The unfair treatment of Protestants

Just recently we have the stories and pictures of illegal republican parades in nationalist areas where the police decided not to intervene, showing this to be true.

Then the Troubles in the ‘Holyland’ what did the police do there? Yet they are so quick to use the spray when children were about.

Could you imagine that happening in a nationalist area? They would be up in arms and their propaganda methods would let the world know. The picture of the policeman resting his foot on the ladder for a nationalist whilst he was putting up a Tricolour.

Yet the Union flag, which is our national flag by right being part of the United Kingdom, Protestant people have been arrested for protesting because it was only to be flown on certain days.

Where there are main Protestant parades, which pass by nationalist areas, the police face the Protestants, keeping their back against the protesters. How often do you see the police walking the beat in nationalist areas? They do it still in the Protestant areas with some of them using their authority by their bullying tactics, and arrogance.

The dictionary definition of the law goes as follows: ‘All the rules of conduct in an organised community as upheld by authority, obedience to such rules, the profession of lawyers, judges and the police, a sequence of events occurring with unvarying uniformity under the same conditions.’

Is this happening in both communities? I don’t think so. They say what happened was regrettable (regrettable meaning deserving reproof which equals blame). Regret involves the mind primarily, and remorse involves the emotions, but repentance includes a change of mind, a hatred for doing wrong and a willingness to make things right.

If the will is not touched, conviction has not gone deep enough. They apologise (admittance for wrong doing).

An apology won’t undo the harm and trauma caused to young Christians and others who felt the stress that day.

Trust and respect are earned, they don’t come automatically or because you wear a uniform.

Ann Jones, By email