Sir, - I am an Irish Presbyterian, son of a farmer and privileged to have been reared in a non-sectarian, Christian home. My father's example of not following the crowd instilled in us a habit of independent thinking on many of the political questions of the day. We were proud of our Presbyterian heritage in Ireland, proud that Presbyterians had not only stood against the frequent injustices of English rule, but in many cases were at the forefront in the fight for freedom for all.
I witnessed with sadness the unionist refusal to listen to many - if any - of the genuine grievances from the nationalist community. Many nationalists felt such anger and frustration at unionist misrule that violence was an inevitable reaction against the state. Moderate Unionism failed Northern Ireland by not listening to the hurt and pain from the minority. By their inward arrogance, they were losing the country they loved.
As someone who campaigned for a yes vote for the Good Friday agreement, I believe the boot is now firmly on the other foot. I have witnessed many of the genuine grievances of the unionist people over the agreement being ignored and ridiculed by moderate nationalism throughout Ireland.
Prisoner releases were a bitter pill to swallow, but I accepted they were required as a trust-building measure. I was angry to see that I was expected to accept that murderers of RUC men would be released in the North, but that the Irish government would refuse to release the killers of members of the Garda. I thought we had all voted on the same agreement. What this said to me was that the sacrifice of an RUC man was worth less than the sacrifice of a garda.
The one thing that would be seen as a trust-building measure to the majority of the unionist family is decommissioning (not surrender) of terrorist arms. For the past five years unionists have been told do this, or accept that, and decommissioning would follow. Moderate unionists have given time and time again, yet there is still no decommissioning.
The response from moderate nationalists - who believe they are the balanced thinkers of today - has a familiar ring to it. Is moderate Nationalism failing Ireland, by not listening to the hurt and pain from the minority community?
John Hume said recently that it would "be helpful" if decommissioning took place. What would his reaction have been if the IRA had started to decommission in December after the Mitchell review and the unionists were still "doing their best" or "working very hard" on setting up the Executive? Somehow I imagine it may have been a little stronger.
Over the past 30 years we have witnessed the product of an angry, hurt and frustrated community. Do not allow history to repeat itself. Will Irish nationalism, by its own inward arrogance, lose the country it loves? Or will it learn from the history of unionism and act to create a fair and balanced new Ireland?
J. McNair, Co Antrim.