Petition against planned orange walk in dumbarton 08/08/09

This is a petition in protest against of one of the largest Orange walks West Dunbartonshire has seen, said walk is being planned for next month.

At least 3000 people could be marching through Dumbarton High Street on Saturday, August 8, as 37 bands aim to descend on the town.

The large procession, complete with drums and flutes, would also be venturing through many more main areas around the town centre, including Westbridgend, Glasgow Road and Townend Road.

An application for the procession has been lodged with West Dunbartonshire Council by the Provincial Grand Black Chapter of Scotland and a decision is to be taken by councillors at a special meeting of the licensing committee on Tuesday, July 21.

We Would like it be known that we as residents of Dumbarton and surrounding areas firmly oppose this march taking place.
The 3,000 or so Orange marches that take place every year are mechanisms for celebrating and asserting the sectarian character of the territory within the States boundaries. The Orange Order is uniquely placed to do this, defining itself not just in Protestant terms but in anti-Catholic ones, passing political resolutions that provide the mixture of religion and politics that results in virulent sectarianism.

Orange Order parades are coat-trailing exercises in sectarian triumphalism and intimidation which are now defended as simply expressions of Protestant culture as if this was some sort of justification.

But Orangeism isnt culture, except in its widest definition and certainly not in any aesthetic sense, but is more accurately described as politics sectarian politics. If someone wants to insist on its cultural content then its particular content is a sectarian one and thus nothing is changed.

Calling something a culture doesnt mean it is above criticism. In fact saying something is part of your culture is just a way of saying that this is what you do. In no way can it be presented as any sort of argument for continuing doing so, never mind asking anyone else to publicly accept or approve. Human history is full of barbaric and decadent cultures that no one would ever dream of asking anyone to respect.

Secondly it isnt Protestant, at least in the sense that it is the authentic and essential expression of interests that all Protestants either do or must subscribe to. This means that not all Protestants must feel obliged to recognise it as an expression of their identity.

It also means that opposing Orange marches is not sectarian, is not anti-Protestant, but is positively anti-sectarian provided they are opposed because they are sectarian and not because those opposed agree with the Orangemen that they are expressions of Protestant culture.

It means to defend them, as in defending their right to march, is to defend the right to sectarian triumphalism and intimidation. No such right exists just as there is no right to engage in racist intimidation.


We would like to express our disgust at any such march holding these values would be considered for the town of Dumbarton