Posted on 07/28/2005 5:50:14 AM PDT by infocats
As someone who has never identified himself as an Irish-American but as an American, whose grandparents all came from Ireland, I have to say I was enjoying reading your intelligent posts, but when you make snarky comments like this, you come off as much the bigot as those you properly condemn.
You've got the facts on your side; leave out the BS bigotry (or, depending on if you're an Irish-American yourself, the self-loathing). I only mention this because I like what you've got to say and am learning a lot, so it's for selfish reasons I respectfully ask you to can that kind of stuff, which is precisely the type of partisan "ethnic" thinking that the IRA scum engaged in.
I readily admit I have never understood (nor really cared) what caused the political strife over there....but I think I'm in agreement with you here.
The IRA (and whoever) have seen al Qaeda and are now ashamed to be on the same level as the ragheads. (I know I would be).
Time to show how civilized people can resolve differences.
"Hi there...I'm from the Continuity IRA"...lol....."I used to be with the Existential IRA"
Great Posting!
V-e-r-y nice indeed!
How many IRA bombing has there been since Sept. 11, 2001?
(Serious question...I do not know)
None. Plenty of punishment shootings though.
None. Plenty of punishment shootings though.
Sorry for the double post.
There was even something called the Irish People's Liberation Organization, whose sole purpose for being was to obliterate the Republican Socialist Movement, which had given birth to the INLA.
Eventually, it spiraled into what was basically a street gang, which was funded via the sale of illicit narcotics.
The Provisional IRA put an end to them by wiping out their entire membership in Belfast.
Well of course the PIRA is "unsavory" ... it's mostly Marxist!
The last person specifically targeted for assassination-to the best of my recollection-was a notorious criminal, Martin Cahill.
But you are correct, in the sense that the September 11th massacres had a lot to with Sinn Fein's ultimate acceptance that they had to decommission their arms and give up the storage depots, or face the universal scorn of the international community
A nation once again I hope!
It will take time, but we will see a united Eire in our lifetimes. This is a victory for peace and for the right end. Blessed by God forever.
I recently watched the DVD of The General which was about the Cahill affair. Not a bad film but I have no sense of its accuracy since Cahill was portrayed as a Robin Hood-type.
"...I have to say I was enjoying reading your intelligent posts..."
I agree that this thread has been a good read and I learned something about the conflict (I am not of Irish descent). I am struck, however, by the backward-looking theme of the whole discussion. It may be that there is too much history and brutality on all sides to have anything less, but when is it time to start looking to the future?
The real question is not who won or lost or who is guilty or not guilty anymore, but what happens next? Armed conflict is easy compared to the more difficult task of rebuilding and changing hearts.
Agree with most of your post, but the Shankill Butchers did not work with the approval of the UVF and were, if stories are to be believed, killed with the help of the UVF.
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