Enlightening Loyalism

 

Before starting a discussion on loyalism, the below quote bears note:

“Periclean Greeks employed the term idiotis, without any connotation of stupidity or subnormality, to mean simply 'a person indifferent to public affairs'."

Veteran Loyalist activist Raymond lavery said here:

"I remember gun battles in my street in 1970 when we had to hide under the stairs to be safe. These young people out here today didn't live though any of that; they can't imagine what it was really like. 

The worst danger is that one of these young people out demonstrating or rioting gets run down by a police Land Rover and is killed or injured. What is important here is that this generation not only get a better formal education but they get a political education too, which there is a serious lack of. Sinn Féin are putting into people's heads that because a flag comes down there is a march towards a united Ireland.

Young and old believe that, even though it is not true."

I wrote a piece for Slugger on the undesirable and maladjusted behavior that empties onto the streets on Belfast every year on July 12th, here. 

Then there's another good quote here:

 "Who are the loyalists of Ulster?... They are loyal to GB yet ready to disobey her; they revere law & authority, then break the law"

[S. Nelson, Ulster's Uncertain Defenders: Protestant Paramilitary and Community Groups and the Northern Ireland Conflict (Belfast, 1984), p. 9.]

You can also read an essay on the logical dead-end of loyalism here. Also read an essay on eamonnmallie.com with the assertion that loyalists are regarded as "white trash", here.