Over the years I’ve read many of Trevor Ringland’s letters. Well written, articulate, sometimes interesting, sometimes not.
His latest offering (February 10) which implores us to ditch the DUP and Sinn Féin, although well meaning, is a grotesque misrepresentation of the truth.
The gist of his article is ‘chose friendship over hate’. Admirable sentiments certainly.
But here’s my issue Trevor. You want an end to the SF/DUP set up because you say both parties have shown themselves to be inept and hate-filled.
In relation to the DUP that’s clear but where is your evidence that SF are ‘inept and hate-filled’?
The problem with Trevor, like much of the do-gooding, politically correct middle-class is that they peddle this myth that ‘one side is as bad as the other’. I think that does society a massive disservice. It lets the real wrongdoers off the hook because by peddling this myth we don’t allow ourselves to confront the real problem. SF are not the mirror image of the DUP. This myth has been peddled for decades that one side is as bad as the other when it is patently untrue. Any objective look at the facts and the nature of the conflict here demonstrates that clearly. Unionist politics has always been defined first and foremost by an inherent, virulent and toxic form of anti-Catholicism and anti-Irishness. No such toxicity exists within SF.
Every financial scandal in recently has the DUP’s fingerprints all over it from Red Sky, to Nama and now RHI. Which of the other parties Trevor have been involved in anything of a similar nature? Please do tell.
The DUP have consistently snubbed their nose to the nationalist and republican community and other communities may I add. Their arrogance and viciousness towards others not of their ilk is breathtaking. Although in government with SF some of their members don’t even acknowledge members of SF in the corridors of Stormont. Nationalist and republican representatives are routinely and antagonistically referred to as rogues, renegades and crocodiles. Where is the equivalence with SF? Who have they contemptuously snubbed.
SF have consistently reached out to the unionist community, be that meeting the queen, attending Northern Ireland matches, working with them respectfully at council level, even implementing genuine power sharing in those councils which are nationalist-led.
Does the DUP share power in Lisburn or Castlereagh? I don’t think Trevor needs me to answer that.
My message to Trevor is confront the real reason why politics doesn’t work and don’t distort the truth by peddling myths that are untrue and serve an agenda scrupulously pursued by others within unionism for generations. In a nutshell – both sides are clearly not as bad as each other.
D ROBINSON
Belfast BT15
Having considered the options it’s a no to DUP
Martin O’Brien (February 9) is justifiably concerned about the rights of the unborn. The main target of his correspondence (SDLP) is however curious. That party is constitutionally pro-life and has voted against restrictions on the rights of the unborn placed before the assembly in recent years.
Perhaps Mr O’Brien feels that either we should not vote or alternatively vote for the DUP? The official position of that party is supportive of the unborn at present but this stance is not shared by all of its candidates and has previously been challenged internally. There are also other aspects of being pro-life. Are the DUP pro-life and life giving on immigrants? On refugees? On all of those in need of housing, or just some? On the international aid budget? On those living in poverty? Are they still in favour of the death penalty for certain crimes? Is it pro-life to literally set fire to £490m while our NHS is short of resources and so many of our sick and disabled languish on waiting lists for investigations and treatment? Is it pro-life and life giving to fund front organisations for paramilitary groups and then receive their support at election time?
By their friends shall ye know them.
I am pro-life and I am a Catholic. Having considered the options and the evidence, I will be discharging my civic duty and responsibility to cast a vote in this election.
That vote will not be for the DUP.
G McDONNELL
Belfast BT9
Pro-life candidates in election get my vote
I found the Letters page (February 23) most interesting. Firstly, T Kelly believes I’m in favour of keeping the same old system by voting DUP this week. I’m not, I’m pro-life and that should override every other issue discussed during this election campaign. If we return as many pro-life candidates as possible, wouldn’t that be an amazing show of unity across our divide which would shock the world, as we could proudly proclaim all unborn children, able-bodied or otherwise, are safe and welcome on the island of Ireland?
T Kelly believes voting for smaller parties is wasteful. I disagree. If a candidate from such a party is pro-life, he or she will get my vote. Pro-abortion parties will not receive any of my transfers.
Again, I urge voters of all religions and none, to vote only for pro-life candidates.
JOHN AUSTIN
Limavady, Co Derry
Peddling a border myth
John F Kennedy once said “the great enemy of truth is very often not the lie, deliberate, contrived and dishonest, but the myth, persistent, persuasive and unrealistic”.
This quote came to mind when reading Sinn Féin MP Pat Doherty’s statement to an Oireachtas Committee (February 10). The myth that the partition of Ireland ended with the signing of the Good Friday agreement is being blown apart by the elephant in the room that is ‘Brexit’.
We were told that Britain had no ‘selfish interests’ in Northern Ireland, yet Mr Doherty states, “Britain had only permanent interests”. He also said “there is no such thing as a soft border” and that the British government was going to “reimpose a 310-mile hard border”.
What was there before Brexit? If there’s no such thing as a soft border, had partition ended?
You can only reimpose something that has been removed and the border (partition) was never removed, despite the myth peddled by Sinn Féin. The clue is in the wording of the Good Friday Agreement. “Northern Ireland in its entirety shall remain part of the United Kingdom.’
The acceptance and legitimisation of partition is coming back to haunt Sinn Féin. This is why they are spooked.
SEAMUS McALORAN
Belfast BT15
Astonished at landscape destruction
Friends of The Earth (February 13) are so right to condemn the Department of Infrastructure’s plans for the desecration of the southern end of Lough Beg. Their planned route would involve the construction of a large embankment over the flood plain. It would bring traffic noise, pollution and activity to an incredibly rare and valuable wildlife area and destroy Seamus Heaney’s landscape. I am astonished that the disused railway line south of the existing A6 or widening the existing road is not the preferred route.
PHIL ALLEN
Carrickfergus, Co Antrim
