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Sextent
11-30-2007, 10:00 PM
Sash Gordon', superhero, joins Orange Order

By Tom Peterkin, Ireland Correspondent
Last Updated: 2:39am GMT 29/11/2007

The latest addition to the pantheon of super heroes has arguably been given an even more daunting mission than the one which preoccupied Flash Gordon as the saviour of the universe.

The challenge that has been thrown down to his Protestant cousin "Sash Gordon" is to revamp the image of the Orange Order, the religious organisation famous for its inflammatory marching season.

The Order has created a new cartoon hero, who will appear on Christmas cards and other merchandise as the institution makes another attempt to rid itself of its reputation for bigotry.

A competition has been launched to choose a name for the character. Young people have been encouraged to write in with their suggestions to the Order's Belfast HQ. Already the clear favourite is "Sash Gordon", a reference to the orange sashes worn by members while parading. The hero proudly wears a sash, but other essential items of kit such as the bowler hats, white gloves and umbrellas have been ditched in favour of a cape.

Time will tell whether the character will usurp William of Orange as the real hero of the Order, which marches every July 12 to commemorate the Protestant King's victory over the Jacobites at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.

Recent years have seen a diminution of the sectarian violence that characterised the marching season. Orange leaders have also attempted to transform the Twelfth into a carnival-style "Orangefest".

Even so, "Sash Gordon" will have a challenge on his hands, assuming his aim is to attract more youngsters to the exclusively Protestant organisation.

According to the Rev Brian Kennaway, an Orange Order member and author of a critical study of the institution, membership is falling at the rate of around 1,000 people per year.

Mr Kennaway's book The Orange Order - a Tradition Betrayed, criticised the continuing influence of paramilitaries on the institution.

Yesterday he dismissed the character as window dressing.

"This is a waste of space," he said. "They are using all this energy thinking up novel ideas to try and project a positive image without expending any energy on working out how to negate negative images such as sectarianism and the paramilitary links to the bands. Instead of thinking about recruiting they should be thinking of devoting more energy to retaining the decent people in the Order, who are leaving."

David Hume, the Order's director of services, said: "We want to make the Orange Order more relevant to the young and appear less stuffy.

"Our new Orange hero has been carefully designed and is really a bit of good fun. Our research shows that he should appeal to the young."


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/graphics/2007/11/27/nsash127.jpg
The Orange Order created 'Sash Gordon' in a bid to appeal to a younger audience

Peter North
11-30-2007, 10:01 PM
Woow...

:blink:

callum
11-30-2007, 10:07 PM
Woow...

:blink:


Good point, well presented, die.

Sextent
11-30-2007, 10:08 PM
:lol::earl::harsh:

callum
11-30-2007, 10:10 PM
I have a rather bad cough at the moment and trying to say woow out loud nearly killed me.

Sextent
11-30-2007, 10:12 PM
You really need to learn that silent reading thing.

callum
11-30-2007, 10:22 PM
I've learnt it good, but I've never came across woow and I wondered how it would sound.

I think I was meant to say wahey at some point in this post.

Sextent
11-30-2007, 10:23 PM
I've learnt it good, but I've never came across woow and I wondered how it would sound.

I think I was meant to say wahey at some point in this post.

Go for it.

chalice
11-30-2007, 11:05 PM
Cuddley.

http://www.missingpersons-ireland.freepress-freespeech.com/frontpageshankillbutchers.jpg

Sextent
11-30-2007, 11:42 PM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shankill_Butchers

Snee
11-30-2007, 11:53 PM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shankill_Butchers

You'll be cutting and pasting news next, I expect.

Hairbautt
11-30-2007, 11:55 PM
Did somebody say "news"? :smilie4: