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Re: Foster on not attending celebration .. 'It would be wrong for me as the leader of Northern Ireland to give any succour to those sorts of people'
She also did note that the rebellion in '16 was an 'attack on democracy'. I can understand her position as she is representing a special constituency but it looks askew that an avowed 'democrat' would say that. The men who fought for their ideas had every right to freedom. And further if we look at internment 'freedom' in its manifestations took another turn. If it was a 'democracy' it was unmoored from its principles.
The period of the Rising was a morbid time for Ireland. As we can see it will take much more time for movement on understanding. Things have a way to go.
All revolutions are a morbid time for those who go through them. Blood will be lost for the cause, but will the young remember or even care?
That is why the Good Friday Agreement is the way to go. Put down the gun for the ballot box.
Regarding the GFA , I do know that getting things implemented from it has been trying at times after it was agreed to by all parties involved .....and deadly as well. Such is the transition of these types of sectarian battles with the deep seated animosities kept on through the centuries.
Will it end? Perhaps but it will take a bit of time. And that relies on how committed each side is to the inevitable 'adjustments' that will come to populations and institutions in NI and the Republic.I would hope the exhaustion of witnessing and experiencing violence will do something to ameliorate and dispense with the hatred that still exists in some. That indeed must occur in order for all parties to keep that dialogue and political process going.
With young people supporting SF & DUP, I wonder if their leadership will catch up. Polling in the RoI shows 22% of young voters favoring SF. The DUP has the upper chamber in Stormont, with SF right behind.
If the leaders slant more toward the young, the pensioners will have little choice but to go along or be swept away.
Foster is in Dublin as we speak, and her change of heart to attend the 1916 Easter Rising event shows she has her finger on the pulse of what the younger generation want.
Interesting way of putting it. An example of how time and its perspective adjusts behavior attitudes. Opinion on why that is occurring among the younger groups?
Interesting way of putting it. An example of how time and its perspective adjusts behavior attitudes. Opinion on why that is occurring among the younger groups?
Lack of having skin in the game. They may have grown up hearing the stories of grandpa, but are too busy on facebook to care.
The young are eternally optimistic. Like night follows the day, the young are green and the pensioners are jaded.
Yes I can understand it very well Especially after our experiences in Dublin and Belfast in the late 70's. Visitors at the time got a sense of what the native populations in both the South and the North were going through as far as the violence existing during that time. it was a terrible time.
Sorry to have been away for so long, but family issues and travel has had me away for almost 2 months. The only good thing about being gone that long, is that I have received 271 reputation in my absence.
Maybe absence does make the heart grow fonder.
In any event I will read through the posts and respond to any that were addressed to me, or I have some knowledge/opinion on. Further research and studies on the subject of reunification does not paint a pretty picture of how it will flesh out. It also seems as if Sinn Fein is more focused on politics in the Republic more than in NI at the moment. Then again, that might be part of their overall plan?
I would point out that I am amazed how different we as Americans celebrate our independence day compared to Ireland and their centennial. I would have thought there would be a grand gala, but instead it seems to be a much more muted commemorance.
We Yanks apparently know how to enjoy our independence from you Brits better than the Irish.
Though I am commenting from very afar and have no personal stake in Northern Ireland, it seems to me that the inhabitants currently have the best of both worlds:
- Rigged disctricts and creative electoral rules have ended. It is now 1 adult catholic = 1 vote, 1 adult protestant = 1 vote
- Catholics are guaranteed representation in police forces
- I think Irish identity documents, licenses etc. are accepted as valid in NI
- UK pumps billions of pounds every year into the area
- There is an open border between NI and the Republic
- Republican locals can hold Irish passports
- NI has some (or alot) of autonomy from the rest of the UK
In short, whether I were catholic or protestant, my biggest fear would be somebody doing something that gets the area booted out of the UK- and then Ireland refusing to accept the territory.
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