A WELCOME RETURN...
Friday, November 21, 2008 at 09:35AM Long time ATW readers will know that Andrew McCann was my co-blogger going back to the early days of this site. Over the years ATW has developed and we now have a rich tapestry of those who contribute. Andrew felt obliged to drop out of regular blogging due to work commitments a while back but I can now announce that next week will see... the return of Andrew McCann to ATW.
He will blog less frequently that before and on a broader range of topics, but I hope you will join with me in wishing him every best wish for his new tenure on the site. I believe Andrew's first posts will appear early next week. I have encouraged Andrew to keep his comment threads open so you all can comment and debate but I want to make it clear even at this point that I will moderate any ad hominem abuse. Andrew has strong views, as I am sure you have also, but it's best these are all expressed in a polite as possible manner so the site continues to attract more and more readers.
So, Andrew, the stage is yours and I give you a warm welcome back, amigo!
ATW 
View Printer Friendly Version
Reader Comments (74)
This is good news. Andrew can write. Say what you like about the content, but the guy can write and I always enjoy something that reads well and has something relevant to say.
Time to send the keyboard out for a service so as to be ready for the replies.
Welcome back Andrew. May not always agree with you, but its damn good fun disagreeing with you.
Good news for ATW.
Glad to hear it.
Well I rarely if ever agree with Andrew but he argues his case and I'm glad to hear he is returning.
David - Andrew is going to let you moderate his ad hominem abuse? In any event welcome back to the prodigal son.
>>He will blog ...on a broader range of topics,<<
Good, let's hope that now includes Northern Ireland and race relations in the UK!
I wonder if we will be treated to his stories about abusing children and the elderly while casting himself as the conquering hero?
welcpme home Andrew
Look forward to crossing swords with you.
En garde!
Yes, tactical move, just so long as he has'nt been away boning-up on more Chinese proverbs; that's all I ask ;o)
Andrew boning? Oh come on.
Welcome back to Andrew! I have always enjoyed hearing Andrew's point of view, and I most often agree with it. See you soon!
I think Andrew is WAY too liberal and understated in his views...but OK, if that's what you want David. ;)
Its all fun now, but wait until next week!
"David - Andrew is going to let you moderate his ad hominem abuse? In any event welcome back to the prodigal son."
wouldn't expect anything like a prodigal son.
It'll be a disaster this one, AmcCann can in no way restrain himself from ad hominem attacks, he'll be an embarrassment for David.
Percy....as long as Andrew attacks your views, he is given a big welcome back by me....lilley livered liberals need to watch out...there is a potent force that will destroy your arguments....McCannitis is on its way.
In my experience McCann is kind of the ad hominem attack.
Percy is pretty hawkish on some things.
I welcome Andrew back. He has an excellent command of the English language and his postings are always interesting. Yes his comments, particularly the ones on N.I. issues almost always descended into personalised tit for tat attacks, and Andrew wasn't faultless himself on those threads, but for those who don't like that, don't read it. Simple.
That's a little too pat. Colm.
A lot of these were not tit for tat attacks. Some of the postings were depraved, threatening, racial.
It's pretty spineless to leave such things unanswered, and many here actually do have spines, and have responded appropriately in good Chicago "Untouchables" style.
Let's see what the new posts are like.
Welcome back to a Great Brit!
McCann shows his true colours here. I need not add anything
Great reading DC. Thanks.
McCann is a legend!
Donde esta madradin ruad?
You don't think people should have respect for the dead? I was brought up to. What happened you?
I have no respect for provo scumbags dead or alive. I prefer them dead.
He wasn't a provo but I feel a little sick in your company so I'll say good night.
Lurgan, regardless of political point of view, disrespect for the dead is a thning only committed by scumbags.
Hear hear, Seamus.
'regardless of political point of view, disrespect for the dead is a thning only committed by scumbags.'
Wow, that Idi Amin. What a great dude!!
There you go, will that satisfy you?
Seamus, I will never have any respect for dead provies. So I guess I'll always be a scumbag in your eyes. Happy to be.
Well, fasten your seat belts. Welcome back to the bad old days,.
I think David is making a fairly strong statement to all, by having Andrew Mc Cann as an author here on ATW.
Which is fine, but I'd imagine it will bring considerable scrutiny to ATW.
McCann - The man you so disgustingly disrespected never harmed anyone. Your comments (brought to my attention by someone else) are a disgrace.
Phantom
There is nothing worng with fiercely robust rebuttals of Andrew's or anyone else's posts - and I always thought it was wrong for Andrew to disable the comments, but a lot of the comments when they were permitted were childishly personal and puerile and posted not to attack the viewpoint but Andrew personally, although I accept Andrew was just as willing and happy to get rolling around in those mudfights too.
>>Wow, that Idi Amin. What a great dude!!<<
Andrew, there is a social convention - i.e. good manners - that when someone has just died and is being mourned by others, you don't speak ill of him, and certainly don't come out with vulgar jokes and language.
If you aren't aware of that, you aren't aware of much.
If you are aware of it but aren't prepared to follow it when the fancy takes you, fair enough - just let us know and release us from the obligation to observe such niceties as manners in your case.
Drunken Cyclist,
Thank you for that link.
Percy aka Parcival,
Care to explain to me what you meant by your comment concerning my father at the start of the thread that DC has linked? I await your response.
'The man you so disgustingly disrespected never harmed anyone'
I don't think Hitler actually ever killed anyone by his own personal physical actions. I think the term you fail to understand is 'evil by association'.
Nice to know my legend still looms large in Provo-fetish cyberspace.
Noel, you're under no obligation to me. Obligations are for the married, the religiously observant and the important.
LOL Colm.
You'd swear you were new to this. LOL
Colm
I didn't mean to get into this today,but he typically started the abuse by, inter alia, posting photos of national flags to be burned, using racial names seldom heard today, and by dreaming /hoping that certain groups in the north would be carpet bombed.
These are not simply viewpoints to be rebutted. These are provocations to fight.
McCann - "legend" is not a word I would associate with yourself. "Loser" perhaps!
Pinky,
Yes I am and you are right. ATW has to be big and broad enough to accommodate various styles of writing, a bit like a great record shop that plays punk, reggae, pop, rock....and not all tastes will appeal to all people but there should be some good tunes played each day. Besides, you'll all get bored with my middle of the road ways!!
"These are provocations to fight"
Phantom rises and takes up the struggle - it's handbags at dawn :)
You're right there David. Although sometimes whilst commenting here I get the feeling you don't want a revolutionary communist about the place. You called me a "moral disgrace" recently, for example. Lucky I have a thick skin!! :)
Exactly, David. We need someone else to balance out your drippy liberalism :)
>>you're under no obligation to me. Obligations are for the married, <<
Andrew, if you don't follow the rules of common decency, nobody else will when dealing with you.
And in that case, you're going to be the one who loses - just like you were the last time when you couldn't take the heat.
Well, if I need more ammunition, I'll know who to ask.
Besides, you'll all get bored with my middle of the road ways!!
LOl :-)
A word to the wise David. Not all attention is worth it. From what I have seen so far, from Mr. Mc Cann, I would not want anything of mine associated with him, publicly or privately.
No offense intended.
Being a revolutionary communist is like being a supporter of the Pharoh system in Egypt.
Its in the dustbin of history, bro.