Stupid Is as Stupid Does

The editorial hacks at the Irish Voice are again raising the question of imposing joint authority.  Everytime O'Dowd and his cronies feel ever so slightly aggrieved at being betrayed by their good buddies in Sinn Fein/IRA, they resort to the perspective of the school child in insisting the the pro-Union populace of Ulster pays the heaviest price.  The trend is easily identifiable: promote the 'peace process', have a swipe at the 'Brits', and then propose equal input from Dublin (the latter naturally omits a joint share of the financial contribution from this supposedly 'wealthy' banana republic).

'We need to remind ourselves this St. Patrick’s Day season that there is no longer a war going on, that thousands of people, including innocent men, women and children, are not being killed and maimed on the streets of Northern Ireland.

Yes, we have an uneasy peace, but to read some of the critics of this peace process, it seems they would almost prefer if the war resumed.'

To paraphrase Shakespeare: 'A war by any other name still smells bloody.'  This most politically 'green' of Irish American rags fails to notice the catalogue of murders carried out by various terrorist factions in Northern Ireland since the Belfast Agreement was ratified.  It also omits to mention the gradual morphing of the Provisional IRA from a primary killing outfit to one engaged in a multitude of criminal acts.  It is not a question of wishing for a return of the 'war' because the 'war' has never stopped.  What most decent people want to see is the reapplication of basic human methods of dealing with murderers and terrorists.

'At present the British oversee the North by direct rule from Westminster. They appoint pro-consuls in various areas, all drawn from the British Parliament, to administrate the province.

Rather like far-flung Roman governors of old, most of the appointees have little empathy or understanding of the natives they are dealing with. The job is a dead end one in terms of British politics.'

I chuckle at this classic nationalist interpretation of UK sovereignty.  It seeks to distinguish the colonial Brits from the restless natives as if the former sport white feathers in their caps whilst the latter brandish spears in a posture of defence.  Woe betide the Irish Voice to tell the truth of the situation: namely that ALL the people of Northern Ireland are British by residency whether they like it or not.  They can choose the call themselves whatever they like (for example, the synonym of a child born out of wedlock would be a good description for the average republican).  They can pretend to be 'Oirish'; they can even pretend to be Satan incarnated as Mary Poppins if they wish  The fact is, they are citizens of United Kingdom and, hence, subjects of Her Majesty.  Nationalists have yet to comprehend the difference between a 'citizen', 'citizenship' and 'nationality'.

'The failure of that option, however, now throws up the only other realistic thing to do. There should be an equal number of government ministers from the Irish and British sides, with the two prime ministers overseeing the entire jurisdiction. This would be by far the most equitable way of bringing fairness to the peace process.'

OK, I'm game!  Paul Murphy can go to Dublin tomorrow and say: 'Fine guys.  You can have your joint authority on one condition.  Your pathetic little country has enjoyed the Baldwinesque description of 'power without responsibility.' This is not so much the 'prerogative of the harlot' as 'a harlot of a prerogative.'  However, the condition of 'joint authority carries 50% of the price tag.    That's £4 billion up front, please.  Now!!!'

You see, I have this sneaking suspicion that Dublin would recoil in horror at actually having to give something financially towards the costs of running Northern Ireland.  The Irish are past masters when it comes to Fagin's style of obtaining other people's money to run their own historically dilapidated patch.  Giving money to a cause would be a real novel step for 'da poor little darlin's.'  Maybe the next editorial of the Irish Voice would like to sample opinion amongst Dublin's political elite.

Comments

[Young Irelander]

I don't know why unionists are so hostile to the idea of joint authority.I think nationalists should be more worried.Joint authority would likely see the border stay in place while a role for Dublin would do much to quell the desire for Irish reunification among nationalists in the North.

As for your points about nationality,all the people on the island are entitled to consider themselves part of the Irish nation.If you're born on this island,you're Irish!

[Michael]

Don't forget about the harp YI...

only messing with ya man lol

[David Vance]

YI,

Forget about joint authority. The ROI has no business having ANY say on ANY subject to do with Northern Ireland. Since Ahern's Government is a foreign Government, I fail to see why it SHOULD have any say - maybe you think the UK should start determining Irish Government activity?

[New Yorker]

Dear Gentlemen,

You're leaving out us Yanks. I propose triple authority, UK, ROI and the US. We'll teach you a thing or two about economic policy, individual rights and responsibilities, fighting organized crime, non-sectarianism and a host of other successful ways of conducting a polity. We have more Irish Protestants and more Irish Catholics than you have in NI.

[Colm]

David/Andrew

I am worried about your respective blood pressures.

Don't panic! - it ain't gonna happen. Joint authority is a non-starter. Is there any location on earth that is governed by 2 sovereign states under joint authority?

Now if your talking about inch by inch unofficial de-facto joint authority by stealth.... Well I'm quite sure our blessed New Labour govt. would never dream of doing anything so underhand.

Oh dear I can feel your blood pressure rising again :)

[Young Irelander]

David,

I feel your comment shows you still do not understand the position of the nationalist community who are supposed to be your compatriots.
Why should the Republic of IRELAND have a say in Northern IRELAND?How about the fact that we're all IRISH.
Bertie Ahern's government might be foreign to you but to the nationalist community it is the government of their nation.(Except for Provo supporters,I guess)
English,Scottish and Welsh people do not share the same nationality as the Irish people in the south,but Irish people in the north do.

Joint Authority would solve alot of problems for unionists but if they don't want to consider it,then that's good news for nationalism!

[David Vance]

YI,

And you fail to understand that we are NOT all Irish. I am blessed to be British and all those who live in Northern Ireland are fellow British citizens. The fact that an indulged minority like to pretend they are Irish is fine by me, I accept this is their right, just like some people think they are Aliens from the Planet Zarg.

Irredentist nationalists need to learn to keep their noses out of our business.

[Young Irelander]

David,

Nationality cannot be determined through legal technicalities.People are hardly pretending to be Irish if they are born in the island of Ireland.They ARE Irish.Irishness does not end at the border,it is throughout the island and no government can ever dictate its terms.

"Irredentist nationalists need to learn to keep their noses out of our business."

The Irish nation is a 32 county entity.Anything that happens within the 6 counties of NI IS our business.

[David Vance]

"Legal technicalities" - do you mean constitutional realities that do not suit Irish republican delusionists?

[Young Irelander]

David,

I mean placing too much emphasis on legislation over self-determination.

[Colm]

David

Your sounding too much like Andrew - "pretending to be Irish.. indeed! That is nonsense. Everyone born and raised on the whole island are Irish but as a point of fact those who live in Northern Ireland also happen to be citizens of the UK. The two are not incompatible.

[Andrew McCann]

From Ballycastle to Crossmaglen; from Castlederg to Copeland Island, Northern Ireland is BRITISH first, foremost and always!!

Colm

You don't know the meaning of blood pressure until the day someone takes mine at the time when the disloyalty of Irish nationalism is rewarded in its fullest context.

[Colm]

Andrew

I can well believe it. If there's one good reason against creating a single 32 county state it's to prevent Mr Andrew Mc Cann from having a heart attack.