´óÏó´«Ã½

Whether history makes a judgement or not, the reality is that Paisley carries personally much of the responsibility for the Troubles. The combination of anti-Catholic bigotry and desire to take over unionism condemned northern Ireland to 30 years of tragedy. A year of the chuckling routine doesn't take away from that. I hope he comes to realise that before he meets his maker. Perhaps he'll be glad to discover there is a purgatory after all.!

Smasher- Firstly I dont think he will be finding anything after his death. Which in a way is a pity because I think he would be on his way to hell (along with the other chuckle brother). When one examines the short term origines of the conflict, the O'Neill years etc etc........it is hard not to find Paisley partly to blame. Its all well and good saying that he has finally seen some of the light. My question would be this.

Plenty of other figures around at that time, Nationalist, Unionist and British politicians were able to read the situation very very well. But the likes of Paisley and his opponents were defiant and unwilling to budge. They were both blinded by their hatred and bigotry. I dont think any of these people should recieve plaudits for their short sightedness. As I say, many, many others came to the same conclusion 35 years prior. Those people dont have blood on their hands.

To make the point further I alos remember the late David Irvine's feelings towards Paisley. He felt nothing but anger towards Paisley because he had seized upon the fears of ordinary working class protestants and whipped them into a frenzy. Irvine realised in later life that had the more progressive voices dominated on both sides, the whole affair would likley have been avoided.

The people who committed violent acts during the Troubles did so by choice; to effectively excuse them by blaming Paisley for merely exercising his political will and freedom of speech is asinine. Paisley will be judged as one of the most interesting mouthpieces of the movement he helped lead through his various organisations.

John,

Sure, adults should be ultimately responsible for their actions, but you have to accept that the situation in which they find themselves or the system under which they live can affect their behaviour.

As the 20th century demonstrated, humans are perfectly capable of abandoning their humanity for a mindless ideology or in obedience to a charismatic leader. The fact of the matter is that Paisley was the pied piper or clockwinder of Ulster Protestant bigotry for about 40 years. He would fight for Ulster to the last drop of someone else’s blood. And, as Mark Antony put it in Julius Caesar, he certainly possessed ‘the power of speech to stir men’s blood’.

Unlike Pontius Pilate, Paisley cannot wash his hands of responsibility for fomenting the conflict, and in a sense he has admitted as much for, without irony, he told pupils from the Boys Model School on the ´óÏó´«Ã½â€™s Politics Show (Sunday) that he wanted to be remembered as a man who helped to alleviate the Troubles. If he can claim reponsibility for the good, then he must accept responsibility for the bad.

Personalities do have a great impact on politics. In America there is a protracted 10-month campaign which centres on personalities. Yes, perhaps you and I would wish to live in a world where individual politicians had less influence on the public than issues and ideas. But, alas, that is not the way it is - for most people, at any rate.

Brian- couldnt agree more. That conveyed my point much better than I had done myself! I know what John Wright is saying and of course he is correct. I dont think David Irvine was trying to obsolve himself of anything, as he himself has always admitted that his mistakes were his and his alone.

Joe says:

"I know what John Wright is saying and of course he is correct."

Thanks for the clarification.