Just go away
REGULAR readers of these articles know that their purpose is
to take a light-hearted look at some of the issues on the local political
scene, while informing readers of some of the stories they may have missed.
The general tone is that of a wry, not cynical, observer;
watching both the successful, and sometimes less than successful, endeavours of
our elected representatives and officials to keep the machinations of our
“boring politics” ticking along.
This week we were planning on some commentary about the
motion on reducing the voting age, the cut in airport tax and how a rich man is
debating about child poverty.
That changed on Thursday.
On Thursday gunmen shot and killed prison officer David
Black. On Thursday gunmen carried out a planned exercise in barbarity.
With two men arrested, we cannot say much more about the
actual crime. But what we can say is that such acts are the product of a
mindset that offers nothing in the 21st century.
Whatever way their mindset rationalises their terror
campaign, what do they hope to achieve? Better hospital services? An improved
education system? More jobs? A united Ireland?
They have become so obsessed with achieving their political
aims by the gun; committing atrocities that they hope will de-stabilise
devolution, bring back direct rule and provoke a disproportionate response. They
want to return to the dark era of the Troubles.
What else are they seeking to achieve? They have not
articulated their wants and desires. They have not declared their stance on the
voting age. They have not outlined their approach to combating child poverty.
In fact, they say very little other than to claim responsibility for their
actions; speaking through the barrel of a gun or expressing their views with
explosives.
Whatever your politics, such people deserve no place in our
society other than to be behind bars.
As policy wonks, we may at times, and in jest, mock those on
the Hill, but we join them in condemning the actions of those that would seek to
destroy the stability and peace that many have worked hard to achieve.
As has been said before, “boring is good for Northern
Ireland”.