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Originally Posted by djtoast  The Bobby Sands T-shirt is more likely to inflame violence, the Wildhearts one is more likely just to offend vicars and old ladies who drink tea after the sunday morning service, and they don't riot often.
But it's crazy saying someone shouldn't be allowed to wear either I think... Bobby Sands is an emotive figure but just the mention of him on a T-shirt or anywhere shouldn't be banned, it's pointless. (*Takes a breath*) - As a protestant I don't see him as a symbol to be feared for Republicanism, I think he was an idiot for killing himself over a comparatively minor issue; I'm sure it strengthened Margaret Thatcher's resolve and the current situation undoubtedly came about despite, not because of, the actions of people like him.
So anyone who waved the image of Bobby Sands in my face would be wasting their time...
Just as anyone who celebrates killing catholics at the Boyne earns my contempt. |
A comparatively minor issue ?
It was anything but a comparatively minor issue.
I wouldn't even say its solely emotive, it's political.
On the surface it looks minor. Why would you die over the right to wear your own clothes, or the right to have one parcel a week. It didnt make sense. Why was being regard as a political prisoner so important.
When you understand the connection between the hunger strikes and the Irish /Natalionist people in the North of Ireland it is clear that Bobby Sands was resisting the criminalisation of a community of people.
Catholics were discriminated against by the State, Catholics had been burned out of their homes by Unionists. The British Goverment supported Unionism and mainted the state. The British Army was killing Catholic people. It was destroying their homes, torturing them and oppressing them.
IMO Bobby Sands died to end that. He died for the reasons of 'The Troubles' to be acknowledged, and the British Goverment to be accountable for its crimes against the Irish people.
Ulitimately Bobby Sands died for his political beliefs - which in my mind are the right for the Irish people to be free from discrimation and from war, ulitmately free from British Rule.
Bobby Sands was a democratically elected member of Parliament. Thatcher, who was so determind for democratic means to be used, allowed someone who was democratically elected to her parliament to die. So does a democratic victory only count if you agree with the politics ? What is more democratic than being a member of Parliament ?
If you look at the legacy left by the hunger strikers, a lot of the dying wishes were to create a better life for their community. Indeed one of the most famous quotes is that 'Our revenge will be the laughter of our children', which Bobby Sands stated when he was dying on hunger strike.
If you compare the Catholic positon now to 40 years ago, particularly for young people, then that 'revenge' is coming true, and the change occured due to mainly the sacrifices made by the hunger strikers (and the blanket men in general).
Bobby Sands is one of the most heroic and inspirational figures of all time, for so many different reasons.
In time he will be mentioned in the same bracket as people like Nelson Mandela, James Connolly and Che Guevara.
