The Annual 12th July Festival Of Bigotry Takes Place In The Six Counties
Today witnessed the annual 12th July Festival of Bigotry in the Six Counties.
At first glance an outsider could be forgiven for thinking it was a legitimate, normal cultural event. Media coverage of the day, for example, has a jovial feel to it, akin to RTÉ’s coverage of St Patrick's Day.
But scratch the surface and it becomes clear that 'the glorious 12th' is anything but a normal cultural event. In truth it is a giant collective act of triumphalism; a 'celebration' of the historic domination of the pro-British community over the native Irish.
Unionist bonfire covered in Irish flags, MLA posters, disgusting sexist messages, and threats to kill catholics, being prepared for burning on the night of 11th July
In many ways 11th July and the 12th mirror the two faces of unionism.
Under the cover of darkness on the 11th, the face is menacing, primitive and visceral. Giant bonfires burn nationalist and catholic flags, posters and effigies. Drunken, howling crowds dance and sing by the fires till the sun of the 12th rises over the smoldering tyres and pallets. Any non-unionist with sense stays well clear for fear of assault, or worse.
A few hours later the other face of unionism is on display - respectable, sober, suited men with sashes and white gloves marching in orderly, militaristic lines.
These are the two faces of unionism - two sides of the one coin - barbaric, violent, intolerance beneath a veneer of respectability.
To understand what the 12th is all about you have to understand the siege mentality that still exists at the heart of the unionist community - a mentality that has a very limited relationship with progressive concepts like democracy and tolerance.
It is this siege mentality that joins the various strands of unreconstructed unionism together, that joins the thug of a UVF death squad to the apparently respectable Unionist businessman or elected representative.
The siege mentality has even been able to overcome the normal divisions of class. Whatever differences there may be between them, all types of Unionists have greater common ground in their hate and fear of the 'other'.
That is why there wasn't a peep out of the DUP as vast bonfires were built dangerously close to homes and images of their fellow MLA's were attached to these pyres of intolerance.
DUP MP Sammy Wilson attending the burning of the Craigyhill bonfire in Larne last night
The 12th is about marking territory, not only between Unionist and Nationalist, but also within the Unionist community. It is a time of Unionist reinforcement, where the vows of 'No Surrender' are renewed and public demonstrations of loyalty are required.
Of course, Unionism is not what it once was. Demographics, de-industrialisation, globalisation and the heroic sacrifice of generations of Republicans have rolled back many aspects of the Orange state that had existed in 1922, and 1968. But it would be foolhardy to think that it is not still a serious threat to progress in Ireland, or to assume that it's demise in inevitable.
An Orange Order march in North Belfast today, with several banners dedicated to Unionist death squads on display
Unionism needs to be continuously called out, to be challenged by all progressives. It can be given no special treatment and no political quarter.
Sectarianism, racism, sexism, homophobia, and triumphalism do not transform into a legitimate culture after ten years or three hundred years. A culture of hate is timeless.
The media, police, fire service, local authorities and nationalist parties in the Six Counties and the political establishments in Dublin and London need to stop pandering to the culture of hate that emerges so strongly each July and instead confront it for what it is.
For our part, we in Éirígí will continue to build towards a new secular All-Ireland Republic that will treat all citizens as equal regardless of their religious background.
In our Republic no religious group will treated with fear or favour, and all churches will bow to the interests of the working class and the Republic.