If it was ordinary people that had died on that January day, the courts would never had treated this matter so glibly.
They WOULD be dragging the military over the coals for this.
This is contemptuous behaviour yet again, by the crown and her royal lickspittlers.
But it is not ordinary people, it is Catholics who are being discussed here, people who have the Pope as their spiritual mentor, people who are beneath them, people who are not thought of on the same level as all the rest.
If I had a personal interest in this, if this had affected my family, I would have dealt my own brand of justice.
I don't care one iota, not a scintilla, who may or may not agree with me, and have seen it meted out to others where homework was done, unadulterated and precise, with rectitude duly dispatched.
For me, it was fitting and proper these individuals met their deserts. I have made sure there was no mistake, and the right person/persons were availed with justice suitably served.
NO-ONE WILL DECIDE FOR ME WHAT MY INTERPRETATION OF JUSTICE SHOULD BE, OR HOW IT MAY BE CONVEYED TO ANOTHER.
I do not hold with appointed adjuncts of the law to rule for me and never will, and nor am I afraid to say so.
Ergo, neither will I counter sway on another, or whatever THEY see as their construal view of justice.
We may all have regrets as we journey through life, I do too, but today this level of injustice demands a suitable retort.
Reciprocity at the very least could be a consideration and would not surprise me if repercussions are already aforethought.
The British political classes claim they want a permanent peace, one that's fair to all, but have callously overlooked the depth of feelings involved, in what is tantamount to cold and calculated murder, apportioned to one half of the community.
This cavalier and blatant partiality might see a new beginning that will not bode well and one no-one wanted.... ever again.
It may burgeon a tangible anger, taking root, feeding a creation emboldened and nurtured by today's outcome. This was a gamble too far, and one that was conducted under the sword of Damocles.
'Whitewash' is a well worn term of all things corrupt, but Irish Catholics are used to this by now.
The Real question is how many more whitewashes will they stand before Northern Ireland is consumed in bitter recriminations again.
Today, there is an added advantage for those who may take up the violent option to right the wrongs of so many years ago. An advantage that they never had then, pushing for a fairer deal of human and civil rights. The internet, mobile phones and VPN's will add another dimension to steel their determination and yearning for what is simply justice.
I fear after today's brazen negation and incompassion for the bereaved who only hoped for a satisfactory closure and are still hurting after 47 years.
I feel for them and their pain and disappointment, but mostly for what may result from this.
Things have been on a knife edge recently where factions from both sides have been simmering with distrust, notwithstanding the recent objects claimed to be found in Glasgow.
ONLY THIS TIME, IT WON'T BE SO EASILY TALKED AWAY ON ANOTHER GOOD FRIDAY, OR ANY FUTURE EASTER SUNDAY AGREEMENT.
THE EVENTS OF THE 'SUNDAY' IN QUESTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN AN OPPORTUNITY, ENOUGH TO OFFER SUCCOUR, NULLIFYING THE CONCERNS FOR WHAT MIGHT YET BECOME A FUTURE OF REGRET.
I have been 'lucky' to finance decisions and make 'suitable' plans where it can never come back to me.
Puzo's Godfather doesn't come close to events I have witnessed as a child, and in some ways have become battle hardened.......if not immune to 'certain' experiences.
I am no hero nor a coward, but I will be assuaged if wronged.
I do not think I am better than anyone else, and appreciate my own fallibility. I hope I have been more than fair to others, as I have gone through my life, and have been brought up to respect others irrespective of colour or creed.
One person being found guilty, is an appeasement for the Bloody Sunday atrocities and arrogance in the extreme. It is nothing more than a bone thrown to redirect the dogs.
Almost as if its an itch that needs to be scratched and sorted by this patsy used as their fall guy... give them something; ANYTHING.... 'that'll do them, they'll go away now'........well....... not in my bible it won't.
When I'm at mass I sometimes ask HIM if I'm wrong to seek revenge or vengeance, and if so, then take the life from my lungs as you see fit.
