I am sorry if my coverage of issues here has suddenly become Northern Ireland-centric but the brutal murder of a Police Officer last night took place just a few miles from where I live and in an area I know well. I listened to an interview on Today this morning with the local IRA/Sinn Fein represent, and Herman Munster look-a-like John O’Dowd. You can catch it here. To be fair to John Humphyrs, he did kick back a little at the sickening arrogance of O’Dowd but here again I must question the ability of the BBC to ask searching question. Permit me to explain.
In 1997, two RUC officers were shot in the the back of the head by IRA assassins. The local community from which Mr O’Dowd hails, did not give the killers up. So when he now says that the local community should pass on any intelligence to the police concerning last night’s murder, the question is why did the same community keep quiet about similar murders back then? Would he like to see the guilty apprehended? IRA/Sinn Fein talk in code – the job of the media is to cut through this and let ordinary people understand what is really being said. However the BBC has invested massively in supporting the political process which has rewarded the IRA, refusing to give people such as me a voice because we point out inconvenient truths. In that regard, the BBC is part of the problem, it is institutionally biased in favour of a given political dispensation and I fail to see why we must fund this. Do you?
I well remember the murder in 1997 of the two RUC officers. Their murderers ran up behind them, shot each of them in the head, and then ran off into a Republican housing estate where they escaped justice. In the Daily telegraph was a picture from the funeral of one of the coffins borne by colleagues with the dead man’s young boy weeping uncontrollably behind. Since then, I have been utterly disgusted by how the Establishment has allowed the IRA and its associate murder squads to get away with what they have so far. None of the ‘mainstream’ parties would have offered an alternative to the appeasement, and the BBC is the mouthpiece for this policy.
Allan,
I was in Lurgan an hour beforehand. I was utterly nauseated by the sheer savagery of the killings. The IRA hitmen are well know locally, but they were not given up from the community that supports them. I think this was an entirely appropriate point for Humphyrs to make to Herman Munster ringer John O’Dowd. The more times change, the more they stay the same.
David, I absolutely agree that people with your views should be given a voice on the BBC but I do think that the National Broadcaster has a responsibility to assist in keeping the situation under control, which at this point means using interviews to give the likes of Adams and McGuinness the opportunity to make concilliatory statements (which I’m not convinced they’ve made a great job of) rather than making the obvious accusations or fishing for something incendiary.
There’s an obvious answer to why non-extreme Republican sympathies might’ve been different in 1997 (or 1982 or 1972). It’s because things have changed significantly since then, massively for the better in my opinion as a London based British taxpayer but I can’t talk for NI residents.
Once/if things settle down it’ll be time to ask questions about the remaining terrorist cancer in republican communities and whether they’re showing sufficient willingness to deal with it. I note that the Beeb in what I’ve watched have also been careful to avoid providing “explanations” for these murders by chucking Bloody Sunday footage about or similar.
Firstly I think you are trying to brush a whole community with the actions of a few. Thats bias right there. Secondly, the phonelines to talk shows have been red hot, all over the weekend and now. People – ordinary people – have been given a voice. You make claims elsewhere about the nationalist community, that are totally unfounded, and I’ll bet you a pound to a penny you have no basis – other than your own opinion – for those claims.
Comparing the two murders is reasonable, and a genuine opinion, but its not BBC bias. You yourself agree Humphrys did try to kick back..?
Replacing one piece of bias with another is not good journalism, and lousy politics. I think you are stoking a voilitale situation. Your language is heated and carries with it aggitation, I’ve read your stuff when you write with a level head, you can do much better than this.
The bottom line is that here we are many years into the peace process, and there are still armed Republican terrorists murdering soldiers and policemen. Pretty depressing.
Also note the way in which the majority of BBC reporting has been of the “but all sides, including Sinn Fein are together on this one” approach, diametrically opposite to the “it’s all a disaster that is spiralling out of control and the country is falling apart” approach when a soldier is murdered in Iraq or Afghanistan.
If we are to assume that the news that British intelligence is aiding the PSNI in helping combat Republican dissidents has led to these terrorist attacks, then one obvious question springs to the fore; why did PSNI/British intelligence announce they were collaborating in NI? Couldn’t they have worked togther in the province without the need to announce in publically? (aka. in secret) The need for transparency is surely over-ridden by the need for security in this case.
The is a difference in how Afghanistan is approached – how must their families feel when their son is killed in Afghanistan and there is no outcry…..
The bbc do have a hierarchy of victims.
Hi Gosh,
I am not stoking a situation, nor am I am murdering police officers and soldiers. That is the function of some Irish republicans.I simply point out the rampant hypocrisy of some people and it seems to cause.
