Comments on The Pensive Quill: Bridging the Gulf Between Compromise and Abandonme...

There is speculation that Martyboy presented Liz t...

2012-07-03T15:14:07.083+01:00

There is speculation that Martyboy presented Liz the brit with a 1000 piece jigsaw of lord Mountbatten..

Headlines in todays Irish News Sinn Fein Veteran Q...

2012-07-03T12:11:45.112+01:00

Headlines in todays Irish News
Sinn Fein Veteran Quits Over Queen Handshake, .......Angela Nelson who has been involved with the party for 42 years and an ex pow says she has left because there was no consultation over this handshake,, Seen her at the city hall rally against the meeting and when told she would be sacked for being there she replied that she" didnt care"the idea that anyone who has been in that party for so long and as a volunteer and a councillor and yet didnt know how that party works is beyond me ffs woman have you been asleep all this time qsf is not and never has been a democratic organisation,the decision to shake Liz the brits hand came as no surprise to those of us who enjoy watching the antics of the qsf circus and its preforming monkeys,the bigger surprise would have been if qsf had not shaken the "guvnors" hand.

Larry, Tom French simply arrived at the conclusio...

2012-07-01T14:57:24.564+01:00

Larry,

Tom French simply arrived at the conclusions SF arrived at many years earlier. And he doesn’t carry responsibility for all those wasted lives. And he would be more to the left than SF.

Fionnchú,

‘It's difficult to lodge a critique without being accused of atavism.’

This is one of the problems with the peace process. It is always in search of enemies of the peace process and depict them in a light of violence.

Sam,

Even having a go at Bethan Jenkins for expressing a different view – Section 31is alive and well.

Hardly the first time you have faced the disapproval of the censors. This particular one apparently can say yes in eleven different languages.

Hodgie

‘for every republican they shaft they gain between 5 and 10 stoops and/or free staters.’

I am not so sure it will work for them. It is seen through too easily down here.

‘power hungry parasites have a hunger for power and power alone.’

That is what republicanism was traded in for.

Dixie,

‘quite a few, like myself, are seriously questioning when did this betrayal really begin ... In other words how the hell did the most senior IRA member for 3 decades avoid internment, supergrass trails and even assassination attempts?’

Same with Adams. It seems to be a counter insurgency strategy not just restricted to the British. They try to mould a leadership which they can deal with and keep it in place. It does not follow that leaders like Martin or Gerry are agents but for sure the British would have surrounded them with agents of influence in particular so that the line was pushed. Denis was a case in point. Even today we can see the work of people are in my view Agents of Influence and have been for quite some time.

It was truly a WOW moment as the "Greaser&quo...

2012-06-30T12:29:50.408+01:00

It was truly a WOW moment as the "Greaser" Mcaleese would say when Liz the brit left Martyboy mesmerised with her command of the Garlic..her parting comment to him was indeed historical...."Póg mo thóin "

Mc Guinness was like a big baby, after shaking liz...

2012-06-29T22:18:41.281+01:00

Mc Guinness was like a big baby, after shaking lizzies hand his face lit up, but he wasn't thinking of 72/73, nor the brave 10 of 81 he kept looking at her as she walked and shook others hands, he walked towards lizzies husband, who done a runner from him. To me Mc Guinness was treated like a single pea in a pod of 1 million, a cast out, but he could not see that, he was to jubliant to see the end of his nose, even Robinson could not hold his laughter back when Martyboy was doing the red faced handshake, he stood out of line to see it, probably saing to himself, victory to us, well to me, He is Correct, they got everything they ask for of PSF.

Were are the lads who stood with me
When history was made!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Who SHOT UP the SHERIFF. lol.
This will make you laugh, Mr Hates Guns Adams =
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/nostalgia/belfast-telegraphs-old-school-pictures-little-gunslinger-gerry-adams-16139198.html

Arise Ballymurphy Martyrs , Loughgall Martyrs , Gibraltar Martyrs, The 10 brave men of 81, and all volunteers who died for the cause , especially those setup by the touts within the nutting squad and those who are still here, but left out to other pastures, forsaken by the corrupt leadership Of Mc Guinness and Adams and Co. People just look around you, Drug Barons everywhere, PSF on the Loyalist Hill Of Loyalist Democracy, there stance was, all for one and one for all, If your an Orangeman that is.

