Time to practice anti-sectarianism
The grief of Richard, Mark and Jason Quinn's family was
heartrending. The three children were the victims of a sectarian
hatred which was allowed to go virtually unchecked throughout the
Six Counties in recent weeks. In fact, they were murders waiting
to happen.and it is a miracle that more Catholic faimilies are
not suffering the same grief as the Quinn family.
The homes of over 140 families were firebombed last week but it
took the deaths of the three children before Unionist political
leaders and church leaders spoke out against what was happening.
Neither did they utter a word about the obscene siege of the
nationalist residents of the Garvaghy Road.
Nor was this a new phenomenon. Every Twelfth of July, to a
greater or lesser degree, isolated Catholic homes, churches and
schools have been firebombed. Since the Drumcree crisis reached a
height three years ago these attacks have grown in scale and
intensity.
Confronting sectarianism must be a prime duty of all democrats.
Some have disgraced themselves by their silence; others have
belatedly found the courage to speak out.
Their duty now is to make sure it doesn't ever happen again. That
will take real courage in the months ahead. They must now
wholeheartedly embrace change to bring us to a future of
equality.
Dialogue now
As An Phoblacht has constantly repeated, the way to a solution to
the Drumcree crisis is through dialogue. The Orange Order must
now have the courage to talk to their nationalist neighbours to
find a way forward. It is a time to show leadership.
The Garvaghy Road residents have proposed a five-point plan to
resolve the issue. This includes a civic forum to explore the
economic, social and religious factors which underpin many of the
problems of Portadown.
Those Unionists and Orangemen who genuinely want to see a
resolution should now engage with the residents and explore the
idea of a civic forum. It is a genuine way forward which chimes
with the mood of the times.
![[An Phoblacht]](http://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/harp.gif)