The IRA almost breathed its last several times in the late 20th century, and every time, acts of British arrogance brought it back. When the Irish have acted peacefully, they have been smacked down. The civil rights movement in Ulster was originally organized and inspired along the lines of the American civil rights movement, and the protestors were treated much the same way as those in Mississippi and Alabama were. Yet there was little embarrassment from Britain at this behavior.
The only reason there is an independent Irish state today is because there was yet another armed rebellion after decades of fruitless political struggle and negotiation. The British government itself has taught the Irish that a bloody nose is the only thing the British understood. It would have been a lot better if it hadn't taken violence against them themselves to demonstrate to the British what the violence committed in their name has done to the Irish, but at least now everyone is paying attention.
It will take a lot of talk and even more action to convince people that Britain has changed its attitude. History speaks against it. Mistrust and violence are hard habits to break. But it is possible. The one thing working relentlessly in favor of peace is the fact that the Irish are tired of violence.
You live in Philadelphia. There was armed rebellion against Britain there, too. Yet that's considered heroic, and not the wrong way. It's because we won.
Current Events » in reply to There is a right way and a wrong way
The right way is not to shoot unarmed people at civil rights marches.
The whole thread (39 posts)
- Major Step Against Mick Terrorists
- A novel solution to the problem might be..........
- Yeah!! Screw self-determination!! Yeehah!! (n/t)
- Except for one minor detail, the Protestant Community in Northern Ireland. (n/t)
- The protestant minority. That Britain wants to keep in charge.
- "The protestant minority."
- Finally - an idealogical difference between us. :-)
- I don't see the disagreement (n/t)
- the disagreement
- I think it (like democracy itself) is a question of
- the disagreement
- I don't see the disagreement (n/t)
- The protestant minority. That Britain wants to keep in charge.
- re: Major Step Against Mick Terrorists
- A novel solution to the problem might be..........