AM, as w/ Sam Millar I shared your Guardian piece ...

2012-06-29T21:44:17.891+01:00

AM, as w/ Sam Millar I shared your Guardian piece on FB and soon after got a reaction "what's the alternative? Why does he want to go back to the bad old days?" It's difficult to lodge a critique without being accused of atavism. I find similar difficulties in arguing against my own nation's leader without wanting his opponent either! People find it hard to accept nuance, to accept more than two choices or two loyalties now. Thanks for the piece which deserved a wide readership and I hope it finds it, as with all your journalism.

Robert, he certainly calls a spade a shovel

2012-06-29T20:22:35.611+01:00

Robert,

he certainly calls a spade a shovel

Article nails it. I see pictures of people like To...

2012-06-29T20:20:41.957+01:00

Article nails it. I see pictures of people like Tom French at workers party functions to this day, standing by what they always professed. Then you look at SF McGuinness and Adams and the rest and just end up laughing. They will wear ANY hat just to stay in the political game.

SF are a joke. A very sick joke. McGuinness saying...

2012-06-29T20:09:34.449+01:00

SF are a joke. A very sick joke. McGuinness saying I'm still an Irish Republican getting into that car was just pathetic. Regardless of the merits or otherwose of the handshake, the man is an asswipe. Took everyone for a ride and obviously never looks in the mirror or thinks about what he spouts.
Can't believe where they are and that they got there so painlessly.
Despair is the only description. TAXI...AIRPORT!

Anthony, `hard nosed analysis from Unionist Alex ...

2012-06-29T16:03:16.439+01:00

Anthony,

`hard nosed analysis from Unionist Alex Kane that strips away the guff'

Caught Alexs' article the other day. A Sinn Feinesque response appeared in slugger authored by Ruarai, a Strategic Communications Consultant - http://sluggerotoole.com/2012/06/25/are-unionists-as-strategically-unthinking-as-ever/ - that attempts to deposit a fresh layer of guff to replace that which Kane stripped away.

Agree Anthony but to stick with the nautical theme...

2012-06-28T22:00:13.594+01:00

Agree Anthony but to stick with the nautical theme a cara,when you wish to turn an oil tanker(yes it does rhyme) then it must be done slowly otherwise you risk capsizing the thing,now to turn the likes of the prm yip the leadership jump to your (agent of influence)suggestion but the cute hoors know that those in the party are and have been prone to split on major issues ,so in a cunning and even shrewd maneuvering they made sure they had the backings before the made their big asks, I think this is the way that the fly boys in the leadership have shafted their comrades the spooks "softly softly catchee monkey" is the operational way they went here ..

Marty, it is pretty straightforward how the Agent...

2012-06-28T21:33:44.413+01:00

Marty,

it is pretty straightforward how the Agent of Influence strategy would work. The agent wouldn't decide what is done but is merely the agent for its implementation. The agent might be giving out of his own batt that a certain issue must never be compromised on, waving his fist and the like. Brits decide they want a change so the agent is instructed to push a different line and seek to have it accepted. This is why I think you must always raise your eyebrow when you see an instant about turn rather than a prolonged one on the part of those who seek to influence others.

I think Tom Griffin has welded together some inter...

2012-06-28T20:12:07.748+01:00

I think Tom Griffin has welded together some interesting titbits and built himself a boat,that like the Titanic looks grand and seems solid,but doesnt really stand up to scrutiny,e.g. Would anyone really expect NIO official David Ranson an Mi5 agent to admit that with the aid of agents both covert and of influence that they ie,the security forces intended to undermine the prm not only from within the military wing but like a cancer the whole body like they had already done with the loyalist paramilitaries,and in turn they could then mould and dictate events at a pace which suited them and their careers.I and many others believe that their agents are still at work in the qsf when one could say the need for such activities are long past.MI5 play a significant role not only in the security situation here today but in the political machinations of the two main parties here and in a lesser degree the now almost defunct unionst party, the Atkinson memo is nothing more than just that his and Michael Allisons take on events surrounding the hunger strikes.Richard O Rawe has adequately covered that period and has produced enough documentation to prove beyond doubt that indeed six men died needlessly just to speed qsf,s entrance onto the political field,which is exactly where MI5 wanted them.so all in all not really impressed with Mr Griffins piece Anthony..

