Huttonian had to miss the Hutton ceremonial Luigi (but not flu) bound. To cheer me up the Belfast Bloggee has contributed the following snippet. In the not too recent past there were examples of Unionists dragging passerbys out of their cars and beating them severely fot not showing 'respek' to the two minutes silence. It was about that time anyone not standing up for the National Anthem at the end a of a public cinema perfomance remained seating at great risk to life and limb. As a student at Dublin Unversity in the late 1950s I could only attend a Rembrance Day Service at the Protestant Cathedral-I enjoyed the bus journey with my 2 campaign medals clinking together. Now that they are more mature about such things down South Rememberance events proliferate-probably 300,000 Irish citizens fought in the Second WAR and more in the Great War. There is an official campaign on at the present to forceHMG to pardon Irishmen shot for alleged cowardice or disobeying orders in the front line. Little was known about trauma., battlefield fatigue at that time and any hestitation to 'go over the top' was severely punished to preserve discipline amongst the rank and file-it was necessary 'pour encourager les autres'
"Remembrance Sunday services are normally conducted in a dignified manner, as befits the occasion, throughout Norn Iron. This year the opportunity was seized upon by the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) to announce a complete cessation of violence. Just what this means is a bit of a mystery as the same UDA announced a ceasefire some 10 years ago. The definition of ceasefire can be a bit vague in this part of the jurisdiction as the UDA, along with other paramilitaries on both sides, continued with their campaigns of savage violence. Most of this was internal feuding where various brigadiers struggled to control the vast drug empires and many of the unlucky campaigners were murdered or fled to other shores.
On Sunday at the UDA controlled event, held in a staunchly Loyalist area outside Belfast city, a chap from the Ulster Political Reform Group (UPRG) announced to the assembled masses that there was to be a complete cessation of violence. The majority of the assembled masses were clad in paramilitary uniform complete with black berets, masks and dark glasses.
Following the speech, and at the end of the service, a colour party of masked men fired a volley into the air from their about to be decommissioned weapons."
Well done Mr B.
