Anthony McIntyre thinks Sinn Fein is so boxed in by the British political system that it had no choice but to send condolences to British royalty on the death of one of its elders. 

The death of the British Royal Philip Mountbatten has produced the wholly unsurprising spectacle of Sinn Fein once again eagerly demonstrating that the party has in its top echelons the greatest fawners ever.

Much of the republican sarcasm in the wake of the Duke of Edinburgh’s passing has not been directed at his or his family’s misfortune, but at the gushing profusion of faux sympathy from a party whose former key leaders were on the army council that targeted British royals including the Duke’s uncle, Louis Mountbatten.

Behind the sarcasm there is also anger. Online can be found, among others, former H-Block blanketmen venting their dismay. They remember only too sorely that on the day when Sinn Fein was sending its ostensible sincere condolences, forty years earlier Bobby Sands was elected to the British parliament, which with contempt allowed him to die only a few weeks later. There was not a word of condolence from Royal mouths then or since.

It upsets memory-equipped republicans that people whose political careers benefited immensely from the deaths of the hunger strikers should be sending their condolences to the British queen. Bobby’s words about the need to avoid becoming mere law-abiding robots would have resonated strongly with them.

In a different context those republicans might be more tolerant of it: one in which the IRA campaign to coerce Britain out of Ireland had not failed. They might then conceivably have viewed the expression of condolences as one of the necessary diplomatic protocols to be observed in a world of international diplomacy. But not in a context where, with the British still in Ireland on the very same terms as they were throughout the IRA campaign – unity only with the consent of a majority in the North - the British toff establishment expect and get political deference as distinct from defiance.

I respected neither Philip Mountbatten nor his family. I don’t see what respect is due a monarch from a republican. On his death I proffer neither respect nor disdain, more a fleeting indifference to the extent that I pay attention to it at all. It was once quipped that the only thing a republican should approach a monarch with is a bullhorn and a placard. While I would most certainly not take a leaf out of the bible of Westboro Baptist Church and turn up at his funeral ready to rant like a raving reverend, neither would I be approaching it with a wreath.

Sinn Fein’s critics on the matter tend to think the party could have behaved otherwise. In reality it cannot. It has been so smitten and bought by its inclusion in the British political system – its republicanism excluded - that rocking the Royal yacht is simply unthinkable. A dignified silence on the matter would simply never occur to the party. Its attitude to British royalty is remarkably similar to that of the Scottish nobility in the movie Braveheart. Anything less than forelock tipping would see them placed outside the diplomatic game whereby the slave is expected to kneel down and kiss its chains. Either that or be moved from the house and into the field.

Of course, there will be those who will claim to see in any criticism of the party's position a refusal to make the forward step from the past to the present; that the party is humane, authentic and reconciliatory in its expression of condolence. They should consider this: let Sinn Fein tell the families of the Kingsmill war crime dead and Joanne Mathers that it was the Provisional IRA that killed them rather than have the lie promoted that it was the work of some other group. That would say much for humaneness authenticity, and reconciliation. Otherwise, the condolences to royalty are mere political posturing.

I don't particularly mind if individual Sinn Fein members as private citizens express their condolences on the death of Philip Mountbatten. It is none of my business. But at the political level, given the role of British royalty in fronting for a political establishment that has spread poison across the globe for centuries, it sends the wrong message.

What, therefore, might be the right message? Try the Egyptian-American writer Mona Eltahawy who tweeted:

I do not mourn racists/sexists or any royals. Monarchies everywhere should be abolished, esp one which colonized and pillaged so extensively. To stop regular broadcasting because a royal has died, during a pandemic in a country where more than 100k have died, is ridiculous.

That would be the voice of Principled Leadership. But like everything else with Sinn Fein, that is a concept as dead as the hunger strikers. 

⏩Follow on Twitter @AnthonyMcIntyre.

Ridiculous

Anthony McIntyre thinks Sinn Fein is so boxed in by the British political system that it had no choice but to send condolences to British royalty on the death of one of its elders. 

The death of the British Royal Philip Mountbatten has produced the wholly unsurprising spectacle of Sinn Fein once again eagerly demonstrating that the party has in its top echelons the greatest fawners ever.

Much of the republican sarcasm in the wake of the Duke of Edinburgh’s passing has not been directed at his or his family’s misfortune, but at the gushing profusion of faux sympathy from a party whose former key leaders were on the army council that targeted British royals including the Duke’s uncle, Louis Mountbatten.

Behind the sarcasm there is also anger. Online can be found, among others, former H-Block blanketmen venting their dismay. They remember only too sorely that on the day when Sinn Fein was sending its ostensible sincere condolences, forty years earlier Bobby Sands was elected to the British parliament, which with contempt allowed him to die only a few weeks later. There was not a word of condolence from Royal mouths then or since.

It upsets memory-equipped republicans that people whose political careers benefited immensely from the deaths of the hunger strikers should be sending their condolences to the British queen. Bobby’s words about the need to avoid becoming mere law-abiding robots would have resonated strongly with them.

In a different context those republicans might be more tolerant of it: one in which the IRA campaign to coerce Britain out of Ireland had not failed. They might then conceivably have viewed the expression of condolences as one of the necessary diplomatic protocols to be observed in a world of international diplomacy. But not in a context where, with the British still in Ireland on the very same terms as they were throughout the IRA campaign – unity only with the consent of a majority in the North - the British toff establishment expect and get political deference as distinct from defiance.