Is it wrong to ask Mr O’Dowd why his community did not give up the killers of the two RUC constables? If so, why?
Is it wrong to wonder if all act of terror should be punished? If so, why?
I do not annoyed when innocent people get mown down by terrorist vermin and get even more cross when I see the media being its usual hypocritical self. In this regard, on this blog, I focus on the BBC. The bias lies in how it presents the farcical notion that some terrorists are good, and others are bad.
Classic Radio 5 this morning. Asked if people are not proud of the military the usual bunch of leftist wankers rang in (I suspect most were BBC employees as one guy rings in all the time under different names)
One leftist wanker who slated the military for being in Iraq was asked by a woman caller “should he not blame the Government who sent them there and that if people want our soldiers out of Iraq and Afghanistan they should vote for parties that support that aim”
“Oh no, we don’t have democracy” claimed the leftist wanker “we don’t have a choice of parties”
Really. The Lib Dems opposed Iraq, Galloway and other Muslim loving parties all opposed the invasion.
As usual with the leftist scum, they deny THEIR part in the invasion of Iraq (supporting Nu Liebour) yet try to put all the blame on soldiers who we were told “are the ones that should have refused to go and fight”
Of course the BBC just lap this shit up.
It was basically an hour of leftist pony tailed student scum attacking the military.
Martin,
You are a braver man than me listening to Five Live. It’s bias incarnate!!
martin, maybe the leftist wanker you heard is really the intern, made to repetedly call up the show to justify the program’s angle. Those phone ins are horrible, anyone who ever talks any sense is almost immediatley cut off
I used to work for the Lib Dems (I needed the cash, it wasn’t ideological) and they were so full of sh*t when it came to Iraq, war and terrorism in general. They didn’t oppose for any logical reasons, it was simply to hoover up the disaffected Muslim/hippie vote in 2005. I know its off topic, but the way they came up with policy was hilarious; if it was a trendy student type issue, and if it allowed them an angle (such as, look at how friendly we are to other cultures) it went ahead.
Yoav: But the lib Dems offered a left wing outlet for those that opposed the war in Iraq. So why did Liebour get re-elected in 2005?
The left piss me off. They blame the soldiers for being in Iraq, but the military don’t particularly want to be there (or Afghanistan for that matter)
The left just look for any excuse not to blame themselves.
They voted the vile inbred scum that is Nu liebour into power three times. The buck stops with them.
I agree, but while the hardcore anti-war left voted Lib Dem instead of Labour, that still only represented one section of Labour’s support base. Much as I hate Mandy and co, they were clever in the way they attracted voters from so any disparate groups. It shows how ‘New Labour’ can mean anything to anyone – it’s a truly idelogical/principle free party. Labour, at that point in 2005, was still winning the middle class vote. Now that the economy has tanked, it’s likely that middle class mass vote that has deserted Labour, mostly to the Tories I’d guess. Time will tell. Depends if our great PM ever decides to trust the public to vote….
And it’s clear the military don’t even want to be there – the futility of what we’re doing in Afghanistan is getting more and more obvious. I say we take a radical action soon – either drastically increase troop numbers (US and Canadians too) and cut out all the stupid rules of engagement that the taleban use to exploit the situation, or we pull out tomorrow and just say hell with it, if these guys want an anarchic war torn society, leave them to it.
Your emotions are getting the better of your judgement here. The RUC incident from 97 is not relevant to this recent terrorist attack, and to bring it up is a pathetic attempt to tar the whole community. We get what your views our, we understand emotions run high. But don’t just rant and don’t enforce your views on us as if they are factual or relevant.
Yoav: Agreed. But the BBC refuse to put the blame on Liebour and instead target George Bush. Why?
I loved the way Andrew Neal put the poisoned dwarf on the spot today asking why is it that in Afghanistan there are plenty of reports of British accents among the Taliban but no American ones?
Why is the UK the worlds cesspit for Muslim extremists? Why doesn’t the BBC ask that question?
Let me take a punt. For 40 years wet camp liberals in the median politics (including Tories) have sucked up to the Mulsim voter in a way they don’t suck up to any other voting group.
WE have this ‘multi cultural’ crap shoved down our throats all the time, when in fact they mean Islamic culture.
You don’t for example see large numbers of Hindus, Sikhs, Jews or Buddhists sitting in the front row at BBC’s Question Time week in and week out like you do with bloody Muslims.
The wet liberals pander to Muslims instead of saying “pucker up or piss off”
This is England. We don’t like Islamic values here and don’t want them.
There are plenty of Countries around the world that offer the retards the barbaric head hacking off way of life. Go live there.
