"The Lost Revolution: A History of the OIRA and Workers Party"

[SevenStars]

The CPI was opposed to provo violence throughout the troubles. Why the few who did support the provos did so I don't know. I suspect from a misplaced and immature leftism in most cases.

Oh come on the Provo campaign had a lot of sympathy in the 26 counties and you know aswell as I do that there was rather a lot of empathy for it in the CPI.

[Garibaldy]

But it was the nationalist working class that was being attacked by fascist death squads and the British state and it was the loyalist working class which was supporting those attacks and happily marrying itself to its own ruling class...As Templar Knight (a Unionist) pointed out correctly that there are and have been a good few protestant Republicans in the 6 counties (and likewise there have been RC Unionists)..Defending a working class community in revolt against a particulary brutal capitalist state is hardly a crime in my book.

Killing protestants for their religion is a crime. And regarding them as lesser Irish people than catholics is sectarian too.

[Garibaldy]

Oh come on the Provo campaign had a lot of sympathy in the 26 counties and you know aswell as I do that there was rather a lot of empathy for it in the CPI.

Do you have evidence that it had a lot of support among protestants in the southern state?
I'd like to see it if you do.

As for the CP. The party position presumably reflected the majority of opinion within it. And that was opposition. And as far as I can see the majority of those in the CP empathetic to the provos were southern-based, and not from protestant backgrounds. One need only look at the actions of the CP in the north during the Troubles to see its opposition to both violence and sectarian politics.

[SevenStars]

Do you have evidence that it had a lot of support among protestants in the southern state?
I'd like to see it if you do.

.

Working class and middle class protestants who dont come from the ascendency(an entirelly different story) generally are not that much different from other southern Irish people (surprise, surpise)....There was a lot of support for the Provos among the working class population of the 26 counties. There was even a document on Cedar lounge that seems to have been removed accusing the Provos of being fascist were in its introduction that site admitted that the majiority of WP supporters were against extradition.

[SevenStars]

As for the CP. The party position presumably reflected the majority of opinion within it. And that was opposition. And as far as I can see the majority of those in the CP empathetic to the provos were southern-based, and not from protestant backgrounds. One need only look at the actions of the CP in the north during the Troubles to see its opposition to both violence and sectarian politics.

CPI militants risked their lives supporting the hunger strikes. I wonder why?

[Garibaldy]

CPI militants risked their lives supporting the hunger strikes. I wonder why?

Opposing the British government over prisoners does not mean supporting the provos.

[SevenStars]

Opposing the British government over prisoners does not mean supporting the provos.

Accepting that the Provos were soldiers and prisoners of war rather than criminals is a little more than opposing the Brits on civil rights grounds. Remember the WP line during the hunger strikes.

[Garibaldy]

Working class and middle class protestants who dont come from the ascendency(an entirelly different story) generally are not that much different from other southern Irish people (surprise, surpise)....There was a lot of support for the Provos among the working class population of the 26 counties. There was even a document on Cedar lounge that seems to have been removed accusing the Provos of being fascist were in its introduction that site admitted that the majiority of WP supporters were against extradition.

The differences between the remanants of the aristocracy in Ireland and the rest of the population are ones of class. Or were you suggesting that their birth makes them different?

I am unaware of any documents being removed from Cedar Lounge. Are you talking about the Smullen document that was put up recently? It is still there. The introduction was by Brian Hanley. There may have been a gap between WP policy on the issue and the majority of its voters. These things happen. I'm sure there were gaps on other areas. It seems unlikely the majority of voters were completely committed to all aspects of WP economic policy for example.

[Garibaldy]

Accepting that the Provos were soldiers and prisoners of war rather than criminals is a little more than opposing the Brits on civil rights grounds. Remember the WP line during the hunger strikes.

I'm well aware of The WP line. But it doesn't change the fact that it was possible to oppose the removal of political status and violence.

[Glennshane]

Killing protestants for their religion is a crime. And regarding them as lesser Irish people than catholics is sectarian too.

Do you believe that killing Catholics for their religion is a crime? Can you name any Prod who was killed because of his religion?

As for regarding Prods as lesser Irish people than Catholics, what is wrong with regarding as non-Irish a person who denies being Irish?