I think every democrat should welcome the latest
convert to the sentiments which drove the Civil Rights
Movement. Here, in Wednesday's News Letter, was what
Joel Patton, leader of the Spirit of Drumcree group,
had to say about the ``undemocratic'' Orange Order:
``Can anyone condone a situation where the four smallest
Orange Counties have 12 representatives on Central
Committee whilst the biggest Orange County, County
Antrim, with more than six times the numerical strength
of the combined total of the four smallest is allowed
only three representatives?''
I'm sure Joel is old enough to appreciate the delicious
irony of what he has written. He must remember the
situation in Derry where the City Council wards were
divided in such a way that the nationalist majority had
12 seats and the Unionist minority had 16 seats.
Seeing the gerrymanderers gerrymandered is a wonderful
sight.
The Northern Ireland Office has a publicity budget of
millions and, it could fairly be argued, wastes most of
it. Take their glossy free magazine, Omnibus, the
latest copy of which has reached me.
When I say glossy, I mean glossy. Its pages are thicker
than any other magazine I've ever seen - it must cost
an absolute fortune - and the writing is pretty thick
too. Take this profile of the London Times new Ireland
correspondent, Martin Fletcher:
``...he is a quick learner who has rapidly grasped
ingredients in our political hotpot and who, after his
first 100 days, is drawing out his own version of
supper. He brings a refreshing perception of
history-in-the-making as the Labour Government makes
clear its determination to break through intransigence
and create a menu which contains both carrots and
cabbage.''
Pretty sad stuff. I'm tempted to say the only cabbages
are in the NIO but that would be in bad taste, so I
won't.
The magazine is filled with articles which show what a
``great wee province'' the Six Counties really is. Take
an article by Newry man Rowan Hand, a former Irish Indo
journalist and editor of BBC Radio Ulster News. He
describes the arrival in Newry Canal of the sailing
ship Asgard II. In tones so sentimental you could
imagine the tears hitting the typewriter, Rowan tells
us: ``That day was the most memorable ever in the life
of Newry and Mourne''.
There is more claptrap like that in the error-ridden
Omnibus. It is sickly sweet government propaganda but,
thank goodness, not very good propaganda.
![[An Phoblacht]](http://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/aprn.gif)