Scariest experience of my life!!! (Nothern Ireland is still a bit mad)

Dudess

It's also likely the parents put too much faith in the police, army and loyalist negotiators to hurry things the **** up... :rolleyes:
I mean, yeah, Billy Hutchinson spoke out, as did a lot of other leading loyalists/unionists, but they didn't do much else. Why did it take until January for it to stop?

getz

i would have never taken my child ,willingly into danger for god country or anything else ,and i believe 90% of ireland would think the same

DoireNod

getz wrote: »

i would have never taken my child ,willingly into danger for god country or anything else ,and i believe 90% of ireland would think the same

I'd safely bet that 90% is much too high an estimate. If that's what you'd do, then ok, but plenty of people in Ireland find the parents' actions in this case commendable and right. I mean, why let ignorance rule you?

getz

so you would send your 10 year old daughter [who has to be druged] between ranks of hate filled bigots just to show the rest of ireland that YOU cannot be intimidated ?-i just dont believe you

DoireNod

getz wrote: »

so you would send your 10 year old daughter [who has to be druged] between ranks of hate filled bigots just to show the rest of ireland that YOU cannot be intimidated ?-i just dont believe you

I never suggested that it was an individual thing, where people are looking for some sort of badge for their actions in standing up to bigots. It's not as if these children were sent alone either, as you seem to suggest. Such actions don't only show Ireland that communities can band together and face injustice and bigotry, they show the world. Plenty of families in the Ardoyne Road area seem to have thought it was a necessary step and it was met with acts of solidarity throughout Ireland and the world. Had I been in the same situation, I'd have done the same thing. Again, why let the ignorance of others dictate how you should live your life. I think it's better to stand up for what you believe in than to silently live in fear.

[who has to be druged]

Do you mean 'dragged' or 'drugged'?

getz

the one thing i know about the people in ireland is that they love children ,but how many of you would have taken your kids up there into danger,just to show solidarity ?not many,for heavens sake half the bordies said they are scared just to walk around some of these estates,and they are adults ,i wouldent go into any of them

Dudess

People in any country love children - and people wouldn't have taken their children up there at the time... because they don't live there. The parents in question DID live there - it was life for them, so who are you to judge?

And seriously, educate yourself about Northern Ireland would ya?

getz

so you are now reverting to insults, good bye

Dudess

Insults? Where?

Going by your own comments, you don't seem to be very knowledgeable about Northern Ireland and its people, other than generalisations and stereotypes based on media coverage - that's all.

the_syco

There's two ways to do what they did. They did it the peaceful way. The "old way" would be to use guns and bombs to clear the path to the school.

getz

i live within one mile from fleetwood i can see the irish ferry from my home and at times it seems that half the population are from northern ireland live here,most came over to avoid the troubles. in the pub i get told many catholic/protestant stories,how many people from northern ireland do you know ? .

conchubhar1

Dudess wrote: »

That reminds me of the Holy Cross abomination (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1339999/Holy-Cross-girls-on-tranquillizers.html) - ****ing bastards. I'm no fan of Sinn Féin because of its links with the IRA but I can't help feeling it would have put its foot down very early on if a bunch of republican thugs pulled a stunt like that on little protestant girls.

jesus - how many years have to go by before people drop the charade of ''i dont like sinn féin because they have/had links with the IRA''?

now if people said i dont like sinn féin because i am a paper republican thats all good but come on..

Dudess

Omagh, Enniskillen, Birmingham, Guildford, Warrington, Canary Wharf, the murder of Gerry McCabe - among others... the fact Sinn Féin was connected to the organisation that carried these out, the fact it wouldn't and still won't condemn these atrocities - I'd consider the above perfectly valid reasoning for having no time for Sinn Féin, plus, it appeals to some appalling thugs.
I agree with many of Sinn Féin's policies, and I'm aware many very good people are involved with the party - to them though, I say "what the **** are you doing?!"

Red Hand

Dudess wrote: »

That reminds me of the Holy Cross abomination (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1339999/Holy-Cross-girls-on-tranquillizers.html) - ****ing bastards. I'm no fan of Sinn Féin because of its links with the IRA but I can't help feeling it would have put its foot down very early on if a bunch of republican thugs pulled a stunt like that on little protestant girls.

