Long time ago I discounted the ‘Glum Family’ on account of their irrelevancy suppressing progress. Exasperatingly on the other hand the nagging , self appointed , self righteous, interfering ‘great and the good ‘ elitists are sickeningly worse.
One important distinction. I do not hold such opinions about those who effectively do good – who set good examples- who contribute to helping the less fortunate. Good people I consider to be heroes. As for the bootless ‘do gooder’ circle of intemperate worthies, it is time overdue that they were called out and tested or found out and suitably rested.
Why aren’t the great and the good who are aggressive in bringing together the Island of Ireland Irish so reticent in sponsoring a conversation solidifying the Northern Irish in the United Kingdom ? Why is it that Peace, an all Ireland Economy, Brexit or Sinn Fein’s New Ireland plan tilts the agenda one way only in the opposite direction of consolidating the Union?
Are the anti Brit liberal elitists so dismissive of the massive contribution made to outlaw rewards for rebellion and terrorism that they cannot concede that Unionism and Loyalism also played a pivotal role in the peace process and remain still representative of the overall majority identity allegiance here?
Since the Belfast Good Friday Agreement not once in the past 22 years has the do gooder crowd made an effort to talk up the inalienable rights of the Northern Irish British. Have these sanctimonious apologists for unionists like me whom they consider to be an embarrassment in their way, nothing more to offer than acting as surrogates for the Irish Unity process
How about considering ‘equally’ the proposition to energise a positive conversation devised to create a New Northern Irish shared identity within the U.K. It is really a no brainer! The best yet as a viable solution to stopping division.
Look at the waste and expense in providing fifteen leisure centres in Belfast where in any other comparable population area , seven leisure centres would be more than adequate. It is a damnable indictment of a sectarian divide which does not cross over to allow people to even enjoy exercise and keep fit.
Such in built division serves to create identity cantons which are allowed to fester in a constant state of engineered community crisis. Yet the shameful great and the good worthies thrive on using division as the catalyst to promote only one kind of unity-Irish unification. This brigade of do gooders could actually do real good by walking the walk with unionists. They could bring Northern Nationalism to accept the challenge of uniting the Northern Irish in the U.K. They could foster the unionist spirit of selling Northern Ireland as a potentially vibrant safe house with outstanding and unique opportunities to develop a Northern Irish character inspiring a brilliant quality of life.
Next year Unionism will celebrate – Nationalism will not, Northern Ireland reaching a landmark 100 years in existence. Surviving a century is a remarkable achievement which ‘everyone’ should mark with popular recognition. Few should begrudge the right of unionists to rejoice.
Unfortunately I cannot envisage the great and the good set signing up for another 100 years. They should –Yes! They damn well should at least engage to give Northern Ireland a chance to be united.
Unionism needs to adjust from within itself to be taken seriously by non- unionists in pursuit of embracing A New United Northern Ireland. This unionist has no fear of contradiction by his peers in stipulating that unionism must convince constitutional nationalism in Northern Ireland to enter into the conversation about joint endorsement of the concept of uniting the Northern Irish-British and the Northern Irish-Irish.
Finally , call it the 22 years later transition period which no one implemented as the unionist portion of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement. Did anyone at the time work out how the plans initiated in 1998 were to benefit unionism –No they did not! There has to be a concerted effort now to sit down, talk and decide that it is worthwhile to think through what are the unionist dividends to be paid out? How for instance will the future pan out for us Northern Irelanders should we crack the division and make a Northern Irish identity be the new passport to unite us? That’s some powerful prize surely worth winning.
