Is it any wonder unionists feel like their culture and identity is constantly under attack? It's all very well for people in Northern Ireland who are familiar with the bullshit emanating from the likes of the Andytown News group and the various interest groups to just switch off when the latest MOPE appears in the media, and most will. Unfortunately those without such a familiarity of the situation here actually believe some of it and that can lead to situations where, for example, the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam ranks Orangeism up there with Nazism and advocates of apartheid in South Africa.

I've said before, and anyone who knows me would testify, as an atheist I'm no particular fan of the Orange Order and they often do themselves no favours. Sometimes it surprises me how much the bullshit slander (they eat babies and rape women, didn't you know?) against them annoys me, but the fact is that the Orange Order is just a 'legitimate target' for the sectarian bile and hatred the perpetrators clearly feel towards unionists and/or Protestants generally.

Why does all this matter? Because once these hateful liars have successfully demonised unionism and the majority population of Northern Ireland they can use these fictitious and/or exaggerated 'evil acts' to justify the extremely real and extremely vicious murders and bombings carried out by the IRA - by pretending they were fighting a dangerous, bigoted, violent group of oppressors rather than an innocent civilian population.

Limavady Borough Council: redefining "offensive"

Nationalist councillors (who hold a majority) on Limavady Borough Council have ordered the removal of several items from council premises in order to create a "neutral working environment".

Unfortunately they weren't totally sure what should be removed and had to search the internet to decide whether or not they were offended by a statue of Limavady man William (Ferguson) Massey, who had been Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1912 to 1925 and founded New Zealand's Reform Party (now the conservative National Party, the largest opposition party in New Zealand at this time). As it turns out they are offended by the statue. Why? You may well ask. Apparently some hotshot detective work by nationalist councillors turned up that Massey had been a Protestant member of the Orange Order in New Zealand. Thank God for Wikipedia, eh?

Other items which had to be removed include a coffee mug celebrating Prince Charles and Princess Diana's wedding and a toy dragon.

The Equality Commission said it advised the council, which was seeking to adopt a "policy on neutral public space". The Commission said they prefer the objective of a "good and harmonious" environment to a neutral one.

"The Commission advised that the Fair Employment Code of Practice refers to promoting a 'good and harmonious environment' and drew attention to fact that this concept is preferred to that of a 'neutral' environment... The Commission has not provided advice regarding the removal of any specific items or emblems."
Equality Commission spokesman

But nationalist councillors would not be deterred by that, or by the anger it caused amongst their unionist colleagues. They spent a year and brought in an independent consultant to hunt out anything they might be able to take offence at. While they were doing this, one wonders where it fell on their list of priorities in relation to the loss of 900 jobs in Limavady or allegations of bullying of council staff. But what do they matter when you can protect the citizenry from the horrors of a Charles and Diana mug sitting in a council's display case that most of them will likely never see?

Apparently discussions are ongoing about the possibility of an Orange Lodge taking part in the Saint Patrick's Day parade in Downpatrick this year. The Orange Order seem to be treading with caution, but hopefully the Order and the organisers can make this work.

Can't see it happening in the Belfast parade any time soon though.

Update: According to Slugger, it's not happening. Apparently there were fears for the safety of members taking part as well as issues over what regalia the organisers would allow.

Despite the fact that yesterday's 12th July celebrations (BBC pictures), the first in years which didn't see the army assist the police) passed off peacefully and there seemed to be a much more welcoming atmosphere at the parades, it seems some just can't resist getting their kicks from burning Orange Halls, damaging homes or attacking buses. A friend also told me that a hoax bomb had been left outside his grandmother's house near Ardoyne, though I suppose that's an improvement on two years ago. One does have to wonder if this kind of intolerance in any way stems from the Pope's own attack on Protestant churches "ecclesial communities originating with the Reformation".

Whatever, for most people it didn't spoil what was a great day (weather aside) and seems to be a marked improvement on previous years. Hopefully that trend will continue and we can dispatch with the petty violence next year.

After a report on the state of Windsor Park (which I'll discuss at a later date), tonight's BBC Newsline (watch from about 11:10 in) focused on the twelfth celebrations and attempts being made to broaden their appeal. It seems there are a number of groups trying to make the celebrations more inclusive this year. The moves are long-overdue in my opinion but welcome nonetheless.

