On the eve of today, Thursday 29th May 2014, even a whiskey couldn’t calm the nerves. I was too wrecked from the collective barrage of hatred and sectarianism coming from all angles. The nerves – the tingle of restlessness, the pent up rage – was brimming to the surface in a way that is difficult to articulate. The news that Peter Robinson was backing the religious demagogue Pastor McConnell shouldn’t have surprised me, but it did. It shook me. The news of Robinson’s in which no apology was actually uttered should have calmed the nerves, instead it only whipped up the frenzied state. The lack of accountability hit me swiftly and without warning. The news that Anna Lo was choosing not to stand in 2016 was the second punch to the gut. Sure, I am not an Alliance voter – but I appreciate a good and decent politician when I see one. The interview published in which she is literally brought to tears thinking about her own vulnerability on the streets of this province made me shudder with embarrassment. I was ashamed. Then I read the news that the consultation had been approved that would essentially move Exploris one step closer to closure. It was a sucker punch. I was down and out. Done.

I couldn’t write, and that rarely happens. I paced about the room and attempted to gather myself. I even thought of going for a run, and that also rarely happens. I settled for a drink.

The indecency of it all – and it should have been so different. This year was supposed to change the tide. The moderate vote, the mythical silent majority was a sham. We have been cheated by our politicians – those sent to save us have shattered the illusion that politics can be done without the ‘dark side’, the dirty tricks and the infighting. Like a moment of clarity the personal point of realisation came during Ruth Patterson’s election speech at the Belfast City Hall election counts. Before this point, the day had been a fairly jovial affair – politicians shaking hands, doing interviews, even smiling. Never before has my perception of a day shattered as quickly as Patterson took to the stage and shouted ‘No Surrender’. My colleague couldn’t contain his laughter, my only response was to bury my head in my hands.

It then only took 48 hours before the new TUV councillor, Jolene Bunting, was as being rather anti-Catholic – spouting nonsense such as “I’m so sick of the poor Catholic bastards, they make me sick”. She was metaphorically hanged, drawn and quartered, right? No, she apologised, then told the Belfast Telegraph that she did not regret her comments. In what god-forsaken, desolate land do we live in that we sit back and wilfully accept this excuse? Mrs Bunting lacks the human empathy needed for a sincere apology, she now stands for everything that is wrong with Northern Ireland. Sectarianism masked in politics, strategically crafting anti-religious rhetoric for personal gain.

The point is our politicians lack any notion of accountability. In fact, everyone was genuinely surprised when Conall McDevitt over political payments, genuinely shocked that a man would leave a post of his own accord due to a principled stance.

The lack of basic principles and accountability is not limited to the TUV. The highest echelons of our government take the stance that they can get away with anything – be it with the Petition of Concern or having a monopoly on local councils. We have housing scandals, a failing healthcare system, a failing education system, lack of transparency in political donations and a medieval approach to basic equality rights. However we have spent over a year talking about a flag. Culture, identity, whatever. I test you to go and sit in the Stormont public gallery and attempt to witness a civilised democratic conversation. You are more likely to hear Paul Givan call someone a terrorist sympathiser than you are to hear a debate on the local economy.

Perhaps it’s our own fault. I mean, this is what you get when you let the patients run the ward. After I finish this piece I will sit back and ponder the implications of these words. However, even this morning, the ongoing racism story shows no sign of slowing down. Jamie Bryson is all over it like a blood sucking leech, claiming that Anna Lo is being used by Alliance and that the ‘outrage’ over racism is a coverup (or some ridiculous expression) for the planning of a Mosque being built in NI, as if that in itself is some threat to his uber white-male-christian persona. Henry Reilly has been spouting some windbag UKIP’y bile on our airwaves bizarrely blaming Anna Lo for playing ‘the race card’.

So we dander on down the path of no return. Blissfully accepting of the abhorrent, relentless idiocy of those that try to persuade us they are in control. Nod and accept. Nod and accept. You live in a shared society. You live in a shared society. Do not question. Do not question.

Jason Murdock Jason Murdock is the Editor of Off The Record and a blogger for the Huffington Post. Interests include local politics, new journalism and the quest for the Holy Grail. Contact: jason.a.murdock@gmail.com or via Twitter @Jason_A_Murdock More Posts - Website Follow Me:



Share this:























