"Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel"

by David Ervine

�

We�ve all been through a lot! The people of Northern Ireland found themselves rather helplessly embroiled in a stinking set of violent and pathetic political circumstances for more than a generation. All the combatants in that conflict will have their own versions of camaraderie and justification for the actions they practised, the damage they did and the sacrifices they made. Many will differ from their historical appreciation of events. Indeed, they would be unlikely to accept each-others versions, celebrations or veneration.

Each group will tell you that they fought to stop the bullies on the other side. They will argue that the tenets of democracy or the creation thereof was the driving force behind their actions.

Whatever! The practical day to day circumstances of working class life throughout Northern Ireland is more affected by �defenders� than ever it was when the �war� was on. There can be no doubt that cease-fires have made a difference to the lives of our people. However, the sense of lawlessness abroad, much of carried out by paramilitaries of all kinds, some groups more prolifically than others, is having an adverse effect upon peoples lives.

The �cease-fire soldier syndrome� is loose and lawless in the extreme. The youth of yesterday are the young men of today. Perhaps they have a notion of some kind of glory or importance gleaned from watching the role models of the past. Perhaps! Realistically, it is more to do with power! Since the cease-fires of �94, the ranks of some groups have swollen.

Young men are strutting around with their chests out, demanding that which they can never have for as long as they behave in the manner they do. Respect is not something they deserve! Masquerading has always been a problem for the paramilitaries. Never, ever has it been more manifest than it is today. And! We all know only too well, it is getting worse!

We have a societal problem. Each and every one of our citizenry is diminished through the actions of a minority. Every elderly person who cowers behind the door conscious of the dangers just outside the house, frightened beyond belief to complain about the torture of loud music, is the responsibility of us all.

Unaware of the changes taking place within our youth culture, often the same senior citizen may not be aware that those noisy young people, who form a constant stream to the house or flat nearby, are really customers to a �drug house�. Indeed, in some areas, drugs and money are exchanged openly in the street. Many of our older population are living in abject fear. It seems to me that, those who turn a blind eye apart, beyond sympathy we offer nothing in the line of help.

Housing estates, sometimes only small parts of an estate, are being held in the grip of little gangs. The parochial nature of the young thugs is that they rule with amazing pride that which amounts to in some cases an area just a few hundred yards square. How pathetic our parochial little alien is.

Their perception of their own vulnerability outside the �square� dominates their existence within it. The other, much more worrying, element to this is the �insurance� policy they have � membership of a paramilitary organisation!

What of the father of a household? What of his sense of humiliation in being unable to defend, even in words, his children or wife who stray into the sights of our urban fighter heroes? He is unlikely to be frightened of a pumped up Hitler who he has watched growing up. Oh no! However, he will be mindful of the repercussions from the paramilitary �parent body�! The leader of the �parent body� will most likely only hear the story as told by his urban hero colleague. The truth is often a casualty in these situations. The innocent and the vulnerable suffer at the hands of the �defenders�.

A legacy of �the troubles� that we as a society have to come to terms with is the propensity of anti-authority attitude. Murder, injury and brutality have been vehicles upon which pollutants are delivered to infect individual thought, action and reaction. Even beyond the paramilitary sphere the propensity of violent attitude and conduct is clear for all to see. Stabbing, street fights and bullying are all prevalent. We hear about some of that. Much more goes unreported.

Leaving blame aside, the almost imperceptible corruption of morals have left us with a Herculean task � that is if we are to address the problem and put it to rights.

Putting things to right, normalising communities, will require a great deal of effort. First on the agenda surly must the acknowledgement that the problem exists and that will also entail taking responsibility.

For far too long we, all of us, have viewed, somewhat like the division of labour, that, whatever is happening �out there� it was always someone else�s fault and therefore somebody else�s responsibility.

The role of paramilitaries within local communities often far away from �the enemy� or the �front line� has been far from advantageous to the people they live among.

Many paramilitary members have had a benign effect upon those around them. Substantial numbers have never generated fear in their own community, and never will. Many care deeply about the people and the future. Many are held in genuine respect in their locality. In real terms, and those benign members know it only too well, the tide of public opinion is moving away from them toward a growing hatred that is sometimes deserved.

Quietly, almost unnoticed, a metamorphic change has been taking place throughout the ranks of most groupings. Three elements to this seem to be developing. Some paramilitary personnel are just going about the business of living life, looking for jobs, feeding family. Others have moved towards politics and social development in an attempt to contribute to the wellbeing of society. Yet others are, without doubt, giving oxygen to that old adage � patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel.��

The illustrious origin of the paramilitary, of whatever colour, is being besmirched on a daily and nightly basis throughout this land.

Recent trials and arrests for paramilitary type offences, not in all cases but in too many cases, reflect an age group of activists who where at primary school or who had just left there when the cease-fires of 1994 were called.

Who is winding those young people up to believe old Ulster or Ireland is in such danger? What Einstein encourages them that the duty is to commit violence to free their community from the jack-boot of oppression perpetrated by the �other side�? Oh! And, by the way boys, isn�t what we are all about that noble tradition called self-sacrifice?

Those young people are being conveyor-belted to god knows where! Those who send them, manipulate them or offer them the spoils of the activities are taking advantage of the metamorphosis I contend is taking place with some groups. Indeed, the actions of a few nefarious �leaders�, for their own rotten ends, are slowing the move to normality that this society cries out for!

The ease of existence for groups threatening the peace and polluting society with drugs and extortion seems ever so casual. The attitude of the intelligence services is lax in the extreme.�

For many of those vested with the responsibility to deliver on the peace process, it is most disconcerting to be confronted with questions about the effectiveness of the security services in dealing with the �new menace�.

Questions from those who know what it is like to be logistically challenged are in disbelief.� Simply put, the question I�m most asked is �how the hell do they get away with it�. A good question!

The opportunity exists now for elected representatives to help in the moulding of a single accepted authority to offer protection to person and property. The police, in conjunction with the revamped justice system are the real practical hope to deliver differences to the people.

Those who trumpet the benefit of devolution upon jobs, health, education etc., at the same time as they play political games with policing and justice, are prolonging the agony of the weak and vulnerable and giving large gulps of oxygen to the scoundrels.�

There will be a few ruffled feathers in reaction to this article. So be it! If the cap fits�

�

