Northern Ireland killing

To put Betsy's theory another way, does AAM think the Protestant mob is more sectarian than the Catholic mob? I think it is.

Both are equally vicious. One of the more horrific memories of the Troubles was when the CM bludgeoned to death two off duty British soldiers who got caught up in a republican funeral.

But I have no recollection of a CM baying for sectarian blood.
 
You obviously fail to understand my point, which Betsy Og got.

I was brought up as a Catholic in one of the most staunch protestant towns in Northern Ireland and experienced first hand what senseless bigotry and hatred is. I was physically attacked and beaten because I went to a different school. My mother and I were stoned attempting to flee a riot brought about by the vicious, hateful diatribe spouted by the holy man himself the reverened Ian Paisley. We had our windows blown in by bombs. We lay on our bedroom floor sometimes at night while bullets whizzed around our house.

Our family's only saving grace was that we grew up in a mixed area. My best friends were protestants and we came to realise as children that there was no difference between catholics and protestants, apart from the fact that we went to a different school and church on Sunday.

If the children of the North went to integrated schools, they would learn the same lesson and it would hopefully over time allay the fear and suspicion with which each side views the other.

The Bishop of Down and Connor recently spoke out against integrated schools. Perhaps he should consider the bigger picture of long lasting peace, integration and understanding instead of the power and a ready-made congregation for the Catholic Church.
 

It's too easy to state it's sectarianism totally on the basis of religion. Most of the agression of these mob attacks is from Protestant sides, there's still other forms of attacks from Catholic sides that are equally dispicable.

However, it's no longer religion, it's socio-political/economic and was an inevitable, but hopefully temporary consequence. The Protestant population, while not exactly living a complete life of privaledge across the counties as suggested, did have the upper hand in many areas of employment and facilities. Now that these issues are being redressed and to some extent evened out, it means that while there's a fairer society (in general), more protestants are now no longer enjoying some of the perks they may have previously. This will build resentment towards those they see as taking away their so-called rights.

I would suggest the same/similar motivations are behind the Romanian attacks and this case: simple ignorance, fear, jealousy and bigotry.
 
Excellent post and excellent point. I agree 100%.
 
Caveat said:
I'm assuming this is a joke?!
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Actually it does seem to be the case but I am sure it is not a reflection of the protestant population in general (since the Romanian people sheltered in a Protestant Church).
 
Caveat said:
Why?! because it's ridiculous statement!

Put it this way:



Do you think this is an acceptable statement to make? and why?
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Why is it ridiculous? Because both sides are as bad as each other?

Protestant/Loyalist/Unionist links to BNP/C18 etc. are well known. Why wouldn't this manifest itself in the North? Racist attacks and expulsions occur in predominantly Protestant areas. That is a fact. It's certainly not a reflection on the majority of Protestants of course, as seen by how quickly they came to the aid of the Romanians.
 
I would say it is far from clear cut.

Long thread going on in Boards here.

One Belfast resident argues for example that the Lisburn Road is not even a 'loyalist' area but rather a predominantly middle class catholic area.
 
Does it really matter if they are Catholic or Protestant? I don't know why religion has to even come into this They are simply scum bags that shouldn't be allowed on the streets. You would have to question the whole area of policing though. By the sounds of it, they are a bunch of local people with even the police denying there is organised involvement from Combat 18 or any other group. Surely the police should have dealt with this before it got to this stage.
 

I agree completely.
 
+1 in agreement.

This is whats wrong with NI.

EVERYTHING has to be reduced to religion.

Why is it not just possible to condemn these racist scumbags without trying to trying to attach them to one 'side' or the other. What does it matter? IS it just so that one set of politicians can say 'well its not us thats racist, its them bloody Taigs/Prods" (delete as applicable).
 


This has been an ongoing problem with this part of south Belfast for years now. If it isn't Romanians it's the Polish, if it isn't them it's the Asians. You can waffle about why we shouldn't say it's Protestants all you like, but pressure has to be placed on the specific community in question, and pressure has to be put on the psni to do their jobs for once.
 
Purple said:
Actually it does seem to be the case but I am sure it is not a reflection of the protestant population in general (since the Romanian people sheltered in a Protestant Church).
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I agree with this totally. I think in general that Protestant culture is more liberal than RC culture. But its very tolerance seems to result in a very extreme fringe element to fester within its midst.

The evidence clearly points to the Protestant mob being more sectarian and and now it appears more racist than its RC counterpart. Let's face that fact and try and explain it. I really think those who argue on this thread that we shouldn't be bringing religion into it are reluctant, for some reason, to acknowledge these clearly observable behaviours.
 

Yes because the Catholic community in belfast is completely made up of open minded welcoming souls. There is smugness in the Nationalist Community in the North when it comes to racism. Why don't you walk around the Andytown or Falls Road and see how many people from minorities live there compared to protestant areas. Thats why the problem is more pronounced in South Belfast for the past few years.
 
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