Dr William H Kitchen
@DrWHKitchen
Senior Lecturer in Mathematics// Educational Philosopher// Author & Educational Commentator// Personal Account// Views my own
Chris appears to have appointed himself as the arbiter of legitimate causes. Here's another legitimate cause; opposing the IRA-glorifying GAA. Door-steeping a private citizen isn't journalism. They should have written to the lodge for comment. The lodge's position was clear.
Interesting to note the furious response by some in unionism to journalists simply doing their job. Seeking comment from Warren Dempster is both wholly legitimate & in the public interest given his status.
Not a sport; a political movement.
"The GAA is a non-political, purely sporting body.."
I'm proud to say I'm a Unionist. That doesn't mean everything done in the name of Unionism gets my unwaivering support. But it absolutely does mean that the principles, heritage, and traditions of Unionism are things I advocate for and aim to uphold. Unashamedly Unionist.
Before they even thought to tell us how their sports would be played, they excluded Unionists en masse. And now, Unionists are the villains for daring to raise an eyebrow at how the GAA conducts itself.
Rule 1.1 of the GAA Official Guide states that membership is open to all who accept the basic aims of the Association. 1.2: The Association has as its basic aim the strengthening of the National Identity in a 32‑County Ireland. A defacto ban on unionists.
A shameful character assassination. His only crime? Being openly unionist. Solidarity.
I’ve made the online news! Sadly wasn’t asked for comment, otherwise I’d have corrected them on the several things they’ve gotten wrong, almost one on every paragraph. Is journalism now just piecing together bits of tweets to best suit your narrative?
The GAA has an exclusionist history. Rule 27 and Rule 42. They closed themselves off from the sporting world when it suited them. It's ironic that they want to play inclusive "happy campers" now. Not a sport; a political movement.
Others "seeing" my comments as sectarian bigotry doesn't make them so. Not all opposition to nationalism and republicanism is sectarian bigotry. That's intellectually vacuous. You seem stunned that unionists object to nationalism? Have you just landed here on earth?
The GAA is entitled to be politically motivated. Unionists are entitled to oppose those nationalist politics. If the GAA wants to be just a group of sports, it can be; by changing its aims & actions. If it decides not to, it is reasonable to avoid any engagement with it.
So rather than doing the honourable thing and admitting the story they had run with for 2 days was wrong BBC Radio Ulster simply stopped reporting on Comber. If @BBCNewsNI think that’s the end of it they have another thing coming.
Indeed they will. The republican pile on has used children shamefully in this discussion, to suggest there was an opposition to kids playing together. You've invoked that argument yourself. Shame on you for doing so. The GAA's fabric isn't conducive to inclusion. That irks you.
“Children were merely cover.” Inside the mind. I’d say any reasonable person- regardless of their political preferences- reading this contribution will reach the same conclusion.
Double-Down Donnelly! Furious his vitriolic propaganda campaign has been exposed as based on a fundamental falsehood!
The lodge’s statement stands on its own. It was motivated by a desire to exclude some kids from a cross-community sports event *because* of some of the games they play. I’m sure the lodge appreciates William’s attempts to deflect from that fact.
Chris doesn't do well with facts. This wasn't an opposition to sports. This wasn't an opposition to children playing together. This was a fair opposition to allowing an IRA-glorifying, political movement to masquerade as a cross-community 'sport'. Children were merely cover.
The lodge’s statement stands on its own. It was motivated by a desire to exclude some kids from a cross-community sports event *because* of some of the games they play. I’m sure the lodge appreciates William’s attempts to deflect from that fact.
Interesting. So the Orangemen aren't the ogres with "sick and depraved minds" that they were painted as? I imagine @chrisadonnelly will retract his misinformed comments?
The decision to cancel a cross-community summer camp was made prior to a statement from the Goldsprings Orange Lodge, the organisers have said. ➡️belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-…
Look at this again. Dare to have concerns or objections or my own political views ... And they try to have my employer reprimand me. Disgraceful. I'm opposed to GAA Article 1.2 and IRA eulogies. I oppose the politics of the IL. Am I permitted to have those views?
It concerns me greatly that someone ‘teaching’ our teachers of the future and associated with one of our main initial teacher education institutions can post like this. Reference also his past posts on the Irish language as a dead language. Come on Stran - call it out!
All these GAA folks worried about the "damage to unionism" of the recent events in Comber. As if, if unionists started playing GAA en masse, the GAA might change Article 1.2 to be unionist leaning, and all of a sudden start naming its trophies after UVF and UDA terrorists.
This is possible when the sport of choice is apolitical, rather than being a cover for a wider political movement. Football is inclusive. GAA is not. It's rather simple, really. Ditch Article 1.2
Plenty of diverse/passionate views from Comber today. I’m not long back from playing 7-a-side with mates from the Orange Order, Loyalist bands and GAA clubs all together. All we ever talk about is football and how we can raise money for charity. Make of that what you will.
Some sports with no political motives nor agenda to bring about constitutional change via the sport: - football - rugby - cricket - tennis - netball - hockey - snooker - swimming - athletics - rowing - golf Sports with a political agenda, woven into their constitution: - GAA
Yep. This.
THE EDUCATION BLOB: "We all know direct instruction doesn't work" THE ACTUAL RESEARCH: Of 328 studies, "all of the estimated effects were positive and all were statistically significant."
History matters. Truth matters. Are unionists permitted to be unionists anymore, to oppose the United Ireland ideology and movement? Describing a desire to remain part of the UK as inherently sectarian, is beyond stupid. Opposition to IRA-glorifying GAA is entirely justified.
The GAA is NOT a 'normal' sporting organisation. It is OVERTLY political. As a member you agree to support, promote & strengthen a 32 County state. Almost half of its members who died during the insurgency here from 1968 to 1998 were Irish Republican terrorists!
What @chrisadonnelly fails to mention is that of all the sports mentioned, only the GAA has a sectarian history, and one which continues in its advocacy for republican political objectives, with eulogies to IRA murderers. It's not a sport; it's a political movement.
An Orange Lodge opposing children's sports camp say they are concerned about some GAA clubs association with paramilitaries @chrisadonnelly says "adults can have that political conversation" but "it should have nothing to do with children coming together to play sports"