http://www.falklands.org/orangefacts.html

This is a direct response to the so-called 'fact sheet' that the INAC(an American group that supports the PIRA) puts out regarding the Orange Orders.

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By: A Falklands Member who wishes to remain anonymous and edited by The Falklands staff.
Much of this information is from 'A Celebration: 1690-1990 - The Orange Institution' which is published by the GOLI.

Real Facts About GOLI (Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland)
=========================================


The INAC claims that the following are Orange Order beliefs. However, many of the statements about the Orange Order are not correct.-


INAC states-

1. The Order's origins are with King William of Orange's war in Ireland in 1689 -1699.
Falklands FACT
====
Nobody claims that Orangemen fought along side William. Orangemen only take their name from him (note that is not King William of Orange, rather King William, Prince of Orange).

INAC States-

2. The Orange Order was founded in the 1790s as a reaction to efforts by the United Irishmen who were predominately Protestant

Falklands FACT
====
The GOLI was founded after the battle of diamond in 1795. The skirmish was between the Roman Catholic Defenders and local Protestants of the area. The rebellion by the united Irishmen was three years later, in 1798 (though the United Irishmen was founded in 1791).

INAC States-

3. King Billy won "civil and religious liberties" and the Battle of the Boyne.

Falklands FACT
====
The battle of the Boyne proved to be a turning point in Europe's history. King William ruled over the Glorious Revolution, who's motto was "For Religion and Liberty".

INAC States-

4. The Orange Order has always been Unionist.

Falklands FACT
====
In Jan 1799 the Grand lodge ordered Orangemen to abstain from expressing an opinion pro or con upon the question of the union between Great Britain and Ireland. Many lodge members were initially against the union (both in Eire, and Ulster).

INAC States-

5. The Orange Order represents Irish Protestants

Falklands FACT
====
The Orange Order is the largest interdenominational Protestant organisation in the world (with branches in England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Canada, USA, Bermuda, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Ghana, Togo, and Holland).

====
The following incorrect statements have been made about the Orange Order by the INAC. However, The Falklands Society has set the record straight.

INAC States-

6. William's victory ushered in a century of loss of rights, not only for Catholics in Ireland, but for the majority of Protestants who were members of the Presbyterian Church.

Falklands FACT
====
James II (the alternative who William defeated) was adamant that the Irish culture should be eradicated and replaced by English culture, this included trying to exterminate the Irish language. Discrimination against Presbyterians was a result of some of William's beneficiaries being less tolerant than the king and failing to ratify the Treaty of Limerick.
James II had discontinued a grant of £600 to the Presbyterian church. Soon after his victory, one of William's first thoughts was to raise it to £800, but he was persuaded (by General Douglas) to double it to £1200, which would give each minister £15.

INAC States-

7. Dominated from the start by wealthy Protestant landlords, the Orange Order initially opposed the Act of Union [with Britain] of 1800 because the abolition of the Irish parliament, which only represented a tiny wealthy minority, seemed to threaten their privileges.

Falklands FACT
====
At the beginning, membership was of the labouring and artisan classes, only a few gentry joined, among them Viscount Northland of Dungannon. This extends to today where the membership very much crosses class divides.

INAC States-

8. The legal system of the Six Counties continues to be presided over by judges and magistrates who are members of the Orange Order. Many RUC also swear alliance to the Order.

Qualifications [from the Order's handbook]: "An Orangeman should... strenuously oppose the fatal errors and doctrines of the Church of Rome, and scrupulously avoid countenancing any act or ceremony of Popish Worship; he should by all lawful means, resist the ascendancy of that Church, it encroachments and the extension of its power..."

Expulsion: "Any member dishonoring the Institution by marrying a Roman Catholic shall be expelled; and every Member shall use his best endeavors to prevent and discountenance the marriage of Protestants with Roman Catholics..."

Falklands FACT
====
Some of the anti-Catholic feelings may seem a bit extreme to an outsider but one must remember that in Ulster, so-called Roman Catholic terrorists (although no good Catholic would support these people) deliberately hunt down and murder Orangemen and women, their spouses and their children.

One must also remember that all Orangemen are ordered to be "ever abstaining from all uncharitable words, actions or sentiments towards Roman Catholics;"

INAC States-

9. The Penal Laws against Catholics were zealously backed by the Orange Order. Under these codes, the law did not even recognise the "existence" of an Irish Roman Catholic.

Falklands FACT
====
Today the Orange Order has displayed a lot of willingness to work with their Roman Catholic neighbours. For example, recently they re-routed some traditional parades and the Grand Master of the Order went to Harryville(Northern Ireland) to show his support for the Catholics who are being harassed by UVF-UDA. And while the crimes of the past cannot be excused, it is worth pointing out that Catholics were given full Emancipation by Britain in 1829, while American blacks had to wait until 1865 just to be freeded from slavery.

INAC States-

10. The Orange Marching Season begins at Easter and continues to the end of August. There are between 2,500 and 3,000 processions and parades altogether in every city, town and village in the North.

Falklands FACT
====
Hundreds of thousands of Orange men, women, and children parade just as much in other countries, with no hostility from other locals.

INAC States-

11. The Orange Marches are designed to demonstrate the power of the order in the life of Ulster. The symbols of power are the beating of big drums and the shouting of sectarian slogans, such as "Croppies lie down" and "Taigs out."

Falklands FACT
====
Orange Marches are an outward expression of a Christian faith. Marches take on different forms in different countries. In Anglo/Irish cultures the parades tend take the form of a well disciplined military concert band (somewhat akin to the Salvation Army), usually flute or accordion with a percussion accompaniment, though many Scottish lodges have impressive bagpipe bands, and in Africa parades tend to take what people of a British/European descent might call a 'gospel style'.

Unfortunately in a few areas Sinn Fein/IRA manage to wind up the local Roman Catholic communities to a state of high tension. On occasion a small number of (so called) 'Loyalist' thugs (who are no different to football/soccer hooligans) follow along side parades shouting obscenities at residents. These actions are not welcomed by any decent people whether Orange, Unionist, Roman Catholic, and/or Nationalist. If these hooligans knew they wouldn't get a response they would soon get bored and stop attending. This would be of benefit to everybody involved.

INAC States-

12. The marches are triumphant, sectarian occasions and go through Catholic areas to provoke the people and establish domination.

Falklands FACT

====
If this is the case why do 99.5% (Sinn Fein/IRA figures) go through so called Protestant areas (though there is no such thing as Protestant Areas and Roman Catholics areas in Ulster, only United Kingdom areas)? If the purpose is to provoke then why aren't the other 3000 processions moved to other (more provocative areas)? Why do the Roman Catholics of the Republic not complain about these parades? Indeed Roman Catholic farmers often tend their Protestant neighbours farms while they are parading, and the local restaurants, shops, and pub owners are very pleased to see the Orangemen and Women, for the increase in business and tourism if nothing else.

Falklands Question
========
How come Orange parades take place around the world (from Africa to USA, from Republic of Ireland to New Zealand) without the aid of a massive police presence and without locals throwing bricks and petrol bombs and shooting teenage children?

 

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