ENDURING HYPOCRISY AND DICTATORSHIP
Enduring hypocrisy and dictatorship
AS I watched some of the TV coverage of Clinton's visit to Northern Ireland it struck me how contradictory were his messages to the peoples of Northern Ireland and Russia. He begged Russians not to go back to the days of dictatorship. Yet he was content to be greeted in Northern Ireland by a dictator - Tony Blair.
How is Mr Blair a dictator? Well, he insists that the people of Northern Ireland be denied their democratic right to vote either for or against his party.
Or rather Mo Mowlam does. It is she who believes that addressing this anomaly wouldn't "make a helpful contribution to the welcome developments we are now seeing in Northern Ireland".
Does Miss Mowlam believe the denial of democratic rights is helpful to Northern Ireland?
Or is this attitude to be expected from someone who has tried to justify releasing murderers?
Is it not worrying that the prime minister doesn't have the clout to overrule his Northern Ireland secretary (one of the most junior cabinet ministers) on an issue on which the two fundamentally disagree?
Why exactly was Mr Clinton here?
Was it just to cause more widespread disruption in our community than any Orange parade?
Perhaps he offers help.
After the Omagh bombing he said he would stand by the people of Northern Ireland.
Instead, while bombing those who have murdered US citizens, he has stood by the terrorists of Northern Ireland, ensuring they will be home by Christmas, either this one or next.
Margaret Graham, whose son was murdered last year, is quite right to brand Clinton as a hypocrite.
He launches air strikes when he believes it would boost his popularity.
He visits a country whose people he has helped consign to mingling among murderers when he believes it will help him to restore some dignity to the presidency he has turned into an embarrassment for himself, his wife, his daughter, his citizens and anybody who once took him seriously.
And Blair, Trimble and Mallon are only too happy to participate in the charade because they too are tarnished by the disgraceful agreement which has incorrectly been portrayed as a peace deal.
Look how the media covered the Clinton visit.
No more complaints about too much sport on TV thank you.
We were treated to live coverage of people lining streets in wait for the president, senseless babble about the River Strule in Omagh, and interviews with every councillor in Northern Ireland about what they believed the visit would achieve.
The media scrum reminded me of the coverage of Princess Diana's death.
Then they gave the false impression that everybody in the UK was watching the funeral on TV, yet half the nation's televisions weren't even switched on.
In Clinton's case the media gave the impression that everybody here welcomed the president.
Well we didn't; and it wasn't only members of the DUP who objected to the visit.
However, Gregory Campbell's claim that tens of thousands were against the visit was probably true.
Just as those who did not get caught up in the hysterical atmosphere surrounding Diana's death were ignored or criticised, those of us who were not spellbound by the self-serving Clinton were portrayed as being in opposition to peace.
Oh no. Those of us who are sick listening to praise for Clinton's support for a political deal which denies the basic human right to justice are not obstructing peace.
We want a peace process that will deliver genuine peace.
When the media circus closes we will still have an assembly which institutionalises sectarian divisions.
We will still be a semi-detached part of the UK.
Worst of all, we will still have to endure the release of murderers which is a slap in the face for all good people, Protestant, Catholic and Dissenter.
Alan James Greer
Northern Ireland Young Conservative
AS I watched some of the TV coverage of Clinton's visit to Northern Ireland it struck me how contradictory were his messages to the peoples of Northern Ireland and Russia. He begged Russians not to go back to the days of dictatorship. Yet he was content to be greeted in Northern Ireland by a dictator - Tony Blair.
How is Mr Blair a dictator? Well, he insists that the people of Northern Ireland be denied their democratic right to vote either for or against his party.
Or rather Mo Mowlam does. It is she who believes that addressing this anomaly wouldn't "make a helpful contribution to the welcome developments we are now seeing in Northern Ireland".
Does Miss Mowlam believe the denial of democratic rights is helpful to Northern Ireland?
Or is this attitude to be expected from someone who has tried to justify releasing murderers?
Is it not worrying that the prime minister doesn't have the clout to overrule his Northern Ireland secretary (one of the most junior cabinet ministers) on an issue on which the two fundamentally disagree?
Why exactly was Mr Clinton here?
Was it just to cause more widespread disruption in our community than any Orange parade?
Perhaps he offers help.
After the Omagh bombing he said he would stand by the people of Northern Ireland.
Instead, while bombing those who have murdered US citizens, he has stood by the terrorists of Northern Ireland, ensuring they will be home by Christmas, either this one or next.
Margaret Graham, whose son was murdered last year, is quite right to brand Clinton as a hypocrite.
He launches air strikes when he believes it would boost his popularity.
He visits a country whose people he has helped consign to mingling among murderers when he believes it will help him to restore some dignity to the presidency he has turned into an embarrassment for himself, his wife, his daughter, his citizens and anybody who once took him seriously.
And Blair, Trimble and Mallon are only too happy to participate in the charade because they too are tarnished by the disgraceful agreement which has incorrectly been portrayed as a peace deal.
Look how the media covered the Clinton visit.
No more complaints about too much sport on TV thank you.
We were treated to live coverage of people lining streets in wait for the president, senseless babble about the River Strule in Omagh, and interviews with every councillor in Northern Ireland about what they believed the visit would achieve.
The media scrum reminded me of the coverage of Princess Diana's death.
Then they gave the false impression that everybody in the UK was watching the funeral on TV, yet half the nation's televisions weren't even switched on.
In Clinton's case the media gave the impression that everybody here welcomed the president.
Well we didn't; and it wasn't only members of the DUP who objected to the visit.
However, Gregory Campbell's claim that tens of thousands were against the visit was probably true.
Just as those who did not get caught up in the hysterical atmosphere surrounding Diana's death were ignored or criticised, those of us who were not spellbound by the self-serving Clinton were portrayed as being in opposition to peace.
Oh no. Those of us who are sick listening to praise for Clinton's support for a political deal which denies the basic human right to justice are not obstructing peace.
We want a peace process that will deliver genuine peace.
When the media circus closes we will still have an assembly which institutionalises sectarian divisions.
We will still be a semi-detached part of the UK.
Worst of all, we will still have to endure the release of murderers which is a slap in the face for all good people, Protestant, Catholic and Dissenter.
Alan James Greer
Northern Ireland Young Conservative
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0428
Published Date: 03-Oct-98
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