As for 9/11. Bush should have just tossed a few nukes in the direction of Tora Bora. Problem solved.
david
im not far from you and remember those kilings very well. how anyone can be proud of such cowards is beyond me. the sad thing about the recent killing is that it wont end there. any time now loyalist killers will murder in revenge. so those ira scum will allso be responsible for the muder of more innocents.
bet on it.
Omar,
So you think it is “pathetic” that I raise the murder of two police officers by the IRA – which happened very close to where the murder of another police officer occurred last night? I think what is pathetic is Sinn Fein/IRA obfuscation and media dilettantisn on these matters.
NGG,
I would hang the “loyalist” killer had I my way. No forms of terrorism are ever acceptable here in NI.
Omar, the killings of 1997 are extremely relevant. In that instance a local terrorist and one of his cronies (whom I could name) shot two policemen in the back and then ran away. Later a local solicitor colluded in perverting the course of justice and getting the charges against the scumbag dropped. Again I could name names but won’t, a quick Google however will almost certainly find the information. It is relevant because a pertinent question to O’Dowd would have been:
‘as republicans have killed police in this area before and the local community colluded in such killings; what assurances will Sinn Fein offer that they will collaborate with the PSNI on this occasion?’ 1997 was not long ago my friend.
david
when did ulsters loyalist gangs ever fail to disgust us??
they will take the murder very personally and i would bet on retaliation against innocent catholics
ngg
BBC now:
“However, at least one of Northern Ireland’s bloggers stepped outside the consensus in response to the shootings.
David Vance condemned what he terms “the blabbering of mainstream journalists” as “surreal” and “entirely detached”.
“Contrary to what is being stated, the Irish republican terrorists who have murdered in Antrim and Craigavon do enjoy significant support in certain areas, ” he said.
“Remember when all those convicted terrorists walked free from prison and we were told that this was the price to be paid for peace?
“Tell it to the next of kin of those slaughtered on the streets of Northern Ireland during the past 72 hours.”
And he says “Sinn Fein/IRA” only condemned the attacks because they believed “that they alone have the right to be judge, jury and executioner”.
————————————-
Congratulations David!! You have really got up their noses – brilliant – Front page coverage.
congrats david you are a mighty force!!
AndrewSouthLondon
Here’s the link to the BBC web article that includes david Vamce’s comments.
I note that the first blogger they quote is from Amnesty International, then a “republican blogger” – and then an extract from Gerry Adams’ blog.
There is then an SDLP blogger.
Finally comes david’s comments.
Balanced representation of the community ? I think not.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7935054.stm
northern ireland is a victim of Tony Blair’s huge ego.
He was so obsessed with getting the “northern ireland sorted” box ticked, that he allowed the criminals and lunatics to run the asylum.
The IRA has merely done what the Sinn Fein did earlier on and become politicallly powerful whilst an element of it carries on the usual carnage.
The only solution will be to find and kill those who decide to follow this route.
This will deter those “brave” young lads who think it is a no consequence action.
My recollection is that Sinn Fein wouldn’t encourage people to co-operate with the police investigation into the Omagh bombing. And still wont http://www.independent.ie/national-news/republican-chief-turns-a-deaf-ear-to-omagh-plea-1457486.html
The police get no end of grief about investigating Omagh, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/1706730.stm maybe SF should be put on the spot.
Only a moron takes the weasel words of Adams and McGuinness seriously.
What is even more ironic is that the Irish Catholics hate the Muzzie’s more than the rest of us do, yet they murder two soldiers off to Afghanistan to defend the free world from Muslim terrorists.
I just wonder who the IRA will turn to when they are all forced to grow a daft beard and pray to Mecca?
As a matter of interest, what happened to that General who oversaw the de-arming process of both sides who said that the ‘IRA’s weapons had been put beyond use’ or similar claptrap. Can we, or the victim’s families now sue him?
David Vance,
But we all know the BBC has had you on. I heard you speak out – quite well – against that IRA prison break documentary. You can’t say that the BBC refuses to give you a voice. I think in your previous post you meant that the BBC tries to “marginalize” people with your opinions, not exactly “isolate” you. If so, you would have a point there. But please don’t ruin this by saying they refuse to give you a voice, full stop. Unless you meant that they’re refusing to have you on anymore because of your opinions. Taking into account your presence on this blog as well, that would make some sense (not that it would be the right thing to do, but at least we’d understand). It just didn’t read that way to me.
Having said all that, with the piece AndrewSouthLondon links to, I think you have a real case for claiming that the BBC is trying to marginalize your voice.
“Stepped outside the consensus“
Ooh, “consensus”. How totally Maoist. They used the exact same word to marginalize and discredit AGW skeptics. It doesn’t get any more obvious than that. You deserve credit for getting their attention in such a way, and giving them the rope with which to hang themselves.