A New Initiative Needed By The Orange Order: Billy Joe

expose: verb,…to bring to public notice..disclose..reveal…..

The Orange Order have undoubtedly marched–in age old traditional fashion–themselves into another cultural cul-de-sac. The stand off and repeated marches to and from Woodvale Avenue are reminiscent of such ill fated debacles as Obins Street, Lower Ormeau, Drumcree etc: which were all arguably “lost” due to the intransigence and superiority of the Orange Order heirarchy.
The chances of the return leg of the 12th parade getting back past the Ardoyne shops is as remote Gerry Adams owning up to being a member of a proscribed organisation. It wont happen. And the Orange know it wont happen. So why persist in an initiative that can only end in failure? Why call for support from an already frustrated and increasingly bewildered loyalist community to back this act of folly.
Much as we would like to think that peaceful protests can bring about an about turn on the Parades Commission original decision sadly we all know what the outcome will be. Crowds of supporters and well wishers will dwindle soon. The weather has been kind but wont always be–the football season is about to start–and of course when the general apathy kicks in because nothing is happening, it will be back to the one man and his dog scenario. Is it not better to graciously accept that this particular battle has been lost and to embark upon the next ensuing fight–which undoubtedly will come along quite soon? In the wake of this particular decision and the fall out from it it would astound me if the Ardoyne residents don’t follow uo to have the 12th day morning feeder parade banned going down the road. Simply put, the Orange Order NEED to be talking to whoever to be in the best position to fight their corner and try to ensure that they are in a strong bargaining position.
They need to lose the attitude that has seen them fail in the past. Here is a chance for them to gain the high moral ground if only they could acknoweledge it. If they reluinquished their current stance–it is unwinnable–and immediately entered into talks with ALL of the representatives in Nationalist Ardoyne, they could quite quickly expose those groups for what they really are. Cosmetic fronts for hate filled sectarian groupings. On the one hand you have GARC–a front for a criminal dissident alliance and on the other the mealey mouthed CARA, who are nothing more than a mouthpiece for the Gerry Kelly gang–who we all know are in the middle of a purge against all things British. Except that is taking British money for administering British rule. The Orange Order has the opportuntity to expose these frauds for what they are. Anti Unionist and Anti Protestant. Then, I am sure the Orange Order would be able to look towards the Loyalist people and call on them for support and receive a better response than they currently enjoy.