I Mean Now

How many times has a mother told a child to do something, only to tack on that familiar caveat when Junior ignored the summons? Pick up the Legos before you have your tea, she says, while the wee little one stares blankly at the television screen. I mean now, she growls with menace, and amidst much grumbling the toys are tucked away.

What would happen in such a scenario of Da were to pop into the room and tell the child that he could put away the Legos later if that suited him? The child will get to it in his own good time, Da says to the missus.

Little one doesn't pick up his toys, mammy puts the biscuits back in the tin and both Da and the child stare in amazement. How dare she do such a thing, to offer a treat and then take it back.

In essence, that is what Margaret Ritchie has done. She told the Ulster Defense gang to put away their arms, and she meant by yesterday. The Shinners destroyed their guns and armalite, so get to it, UDA. Or face the consequences.

The DUP's Peter Robinson is prepared to censure Ms. Ritchie for having the audacity to withhold funding for a UDA "conflict transformation initiative." 1.2 million pounds was to have been spread around various UDA affiliates to be used for improvements in local areas that are under siege by UDA thugs. Play nice and you'll have lots of treats to share with your friends, Ms. Ritchie offered. Don't follow the rules and pay the price.

Mr. Robinson took the side of the UDA, which decided it wasn't quite ready to disarm and had no intention of following some arbitrary schedule. The day came, they did nothing, and Ms. Ritchie put the money biscuits back in the tin. Other community groups can have it, and the UDA can go sit in the corner and play with their bullets.

Ulster Unionists have no intention of supporting the DUP's planned motion to censure, and the dogs in the street know that the Shinners and the SDLP are solidly behind Ms. Ritchie. Without a majority, the motion will fail and the loyalist thugs will lose another round.

Maintaining the status quo is not as easy as it looked, from the windy perch of St. Andrews in Scotland. Who ever imagined that the notion of equal treatment for unionists and republicans would come to legislated equal treatment?