Presidential Protest

I remember some time ago writing about the visit of the Queen to Belfast, and how much I hoped that people from the Nationalist community would not do anything to upset the day. I also remember not hearing of anything actually taking place. How different the picture looks when the Irish President makes a visit to a school in Coleraine.

I can't express how, i don't know, annoyed? this makes me. Having grown up through childhood as a unionist with a unionist family, I was always told that "we" were better than "them", more reasonable, less violent, and that if there was any trouble it was sure to be the other side who was to blame. Even after thinking for myself and making the change to become a Republican, there are still those in my family who would try to get me to buy this nonsense. And nonsense it is, as the evidence clearly shows.

The unionist community are really letting themselves down. But isn't this how it's always been? Unionism always has to be right, no matter what it does. Or that's what they tell themselves anyway.

According to Gregory Campbell of the DUP, the President invited this upon herself:

I look forward to the day when there won't be any contoversy but she herself has added to that contoversy.

By this of course he is reffering to the infamous Nazi comments of three years ago. Perhaps the main reason for this continuing strong reaction is that there is in fact an element of truth in it. A truth that Unionists simply don't want the world to see.

As I have said, I was raised in a unionist household. I know firsthand the kind of thing she was talking about. Ok, "Protestants" didn't try to exterminate "Roman Catholics", but surprisingly enough this isn't what the President had said. Her comment that they were raised to hate the other side, to think of them as inferior, is justified by history. The South African Apartheid state looked to Northern Ireland as a shining example of how a state could be run. The concept of compromising with Republicans frightens Unionists so much simply because they do not see them as being their equals.

Mary's comments were un-balanced, it's true. The same fostering of hatred against "Protestants" was done by "Catholics" as well. But never from a state level. And how exactly can you expect her to relay completely balanced opinions when she is identifying with what she experienced in her own childhood at what must have been an emotionaly charged visit to the sites of the Holocaust?

As for comparing her visit to the north with her other statement of the conditions upon which a Royal visit to the Republic would be possible, I could almost laugh at the sheer hypocracy of these people. As head of state, it is well within her remit to voice any concerns or prerequisite requirements for such a visit. As far as I'm aware, there has been nothing of the kind regarding her visiting Northern Ireland, or any other part of the UK for that matter. Also, I can't remember ever hearing that the Queen was offended or put out by her comments.

Protesters can call her Republic scum and tell her to "F*** off home" all they want to, without realising perhaps that she's from the north herself. All they are doing, and all people like them on both sides ever do, is shame themselves.