Orange Order marching season

Delgirls' idea about a N.I. national day is great idea. After all,increasingly, N.Ireland is a separate entity and not just politically.

As far as most people I know in the "south" are concerned the N.Irish are all the same, whether Prods or RCs, and have increasingly little in common with people down here.

I'd go so far as to say that most southerners have little desire to be "united" with them - just as only a small minority of Northerners have a strong desire to be united with the south.

Once there is acceptance that both side have more in common with each other than with southerners or Brits the better for all sides.
 
Purple said:
I agree completely. The Catholic Church opposes mixed schooling. It is as much to blame for the continuing sectarianism as the Orange Order.
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+1

It has to happen sooner rather than later - even President Obama mentioned it in his inspirational speech to the school children of Northern Ireland in June when he was here for the G8 summit.

He said "Catholic schools encourage division and discourage cooperation.”

How right he is and then of course he was attacked by the Bishop of Down and Connor for his remarks!

oldnick said:
- just as only a small minority of Northerners have a strong desire to be united with the south.
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You're quite correct there oldnick, most of the catholics I've spoken to in the North don't want a united Ireland. If they could just find a way to get along with each other, it could be a great wee country!

The South African Truth and Reconcilliation Commission was, IMHO, a great idea and perhaps should be tried in the North as well to allow people to come to terms with the violence and discrimination and then move on together.
 

Are you serious??? The President said nothing like that so check your quotes. He mentioned both Catholics and Protestants having their own schools was divisive. Of course the Catholic Church got on their high horse about it without actually listening to the line.
 
The quote was taken from the article linked to in my previous post here it is again. It's right at the top of the page. The full quote is further down the page.

Plans are afoot to go ahead with the mixed religion schools, despite the continued objections of the catholic bishops.
 
delgirl said:
It would be great if they just had a Northern Ireland National Day, maybe in August, which would be inclusive and acceptable to all the citizens of the north.
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There is already a shared national festival day in Northern Ireland, that is celebrated each year by both major traditions - St Patrick's Day, 17 March.
 

Why are you using a quote that he didnt use when the full quote is available? Do you really believe the President visited Belfast and blamed one side of the divide for the division?

Also there are lots of people other than Catholic bishops against or delaying increased mixed schooling. All for church bashing but there is enough stuff to beat them up with without having to make stuff up.
 
delgirl said:
You're quite correct there oldnick, most of the catholics I've spoken to in the North don't want a united Ireland. .
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Because most normal people are more concerned with putting food on the table. Thats easier to do when you're part of the UK, and not a banana republic.

By the way, a recent Belfast Telegraph poll had 48% of Catholics favouring a re-united Ireland within the next 20 years. I'm surprised it's that high tbh.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/n...s-to-irish-unification-tomorrow-28759983.html
 
I'm not in favour of a united Ireland either. My reason is that we have enough bigots here already. The extremism, racism, homophobia and general intolerance of a large minority of both tribes, sorry; communities, in Northern Ireland is something I would hate to see pollute the generally more tolerant and secular Republic of Ireland.

Bill Struth said:
Right on!

Funny how wanting a Catholic education for your children is only a problem in Norn Iron and Scotland. It doesn't seem to be an issue in the rest of the world.
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No wanting one for your children is a problem here.
 

Wow. You should spend a day sitting near some of my work colleagues, they obviously didn't get your memo...
Purple said:
No wanting one for your children is a problem here.
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Yes, I drive past an under construction Educate Together school every day, many more are needed.
 
Is this the super tolerant Republic everyone's boasting about?

Irish attitudes to immigration have worsened since the recession, with almost 20 per cent of people saying they are against any immigrants from different ethnic backgrounds coming in,
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Irish views on the effect of immigration on the economy are more negative than those in Spain, the Netherlands, Germany and the UK. Only the UK scores worse than Ireland on attitudes to the impact of immigrants on cultural life
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More than half of respondents surveyed in 2010 said Ireland was a worse place to live because of immigrants
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http://www.irishtimes.com/news/soci...rant-attitudes-growing-report-shows-1.1442460



[broken link removed]
 
Bill Struth said:
Is this the super tolerant Republic everyone's boasting about?
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Everyone ? Boasting ?

No matter what stats or reports you cite for or against this country's level of tolerance for diversity, NI will always fare worse.

This will endure, until the First Minister's wife stops spewing homophobic bile, until large swathes of its citizens don't feel a need to be abroad during marching season, until people like Edwin Poots cannot get a mandate from citizens.
 
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