truth? So, let’s have less of the head-in-the-sand, populist rhetoric Arlene, and look up the word leadership in any dictionary.
P LAVERY
Belfast BT11
Did Dickens have Sammy in mind?
During the last nine months few pleasures have equalled revisiting the novels of Charles Dickens, in tandem with beholding the benighted pronouncements and comical behaviour of the mercurial MP for East Antrim.
This juxtaposition reached its apogee when I reflected on the description of Mr Scadder in Martin Chuzzlewit. “The weather being hot, he had no cravat, and he wore his shirt collar wide open, so that every time he spoke something was seen to twitch and jerk up in his throat, like the little hammers in a harpsichord when the notes are stuck. Perhaps it was the truth feebly endeavouring to leap from his lips. If so, it never reached them.”
I wonder did Dickens have Sammy in mind?
NOLLAIG O’FARRAIGH
Ard Mhacha
Robert is surely having a laugh
After reading Robert Sullivan’s letter – ‘Masterful politician’ (December 11) – and also having read his numerous letters over the years, I have come to the conclusion that he’s not a real person, it has been a creation to give us all a laugh during these difficult times and it has. So, thank you ‘Robert’.
JIM McALINDEN
Dungannon, Co Tyrone
Opposed to Biden invite
The SDLP, Sinn Féin and Alliance parties have invited Joe Biden to visit Belfast. I wonder why? Biden wrote a crime bill which in his own words stopped short of hanging jay walkers but which resulted in an exponential increase in the number of black and brown people being incarcerated. That scoundrel Trump introduced law reforms which saw those numbers decrease by more than 25 per cent. Kamala Harris had to be forced to release prisoners while attorney general for California by federal decree. Joe enthusiastically supported the war in Iraq while claiming he did so to prevent war in Iraq (go figure). That scoundrel Trump didn’t even start one – an utter disgrace. Uncle Joe has supported warmongering throughout his political life. Waken up.
P McKEOWN
Newtownabbey, Co Antrim
