Last year’s terrorist is this year’s statesman

DR HAZLETT LYNCH (Irish Examiner letters, January 15) is firmly against the DUP sharing power with Sinn Féin whom he regards as fascist terrorists.

He may have heard the political adage, ‘Last year’s terrorist is this year’s statesman’. Think of Jomo Kenyatta, Menachem Begin or even Nelson Mandela, who was demonised in his time.

So Dr Lynch can relax if and when Martin McGuiness becomes deputy first minister in a devolved administration. The sky won’t fall in. If this political development spooks Dr Lynch’s community, it tells a lot about their underdeveloped political nous.

Why should unionists be surprised if a majority of Northern nationalists voted Sinn Féin given the sad history of misgovernment by Dr Lynch’s political masters of Northern Ireland?

Despite all the bluster, unionists have a stark choice: share power with their nationalists neighbours or settle for joint authority.

David Hickey

21 Castleowen

Blarney

Co Cork