"It must be a party that is big enough and modern enough to allow people with conflicting opinions to work together for the common purpose of maintaining the union."So set it up then, Saulters. And then you’ll see how wrong you are, and how completely out of touch the archaic Orange Order is. And the rest of us will get a great laugh.
Saturday 22 May 2010
Saulters’ “one big unionist party”
Orange Order Grand Master Robert Saulters believes that there should be one big unionist party:
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11 comments:
He's right. This would actually be the right strategy for unionists to adopt.
Horseman did he actually say "big"?
If so Herr Adolf and his mythical divisions spring to mind
I hope this comes to pass, this would actually be good news for the nationalist community to take on a fragile bloc such as this. It will also reduce unionist voter turnout!
I hope they call it the Prods Only Orange Unionist Party or something inclusive like that!!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/10149846.stm
Tom Elliot went on to state that: "Bobby Saulters would not be seen as a neutral broker in all this because he is seen as very close to the DUP."Even when I was a County Grand Master, he came out in support of Arlene (Foster) against me which was pretty difficult to take."He consistently signs both Dr Paisley's - and now his son's - nomination papers and always takes the DUP side on things."
Danny Kennedy Deputy Leader of the UUP also seemed concerned about the Order becoming entrenched in Party politics "All of the political representatives involved realise that any initial role would be undertaken by politicians and wouldn't be a role for the Institution, which obviously is not a political organisation."
www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2010/0526/1224271139285.html
www.newsletter.co.uk/columnists/Orange-interventions-only-help-Sinn.6316045.jp
Culture minister Nelson McCauseland has written to the trustees of the National Museums Northern Ireland asking them to give more prominence in their displays and exhibitions at the Ulster Museum to Ulster Scots, the Orange Order and alternative views as regards the origins of the universe specifically creationism.
The letter, written as part of a consultation for the Ulster Museums business plan for next year (Shared Future Strategy) has led to the Director of the Museums Association Mark Taylor to state that the minister has overstepped his remit by going into too much detail in his request and should not be trying to influence what is exhibited.
He specifically mentions the "Plantation to Power Sharing" exhibition which is currently on at the Ulster Museum and suggests that the trustees should consider changes to the exhibition before the summer months.
In terms of Ulster-Scots, Mr McCausland wrote that the local history exhibition should recognise the contribution of the Hamilton Montgomery Settlement, considered to be the most important event in Ulster-Scots history.
The issue of the origin of the universe and the different theories explaining it was previously raised by Mr McCausland's DUP assembly colleague Mervyn Storey.
He said that he wanted the views of creationists - the concept of God creating the universe in contrast to the scientific theory of evolution - to be represented in the exhibitions.
Without specifically mentioning creationism, Mr McCausland's letter includes a request for the trustees to consider how alternative views of the origin of the universe can be recognised and accomodated.
Published Date: 28 May 2010
A TRADITIONALIST Orange Order pressure group has dismissed Grand Master Robert Saulters' call for unionist unity, claiming that there is not even unity within the institution.
Orange Reformation, a group of right-wing evangelical Christian Orangemen, called on Mr Saulters to withdraw threats of expulsion to its members after the grand master called for one unionist party.
At the weekend Mr Saulters called for the main unionist parties to come together in a single party, a call which was supported by the DUP and the UUP's David McNarry, but rejected by other senior UUP figures.
In a statement Orange Reformation, which the Orange leadership characterises as unrepresentative of the large number of Orangemen, said: "For some time Mr Saulters has gone beyond his remit as grand master of the Orange institution and has in the past talked of his responsibility to work for all the inhabitants of Northern Ireland."
The statement continued: "Orange Reform-ation urges Mr Saulters and the rest of the Orange leadership to concentrate their efforts on the Orange Order and suggest to them that there are enough issues to keep them busy within Orangeism without ignoring Orangeism's problems and trying to enter the political fray."
Responding to the group's comments, an Orange spokesman said: "All organisations benefit from honest debate. What is even more constructive is when it is done in private."
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