Sinn Fein and The DUP

Back in the day
There were Irish ways
And Irish laws
Stand up for the cause
--House of Pain

Good news from the MotherLand:

Paisley 'on verge of pact with Sinn Fein'
By Daily Telegraph Correspondent
(Filed: 29/11/2004)

Ian Paisley is almost certain to sign a historic agreement that would see his Democratic Unionists sharing power in Ulster with Sinn Fein.

However, according to party sources, the Protestant leader is insisting that he must be satisfied the IRA has decommissioned all its weapons before allowing the DUP to enter government with a party that includes at least three former IRA chiefs of staff and a number of people convicted of serious terrorist offences.

Mr Paisley is due to meet retired general John de Chastelain, head of the independent international decommissioning body, today.

I'm seriously surprised by this...and it is good news, although, I'd rather see a moderate figure take over for Paisley in negotiating for the radical unionists. Paisley regards Irish Catholics as garbage in Northern Ireland, and encourages the (barely) majority Protestants to treat them as such. As a result, while the southern republic thrives, the Northern Irish Catholics wallow in violent ghettos.

I hope that Blair can get involved to some extent and take the war on terror to Ulster....And I don't necessarily mean the Catholics. The protestants run the countryside full of terror flags and have their own 'districts', all the while the protestant militants operate under the guise of being 'loyal' to Britain. Belfast is still a mess. But ask anyone in Britain about it and they either a) don't know or b) don't care. Ask a Londoner if they have ever been to Belfast and they will say no...they don't even recognize the Northern Irish Pound! And it's legal tender anywhere in Britain....

Anyways..back to the topic: this is a positive step, and I'm glad that de Chastelain is still on the case. In the past he's made some positive inroads with the IRA. I'm also surprised by the moderating influence that Adams has had on the IRA considering his background...it is quite a feat for this guy to keep the whole lot them in one cohesive bunch. I know if I were brought up in Derry or West Belfast, I would probably have some pretty violent impulses, so kudos to Adams for keeping heads cool.

In regards to the Irish problem, there is one quote I love. It's a quote from my dad, who reminds me on a regular basis: "Patrick, both sides of the conflict are chalk full of idiots."--> And after studying the Irish a bit, I can honestly say that quote is probably the most accurate thing I have heard on the subject.

PS: It is inevitable that the North will return to Irish control. Why? High birth rates of Catholics in the north mean a relatively smaller and smaller Protestant population....and under the Good Friday agreement, when there is a majority Catholic population, they will be able to decide the fate of Ulster. ie: voting themselves a part of the republic.

It won't happen with guns or violence. It will happen with lots of love though. Make love, not war my Irish brethren, and you'll take the power back. Liberty, Equality, Fraternity and Love.