Re: Re-sectarianism-for John Buckman

Date: 8th Aug '02

Name: John Martin

Country: Ireland

To John Buckman,

When I responded to your original point about the Kingsmill Massacre I was challenging what I regarded as a historical myth. Sectarian killings did not lessen because of that massacre. To perpetuate that myth whether you approval or condemn the action, is to leave the door open for some idiot in future to justify similar actions by reference to actions that the Provisionals or the Catholic Reaction Force carried out.

I am amazed at your defensive attitude re the Provisional Republican Movement. Are you really into the what aboutry school of politics Is politics so debased that you have to see the colour of my politics before you listen to my arguments? Do we jump up and down and say, My group is better than yours!! No it isnt!! Yes it is!! like school children. What you seem to imply is that the nature of my politics lessens the validity of the original point I made. Does not what you wrote imply that there are no disagreements within the Provisional Republican Movement? I know that that is not the case but if thinking like yours became dominant then the future of democracy with that movement would be poor.

I was not aware that I was attacking that movement and fail to see how what I wrote could be so interpreted. I was attacking woolly thinking, historical inaccuracy and an implied justification for sectarian murder. If that is seen as attacking the Provisional Republican Movement then so be it.

Of course actions have consequences and the emergence of Billy Wright as killer was his personal response to that killing. But to say that is not to imply that loyalism is a purely reactionary response to republicanism. It is not. It is all the things you say and more.

Finally just so you can can have your little bit of political sectarianism let me say that DOD `s post got the first part right!

John Martin

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