Hunger Page #4

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which left us susceptible to being conned by the Brits

And that is exactly what we were.

Conned.

This time out, the men will start consecutively two weeks apart

Somebody dies, they'll be replaced.

There is no shortage of us.

Seventy five men have put their names forward.

For Christ's sake.

The announcement is being made today.

So, what makes this protest different is that you accept to die, Bobby ?

It may well come to that.

You start a hunger strike to protest for

for what you believe in.

You don't start already determined to die,

or am I missing something here ?

It's in their hands. Our message is clear.

They're seeing our determination.

So there'll be a couple of deaths, do you think, maybe five or six,

but you have seventy-five of you.

Aye, well, it won't come to that.

All right, maybe the Brits

will buckle after twenty or so.

But why should you care ?

Because you're already dead, right?

Have you thought about you're going to be putting these boys through ?

I mean, putting aside what's going to happen to these poor men's families.

You're going head to head with the British Government

who declaredly despise republicanism...

who are unshakeable.

They can easily live with the deaths

of what they call terrorists.

And the stakes are much higher this time.

I know that.

And if you're not even willing to negotiate,

you're looking for them to capitulate.

Is that it ?

Right.

So failure means many dead men, families torn apart,

and the whole Republican movement demoralised.

Aye. Worst case scenario it might well mean all that...

but in short term, under the ashes...

Come on !

guaranteed, there will be a new generation

of men and women,

even more resilient. More determined.

Look who you're talking to.

There's a war going on. I thought you

might understand. You're talking like a foreigner.

You're talking to me like I'm a foreigner.

Do you think I don't know Northern Ireland ?

I live here, man.

Then support us.

I supported the first hunger strike on the basis it was a protest.

Not some pre-design to die

and balk at negotiation

other than complete surrender from Thatcher.

That's ridiculous Bobby. It's destructive.

What's happened in here for the last four years ?

Brutality, humiliation.

Our basic human rights taken away from us.

All this must come to an end.

Through talking.

So what ?

We take their offer and put their uniform on ?

because the last four years are meant nothing ?

We can do that, Don,

or we can behave like the army

we proclaim to be

and lay down our lives for our comrades.

Is there not even small part in you

that's open for a breakthrough...

that could find you negotiating again ?

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