Loyalism
� A Socialist Perspective
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Paul
Morrow
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To my mind we live in dangerous times, especially if you happen to be
a member of the P.U.P.� We are of course, the source of all evil which would
explain why both Republicans & Unionists have set their face against us.�
The prospect of being in the middle of all this dangerous turmoil would not
be the rational reason why someone would sign-up for membership of the Party,
yet people do by the score.� My decision to join, taken in the face of this
death defying logic, leaves me with not one single regret.
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Yet in the scheme of things I am no one, irrelevant, to some maybe even
expendable but by virtue of the fact that I am here representing a voice for
radical change is enough to scare the hell out of those who oppose us.� Their
only concern when confronted is to cling to their own positions, privileges
and power.� To some we signify the most dangerous of weapons, �ideas�,
spoken openly.� That said I have no desire to be the hero or the �man in the
big picture�.� The risks associated with being a public figure is probably more
than I or my family could bear.� However, if it was necessary to make the difference
then we should all be prepared to follow through with our principles and convictions.
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But the point I allude to is that we shouldn�t need any more heroes if
we all can share a common conviction.� From a socialist view, our battles and
wars cannot be won for us but by us.� Not by following leaders but by leading
those we choose to represent us.� Our job as a Party is to set the framework
of principles; the people have the job of put the flesh on the bones of that
framework that will embody that commonality.
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Still the debate rages on about the constitutional position of Ulster,
the maintenance of the Union and the Sell-out that will lead us to a United
Ireland.� In all of this debate, we as one community deprive ourselves of the
truth.� We hide from the light of reality that describes our own conflicts.�
We seek to throw ourselves upon the sword of patriotism, prepared to die for
Ulster, yet death brings us no recognition, no social, economic or political
strength or advantage.� Our plight is best expressed in the phrase, ��better
the master in Hell than the servant in Heaven�, but our sought mastery leaves
us reign over nought, others will continue to subvert our loyalties and lord
over us by manufacturing our consent.� We are left fighting for a nationality
to hide the fact that it is all that we have to fight for.� We are roused to
make much of concessions made to nationalists yet many of those concessions
we should have been angered for ourselves.� We react with dismay when others
demand rights yet we make no clear demands ourselves for equal or reciprocal
rights.� We as a Party, in isolation, endeavour to battle for those rights to
be offered to us all.� So are we to blame when those who seek to manufacture
your consent, those who see themselves as �born to rule� democrats,
sideline us and attack us at every given opportunity.� When the P.U.P. stand
up and confront these great democrats we ask. �What have they done for the people?��
Those who reply do so by calling us �Traitors�.� I�ve never understood how those
who have held power for thirty years and more could be the ones who felt betrayed.
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Add to this the open hostility of the LVF/UFF towards us.� It is no secret
that they would prefer it if we were all dead.� But in light of what I have
just said, whom would our demise most benefit?� I would ask them to drop their
sights for one moment and reflect upon whose agenda they are serving, knowingly
or not?� Are they soldiers and defenders of working class loyalist or puppets
and drug pushing wise guys, manipulated directly by an unseen military hand?�
In whose interest does conflict lie?
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I put it to you that given the circumstances; all working class loyalists
should seek empowerment.� That each and every one of us should be able to hold
our heads high and stop looking at our feet marching nowhere.� That we must
act and react with honour and honesty, untainted and uncorrupted.� We should
lower our gun-sights from each other�s backs and with unity set our political
sights on holding the balance of power.� By doing thus, we can conceive and
set the agenda that others must follow.�
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Only by vision can we become masters
of our own destiny.
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