The First Minister's behaviour

The_Hurricane

lazer wrote: »

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.

I think the fact that you don't understand Protestantism and I don't really understand your point of view is why there will always be problems in NI. You and I are part of the problem not the solution.

The_Hurricane

GlynD wrote: »

Now come on. Let's not be silly.

Why? The GAA is rampant within the PSNI and Integrated education.

GlynD

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..

I couldn't agree more.

I disagree with so much of what has been done in my name by these mindless thugs who attach themselves to parades and so forth. The orange order is a quaint outdated fraternity which really should start seeing itself as such instead of attempting to pervert the course of politics as they did in the past. The ascendancy is long gone - thank God. It's time for us tolerant people to teach the less fortunate how to regard their neighbours.

We need to get into integrated schooling and get back to the integrated public housing estates of my youth. Polarisation is our biggest enemy.

Cotta

This thread has lost it's way completely.

GlynD

lazer wrote: »

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.

I don't know who to vote for so I don't vote.

My politics are conservative but I've never belonged to any party and over here I'm doomed to have to vote for a unionist party because none of the others support my values. That's why I don't vote. Ok I could vote Alliance but I think they're useless. I am more drawn to the SDLP, even though they're nationalist.

As I've said before on many occasions: I'm not against a united Ireland but my preference is to remain British and would advocate federalism.

lazer

GlynD wrote: »

It would be doomed from the start.

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.
.

Flippancys can be offensive, and don't show respect to the other culture.

Also The GAA was actually banned by the British Government in 1918 across the whole island of Ireland (Including the North). I don't know how long the ban lasted or many details about it but I do remember that the British Government banned it at one stage.

I agree that culture should not be rammed down peoples throats, all painted kerbstones should be painted over, no flags in lampposts etc and far less parades.
Parades should be limited to 2 days a year for each side (The 12th and St Patricks Days being 2 of the days, the other can be debated and one day picked each) - all other parades, meetings etc to be in fields.

It is time to move on but it has to be done fairly with each culture being equally represented.

Polictics should be based on what is best for NI, not on what the nationalists see as best for them, and on what the unionist see as best for them.

But with the folks on the hill seemingly more interested in petty squabbling about parades, peace centres, flags etc than in actually making NI better, its never going to move on.

The_Hurricane

GlynD wrote: »

I don't know who to vote for so I don't vote.

My politics are conservative but I've never belonged to any party and over here I'm doomed to have to vote for a unionist party because none of the others support my values. That's why I don't vote. Ok I could vote Alliance but I think they're useless. I am more drawn to the SDLP, even though they're nationalist.

As I've said before on many occasions: I'm not against a united Ireland but my preference is to remain British and would advocate federalism.

Would you not give Nelson a vote?

The_Hurricane

lazer wrote: »

Flippancys can be offensive, and don't show respect to the other culture.

Also The GAA was actually banned by the British Government in 1918 across the whole island of Ireland (Including the North). I don't know how long the ban lasted or many details about it but I do remember that the British Government banned it at one stage.

I agree that culture should not be rammed down peoples throats, all painted kerbstones should be painted over, no flags in lampposts etc and far less parades.
Parades should be limited to 2 days a year for each side (The 12th and St Patricks Days being 2 of the days, the other can be debated and one day picked each) - all other parades, meetings etc to be in fields.

It is time to move on but it has to be done fairly with each culture being equally represented.

Polictics should be based on what is best for NI, not on what the nationalists see as best for them, and on what the unionist see as best for them.

But with the folks on the hill seemingly more interested in petty squabbling about parades, peace centres, flags etc than in actually making NI better, its never going to move on.

Ok then the broadcasting of GAA will be limited to one day per year.

Your attack was purely aimed at all things Protestant, why are you so full of hate?

GlynD

The_Hurricane wrote: »

I think the fact that you don't understand Protestantism and I don't really understand your point of view is why there will always be problems in NI. You and I are part of the problem not the solution.

Exactly, and that's what we've got to get over.

The_Hurricane wrote: »

Why? The GAA is rampant within the PSNI and Integrated education.

The GAA is not rampant within the PSNI. There are teams yes and there is a PSNI team but rampant isn't a word I would use to describe this inclusiveness. Plus it's just a progression. If our police are playing gaelic sports it means two things: firstly that we have enough RC officers to create teams - that has to be good and secondly, that the GAA have dropped the rule prohibiting policemen and soldiers from playing - that's also got to be a good thing because it not only means that policemen and soldiers can play their favourite sports, across the board, it also means the GAA is working on being less sectarian.

The_Hurricane

GlynD wrote: »

Exactly, and that's what we've got to get over.



The GAA is not rampant within the PSNI. There are teams yes and there is a PSNI team but rampant isn't a word I would use to describe this inclusiveness. Plus it's just a progression. If our police are playing gaelic sports it means two things: firstly that we have enough RC officers to create teams - that has to be good and secondly, that the GAA have dropped the rule prohibiting policemen and soldiers from playing - that's also got to be a good thing because it not only means that policemen and soldiers can play their favourite sports, across the board, it also means the GAA is working on being less sectarian.

Why do Orangemen in the PSNI have to to advise of their membership etc and they are also not allowed to parade. Parity my dear friend???