Shit Stirring Micks!

This story could be the panacea for all insomniacs.  The siblings of the most oppressed person ever (ha!) are continuing their ignoble struggle to have his killers thrown out of the army.  IRA-loving Daily Ireland reports that the family of Peter McBride are to stage a rally in London in September to call for the two Scots Guardsmen, James Fisher and Mark Wright, to be thrown out of the army.  It is well known that ex-army personnel have a hard time finding employment in 'civvy street'; but why should the bleating McBrides care, these men are only 'Brits' after all.

Peter McBride was a teenager shot by the two soldiers in West Belfast in 1992.  He was an eighteen-year old urchin with the most exercised erectile tissue in nationalist Ulster (and in the heady days of rabbit-like breeding in that community, this is quite an achievement).  Republican legend has it that Fisher and Wright killed McBride in cold blood.  I know it's easy for many republicans to mistake an error of judgement with 'cold-blooded murder'.  At the end of the day, they make an error of judgement every time they endorse true cold-blooded murder at the ballot box.  However, it must be pointed out that, as McBride ran away following an inconclusive search, he was given two clear opportunities to stop and surrender before he was shot.  There follows an extract from Hansard on the Lords debate dealing with the impending release of the two men back in 1998:

Lord Bramall - 'My Lords, like, I suspect, a number of other noble Lords, I do not fully understand the exact constitutional position of the Queen's Prerogative of Mercy, imagining that Her Majesty is bound to act on the recommendation of the very Minister or Ministers to whom, so far, our pleas and urgings, although utterly reasonable and widely supported, have fallen on deaf ears.

What I do know, however, is that the two Scots Guardsmen, Guardsman Fisher and Guardsman Wright, having already served what amounts to (taking into account normal remission) a custodial sentence of between eight and nine years, for what might have been a tragic, split-second error of judgment, but which they believed constituted (under the circumstances) their duty, should now be released forthwith. They should not have to suffer any longer the reality and stigma of a life sentence which, although mandatory under the law for the offence for which they were convicted, was wholly inappropriate in terms of justice; nor would it be other than invidious if the decision on their release was to be delayed just so that it could be entwined with political considerations affecting the release of terrorists on both sides. After all, those are the very people whom the whole training of soldiers such as Fisher and Wright was designed to thwart.'

In other words, Fisher and Wright have already served a hefty sentence for an error of judgement, yet they are having to endure the cries from a community which readily endorses murderers during an election; which wholeheartedly supported an agreement that effectively amounted to an amnesty for terrorists who had served not so much as one hour in prison; and who seem quite content to have IRA Godfathers acting in ministerial positions on their behalf.  No doubt such breathtaking levels of hypocrisy will be lost on the 'Paddy whack, give a dog a bone' contingent who, having taken a brief respite from listening to Wolfe Tones' CDs and dropping their last small change into baskets labelled 'Pennies for the 'Ra' in Hibernian hovels throughout North London, will be flocking to the downtown streets of our capital city to vent spleens.  Fisher and Wright were released following the presentation of a petition signed by 750,000 people.  Not only was I one of those proud signatories, but I would happily sign anything to bring a little justice to these two men after years of spiteful immaturity from a community which, if the latest election results are anything to go by, wouldn't recognise real justice and decency if they fell over it!!!

Comments

[Colm]

Andrew

You've mentioned Peter McBride quite a few times before and you always bring up his apparent fertility and sexual prowess. Are you subconsciously (or perhaps openly) pleased he was shot dead before he could produce any more 'nats in nappies' ?

[FewsOrange]

having already served what amounts to (taking into account normal remission) a custodial sentence of between eight and nine years,

So how long were they actually in prison ?

[Andrew McCann]

Colm

I don't gloat over his death. But nor will I hold a person up who fathered two kids before he was 18 - and in the absence of any visible means of support.

What sickens me is the gross hypocrisy of his family and the community he came from. Twas ever thus!!

[Emmett]

Andrew

To slight the character of the dead is more cowardly than those who shot this innocent teenager in the back.

These so-called soldiers were convicted of murder in a british court of law. How can you defend the duplicitous and criminal nature of british justice in this case?

They are convicted murderers.

What other convicted murderers are you prepared to stand up for?

You are a coward and a racist and a bigot.

regards

Emmett

[Andrew McCann]

Emmett

Thanks for those kind sentiments. You criticise me for 'dissing' a character I don't know, and then proceed to do the same with me. A case of 'physician cure thyself' I think.

Anyway, moving on, I'm prepared to stand up for people who have been the victims of a vendetta from a community which now supports the apologists for nearly 2,000 murders.

Regards

Andrew

[FOOTIE]

Emmet

Given your comments on anything 'British', it is obvious who the racist and bigot is in this case.

[Emmett]

Andrew,

pay attention.

