My wife was anti-IRA in Ireland and after 17 years in the States, still wonders how people in both the US and Ireland can be duped by Sinn Fein. How blind they are that do not wish to see. Me, I'm just an Irish American that got thrown out of the Black Rose pub in Boston "for my own health" after a moderate debate about the values of the IRA.
In another recent thread, I learned that Cork was the "Rebel County". Last night we had some friends over and a woman who arrived in the US as a toddler 30+ years ago from Cork was over. We were talking about the situation there and I remembered a debate with her mother I had about gun control in the US during the GFA talks; basically she wanted to confiscate the guns of Americans for our own good. I then asked if the same should be done in Ireland; specifically the IRA. She changed the topic!
Sounds like that wife of yours has her head glued on firmly! Good for you folks.
I think a lot of their success last year was down to the fact that they presented a host of young, dynamic candidates to the voter, who supposedly represented a Sinn Fein that was a sophisticated post-troubles party. I remember there was a lot of debate during the local and European elections, with people being interviewed claiming that their vote for Sinn Fein was based on real political issues, and that they did not think of the party as being the political wing of a terrorist organization. At that point, we were also getting geared up for the latest round of talks, which at that point held the promise of a final settlement, complete with total decomissioning. Sinn Fein looked to have a big future last summer, which is why it has been astonishing not only to witness the huge backlash over the past month, but also to wonder why in the hell did Adams and McGuinness, as has been alleged, give their consent for the robbery?