Bomb explodes in N Ireland

[janie48]

Eire is the Irish Republic. What do you think it means?

 

You are arguing that religion is incidental to the politics of Northern Ireland. I am arguing that religion is central to the politics of Northern Ireland. If you want evidence then look no further than the religion of the vast majority of voters of Sinn Fein and SDLP on the one hand, and the religion of the vast majority of voters of DUP, OUP, UUP on the other. The fact that it isn't 100% black and white on both sides is irrelevant.

Of course its relevant.

Yes people in Ireland may identify themselves with a religious label, because of their religious/political history through the centuries, which included discrimination in its recent history which I'm sure you are aware of. But that doesn't mean to suggest they are all members of a church and religious. Just because people don't label themselves as atheists so much as people do in England, doesn't mean there aren't any.

If Ireland's troubles were only caused by religion, you wouldn't have Protestants, Methodists, a number of Quakers and people of many other faiths living along side each other quite peaceably without any problems, not only in the Republic but in some parts of the North also.

[GLASGOWOODS]

In NI they call it taiggy

 

Haha.............

 

I don't think pass the parcel would be on the games list..

[melthebell]

I think what you are trying to infer, is that only Islamic attacks get to the headlines. We know that's not true, so I'm unsure of your motive to make such an inference.

no, on here it only seems to be newsworthy when its muslims cos people have an axe to grind

[SevenRivers]

no, on here it only seems to be newsworthy when its muslims cos people have an axe to grind

 

I dunno, this thread has generated some posts

[mjw47]

What are these demographics you have then that make it a certainty, because you have not linked to any?

 

I don't do links. No idea how to & no interest in learning. Give it a shot though OK? http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/education/51-of-northern-ireland

 

If that fails.

 

These are the facts as I understand them, check them out yourself. At the moment the Loyalist population is still in the majority, however that majority is increasingly closer & is almost 50-50 at present.

 

The demographics come into play in that the age groups are out of line. Most elderly 55 plus members of the population are 60% or so Protestant. Most younger members are predominately Catholic.

 

Only one way this is going, which is why the IRA accepted the Good Friday Agreement. It guarantees a united Ireland eventually. Only question is when?

 

Personally I think it may take 30 to 50 years & I unfortunately won't live to see it.

However, if it means less people die it's a price worth paying.

 

The dissidents don't agree, they want it now. In my opinion they are being totally counter productive & will delay the day rather than bring it closer.

[shims]

Correct Mel, I hadn't picked up on this news (been busy watching basketball). The situation in NI is still ridiculous. My wife point blank refuses when I suggest we should go on holiday there, when will they learn that they are hurting themselves only by being pig-headed over this ancient argument.

'They'? You are referring to a small number of dissident republicans who have very little support amongst the republican community. Ironically your wife would probably be safer in Northern Ireland than practically any other destination you could think of.

 

The other terrorists you speak of kill far far far more than the ira ever have. Your comparison is weak.

And yours isn't? Islamist terrorism is a worldwide problem, the Northern Ireland situation was/is mostly confined to six counties.

 

There isn't a parallel to draw they are killing for entirely different reasons, giving the IRA a political voice would help solve that problem, giving the Islamist a political voice would make matter worse, give them an inch and they will want a mile.

The political voice of the Provisional IRA is and always has been Sinn Fein. There is a long-standing IRA ceasefire in place. This bombing was the work of dissident republicans.

[mjw47]

Link doesn't seem to help much. Basically it is reporting that at this moment 51% of students in education in Northern Ireland are from the Nationalist community.

[shims]

I agree, Muslims terrorists go for maximum casualties, whilst the IRA mostly give a warning to minimise casualties.

its called progress

old skool terrorists did leave warnings and new fangled ones dont, its not just down to being of a certain religion tho, its about wanting to be as hardcore as you can

As I have said, I can see why people supported the IRA so willingly. Their actions were against the British State. They tried and still do to avoid innocent casualties. Muslim terrorist rejoice in killing as many as possible. This is why, I feel, there is so much more hatred towards Muslim terrorists. No one is safe while we have people who believe their death will be a glorious triumph for their cause catapulting them to paradise.

My bold. This is nonsense. The Provisional IRA did nothing of the sort. They murdered over six hundred civilians and regularly left inadequate and misleading bomb warnings. They and loyalist paramilitaries were engaged in the same sectarian 'tit-for-tat' murder campaigns, gunning down innocent civilians in retaliation for those murders carried out by the other side.

[mort]

Insults, accusations and bickering removed. There will be no further warnings if this continues there will be suspensions.

[SevenRivers]

I think the best thing for NI would be to make it an entirely independent state, it's own sovereign country. That way it can go into the future without the constant question of being either part of UK or part of a united Ireland. It's such a binary position they're in which independence could remove them from.