Stay in the pews, keep away from the pavements – that's the message nationalists
want to hear from Orange Eddie, the Order's new head buck cat.
The election of Tyrone farmer Edward Stevenson as Grand Master is further
proof Unionism is now firmly under the control of the West.
Orange Eddie is the second County Grand Master from the West to snatch a top
post. Last year, ex-Fermanagh top Orangeman Tommy Elliott clinched the UUP
leadership, defeating Antrim's Basil McCrea.
Looks like Belfast – and especially the Unionist Bible Belt of Co Antrim –
has lost control of both Unionism and Orangeism.
The realignment within Protestantism is seeing the unofficial re-emergence of
one of the most powerful pressure groups in the Unionist family – the West
Ulster Unionist Council.
Fermanagh Unionist Association was the main power behind the WUUC. This same
association masterminded Elliott's victory, much to the annoyance of liberal
Unionists.
Orange Eddie has publicly stressed he wants to see the Order emphasise its
Christian principles.
This should be music to the ears of nationalists – provided Orange Eddie can
pull it off and his election speeches were not just the same old empty rhetoric.
To do this, Orange Eddie should lead the Order along the lines of another
Christian secret society, Irish Freemasons. Both organisations share a lot of
symbolism, and many Orangemen are also Masons.
Makes you wonder how Orange brethren can sit one evening within the
Prods-only Orange halls, yet equally sit comfortably with fellow Catholic Masons
in Freemasonic Temples the next evening.
The Order should follow the example of Freemasonry and just hold annual
church services – no parading.
A new broom sweeps clean and outgoing Orange Grand Master Bobby Saulter's
14-year reign was one of the most controversial in the Order's history.
Orange Eddie could order a Grand Lodge probe of the various parades – calling
off the controversial ones, and introducing a lot more church services in mainly
Protestant areas.
He could also stop the Order constantly falling into the traps set by
nationalist residents' groups, many of which were heavily run or influenced by
republican ex-jailbirds.
Orange Eddie's religious thrust could have a major impact, too, on the other
Marching Orders – the Black (often dubbed the poor Protestant's Freemasons),
Apprentice Boys, and the hardline fundamentalist Independent Orange Order.
His reign could also see a healing of the century-long rift between the
Mother Orange Order and the Independents.
The Independents have lost their public profile since Ian Paisley senior quit
as DUP boss and Free Presbyterian Moderator. A merger should be on the cards
between these two.
The Order would not lose face if for one Marching Season, it limited its
activities to church services.
After all, the Orange joining ceremony urges Protestants to be "ever
abstaining from all uncharitable words, actions, or sentiments towards his Roman
Catholic brethren".
If nationalists see firm evidence that Orange Eddie is genuinely leading the
Order down a purely religious route, they might return the serve by relaxing
opposition to currently contentious parades, just to get the marches over and
done with.
The only Protestant marching feet nationalists want to hear is the sound of
Orangemen tapping out the rhythm of Christian hymns inside churches.
Instead of being known as a confrontational Marching Order, let Orange Eddie
develop the Order into an overtly Christian Worshipping Movement. And this could
be an excellent example for loyalist bands to follow, too.
