Dear ConservativeBamaFan,
Regarding the IRA, I can assure you that the Catholic Church has loudly and formally denounced its violent actions many times. As well, the overwhelming number of Irish Catholics who live in Ireland, in the north and in the Republic, aren't very fond of the IRA, either. Frankly, the IRA draws more support from Irish American wannabes than from the folks who have to live with the violence.
Why WOULD Irish Catholics support the IRA? It isn't as if the IRA has much to do with Catholicism. Or freedom. The IRA is a doctrinaire marxist terrorist group, atheistic and undemocratic to the core, that has influence with a minority of Irish Catholics, but is a real and palpable threat to the lives and limbs of most ordinary Irish Catholics.
On the other hand, over the past few decades, there have been protests against the IRA and the Protestant paramilitary groups that have drawn tens of thousands of Irish citizens, Catholic and Protestant, objecting publicly to the violence perpetrated by these extremists on both sides. Even in the face of threats of violence against them by the IRA and others.
There's the contrast - after September 11, we saw the video of throngs of ordinary Muslims rejoicing at the murder of thousands of innocents. In Ireland, if one was paying attention, one could see throngs of ordinary Catholics AND Protestants protesting peacefully AGAINST sectarian violence.
sitetest
Hey -- I'm on your side!