McGuinness was not part of my movement
Since the death of Martin McGuinness on Tuesday my Facebook newsfeed has hardly been without a picture of him for a minute, many of these pictures are intended to be glowing tributes and show him looking like a great statesman or a young radical Republican, many more are pictures of him shaking hands with the British Queen or standing outside the steps of Stormont with Hugh Orde the RUC Chief as McGuinness notoriously proclaimed Republicans to be “Traitors to the Island of Ireland” It has been a few days now of the same thing repeated ad nauseam about this man, and a few days of high emotions in Republican circles as differing accounts of who and what Martin McGuinness was come to the surface. How did I react? I didn’t! I didn’t make a conscious effort to ignore the death of the former British Deputy first minister in Ireland, I just simply felt nothing. As a chatterbox with an opinion on near on everything, my silence led various people to privately contact me to ask wh
I agree with everything you have written, Cáit. The 4 province Federal solution should be promoted by Republicans now to prevent a greater Free State with the 6 Counties being tacked on as a semi-independent province becoming ingrained as the only possible united Ireland.
ReplyDeleteThe decentralisation that comes with Federalism should be embraced. I would support community councils, direct democracy at local level, petitions to force referenda etc. These things would help not only the running of the state but assist with the empowerment of the people which leads to a greater quality of life for citizens. Isn't that what Republicans and socialists want after all?
Agree, at the very least it should be promoted to the level that the general public at least understand what it is and what it means, for me that is our job and we have certainly neglected it! 5 year plan that federalism gets adequate media attention and discussion and a natural body of support can grow from that
Delete