William Ennis

Terry, no one doubts or refutes the fact that Northern Ireland was an inequitable place and that institutional discrimination existed. But the exact issues you identify were largely resolved either before the conflict started or within the first year or two of the conflict. Universal adult suffrage for local elections was agreed in April 1969 (before the troubles started) and enacted that November. The B-Specials were disbanded in 1970. Public housing was removed from local political control and placed under the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in 1971, with a needs-based points system. It's also worth looking at how housing discrimination existed in Nationalist dominated councils as well. Local government boundaries and structures were reformed by 1973, ending previous gerrymandering. Stormont was suspended in 1972. The simple fact is, that of the over 1,700 people murdered by the IRA about 90% were murdered after those genuine issues were resolved. The cause of equality and rights was never the justification, it was the exploited pretext for their own campaign of anti-democratic terror all for them to eventually accept the existence of Northern Ireland, to accept the right of self-determination for the majority, and to accept a role in governing and leading a state they tried to destroy. Thousands of people dead, families destroyed, cities and towns (including your own) devastated, generations traumatised, for absolutely nothing. Violence was never the answer.