Years ago, my mother would remind me what the good book said, when Jesus stayed Peter's hand as he tried to slay the Romans coming for him and Pilate's 'intercession', saying to Peter, "Justice and revenge belong to my Father and to HIM alone".
My mother would finish saying "leave them to God's justice, in time he will deal out his punishment".
I said that would be fine, but these people don't believe in God and think this life is all there is and therefore, will not be held accountable after death.
I will reprimand them for their wrongs in THIS life.... right now.....while STILL hoping HE does his will on their expiration.
Today's decision is another 'couldn't care less' attitude delivered to a community long looked upon as an easy touch, an unceasing and unremitting unaccountability from those who call themselves public servants of the British Judiciary.
The passive acceptance of this is astounding.
At the risk of upsetting others.....
....for me...my Latin holds the only answer;
NOLI Illegitimi Carborundum.
That's an extremely powerful piece of writing, JC, and there are things there about anger and retribution that need to be said.
Like yourself, JC, there is a different, and often more idealistic, approach inherit within second-generation immigrants.
We adopt some of the habits, features and characteristics of our adopted country, but we still have a direct link to our parents country of origin. Our parents didn't always relocate for the prospect of further prosperity and wealth and often the reasons were political, financial, or even to avoid retribution.
Like Italy, Ireland is complicated by the wide disparity in geographical opinions north and south, east and west.
There were many "blood" feuds that started in the aftermath of The Uprising and Rebellion, due to the british requisitioning land, cattle and materials and making gifts of them to more sympathetic citizens. That changed the dynamics, especially when folk went to get their stuff back and were told by the title holders: "No". As the new title holders were now also the new employers, the neutrals favoured who paid the wages at that time. The biggest problem was the influence of the Church. Priests were very much the most prominent folk, particularly in small towns and villages. In those days, the honour could be bought. It was not always a calling, much more a calculated career move.
This affected hundreds of thousands of people over the length and breadth of Ireland and families had to migrate as a direct consequence of these feuds.
It appears as though I've gone way off-topic here, but it is relevant.
There are many Irish families in Scotland who were forced here due to the enforced effects of famine. There was a second-wave of families who were forced here by the domestic disputes over property, land and material.
Not many of these families came solely by choice.
Ironically, it is only in this last 100-years that people of Irish origin are showing real signs of solidarity. The Church is still a presence and an influence, but people are more politically motivated and have greater access to news and media. The citizens of Cork can now see and hear what is happening in Dublin and Belfast. They do not get scattered pieces of disinformation and dogma.
We are told by the native Scots that we should "go home", they even sing songs about it.
Some of us did, some of our families went back to lay claim to what was rightfully theirs in the first place. More will follow when the political landscape in the UK becomes clearer.
I believe in anger and I believe in justice, JC. I can't condone retribution, as in many cases - due to the old feuds, it would be a case of Green-on-green and we have to try and mend these old fences, not kick them down even more.
What happened in Ballymurphy, Derry and countless other places throughout the whole of Ireland deserves true, fair, and equal justice. ALL those responsible for murder should be held to account: footsoldiers, generals, majors and politicians.
The citizens of Derry and the families of the murdered won't receive justice in this world, but we have to find ways to ensure that these events will never occur again.
There is a very real chance (in this current political stalemate) that the desperate orange dogs in the North will become more volatile and reactive. This impending prosecution of ONE british paratrooper has the potential to become one big political football and will potentially be the spark that blows the powder keg.
We must stand united, but we cannot be drawn into further hostility. The biggest bloody nose we can give them is by working on a unified stance towards: ONE IRELAND CONSISTING OF 32 COUNTIES.
This prosecution is not an attempt to procure justice, it is a blatant attempt to cause chaos. How else would they choose to prosecute only ONE attacker.
They want to ramp up our ire as an excuse to invoke hard borders and military personnel. It is a deliberate political strategy to provoke violence.
That is how the psyche of the british works.
Deflect. Divide. Conquer.