The First Minister's behaviour

The_Hurricane

saverbuyer wrote: »

How would you like to play the ball and not the man?

Ok how would any Nationalist feel about such a scenario - did you not play the man with Glynn?

warmhands.coldheart

Folks, keep the heads cool !! Don't want to start a slagging match here!
The BIG problem here in Norn Iron is that the Minority on both sides are pulling the strings and the majority on both sides unfortunately live in fear of voting for anyone other than the usual suspects for fear of the "Other side" getting a bigger slice of the vote. If somehow we could get a political party that appealed to the majority on both sides of the community, then we'd be getting somewhere..

lazer

The_Hurricane wrote: »

How would you feel about a PSNI Orange Order society that met monthly in stations or something similar in Integrated schools?

I assume this is in reference to the PSNI GAA team?

Can you spot the difference

Is the orange order a sport - no
Can you join the orange order if you are catholic or protestant - no

Is Gaelic football a sport - yes
Can you play Gaelic football if you are catholic or protestant - yes

The Orange Order is comparable with the Ancient Order of Hibernians and I would not support either of these being promoted in integrated schools.

Gaelic football is a support, a traditonially Irish sport but still a sport, it could be compared with something like Cricket, which is a traditionally English sport - and I would have no objection to either sport being played by the PSNI or in Schools.

Cotta

warmhands.coldheart wrote: »

Folks, keep the heads cool !! Don't want to start a slagging match here!
The BIG problem here in Norn Iron is that the Minority on both sides are pulling the strings and the majority on both sides unfortunately live in fear of voting for anyone other than the usual suspects for fear of the "Other side" getting a bigger slice of the vote. If somehow we could get a political party that appealed to the majority on both sides of the community, then we'd be getting somewhere..

That would not be good for democracy.

The_Hurricane

lazer wrote: »

I assume this is in reference to the PSNI GAA team?

Can you spot the difference

Is the orange order a sport - no
Can you join the orange order if you are catholic or protestant - no

Is Gaelic football a sport - yes
Can you play Gaelic football if you are catholic or protestant - yes

The Orange Order is comparable with the Ancient Order of Hibernians and I would not support either of these being promoted in integrated schools.

Gaelic football is a support, a traditonially Irish sport but still a sport, it could be compared with something like Cricket, which is a traditionally English sport - and I would have no objection to either sport being played by the PSNI or in Schools.

You are looking at this from a strongly Nationalist perspective, I am neutral but even I can see that cricket is not reflective of Unionism/Protestantism while the GAA is reflective of Catholicism/Nationalism. It has to be about parity either both or none.

shaz77_2

lazer wrote: »

I assume this is in reference to the PSNI GAA team?

Can you spot the difference

Is the orange order a sport - no
Can you join the orange order if you are catholic or protestant - no

Is Gaelic football a sport - yes
Can you play Gaelic football if you are catholic or protestant - yes

The Orange Order is comparable with the Ancient Order of Hibernians and I would not support either of these being promoted in integrated schools.

Gaelic football is a support, a traditonially Irish sport but still a sport, it could be compared with something like Cricket, which is a traditionally English sport - and I would have no objection to either sport being played by the PSNI or in Schools.

That's a little narrow minded Lazer and quite offensive, I'm very disappointed with the level of debate on here.

lazer

warmhands.coldheart wrote: »

Folks, keep the heads cool !! Don't want to start a slagging match here!
The BIG problem here in Norn Iron is that the Minority on both sides are pulling the strings and the majority on both sides unfortunately live in fear of voting for anyone other than the usual suspects for fear of the "Other side" getting a bigger slice of the vote. If somehow we could get a political party that appealed to the majority on both sides of the community, then we'd be getting somewhere..

Agreed, I base my vote on all of a parties policies not simply on Nationalism or unionism which IMO is not the key issue and have never understood how people think that it is the most important issue I value education, health, the economy, peace etc way before my nationality.

A United Ireland is not going to happen without a referendum, the referendum won't pass unless a majority want it to pass so who we vote for at local or national elections won't affect the situation at all.

GlynD

The_Hurricane wrote: »

Glynn - Might be worthwhile starting a new thread on NI politicians?

It would be doomed from the start.

lazer wrote: »

Is the garlic accidental or on purpose??

You mean make the north look more like Ireland, about letting a bit of Irish culture finally be allowed like the language?

It annoys me to listen to unionists talk about how nationalists and republicans are trying to prevent them celebrating their culture etc, and how it is not respecting their culture by x, y or z. (Parades, flags or whatever the issue of the day is).
What seems to be forgotten is that the reason the unionist culture is so dominant is that Gaelic games, Gaeilge etc were all at one stage practically banned so so in a fair society that represents both cultures in Northern Ireland both cultures should be part of the our culture and the Irish culture therefore needs to be re-introduced and as society becomes more and more tolerant both cultures should be acceptable side by side.

I do think translating the government papers into Gaeilge is a waste of money but the streetnames and townlands etc on signposts is a nice touch and reminders of the original names of some streets etc and a reflection of our history.

The "garlic" is on purpose and is just a flippancy.

The north looks different from the rest of Ireland because it is different. Even most nationalists here are descended from Scots - and that's why it's different. To change it takes away from the culture of the entire community.

Gaelic games were never banned in Northern Ireland. Not even "practically". The reason the Unionist culture is so prominent is because there have always been more unionists. Irish culture has always been prominent as well, just to a lesser extent.

I'm all for a fair and equal society but we're not going to achieve it by revisionist history. I'm also very much in favour of keeping Irish townland names in their standard form of usage. I'm not into the orange flag waving thing either.

Essentially I'm not into either side shoving their culture (real or imagined) down the other's throat.

saverbuyer wrote: »

I think you spent a great deal of time away from us Glen.

Did you notice a big change, i.e. the North looking more like the South in that time?

I didn't spend that long away and I was always back her on a regular basis. I have noticed changes. Some I agree with some I don't.

GlynD

The_Hurricane wrote: »

How would you feel about a PSNI Orange Order society that met monthly in stations or something similar in Integrated schools?

Now come on. Let's not be silly.

lazer

The_Hurricane wrote: »

You are looking at this from a strongly Nationalist perspective, I am neutral but even I can see that cricket is not reflective of Unionism/Protestantism while the GAA is reflective of Catholicism/Nationalism. It has to be about parity either both or none.

Ok then compare it with the NI soccer team which is reflective of unionisn/Protestantism - IMO as both are sporting and both are actually open to all then both are acceptable in Integrated Schools etc.

Sport should not be political - playing Cricket in NI used to be a protestant past time but over the years it has become more open to both, the same could happen with the Gaelic football if people could look past politics and concentrate on the sport.

Comparing the Orange Order to the GAA is unacceptable and offensive IMO - you cannot compare an organistation that will not accept members of one religion with one that will. he catholic equivalent of the OO is the AOH not the GAA.