Victimised? (2)

I repeat my comment in yesterday's post that "feelings are as important as fact", i.e. a widespread Catholic feeling of past victimisation is as significant and serious as whatever discrimination may have occurred. To that extent the Protestant community needs to reach out in sympathy, whatever the facts (and the facts will vary).

William Frazer, the victims group leader who walked out of the meeting where Fr. Alec Reid compared Unionist treatment of Nationalists to Nazi crimes against humanity, has penned a highly interesting, well written account of the meeting on his website (here). I don't endorse all he says, but he makes some convincing points that Nationalists and Republicans should consider. At one point he questions the extent to which Catholics were actually victimised by the Unionist state, saying, "[Nationalists and Republicans] hold in their hearts a bitterness and sectarian hatred that is based on a myth. Their church with its school system has perpetuated a distorted version of history. Their version of history instils a sense of victim hood into the Roman Catholic community that has no relation to fact."

Feelings are as important as fact. But not more so. What facts can you share? I'd like to try something out here. If you're a Catholic visitor to this blog, take a moment to leave a comment. How unfair was the government of Northern Ireland? Let's exclude "street" sectarianism and concentrate on public sector institutions, local government bodies, the police force, UDR and British Army. Give specific instances of how you or a close relative were victimised.

Just one rule: state facts only, not opinions.