Collective Punishment – Belfast Style

 John Wilder published an excellent and thought provoking article today, complimenting his Monday article on collective punishment.  The obvious idea here would to read those first before continuing on if you are so inclined.  He is a much more accomplished writer.

Rather than wade in with my clumsy hob-nailed boots as I often do over at his place, I thought it best to offer the following here where I can clean up the mess in solitude.  The blame will all be mine.

I really like his description of the Neanderthals being much more Morlock to our Eloi’s than just hairy cavemen.  In addition I have read of a study of children’s nightmares where on average boys fear the monster in the closet and girls fear the monster under the bed.

The guess was that the womenfolk slept up the trees while the men would guard the base of the tree – hence our danger comes from different directions.  We have come a long way from there to preferred feckin’ pronouns.  

I have often thought along the lines that the losing hominid groupings would be forced out to more marginal lands such as woodlands to eke out their subsistence.  In addition, bone and other fragments of their remains would be harder to find.  Bigfoot, Sasquatch or Yeti?  Food for thought if you have the time.

What he really challenged me with was the idea of collective punishment.  I recognise his thoughts and in light of the ‘woke culture’ (sic) and such behaviour I cannot disagree.  My own experience and recollection are off on a different tangent completely.

Growing up in a fairy-tale existence of ‘armoured car and tanks and guns’ I have other memories.  In such an environment we had zero desire for a heavily armed and oppressive police force – as you can imagine.  The response at the time initially was the use of classic Sinn Fein tactics.  

WTF - I can hear the response from most of you.  This very idea was as popular as a bouncing betty over at BCE’s place when I mentioned it once.

I don’t mean the idea of blowing shit up or that a republican would stand in front of a camera dodging and denying IRA membership – that’s just shite.  Forget all the BS you’ve seen in the last 50+ years from the mostly Brit media.  I’m referring to the tactics employed in the period 1919 – 21.  

The success of that time was not brought about just by the Guerrilla war fought by Michael Collins’ IRA flying columns. It was an extraordinary time where separate courts and judiciary as well as the skeleton of the middle class and civic structures were put in place.  They were there and ready for the time to take over from the British civil system.

I’ll leave the history lesson there as it’s still painful for those that care. In early 1970 the community I was born in did much the same.  Even so far as setting up areas such as Free Derry.  As I was wearing nappies at the time I have no first-hand knowledge to impart.

Community ‘justice’ would start out with tar and feathering or forcing criminals to stand in public places with signs describing their ‘crimes’.  These efforts were aimed more at ritual humiliation than harm or torture.

Eventually as times darkened, more serious offences would lead to kneecappings (shooting offenders in the knees).  The worst offenders would on occasion be shot dead.  Republicans did not need individuals in their communities trying to run rackets behind their backs with the Brits at their front.

Time passed and an informal system grew in place similar to FAFO. If you FA you will get a visit and told to ‘wind your neck in’. That started the sliding scale all the way up to terminal lead poisoning.  There was no drug problem on our streets and women could walk home safe at night. Sigh, sadly no more.

It is not my intention of scaring the crap out of folk. Those circumstances were the extreme end of the scale but the beginnings in 1969 were very similar as in all times of civil decay.  In the fear and uncertainty of that time men in the communities gathered together and formed local defence groups.  There was no IRA at the start in '69 – think about that.

Well then, on a lighter note, spicey time cometh again.  Please do not run around with a head on fire crying ‘woe is me’ - that's nonsense.  I read a number of the blogs and posts of wiser, better trained (not difficult) and more experienced men than I.  The answers all rhyme.

‘Meat space’ or ‘local baby local’ are great throw away versions of the same idea. Local men (mostly) and women that live in the same communities getting thrown together suddenly when the SHTF with either power out, no food or wandering bands of ‘diverse ‘utes’. We have them now also – thanks Sinn Fein.

You may not believe me but I have wonderful memories of a happy childhood playing in troop infested streets.  Dark memories also but shit happens.  Even the tiniest light can throw off the dark.  A few folk working together can be very powerful force multipliers.  That’s why all the moovies and TV programing are full of lone wolves protecting the cattle stories.

Don’t go all postal on the nearest suit.  In any grouping always watch for the informer (we had them before glowies were popular).  Sadly in quiet times they are usually the most useful member.  3 man cells are the ticket but there’s no time for that and we’ll all be too busy

Community justice cuts both ways.  Do not expect redress at the ballot box.  Modern Sinn Fein proves you can’t fix a rotten corpse from the inside.  Come together locally and get to know one another in school boards etc.  The state can’t be fixed but it can be replaced.  If they crash it all we’ll will get to replace it all the quicker.

Never despair - prepare