Editorial News November-2001

The enquiry that this small shop gets from around the world is quite simply
awesome. We have had enquiries from the west coast of USA to Eastern Europe -
Moscow. We have had enquiries from New Zealand in the south to many parts of
Canada in the north. From a retail point of view many of these enquiries have
resulted in orders. More importantly it clearly shows that there are many
loyalists throughout the world who support our cause or at least interested in
it. Of course the majority of our enquiries come from the rest of the UK. Many
Loyalists in the mainland have mailed us with messages of support from Aberdeen
to Plymouth and Ipswich to south and Mid-Wales. We have many friends - we are
not alone!

One thing that puzzles us and if you know the answer please send a mail with an
explanation. Why did many people in GB want the Republic of Ireland to qualify
for the World Cup? Why do so many people like all things Irish? Why do people
like a country that has exported so much violence around the world, Germany,
Holland, France, Spain, USA and Colombia, these are the countries we know about?
Why is it trendy to like Irish things when the Republican movement has killed
and injured our fellow countrymen and women for the last 30 years? When it comes
to Loyalists many people perceive us to be the worlds worst yet it is not us who
have maimed and killed on behalf of mother Ireland. Why is that? It seems we do
not get our message across very well or so we are told. Is that really the case
or is it that people do not want to listen/read/interview the Loyalist people?
Our cause is alive and well on the Internet. We have plenty of politicians; do
they do enough for Ulster? Do they have strategy for the next 5 or 10 years? Are
they trying to plan ahead on our behalf or are they too busy fighting to have
the Union Jack flying over council offices for 24/7? Loyalism needs it
politicians to sort themselves out to develop a strategy for retaining these six
counties as part of the UK. Loyalism needs people to listen to our "story".
Loyalism needs the outside world to realise that there are two sides to every
"story". Our side of the story is alive and kicking on the World Wide Web. Visit
our many sites and read what our thoughts are.

As for the media what can you say? Sometimes they give a positive spin to
Loyalism the next it's crap. They run us down nine times out of ten. Take Tigers
Bay. Look at the housing in the area of Newington/Tigers Bay. How many Loyalist
homes lie empty after years of republican attacks? How many Loyalist families
have been burnt out, attacked at all hours? How many Loyalists children have
been attacked? The Antrim Road is now effectively a NO Go area for Loyalists.
Catholic business people suffer as a result. When crossing the Limestone Road
Loyalists are attacked as they go about their business. In comparison there are
few empty houses in Newington. They now have exclusive use of the small shop on
the Limestone Road. The phrase "every picture tells a story" applies to Tigers
bay. The shop recently took two visitors from London to Tigers Bay/Newington and
showed them both areas it was clear to them who was forcing who out of the area,
only a fool would believe otherwise. Why do the media ignore this ongoing
Republican violence? They continue to shoot and bomb not only their own people
but Loyalists as well. Does the media expose this? Does the media investigate
who is behind the shootings and bombings? The answer to both is a resounding NO.
Yet they devote programmes to Loyalism and how, in their eyes it is a disgrace.
The media must improve and we must fight our corner in media terms at every
opportunity.

To the residents of Glenbryn well done. After a not too clever start you
recovered superbly and dictated the pace and change of events. You got your
message across very well and your spokesmen deserve a pat on the back. Let us
hope that all the improvements offered to you materialise.

Have you noticed the latest SDLP/Sinn Fein trick? They cry out for enquiries
into Hamill, Nelson, the bombings in Dublin/Monaghan and of course they have the
biggest waste of tax payers money in the history of the UK ever, the Bloody
Sunday enquiry. But how dare Loyalists ask for enquiries into the bombings at
Enniskillen, Teebane and the genocide of Loyalists along the border. We are told
not too look back but to look forward. Don't be stupid we are told! The phrase
"one rule for one and another rule for the rest" applies.

To all Loyalists be proud of our cause it is a just one. One that we should not
hide, one that we should tell the world about. Let's get our message across.

FOR GOD AND ULSTER - THE UNION JACK SHOP