In the often febrile political world on the island of Ireland, words and names matter. So it is with political parties such as the Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland. In GB it is sometimes forgotten that the full title of the Conservative Party is the Conservative and ‘Unionist’ Party.
Just as some observers began to wonder whether the Conservative Party is in danger of losing its unionist roots, so surely increasingly many must wonder whether the DUP can justify retaining the word ‘Democratic’ in its title.
The word ‘democratic’ derives from the sixth century BC use of the Greek words ‘demos’ (the people) and ‘kratos’ (to rule), with the Oxford Dictionary defining the word ‘democratic’ as ‘controlled by representatives who are elected by the people of a country’.
Winston Churchill once described democracy as ‘the worst form of government except for all the others that had been tried’, implying that democracy is at least workable.
In the fractured state of politics in Northern Ireland and impasse at Stormont, one could ask the DUP how it can argue that it is more democratic than its sister unionist party, the Ulster Unionist Party, which declares itself as more open to returning to Stormont.
Recent polls show that a majority of both voters in Northern Ireland and of unionist-inclined voters accept the Windsor Framework as the means of resolving the Northern Ireland Protocol issues.
Where is the evidence for the DUP’s apparent assertion that its core supporters are more interested in the party staying away from Stormont than resolving issues with health services, cost of living and education?
The logical end result of a sustained absence of the DUP from Stormont is some form of direct rule, a result which surely diminishes the influence of not just the DUP but unionism itself. This would be doing unionism a great disservice and leave those unionists who seek a pragmatic way ahead out in the cold.
A late February 2023 editorial in The Times newspaper described the DUP as an ‘unworthy ally’ of the prime minister. This is a long way from the days when the DUP wielded influence at Westminster.
For unionism to co-exist and prosper alongside nationalism it requires the unionist parties to reach out to the centre ground – to initiate imaginative new policies rather than appearing endlessly reactive. It is time that devolution and a proper democracy was restored at Stormont. Expecting Westminster to resolve the challenges of Northern Ireland is an illusion.
JAMES HOUSTON
Newtownabbey, Co Antrim
Nationalists must continue to be assertive
May it be respectfully indicated to Jim McAlinden – ‘Negative politics’ (March 24) – regarding his reply to my ‘Lend SF votes’ letter, that at no stage was it suggested that ‘all our problems could be solved by keeping DUP out of top party position’.
On the contrary, it is predicted that negative argument and antagonism will continue as long as the Assembly exists. Nothing new there. In the meantime nationalists must continue to play their part assertively. However, it is true that politicians, media and public at large seem to thrive on such disagreement and instability, as is their business when happening elsewhere.
It is obvious original ‘lend’ comments in The Irish News section were meant to encourage reawakening among those somewhat ‘routine’ SDLP and Alliance voters to openly acknowledge the threat of further dominance by unionists and loyalists who presume to ‘own’ Northern Ireland due to a continuing stubborn mindset ever since the statelet was first contrived – or indeed since plantation times. Are we all supposed to tolerate this attitude indefinitely and unchallenged?
It would be interesting to know Mr McAlinden’s voting habit and how he recommends ‘change’ to the situation. If he doesn’t vote at all, then he unashamedly displays his own version of ‘negative politics’.
PAUL SMITH
Belfast BT9
Maundy Tuesday?
Have you ever considered why the events of the Easter holiday are tied to certain days of the week, such as Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday etc?
In the Bible these events, although they may have fallen on certain days of the week at the time, actually fall on tangible dates that can be found in the Gospels.
The early Celtic Church in Ireland and Britain observed these events on the dates in the Bible, rather than on the days of the week. This ended after the Synod of Whitby in 664, where King Oswy of Northumbria was swayed to accept the observance of Easter instead of remembering the crucifixion on Nisan 14th, as found in any Jewish calendar. Thus it became Good Friday.
Despite the sincerity of these celebrations, they no longer actually happen on the date on which they occurred.
Thus, this week, the date of the Last Supper falls on Tuesday 4th April, while it is generally observed on Maundy Thursday.
Biblical days begin and end at sunset, and so the Last Supper and crucifixion happened on the same day, with the evening preceding the light part, as in Genesis 1:5: “...the evening and the morning were the first day” and not the other way around. This later changed with Christendom now dividing the days at midnight. Therefore it takes two Gregorian days (Thursday and Friday) to celebrate instead of only one Biblical day of Nisan 14th.
These things all happened on one day, but now takes two days to commemorate them.
COLIN NEVIN
Bangor, Co Down
Ulster Scots gone – and forgotten
It’s a melancholy time for those of us who made a worthwhile contribution
in promoting the Ulster Scots language/dialect only for it to be hijacked by an inept organisation, the Ulster Scots Agency, masquerading as custodians of Ulster Scots language and culture.
However much their CEO Ian Crozier may protest, their activities have one thing in common with the DUP in their respective fields – neither is making sufficient contribution to the people they are supposed to represent, despite being well financed by taxpayers’ money.
Those of us who would support positive progress of Ulster Scots are thwarted by BBC Radio Ulster presenting a so-called Ulster Scots radio programme called Kintra, which is another misnomer for Your Place and Mine, or Down your Way – certainly little to do with Ulster Scots. When will this farce end and Ulster Scots get the
support it deserves? Sadly maybe never.
WILSON BURGESS
Derry City
