DUP MLA has 'no problem' burning Tricolour

gurramok

http://www.u.tv/News/MLA-has-no-problem-burning-Tricolour/5852ffc7-f339-4fe5-a934-e38680ab5baf

DUP MLA Paul Girvan said he has "no problem" with burning a tricolour on Eleventh Night bonfires.

Apparently, its a part of "culture". Unreal.

Mr Girvan, who was involved in the "eleventh hour" discussions with the community over their concerns, said putting an Irish flag on top of a bonfire was "part of the culture".

Last year there was the publicity surrounding the burning of Polish flags on bonfires but no publicity around Irish flags being regularly burned.

Respect is a 2 way street Mr Girvan.

gallag

Burning flags is an absolute nonsense, I would be interested to hear a sf representative comment on the burning of British flags in west belfast and londonderry to see if they appear more enlightened.

Skrynesaver

Bigot hides behind culture of bigotry, news at 11

the_syco

I've no problem about burning of a tricolour on top of a bonfire let's be honest. This is the flag of a foreign country as far as I'm concerned.

Paul Girvan

Paraphrased;

I've no problem about the bombing of the english army. Let's be honest; this is the army of a foreign country as far as I'm concerned.

If you want peace, you should not act like a bigoted tard, imo.

pablomakaveli

Given its a culture built around bigotry its not that shocking.

I'm certain he'd be singing a different tune if it was the Union Jack getting burned.

It really does seem sometimes that the DUP actively try and find the most bigoted sectarian idiots they can find to run in elections.

Iwasfrozen

the_syco wrote: »

Paraphrased;


If you want peace, you should not act like a bigoted tard, imo.

Well as much as this guy is an idiot burning a piece of cloth can't be compared to killing people.

bmaxi

Just wondering. If the Scottish referendum on independence next year is carried, the Union Jack will become defunct. Which flag will Loyalists worship and Republicans burn then?

WakeUp

Paul Girvan obviously lacks intelligence bigots usually do. Let them burn our flag if they want its "part of their culture" afterall what a fine culture that is.

I am pie

So, if we extend out what Girvan is saying here, it's basically OK to burn other countries flags and it would be OK for Gerry Adams to burn the Union Jack in Louth for example?

It's the crushing lack of intelligence and the cowardly lack of positive leadership which harms the whole of Northern Ireland in these instances.

I am from Belfast from that 'side' of the fence, the DUP annoy me gravely 90% of the time and 10% of the time they flat out disgust me.

I am pie

On a lighter note ..via his wiki page. I wonder how recent that edit was...

"Despite Paul's unionist background, he is an ardent Glasgow Celtic supporter and is frequently seen at Celtic Park. He is even reputed to have a likeness of Bobo Baldé tattooed on his chest."

woodoo

pablomakaveli wrote: »

Given its a culture built around bigotry its not that shocking.

Unfortunately that is true imo.

Burning the flag of their nearest neighbour in so called peaceful times is pathetic. But the orange culture is from another century anyway it may take a long time for them to cop on. They are so detached from their beloved mainland. Can you imagine burning an Irish flag in Politically Correct England today. It wouldn't be tolerated.

NIMAN

NI is such a sad country, and shows that for all the 'progress' its supposed to be making, it hasn't really moved on at all. Peace is built on both sides compromising, and burning each others flags isn't showing much respect.

Obama says we are a great example to the rest of the world. Yeah right.

HurtLocker

Any news I hear about the north makes me glad there's a border between us. I'd hate to be associated with or from that bigoted hateful country. The bigots would do my head in even more than the idiots we have in our parliament.

A member of parliament not seeing anything wrong with burning their nearest and only land neighbours flag is beyond a joke, its a sad reflection on NI and its "breaking down of community divides" they frequently spin in the news

woodoo

My attitude has changed in relation to a United Ireland as i have got older. It is not something i'm too bothered about these days. I always favoured it growing up so if it came to a vote i'd never vote against it. But the thought of sharing a society with the likes of Girvan and bigots like him doesn't appeal to me.

Karl Stein

I wonder will they burn the Union Flag when England cuts them loose.

gurramok

woodoo wrote: »

But the thought of sharing a society with the likes of Girvan and bigots like him doesn't appeal to me.

They're a minority. Most civilised Unionists would not tolerate that behaviour. Every state has its disruptive minority, even London had their rioters who tried to intimidate the decent civilised majority.

Crooked Jack

HurtLocker wrote: »

Any news I hear about the north makes me glad there's a border between us. I'd hate to be associated with or from that bigoted hateful country. The bigots would do my head in even more than the idiots we have in our parliament.

A member of parliament not seeing anything wrong with burning their nearest and only land neighbours flag is beyond a joke, its a sad reflection on NI and its "breaking down of community divides" they frequently spin in the news

its a sad reflection on the DUP and unionism. nobody else.

Crooked Jack

Iwasfrozen wrote: »

Well as much as this guy is an idiot burning a piece of cloth can't be compared to killing people.

Who mentioned killing anyone?

Iwasfrozen

Crooked Jack wrote: »

Who mentioned killing anyone?

The guy I quoted.

