The tag ‘We Ourselves’ applies to insular unionists more than to Sinn Fein

A letter from George McNally:
By Letters
Published 1st Jan 2022, 07:10 BST
Updated 1st Jan 2022, 07:13 BST
Meeting on Capitol Hill in early December between the Ulster Unionist Party and members of the US Congress. From left Representative Mike Kelly, Representative Mary Gay Scanlon, Representative Richard Neal Chairman of WaysMeansCmte and UUP leader Dough Beattie MLA and former leader Mike Nesbitt MLAMeeting on Capitol Hill in early December between the Ulster Unionist Party and members of the US Congress. From left Representative Mike Kelly, Representative Mary Gay Scanlon, Representative Richard Neal Chairman of WaysMeansCmte and UUP leader Dough Beattie MLA and former leader Mike Nesbitt MLA
Meeting on Capitol Hill in early December between the Ulster Unionist Party and members of the US Congress. From left Representative Mike Kelly, Representative Mary Gay Scanlon, Representative Richard Neal Chairman of WaysMeansCmte and UUP leader Dough Beattie MLA and former leader Mike Nesbitt MLA

Ulster Unionist Party leader Doug Beattie was in Washington earlier this month.

From his gallant and outstanding military service he knows the difference between strategy and tactics.

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He is to be commended for realising that the art of politics also demands strategy and tactics though of a different order. In an interview on RTE he said: “We can’t blame the the US if they (ie. elected politicians) don’t understand the messages we are trying to convey and the concerns we are trying to raise because we are the ones who haven’t been engaging — that’s our fault.”

Letter to the editorLetter to the editor
Letter to the editor

In 2018 Sinn Fein launched the Martin McGuinness Principles in the US demanding a Bill of Rights; Equality for the Irish language; Funding for Legacy Inquests; a Referendum on Irish Unity; Equality; Respect; Truth and Self-Determination.

Chuck Schumer, a Democrat and Senate majority leader, has endorsed the McGuinness Principles.

Unionist leaders have failed to match the international political strategies of Sinn Fein. Paradoxically ‘we ourselves’ applies to insular unionists.

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The Irish diaspora throughout the world have been exploited and used by Sinn Fein. The Ulster/Scots tradition in the US lacks the Celtic cohesion of victimhood.

The existential threats to the union are overt and covert. Doug Beattie hopes to visit the US twice a year and he should expose the falsehoods of the McGuinness Principles. He will need to describe the mismatch between virtue-signalling noble declarations and the ignoble practices of Sinn Féin’s sectarian, ideological bigotry and cultural intolerance.

The cohesion of a radical political party is maintained by displaying intolerance towards opponents. He deserves the backing of all those who wish to remain in an NI which is part of the UK.

George McNally, Washington DC 200016

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Related topics:Doug BeattieUlster Unionist PartyWashington