Sinn Fein and democracy

Brian Feeney comments on the futility of trying to isolate Sinn Fein:

Martin McGuinness or Gerry Adams speak as the representatives of the majority of northern nationalists, difficult as that may be for many many people to accept – as difficult as nationalists find it to believe that a majority of unionist voters choose Ian Paisley to represent them or that a majority of Americans prefer George W Bush. It may cause your jaw to drop but they call it democracy. Attacking, isolating and trying to marginalise Martin McGuinness and Gerry Adams means trying to do the same to their voters. Result? They get more votes. Didn't Michael McDowell prove that in the Republic last June?