Don't know. He shares that perspective. And as...

2012-06-28T19:14:00.661+01:00

Don't know. He shares that perspective. And as we know they are very touchy about the agents of influence. But judge the article on its own merits

Is he a mate of bangers Anthony?

2012-06-28T19:05:35.264+01:00

Is he a mate of bangers Anthony?

An alternative perspective to my own.

The Handshake to Heaven The one time leader of hi...

2012-06-28T16:59:38.062+01:00

The Handshake to Heaven
The one time leader of his idea of republicanism had to do the right thing and shake the Queen’s hand why not, what’s the problem he is doing what comes natural to people who crave power, himself and Adams have been on a power driven agenda since about 1972 when they were released from the cages to meet the British. They have craved power and at whatever price it doesn’t matter who or what gets in their way.
They are in a very good place for themselves, shaking hands with the Queen (bless her) was the icing on the cake. These guys have no idea about republicanism they even had the Northern Command running the Provo’s trying to isolate the south were possible , They are no way interested in democracy they even have inbuilt rules on the amount each TD MP or MLA can earn they are not republicans but more like Fascists

I read several reports from Irish friends about th...

2012-06-28T15:37:54.528+01:00

I read several reports from Irish friends about their posts on facebook being flagged the past to days

BUT WAIT! ... I read in the US Mass Media that Facebook and Twitter were single-handedly responsible for the Arab Spring.

Apparently nobody in the Middle East ever thought to advocate for democracy before you could "Like" it

Sam Millar no idea who you could be on about a car...

2012-06-28T11:15:19.393+01:00

Sam Millar no idea who you could be on about a cara gibme a clue!

The day is coming and faster than some may think w...

2012-06-28T11:10:51.122+01:00

The day is coming and faster than some may think when the dinosaurs from the prm will be pushed out of the squeaky clean qsf Brian Feeney has already threw a shot across that particular bow in his weekly column in the Irish News..I believe both Adams and Mc Guinness will become an embarrassment to the party they have ruled with an iron fist

If it was only a handshake as you say Anthony wtf,...

2012-06-28T10:11:04.450+01:00

If it was only a handshake as you say Anthony wtf,but what happened yesterday went way beyond a mere greeting,in fact its was the accumulation of a series of acts of betrayal reaching as far back as the hunger strikes and the needless death of six of those so brave of the brave.the surrender of weapons ,through to calling republicans traitors from the steps of Stormont while in the company of the head of the ruc/psni,a handshake from Mc Guinness is as meaningless as one of Adams books ffs,the picture of him trying to talk to a very disinterested Phil the Geek said it all.I just hope that the people here can take a leaf out of Phil,s book and turn our backs on that waster of a human being ..

Anthony, it was an excellent piece and I had it on...

2012-06-28T10:10:42.074+01:00

Anthony, it was an excellent piece and I had it on my Facebook page that very morning, only to be told there had been a complaint lodged by an unknown viewer to my page (ah, they are watching everything we do). Last night, I solved the mystery, when an old friend informed me that the viewer is a well-known Shitter mouthpiece. I won't mention names (unlike the Shitters) but lets just says he's small, looks creepy and writes for a well-known Belfast newspaper and never said an original word in his life.

Marty, the image of the McGuinness being 'pre...

2012-06-28T09:25:01.195+01:00

Marty,

the image of the McGuinness being 'presented' to the queen used by Alex Kane captured it. They used to bring former leaders in chains. Now they don't have to. I thought the pictures of him standing in line to greet the queen reflected a real hierarchical relationship and then following her around like a dog. Now I understand that it is procedure and protocol but WTF was he doing there? It is not the matter of a human handshake but the system of power inscribed in it.

Anthony.. Kane just said it as it is,but when I li...

2012-06-28T08:41:54.791+01:00

Anthony.. Kane just said it as it is,but when I listened to the accounts by relatives of how their loved ones were murdered by the crown forces both in and out of uniform and of volunteers who paid the ultimate price spurred on by the jingoistic language from Mc Guinness and Adams ,when I think of Bobby Sands and those Brave men who endured so much for so long,Kieran Nugent dying the lonely death through alcoholism The Dark and other decent people who gave so much for the "cause"just to end up with that waster shaking a hand not worth shaking makes me sick..

hard nosed analysis from unionist writer Alex Kane that strips away the guff