At times they really do seem to bring out the worst in people. This evening the council voted to take down the Union Flag from Belfast City Hall (apart from 15 designated days per year), a harmless enough move that should ease tensions you might think.

Otherwise friendly enough people I know have posted the following messages on Facebook (not from one discussion, they don't know each other)

"the only issue I have is that if they want to be british, .... off out of ireland and do it"

"There's a Union Jack at the top of the city hall because funny enough, we are part of Britain... if you don't want to be part of Britain, .... off somewhere else!"

There's a lot I love about this country, but how are we ever going to progress with such narrow minded attitudes? Unfortunately it's not just from internet warriors either. 5 police officers have been injured already tonight. Absolutely shameful.

EDIT: maybe "Scumbags" or something stronger would have been a more appropriate thread title. It doesn't really matter to me whether this flag or any other flag flies above city hall. I just want everyone to have a bit of perspective and mutual respect. Is that really too much to ask of people in a developed western country?

Updated December 3, 2012 at 11:29 PM

--

Entirely pointless

a smart man said...

it's a flag... It's a piece of cloth!!

--

and from the beginning think what may be the end.

I do remember a lads night out in Ireland where an 18 year old Irish kid took offence to us chatting up the local women and drinking the crap beer. Proper racist he was and was banging on about 200 years of hurt etc etc.

Typical thick Paddy getting it wrong - it's "800 years of Oppression "

Updated December 4, 2012 at 10:45 AM

--

and from the beginning think what may be the end.

Dinny_G said...

Typical thick Paddy getting it wrong - it's "800 years of Oppression "

Typical english not listening.....

They are quite excitable about the whole thing . Have you seen Gerry Adams he is swanning about in sunglasses following an operation. Doesnt look like a dodgy terrorist at all.

Updated December 4, 2012 at 10:52 AM

The knobs are still out blocking just about every main road in the city

--

Entirely pointless

Religion has a lot to answer for....

hardboiledPhil said...

Religion has a lot to answer for....

So does being a fvcking retard, but apparently it's politically incorrect to suggest that.

If it was conflict between two racial groups, it's not race that's to blame. IMO it's just pathetic tribalism from people who don't even understand the issue.

This is proven by the amount of 'unionists' who are giving off about, threatening and attacking local politicians of the Alliance Party. To give you some context: The Belfast council is made of politicians from 5 main partie the nationalist ones, Sinn Fein and the SDLP (who togeather hold the majority of seats) and the unionist ones, the DUP and the UUP. There's also the Alliance Party who focus on real political issues and would let the majority of the population decide on nationality issues. In the Flag debate the nationalist parties wanted the Union Flag taken down from city hall completely while the unionists would want it there all the time. Obviously the nationalists would have won had Alliance not come up with a compromise of flying it on certain days. The scum on the streets seem to think it's Alliance who are responsible for the flag being taken down! Alliance got Sinn Fein to agree to let the Union flag keep flying!

I was once in a car with 2 other people. One of them was asking me about my holiday to Rome, asking if I'd seen the Vatican and the Pope. The other guy said "I fcuking hate the pope, I fcuking hate Catholics." He didn't realise it but the guy he was sitting beside was a Catholic! There's no reason why they should hate another religion, it's just a fear of difference and for some reason it's been ingrained into them that the other religion are the bad ones.

Also it's hilarious the amount of Union flags the protesters have hung up all over the place that are upside down!

TLDR: Beany's right

Updated December 22, 2012 at 12:21 AM

--

Entirely pointless