Letter: The Protestant community has lost its self respect - we are not the same people that we were

Unionism has been betrayed by their ‘Tory Friends’, and now, when we should be devoting our time and energy searching for a home, we have the unedifying spectacle of the unionist community squabbling and bitching like adolescent school children.

Instead of providing leadership we are witnessing an ongoing tragedy played out by lightweight politicians and their camp followers as ‘the vultures’ are gathering to devour them. It is pitiful!

If the protocol has done nothing else it has brought into much sharper focus what the unionist community has always known, we are only as British as mainland Britain says we are, and a majority of them believe we are expendable.

Our future resides at Westminster, and is at the whim of fickle and unscrupulous politicians who see us as a bargaining chip to be used as a makeweight, and added to tip the balance in their scramble for power. We are mere pawns to be sacrificed as Britain and Europe move us across the board to bring more powerful pieces into play.

In 1912, we had leaders and a united and God fearing people. We now worship mammon and a myriad of other gods, and live in hope they bring comfort and ease our pain. We need leaders who have vision and are capable of thinking outside the box, even thinking the unthinkable, but prepared to play hardball to protect our traditions, our faith, and our culture. With one or two exceptions, we don’t have them.

The two unionist parties, and the more gullible in our community, lost, and devoid of ideas, are falling over themselves to promote Irish culture – I blush, and feel embarrassed for them.

If we are not prepared to take responsibility for our future it will be taken out of our hands by people who will go over our heads, and treat us with the contempt they feel we deserve. The Protestant community lost its dignity and self-respect a long time ago and is now in mortal danger of losing its soul. I’m not convinced our politicians are capable of steering us through this crisis, most who choose to fight elections are “dummy fluters.”

We have been cast adrift, hostage to fortune, and at the mercy of the political elements.

We no longer fear God, our fathers’ God, and thumb our nose at His laws, we desecrate the Lord’s Day and it doesn’t disturb our conscience.

Football is the new deity and we’ll reap what we sow, “For God and Ulster” is a mere echo, and has passed into history.

We are not the same people, and the church has lost its cutting edge.

Clive Maxwell, Bleary