Their associates have killed plenty of protestant girls and parents of protestant girls over the years.

There would be no foot putting downing. There will always be a convenient "splinter group" that will do whatever needs to be done...Omagh/Gerry McCabe etc.

conchubhar1

I could list attrocities in the past commited by many groups - but I would imagine that would be lost on you.

Let it go - it's in the past.

Again Sinn Féin is a political party - political search it in google.

As to the good people who work in Sinn Féin or any other organization I would imagine they believe it is doing good and is the best way to move things forward to a better place.

But ''a crime, is a crime is a crime'' - no matter if it is only alleged that members were innvolved in those attrocities or worse their family, neighbour or friends.

fippy

Jeremiah 16:1 wrote: »

Their associates have killed plenty of protestant girls and parents of protestant girls over the years.

There would be no foot putting downing. There will always be a convenient "splinter group" that will do whatever needs to be done...Omagh/Gerry McCabe etc.

Thats a fair point too.

DoireNod

Jeremiah 16:1 wrote: »

Their associates have killed plenty of protestant girls and parents of protestant girls over the years.

They've also killed plenty of Catholics and parents of Catholic girls. Perhaps Muslims or Buddhists, maybe even a few Atheists...

There would be no foot putting downing. There will always be a convenient "splinter group" that will do whatever needs to be done...Omagh/Gerry McCabe etc.

Perhaps you're right, but in recent times, Sinn Féin has continually made an effort to quell any unwarranted violence or discontent in nationalist and republican areas. At any rate, I don't think Republican 'splinter groups' would see the need to heckle children on their way to school. Somehow I don't think it's within the scope of a campaign for Irish freedom.:rolleyes:

prinz

DoireNod wrote: »

Perhaps you're right, but in recent times, Sinn Féin has continually made an effort to quell any unwarranted violence or discontent in nationalist and republican areas.

Word in bold is the key. What Sinn Féin considers warranted, and what the rest of mainstream Irish society has considered warranted have differed for many years. See Pat Doherty, T. Ferris and Mitchell McLoughlin on the issues of Jerry McCabe and Jean McConville, as prime examples.

philologos

Indeed! One mans warranted is another mans unwarranted. We should aim to cut out violence altogether, and realise that it is a regressive way of dealing with serious issues.

fitz0

conchubhar1 wrote: »

jesus - how many years have to go by before people drop the charade of ''i dont like sinn féin because they have/had links with the IRA''?

now if people said i dont like sinn féin because i am a paper republican thats all good but come on..

You don't have to support Sinn Féin to be a republican, you know?

I don't support them because their isolationist policies are shortsighted and naive, not because of any past or existing links to an armed paramilitary group.

Dudess

conchubhar1 wrote: »

I could list attrocities in the past commited by many groups - but I would imagine that would be lost on you.

"Lost on" me? Listen, you're obviously pissed that I, a person who has demonstrated sympathy with a lot of republican views, don't have time for Sinn Féin... but jeez, no need to resort to insults.
Seeing as they're being "in the past" is enough to just see beyond them, you're cool about loyalist atrocities, British Army atrocities, RUC atrocities I take it? Bloody Sunday - all in the past so no problems with the Parachute Regiment? Because I'm certainly not cool about them.

So anyway, what atrocities would be "lost on" me? And how?

Again Sinn Féin is a political party - political search it in google.

Resorting to another childish insult. My, you've really taken my lack of support for Sinn Féin as a personal slight. Way to cave into the bitter republican stereotype...
The DUP is a political party - so you're ok with its alleged involvement with loyalist paramilitaries in the 1970s, are you?

I don't have time for the political party that had close links with the organisation that killed those people in Omagh, including little kids - and I'm comfortable with that.

Lexus1976

I'll be spending most of next week travelling around up the North in all the counties, is there any areas I should be carefull of?

Just posted a question about pubs in belfast to avoid in the Belfast city forum, all advice appreciated.