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Bonfires and Paramilitarism
Just what is a good distance to stay from a bonfire? If you're adorned in paramilitary regalia, I'd suggest as far away as possible. If we are ever to see widespread public acceptance and/or support for bonfires then the paramilitary connection, particularly 'shows of strength', have to end.
That's why I'm pleased that Paul Hoey, chairman of the Crown Project in east Belfast, has received assurances that there will be no repeat of last years paramilitary display at Pitt Park, which may have jeopardised a council funding scheme for bonfires. That's why I I'm glad that the council in Larne is working with bonfire organisers on environmental health issues, and hope they will also ensure that the bonfire will be free from paramilitarism.
Follow up:
If the paramilitaries won't stop these childish displays because it's wrong to glorify killing your neighbours, then perhaps they should consider abstaining from them on the grounds that they're giving bonfires, and indeed their whole communities, a bad name. There has been criticism (unfortuantely often valid criticism) that, as well as making an unsightly mess of the local areas, they promote illegal paramilitary organisations. In fact when the kids in our estate built a bonfire when I was young, one of the reasons for such a small estate doing so, was that many of us didn't want to get too close to the more sinister displays in other estates nearby. Yes they had bigger bonfires, and more people, but it just wasn't worth it.
Bonfires are supposed to be a celebration, and the gangsterism and vicious and often random violence of the last 30 years is nothing to be celebrated. I myself have heard anecdotal evidence of Catholics, pre-troubles, watching the bonfires with their neighbours, something the vast majority would be too afraid to do now, and who can blame them. If we want to celebrate our culture, we have to celebrate just that - culture. The paramilitary "shows of strength" just detract from what should be a traditional celebration that everyone can enjoy, free from fear and intimidation, in the sort of environment parents would be happy to bring their kids to.
Now I'm away for a shower - I feel dirty after that display of shameless optimism.
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8 comments
Snap. And ours was closely organised and supervised by the parents in conjunction with the RUC. Of course as a youngster it used to piss me off that we were banned from going to see some of the "wilder" ones further into East Belfast, but I quickly realised as I got older that they had actually done me a very big favour.
The future has got to be much closer regulation and a bit more awareness as to what is actually being commemorated and a bit less drunken yobbos spoiling what could be a good family night out. A bit more awareness of the safety considerations also wouldn't go amiss.
Thankfully for example, the one at the edge of Belvoir has been sorted out a bit better this year, it's a wonder that there wasn't serious damage or injuries in years gone by there.
"If the paramilitaries won't stop these childish displays because it's wrong to glorify killing your neighbours"
"as well as making an unsightly mess of the local areas, they promote illegal paramilitary organisations"
"If we want to celebrate our culture, we have to celebrate just that - culture"
I love the fact that you hate the prod paras as much as you hate the IRA. I wish I had confidence that the DUP had a similar agenda, and that their determination not to sit down with terrorists included an unwillingness to sit down with the UVF, the UDA and their ilk. Although, I still feel that David Ervine and the PUP have/had a lot to offer in the overall discussion. Go figure.
The Northern Ireland culture is unique and needs celebrating in a way that precludes hatred. Good luck with that.
An opportunity for 2nd hand tyre dealers, dodgy landlords and anyone else with a pallet to burn, to offload their shite for free, to hell with the environmental cost, providing a showcase for Loyal paramilitaries to fire a volley over a burning Tricolour. Culture at its best.
Or, a celebration of Unionist culture, safely managed by community groups, minimising environmental impact, and showcasing the best of local craic.
Which do you think is the most likely to appeal to taxpayers who have to pay for the mess to be cleaned up?
Where would you rather go?
Last year, at the bottom of Skegoneill Avenue I saw a couple of lads, rifles in one hand, Tennents in the other standing feet away from a police landrover preparing for the "show of strength".
Personally, I couldn't really care less as I naively choose to believe the rounds being shot off are indeed blanks, rather than lead, which as anyone with any simulacrum of intelligence would realise fall back to earth again at speeds which could prove quite fatal. But I don't like exposing my four year old daughter to it.
Also, the York Park bonfire at Lidl, every year the bus shelter, footpath and fence surrounding the car park are quite literally burned down, then replaced some months later with new ones, which get vandalised, then burned down again, then replaced. I work for a living, so I guess my taxes pay for this work, I'm not happy about that but why should the unemployed or rather, unemployable masses of the loyalist proletariat care when they don't foot the bill? I'd love to know what it does for the areas property values too..
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