Tuesday, 3 May 2011

Bluster and more bluster

Interesting recent exchange between SF's Gerry Kelly and the BBC's Martina Purdy.

BBC political correspondent Martina Purdy had been speaking to Sinn Fein’s Gerry Kelly.
He said dissident republicans should stop their violence as they are only hurting their own people.
She asked him if he thought his party was sending out mixed messages on violence by commemorating the IRA dead.
GK: Have you ever in your life, with respect to you, said to the Orange Order the same thing?
MP: Well, I’m asking you.
GK: Have you, no, well I’m asking you.
MP: I’m asking you.
GK: Because you’re, no, with respect, with respect.
MP: Well I’m talking to you.
GK: Have you ever, I’m asking you a question, have you ever asked that question of the Orange Order? Have you ever asked it of a unionist? Have you ever went to the British Army and asked them why they have a homecoming group? So what you’re doing is, with respect to you, you’re taking something which is a small group, these small groups who are putting out these statements and you’re trying to throw it back on Sinn Fein.
MP: Well now your party has often accused the Orange Order...
GK: It is a completely disingenuous question.
MP: ...of living in the past, so I’m putting it to you as a republican politician.
GK: It is a completely... we’re not living in the past, we’re not living in the past.
MP: There is no need to turn on me.
GK: I know what you’re going to do.
MP: ...but do you think it’s wise to continue with these kind of commemorations?
GK: I am not turning on you, it is fair of me to say to you that you are asking a completely unfair question, right. You’re asking a question which you would not, so I am attacking the fact that you are not being...
MP: Well you don’t know that.
GK: Well I do, well you tell me have you ever asked that question, have you ever asked that question of the...
MP: We should really get the Orange Order in front of the microphone, but I’m asking you.
GK: Have you ever asked the question of the British Army? It’s a simple question, have you ever done it? Have you ever asked the question of a British politician? Now we’re very clear, I am very proud of my history, I am very proud of it, I will always be proud of it, I will die a republican. And people in this area have suffered massively and you think that I should not come here and praise...
MP: I didn’t ask you that, I asked you should you rethink it.
GK: ...and praise. And you think that I should not come here and praise the people who stood against sectarianism? And the people whose families, now there’s 148 names there, you think that I’m doing something wrong in doing that?
MP: No, I’m asking you are you sending out mixed messages to young people?
GK: I am not sending out mixed messages. What are you going to do? You’re going to go through all this. I’ve been talking to you now for 10 minutes and you’re going to go through it all and do what? Pick out whatever suits you?
MP: Can I ask you whether you think that it’s time for Sinn Fein to take the justice job, and someone like yourself with a background in the republican movement, it’s time for you to face down the dissidents?
GK: I have faced the dissidents.
MP: Through the justice job.
GK: I face down the dissidents.
MP: ...through the justice job would...
GK: I would face, I would face down the dissidents whatever job I am in.
MP: Do you think that your party will seek it in the next term?
GK: I would face down the dissidents in whatever job I am in, and the party will make up its own mind, collectively, what ministries it
One thing is quite clear, Gerrry Kelly didn't answer her questions, especially in relation to the 'justice job'

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