OCorcrainn

Iwasfrozen wrote: »

Well as much as this guy is an idiot burning a piece of cloth can't be compared to killing people.

Completely agree, god knows that they have tried though.

Former DUP man jailed over racist pipe-bomb attack

everdead.ie

woodoo wrote: »

Unfortunately that is true imo.

Burning the flag of their nearest neighbour in so called peaceful times is pathetic. But the orange culture is from another century anyway it may take a long time for them to cop on. They are so detached from their beloved mainland. Can you imagine burning an Irish flag in Politically Correct England today. It wouldn't be tolerated.

An Irish Flag was burnt in Liverpool on the grounds of Liverpools Orange Lodge you can imagine Irish-Liverpudlians(sp?) shock at the whole thing there is currently an investigation by the police taking place.

It should be noted that I don't know if the Orange Lodge had anything to do with the young group who did it, it may have just happened on there grounds because they thought it would be the safest place to do it in an area they could likely get the crap kicked out of them for doing something like that. Also note in the article below they don't mention if the order had anything to do with it but just quote some stuff from their web site.


http://www.irishpost.co.uk/news/outrage-as-mob-torch-irish-tricolour-in-liverpool

gallag

Crooked Jack wrote: »

its a sad reflection on the DUP and unionism. nobody else.

What about all the union flags being burnt by Republicans on bonfires? Does anyone in here think this disrespecting of neighbours is limited to one side?

bilston

Crooked Jack wrote: »

its a sad reflection on the DUP and unionism. nobody else.

It is indeed a sad reflection on the DUP not on Unionism as a whole though.

Of course there are many things that are a sad reflection on both sides but that's for another day this is about Paul Girvan's comments and speaking as a Unionist I think they're pretty poor. But then I, like the large majority of Unionists, have nothing to do with the Loyal Orders so I don't really understand their attitude to things like this.

HurtLocker

gallag wrote: »

What about all the union flags being burnt by Republicans on bonfires? Does anyone in here think this disrespecting of neighbours is limited to one side?

Its wrong end of. Bit there is not much people down here can do about it. It's logical that we care more about our flag being burnt in the UK than the UK flag being burnt in the UK. I've never witnessed the public burning of a Union Jack in the south being condoned by an Irish. It's never been an annual occurrence and I've personally never witnessed an idiot burn the Union Jack down here.

iDave

The irony of course they're burning a flag thats one third orange. Pathetic. This 'public representative' shows there is still a thirst within Unionsim to return to the apartheid era.

gallag

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=internment+bonfires&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=Z17NUeyzBYyX0QWhi4GoBQ&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=360&bih=567

Crooked Jack

gallag wrote: »

What about all the union flags being burnt by Republicans on bonfires? Does anyone in here think this disrespecting of neighbours is limited to one side?

Instances of this are few and far between and tend to be the actions of individuals, I've certainly never seen it happen at a Sinn Fein event.
I did a quick google search and the most recent incident I could find of a union jack being burned at a Sinn Fein event was down south over 13 years ago and even then it was a deliberate protest over a very specific issue, nothing like the annual sectarian binge unionism gorges on.
I also noted that unionist politicians came out to strongly condemn the burning of a flag as an unacceptable action.
Republican bonfires are also a rarity these days, only a few places have them and again they tend not to be associated with mainstream republicanism.
This is all indicative of changes we've seen within republicanism that unionism has so far refused to accept. A general move away from a war time mentality.
I have to say however, some of the responses have been hilariously typical of a few posters on here. The DUP encourage stoking up sectarian hatred and the immediate response is "but, but, but Sinn Fein."

Crooked Jack

gallag wrote: »

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=internment+bonfires&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=Z17NUeyzBYyX0QWhi4GoBQ&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=360&bih=567

congratulations, you have proven absolutely nothing. Apart, of course, from the last point I made above.

everdead.ie

gallag wrote: »

What about all the union flags being burnt by Republicans on bonfires? Does anyone in here think this disrespecting of neighbours is limited to one side?

gallag wrote: »

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=internment+bonfires&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=Z17NUeyzBYyX0QWhi4GoBQ&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=360&bih=567

I'm not sure what you are pointing out here no one is saying it is OK to burn any flag.

It's ridiculous symbols of National identity shouldn't be smeared by anyone and I'm sure no one here is advocating it is ok to burn the Union Flag but you can't use the excuse that oh they are doing it so we can do it.

The biggest issue is who said it this is meant to be someone who represents Northern Ireland, not someone who should condone such inflammatory behaviour during a period of heightened tensions between neighbours.

Fratton Fred

HurtLocker wrote: »

Its wrong end of. Bit there is not much people down here can do about it. It's logical that we care more about our flag being burnt in the UK than the UK flag being burnt in the UK. I've never witnessed the public burning of a Union Jack in the south being condoned by an Irish. It's never been an annual occurrence and I've personally never witnessed an idiot burn the Union Jack down here.

The union flag is constantly referred to as The Butcher's Apron though, which is just another way of showing disrespect for a nation.

Crooked Jack

Fratton Fred wrote: »

The union flag is constantly referred to as The Butcher's Apron though, which is just another way of showing disrespect for a nation.

"but, but, but" is the new "never, never, never."