Bonfires
As far as bonfires go (with particular reference to worries over the toxic smoke emitted when tyres are burned) a Fire and Rescue officer said that the number of tyres at bonfires in Belfast this year had been greatly reduced. Following concerns over this year's bonfire at Ballycraigy estate in Antrim, Councillor Drew Ritchie has also promised that the council's bonfire committee would work to ensure next year's bonfire would be tyre-free.

Parades
Tonight's Newsline featured a group of people in east Belfast handing out leaflets asking spectators, particularly younger ones, at the mini-twelfth last week to remember what the parade was marking (the sacrifice made by Ulster soldiers at the Somme) and refrain from drinking to excess. They rightfully pointed out that this is more than a tad disrespectful to those that were being remembered as well as putting off people from bringing their families to parades (thus disenfranchising large numbers of people from their own culture). Many other spectators seemed to agree that while they could enjoy a few drinks, anti-social behaviour and young people staggering around completely oblivious to their surroundings did nobody any favours and turned people off attending.

Sectarianism
Both bonfires and on occasion the marches themselves have left themselves open to accusations of supporting terrorist organisations. A couple of years ago, for example, a UVF "show of strength" at a bonfire in Belfast put funding, ring-fenced to improve bonfires, in jeopardy. This is something nobody needs. I haven't been to a bonfire myself in years and paramilitary presence is probably the main reason for this. I don't wish to be confused for someone who supports sectarian violence. If it puts me off, imagine how many parents would be put off taking their children.

Winning Support
Many people close to the twelfth are understandably sceptical about criticisms of the celebrations given that they've been under constant attack from opponents who would rather see them destroyed than improved, but I feel that simple steps like this will help broaden the appeal of the twelfth to a wider audience. As a celebration of Protestant and British history, they may not win cross-community support but that doesn't mean there's nothing to gain - like support those in the nominally "Protestant community" who tend to try and escape, rather than embrace, the twelfth and the trouble that became associated with it over the last 10-15 years.

Finally, I hope that everyone has an enjoyable day tomorrow (and that the rain holds off!).

Really, I ask you!

The Washington Post reported ... on Saturday ... the remarks of John Shanahan, a local AOH leader, indicating the invitation to the Orange Order is like "...inviting the KKK to a Martin Luther King Celebration."

...

They claim to have spent two years in the preparation of this program but were not aware of the dismal track record of the Orange Order or that the Ancient Order of Hibernians is also very active promoting an agenda of pride in their Irish heritage and religious tolerance in Ireland.

AOH.com

Who exactly are they trying to kid? The Hibernians of all people? All they're doing is using tired old republican rhetoric to inflame religious hatred and intolerance (there's only one true Irish people, don't ya know?), but that's really nothing new in Irish-Republicanism or "Irish-America", is it?

"The AOH had a historical concept of itself as a continuation of the 1641 rebellion, a Catholic uprising which attempted to wipe out the Protestant Plantations of Ireland and to extirpate heresy (by which was meant Protestantism) in Ireland."
Wikipedia

Apparently Sinn Fein's Mary Lou McDonald (MEP for Dublin, IIRC) has heard the plight of the West Belfast Festival and while attacking the whole July celebrations in Northern Ireland decided to mope on their behalf. Unfortunately fact-checking still doesn't seem too high on the Sinn Fein agenda. (Thanks to Miss Fitz at Slugger for highlighting this - it's rare I delve through the murky depths of what the Daily Ireland loosely terms news)

I wrote just over a fortnight ago about the Department of Social Development's decision to grant money to the Orange Order (£104k over 3 years) to help develop the celebrations into an event that would appeal to a wider audience. Disgusted that the government seems to be giving Protestants money, Mary Lou writes of her outrage at the cruel oppressor (the British government) denying the indigenous Gaels of west Belfast funding for their festival.

In actual fact the Northern Ireland events company reduced a rather generous funding package of £150k a year to around a third of that (still more than the Orange Order will be getting per annum), but over a week ago, Peter Hain boldly stepped in to throw an extra £100k of "transitional funding" at the festival (also blogged on Slugger). He also said 2 other Irish cultural festivals in Belfast would receive £20k and £25k under the same plan.