I did not criticise you for 'dissing' (?) a character you don't know - I said it was cowardly to slight the character of the dead (i.e. those who cannot defend your slurs) NOT a case of 'physician cure thyself' I think. Try again.

I'll ask again:

They are convicted murderers.
What other convicted murderers are you prepared to stand up for?

See if you can manage an answer this time.

And he was shot in New Lodge in NORTH Belfast, not west.

Kind regards

Emmett

[Emmett]

FOOTIE,

eh?

Now it is racist to use the word british?

Whatever do you mean?

regards

Emmett

[Andrew McCann]

Oh I dooo beg your pardon!! We mustn't let something as grave as a geographical error detract from the overall substance now, must we.

I gave you a straight answer. I'm prepared to stand up for anyone who suffers a vendetta at the hands of people as hypocritical as Irish republicans.

For example, 24,348 people in West Belfast were prepared to stand up for the former commander of the IRA's Ballymurphy brigade on May 5th. Now that's hypocrisy!!

[Emmett]

Andrew,

is it not hypocrisy that they are convicted murderers in the eyes of british law; and yet allowed to return to their jobs with their employer, the british state?

warm regards

Emmett

[DaithiO]

More than a little shocked here.

Bigotry and racism is unbecoming !

And speaking ill of a victim of state terrorism, nothing new there then !

[Colm]

I love the way Emmett can call someone a racist bigot and coward and then offer them regards.

With fondest regards

Colm

[DaithiO]

"For example, 24,348 people in West Belfast were prepared to stand up for the former commander of the IRA's Ballymurphy brigade on May 5th. Now that's hypocrisy!!"

Maybe that's progress. Live with it.

How many members of Ulster Resistence (the crowd who obtained many of the weaponry used to murder people in the name of UDA and UVF)are now Unionist elected representatives. Names like Ian Paisley and Peter Robinson, heard of those.

Andrew ... "Now thats's hypocrisy"

[beano; EverythingUlster.com]

Who's up for a march on Belfast to get any member of the IRA who ever killed anyone thrown out of the 'organisation'...

No?

[Colm]

Isn't the British Army supposed to have higher standards than the IRA?

[FOOTIE]

Ulster Resistance have never supplied weapons to the UDA or UVF; although each group did take a third each of a consignment of 180 rifles.
Members of the UVF detest Paisley and would be the last to give him support, to the extent of refusing to vote for the DUP and probably costing them a seat.
The republican lickspittles who try to compare Paisley and Adams know as much about the realities of NI as my arse knows about snipe shooting.

[Colm]

FOOTIE

It would seem as if your arse has quite detailed knowledge of shipment consignments to loyalist terrorists though!

Where did it get that info ?

[Belfast Gonzo]

There isn't actually any substance to Andrew's argument. It seems, from his writing, that it is entirely OK to shoot someone in the back... errrrmmm... just because he says so. OK?

The rest of the post is the usual sectarian whataboutery.

[decent ulster unionist]

I thought you were tough on crime Andrew they were convicted of a killing, do you think murders should be allowed to join the army. Our side isn't as low as the IRA we deal with murders not reward them.

[beano; EverythingUlster.com]

OK I'll admit to my whataboutery. I don't think that convicted murderers should be allowed into the army.

I just object to the hypocrisy of the Daily Provo trying to take the moral high ground given it's near unequivocal support for the Ra.

[DaithiO]

Beano.

It's refreshing to see you place the 'ra on the same moral footing as your British Army.

Tar la anois

Go raibh mile maith agaibh

ps, footie spoke shite in response to my vitriol, where are mein hosts ? I expect more from the bigots ?

How do I set up a blog ? Am I the only one here who makes sense ??

[Andrew McCann]

Ahh the mypoia of nationalism. Virtually noboby in the above responses (Beano excepted) grasped the thrust of my article.

A community which supports terrorists in government has the gross hypocrisy to act in a sanctimonious fashion!! You couldn't make it up, could you!

Two guys have served their sentences and have now picked up the pieces of their lives back in the job they evidently loved. Good on them.

'Live with it.'

[David Gough]

What's wrong with whataboutery? Anybody who has lived a normal decent life is perfectly entitled to a bit of whataboutery. It's only those who condone and try to make excuses for the terrorists who come up with this kneejerk word.

[David Vance]

DaithiO,

"Am I the only person on here who makes sense?"

In a word, NO! :-)

[Colm]

Andrew

You may want to Tar (and feather?) everyone who commented above with the same brush , except beano of course , but I understood perfectly well the thrust of your article. It is perfectly valid to question the morality of IRA supporters being outraged over the treatment of the 2 soldiers. My only question was why on a matter which should be about the judicious use of force you felt the need to mention McBrides offspring production , which you have done each time you mention him. That has no relevence whatsoever to the issue any more than if he was celibate, gay, catholic, protestant, black, white, married or single.

Should the validity of the security forces behaviour be determined by the personal lifestyle status of the individual who was shot?