I respected neither Philip Mountbatten nor his family. I don’t see what respect is due a monarch from a republican. On his death I proffer neither respect nor disdain, more a fleeting indifference to the extent that I pay attention to it at all. It was once quipped that the only thing a republican should approach a monarch with is a bullhorn and a placard. While I would most certainly not take a leaf out of the bible of Westboro Baptist Church and turn up at his funeral ready to rant like a raving reverend, neither would I be approaching it with a wreath.

Sinn Fein’s critics on the matter tend to think the party could have behaved otherwise. In reality it cannot. It has been so smitten and bought by its inclusion in the British political system – its republicanism excluded - that rocking the Royal yacht is simply unthinkable. A dignified silence on the matter would simply never occur to the party. Its attitude to British royalty is remarkably similar to that of the Scottish nobility in the movie Braveheart. Anything less than forelock tipping would see them placed outside the diplomatic game whereby the slave is expected to kneel down and kiss its chains. Either that or be moved from the house and into the field.

Of course, there will be those who will claim to see in any criticism of the party's position a refusal to make the forward step from the past to the present; that the party is humane, authentic and reconciliatory in its expression of condolence. They should consider this: let Sinn Fein tell the families of the Kingsmill war crime dead and Joanne Mathers that it was the Provisional IRA that killed them rather than have the lie promoted that it was the work of some other group. That would say much for humaneness authenticity, and reconciliation. Otherwise, the condolences to royalty are mere political posturing.

I don't particularly mind if individual Sinn Fein members as private citizens express their condolences on the death of Philip Mountbatten. It is none of my business. But at the political level, given the role of British royalty in fronting for a political establishment that has spread poison across the globe for centuries, it sends the wrong message.

What, therefore, might be the right message? Try the Egyptian-American writer Mona Eltahawy who tweeted:

I do not mourn racists/sexists or any royals. Monarchies everywhere should be abolished, esp one which colonized and pillaged so extensively. To stop regular broadcasting because a royal has died, during a pandemic in a country where more than 100k have died, is ridiculous.

That would be the voice of Principled Leadership. But like everything else with Sinn Fein, that is a concept as dead as the hunger strikers. 

⏩Follow on Twitter @AnthonyMcIntyre.

13 comments:

  1. Might we see the Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead, Mr Gerry Adams, in a white shirt and black armband offering his services to keep the riff raff in check?

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  2. Brilliant article. Full of truths , I voted in that Election of Bobby Sands( as a 15 year old ) . Do you think that was the turning point where SF realised the value of the ballot box. Was it not Daithi o Conaill who put forward the idea of running Bobby Sands ,much to the annoyance of the Northern Command. How the worm has turned

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  3. ARRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH Fuck sake that has my blood pressure through the roof things I would like to say but would have Anthony in the dock again , so I will moderate my opinion ,when I saw the way that BBC,1and 2 ITV and the other terrestrial channels had reacted to that pensioner (probably the first in months to die of old age ) had fallen out of his gilded cage ,my thoughts went out to those people in north Korea who have to endure that shite 24/7 365, ffs Emmerdale ,Corrie , everything cancelled because of that auld bastard , show some respect commentators said on FB ,what about some respect for the millions who have no interest whatsoever to the shenanigans of a bunch of pervie child molesting moneylaundering pompus unelected twats who somehow think its their divine right to lord it over us , and to watch Nick the Brit Witchell et al groveling is to much ,and that was just fucking Friday .We have a full week of this shite to be fed to us,as for the quisling $inn £annys , some will say they will be dammed if they do and dammed if they dont , but really ! read Alexbroys statement as head groveller in Stormont ,followed hot on his heels by Maryloser, and bringing up the gear Michellbroy all bending over so far that their noses could smell what their subsidised arses were about to release ,anyone who has had to endure the uninterupted drivel about Phil the Geek must now realise just how much a hold these small number of unelected spongers have on this society,the fawning assholes in Quisling $inn £anny may grovel and moan at his passing,I keep my respects for those men and women who stood up to British imperialism , this latest show of royal triumphalism is what nationalists here have had to endure over the last 100 years but with murder and mayhem thrown in , royality is not a force for good ,it is the pinnacle of greed ,quisling $inn £anny are just house trained poodles ,

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  4. The Mathers murder, like that of the human bomb, Patsy Gillespie, were both authorised by the great "statesman" Martin McGuinness, long after he lied about leaving the IRA. What a psychopath.

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  5. Buck palace has released a statement stating that it is not possible to bury Phil the geek in the family plot, the tide in Mullaghmore does not go out until next Thursday

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    1. The tide which also swept away two children in case you didn't remember.

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  6. Harry made it back for the funeral. That's a weight off, I was bastarding worried sick there, that he never made it.

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  7. There is something very undignified with the over the top statements of condolences from SF regarding the passing of this member of the British Royal family.The whiff of inferiority it generates is palpable. A huge fawning attempt to be seen inside the tent and mingling with the elites ... cap in hand of course.

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  8. Re the tide comment ,Yes indeed terrible but we wont mention Kincora were loads of kids were flown away and destroyed or indeed pervie Andy ,,

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  9. Two wrongs don't make a right Marty it's evil human beings who are to blame regardless of gender religion or political beliefs

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  10. Boyne Rover two wrongs dont make a right, but two Wrights made an areoplane ,

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  11. This has nothing to do with arse-licking the Royals. The Royals do not give two continental shits about SF condolences .... these utterances are required as a mark of proof to the rest of the political world that the party of protest has moved on and become a party of statesmanship which can be trusted to take the reins of power as shown by their actions ......... the Rubicon has been well and truly crossed ....

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