The SDLP leader, Colum Eastwood, underscores how empty and worthless are his solemn, sincere and faithful promises as he makes a mockery of his oath to the king in order to obtain his MP’s salary.
His actions are but a public display of what Roman Catholics believe is morally acceptable – ‘Mental Reservation’.
It is defined thus: “Mental reservation (or mental equivocation) is an ethical theory and a doctrine in moral theology which recognizes the “lie of necessity”, and holds that when there is a conflict between justice and telling the truth, it is justice that should prevail. The doctrine is a special branch of casuistry (case-based reasoning) developed in the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance and associated with the Jesuits.”
See this article: MP oath to King an empty formula, says SDLP leader
Also for your reading is this article by Dr Edward Cooke of Queens University, Belfast.
Is Translink a company that increasingly discriminates against Protestants and Unionists within Northern Ireland in its policy of mutual cultural recognition?
This question arises when you consider that on the 12th, 13th and 14 July 2024, Translink (according to the latest timetable) run eight, eight and five trains respectively from Portadown to Dublin, when on the 13th and 14 July there are three all-Ireland, semi-final GAA matches being played at Croke Park in Dublin and when on the 13 July, Translink run only two trains from Portadown to Scarva (at 6.07pm and 11.07pm) after the Royal Black Scarva pageant has finished?! Why the disparity, considering the potential for Translink to generate revenues on the 13th July when some 100,000 spectators travel (by private transport) to watch the Scarva pageant?
Scarva increasing is a victim of its own success. Difficulty, and the increasing cost of accessing the limited amount of car-parking and the inequalities in relying on private transport with an exclusionary public transportation policy, asks equality questions of the operations management at Translink! Moreover, Translink appear to provide none of the regular public bus services from Banbridge and Portadown to Scarva, and in doing so, this policy clearly disadvantages elderly and economically disadvantaged Protestants and unionists who have no private means from spectating at one of the cultural delights within Northern Ireland. It a[pears on the face of it, Translink have omitted to consider the S.75 equality screening implications of its operating decisions around the provision of public transportation to Dublin and Scarva!
With these disadvantages in mind, it is little wonder that increasingly more NI unionists are continuing the 12th July holiday period with a rail visit to Bangor on the 13th July to watch the Bangor and Lurgan Black Preceptory parade, a parade that paradoxically deserves to be better supported by the NI unionist population.
If Translink have taken a conscious policy decision to abandon the 13 July Scarva parade, it then falls on the parade organisers of the Scarva pageant to better inform (and improve) public accessibility to Scarva for all in order to ensure that the elderly and economically disadvantaged unionist community are provided with information and a means to watch the Scarva pageant.
Dr Edward Cooke
