Damned if we do...

So the left wing thinks we're all facists, the right wing thinks we're all now tree-huggers. In fact we are even blamed for the media's lack of reporting of a white terrorist cell (allegedly). Can we win? Altogether now with a chorus of, "A policeman's lot is not a happy one (happy one....)"

Quite frankly, I dislike both extremes, which is just as well really given that we aren't allowed to be political and all.

I watched a programme late last night on Channel 5 [no, it wasn't porn] where Donal MacIntyre did a documentary on Johnny "Mad Dog" Adair. At one point, they all visited the former East Germany where Adair met with far-right fascists who had little shrines to him and to his organisation - "C Company" of the UFF - Ulster Freedom Fighters, a loyalist paramilitary leader. Now "Combat 18" is on the rise, apparently, with contacts being forged between hate-groups in Eastern Europe, former East Germany and Poland. And the RUC and UK security services apparently colluded with loyalist terrorists in the 1970s.

So the tangled web of hatred does fascinate me on some horrid, morbid level. I'll try to sum it up:

• Fascists hate Blacks, Jews, gays, Muslims, Lefties, Catholics, Asians.
• The UFF are kind of fascists. They carry out "punishment shootings / beatings" to people who commit crime in their area. In fact, a few years ago in Belfast I saw painted in large white letters on a gable wall, "HOUSEBREAKERS WILL BE SHOT". Fairly unequivocal.
• However the UFF fund terrorism through extortion, protection racketeering and drug running, and terrorism itself is, of course, a criminal offence.
• The black community [hated by fascists] is alleged to be quite homophobic against gays [also hated by fascists]
• Muslim community, not happy with the gays. Hated by fascists.
• Catholics, hate the gays. Not best friends with fascists.
• Jews, same. 'Nuff said re Fascism.
• Catholics v Protestants - has run and run in the Auld Sod. Will nobody get tired of it?
• Belfast Pride - opposed by both Protestants and Catholics
• Jews versus Muslims - the world's most inane summary of the Middle Eastern "Troubles"
• Sunni don't like Shia (I once misheard this on the radio as battles between Sonny and Cher groups. Oh, the mental picture! Ho hum)

In fact everyone seems to hate each other but in reality they are all united in one thing - EVERYBODY HATES THE GAYS!! It's almost like they're a uniting force in the world of politics and religion.

This brings me back to my favourite picture of Adair, and the one I'd have in a shrine, if I did such things [which I don't] would be this one. Hard man? Getting his face made up? He's just a big, bullet-headed (in more ways than one), no-necked, terrorist, drug-running, violent, extortionist pussy-cat.

Could he be the new gay icon that unites all the hate-groups? Watch this space . . .