Comments on: Observe the Sons of Ulster

By: John

John — Sun, 30 Nov 2003 23:09:34 +0000

I believe Paisley’s degree from Bob Jones is merely honorary, no?

By: John Isbell

John Isbell — Sat, 29 Nov 2003 17:55:12 +0000

I had no idea Paisley’s degree was from BJU. Good to know. That would be back in its anti-miscegenation days, not to mention the Catholics (and the Reagan visits).

By: Henry

Henry — Fri, 28 Nov 2003 16:07:12 +0000

Indeed he is. Have had a horribly busy schedule this semester, with the result that I’ve been doing most of my posting at 2am when my head is woozy, with fearful consequences for my (already somewhat spotty) grammar.

By: Conor

Conor — Fri, 28 Nov 2003 16:01:04 +0000

The UUP has actually increased its share of the vote (by about 1%) in comparison with the 1998 Assembly elections. However, the DUP has increased their share by a massive 5-6%. They have taken votes not from the UUP, but from independents Unionist assembly members. The bottom line is, as you state, that the dominant force in Unionism is now the anti-agreement DUP. The signs for the SDLP are ominous. At the next Westminster election, I would predict that all nationalist MP’s will by Sinn Fein (under the first past the post system). Ironic that the party who, since inception, has had a vision for a settlement that most closely approximates the 1998 Good Friday Agreement now appears to be considered irrelevant by the voters. Can you blame them when the governments effectively excluded them from recent negotiations?

By: dsquared

dsquared — Fri, 28 Nov 2003 10:27:57 +0000

He’s right you know.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Fri, 28 Nov 2003 09:44:23 +0000

Pedantic, no doubt, but you don’t mean “less seats”, you mean “fewer seats”.

By: dsquared

dsquared — Fri, 28 Nov 2003 07:30:27 +0000

I am reminded of Simon Hoggart’s aphorism that “the people of Northern Ireland will do anything for peace except vote for it”.