I guess once you've learned to whinge about how oppressed you are the MOPEing starts to take on a life of its own and before you know it you're inventing things to feel hard-done-by about! It's ok Mary, we understand. I won't hold my breath for a retraction.

I mentioned in my 12th July post yesterday the braindead teeny-bopper with the UFF flag wrapped around her while I was watching the Orange parade head towards the field. When I returned to watch the parade on its return leg, I'm sad to say the situation had deteriorated quite a bit further.

How not to encourage respect for the Orange tradition

By the time I got to the main road where the parade would pass, a crowd of morons had already, in the time-honoured loyalist tradition of acting without thinking, erected banners of the UVF/YCV (and not the historic versions) as well as the UDA, as well as waving flags from those same organisations. It seems some of the braindead populace of Belfast are determined to oppose any efforts by the Orange Order to broaden the appeal of the 12th July celebrations.

Come on lads, wise up. The organisers want to get rid of all this bullshit from the celebrations. It's not like they're planning to include Irish tricolours in the parade or ask Sinn Fein (either directly or via their "residents groups") to give speeches at the field on the evils of Protestantism. It's in everyone's interest to ditch the paramilitary glorification. That includes the Orange Order, the loyalist communities and of course Joe Q Protestant who just wants to bring his kids for a day out to watch the bands without exposing them to banners or chants glorifying murderers.

As I mentioned earlier, I was out taking a few pictures of the 12th July parade in Belfast today as it made its way towards the field.

"Floats" carrying bands were introduced to the 12th July parade for the first time this year

While the steady drizzle was a slight disappointment after the beautiful sunshine of last years parade, it didn't seem to deter the crowds at all who, as usual, seemed to get caught up in the atmosphere and not notice themselves encroach further into the road with every passing band.

As well as the bands themselves there were a couple of floats this year; their inclusion aimed at broadening the appeal of the parade (the "floats" could perhaps more accurately described as hauliage lorries with the sides off, but the concept worked). One featured an Ulster-Scots folk band while a second carried an English drum band. As well as the local bands there seemed to be more than ever from Scotland this year, particularly Glasgow.

Marchers in World War One uniforms led one band

This year being the 90th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme set the theme for this year's parade, and one band was led by two men in the uniforms of the YCV and 36th Ulster Division from World War One and there were flags to both groups of volunteers at various intervals along the parade.

316 orange and purple balloons were released in the city centre - one for each year that has passed since 1690. Lord Laird was interviewed on TV, dressed in a 17th Century costume, and encouraged people to be proud of their heritage.

"This is a day which celebrates our culture - we are proud of our Ulster-Scots and Orange background. We want people to come out and join us, and people who don't know what we are about to come and understand who we are."
Lord Laird, Parade Organiser

It seems that most of the marches have so far gone ahead without much trouble (touch wood), despite the fact that restrictions have been imposed on a parade in Ardoyne and nationalist protesters blocked a feeder parade in Maghera.

I should add that, while I didn't hear any Billy Boys this year, I did notice one silly bitch (not part of the parade) wearing a UFF flag like a cape, but I suppose every long journey takes a lot of small steps.

I was out taking pictures of the bands today, planning on writing a little piece about the twelfth, since last year's got so many hits. Unfortunately, I came home to hear some disgusting and sickening acts had taken place last night in County Antrim.

At a bonfire in Ahoghill, near Ballymena, the tricolour atop the bonfire was decorated with writing mocking the sectarian murder of Michael McIlveen in Ballymena in May. The flag was adorned with the slogan "Fuck Mickybo". It's pathetic and disgusting. No normal person could take any satisfaction from that. I don't have so much of a problem with trying to burn posters of hunger strikers, these guys were paramilitaries after all, but to mock the death of an innocent teenager (who would sooner consider joining the British army than the waste-of-space paramilitaries) is pathetic.

Also in the same night, republicans carried out attacks on Orange Halls, including an arson attack that destroyed the Orange Hall in Lavin, near Armoy and Dunloy (scene of an illegal protest last year). There was also a paint bomb attack on an Orange Hall in Claudy, Co. Londonderry.