Bishop of hope wrote: » Might be fair comment and a good point, if you go on the other political threads and do the same regarding FF/FG etc. Where do you draw the line, is it 10 years, is it a hundred years? SF are pretty good at dredging up everybody else's history. I'm surprised at yourself for suggesting it. It's nearly as bad as picking out who and what you want discussed at any given time, it's attempting censorship is it not?
hatrickpatrick wrote: » We do know this. And I have condemned attacks against civilians repeatedly on this thread. Repeatedly. That's why I do not consider myself in any way an IRA supporter. As soon as the IRA began intentionally targeting civilians, they lost my support.
It's a very black and white issue in my opinion.
violent resistance being entirely justified
Again, no ifs, no buts. No qualification
I don't. I have never justified the targeting of civilians. What I said what that in terms of moral equivalence, the reasons behind such actions do result in a hierarchy of right and wrong,
That's the only different. Beyond that, I have repeatedly condemned the targeting of civilians on both sides. Repeatedly. All my comment here means is that I have sympathy at least for the motivation behind one side's behaviour, and zero sympathy for the other.
There are not. There are absolutely no qualifications whatsoever. The entire apparatus of the Northern Irish state between partition and the GFA was undemocratic, vile, and evil. Every single person who willingly participated in the operation of that illegitimate state - politicians, officials, police, etc - was essentially a co-conspirator in a fundamentally immoral subjugation of the Irish population and therefore a valid target for violent resistance.
This does not justify, and never has justified, the murder of civilians. Ever. And I have never attempted to do so. I am merely restricting the definition of "civilian" to people who were not directly involved in enforcing the illegitimate rule of an undemocratic government in that region. Cops do not count. The British Army does not count. Loyalist activists and politicians do not count. As far as I'm concerned, if you analogise the government of Northern Ireland at that time to a criminal gang, then RICO-style all of them were guilty of the offence of undemocratically oppressing a demographic of the people. It doesn't matter who specifically fired the bullets, anyone who provided any kind of support whatsoever to the government was helping to uphold a rogue, undemocratic, illegitimate regime.
Again, I apply the same criteria to any oppressive regime anywhere in the world at any point in history, so I am absolutely not the hypocrite you are trying to paint me as.
These two motivations are one and the same. Why do you think they cared whether Northern Ireland was part of a United Ireland or its own independent state? Do you honestly believe that tens of thousands of people participated in a dangerous, violent conflict purely because they had a moral issue with some vague notion of principle?
Why do you think Irish people fought to overthrow the British in what became the Republic? Again, do you honestly think it was just a principle thing? No, it was practically, life on the ground as an ordinary citizen under British rule was hellish, because the British government's policies here were discriminatory and inflicted widespread misery on huge swathes of the population.
Do you think such a massive swathe of people would have cared about Northern Ireland's status issue had there been equal rights, and no systemic discrimination? Sure, some would have. In reality, most people are far more concerned about everyday quality of life. Everyday quality of life for the Nationalist side was sh!te in pre-GFA Northern Ireland because the government intentionally ensured that the Loyalists got all the jobs, all the healthcare, all the housing, etc etc etc - and ensured that Nationalists couldn't even meaningfully attempt to change this at the ballot box, as is the norm in a functioning democracy.
The vast majority of people wouldn't have given a sh!t about the entirely philosophical issue of the region's status if the situation of actually living there hadn't been this way.
And that's why, as I keep saying, I'm not an IRA supporter and I never have been. I am simply stating that of the two sides, the British side had absolutely zero justification while the IRA did have some.
And yet I've never said that they were. You are once again conflating my arguments with those of other posters. What I have argued is that absolutely nothing the Republican side ever did is morally equivalent to anything the British side ever did, the British side are automatically worse because their aim was fundamentally evil in nature.
Enforcing the rule of an undemocratic and illegitimate government on an unwilling population is, in my view, honestly literally the worst type of crime against humanity. What you're failing to understand about my stance is that I am not suggesting that other crimes against humanity aren't immoral and evil. I'm merely stating that in my view, oppressing a population by enforcing an illegitimate government's rule over them will always be at the very top of the list in terms of which actions are more or less immoral than others.
So just to recap: I have never justified, and indeed have repeatedly condemned, the targeting of civilians. I simply refuse to count members of the RUC, officials and members of the illegitimate 1922-1998 Northern Irish Government, and members of the British Army as civilians. That seems to be where we differ.
markodaly wrote: » Well I guess that support was short-lived as they began bombing civilian areas as early as 1971. Yet, only put down their arms in 1998. Slow learners? Were they still justified in fighting this war after they deliberately started targetting civilians areas with their bombs, regardless of the casualties? Even for an old school hard IRA man like Tom Barry, he was very critical of the PIRA tactics.People just won't admit the simple and salient fact, that the PIRA went way too far in waging its war and how it conducted itself, it went way over the line whereas the older IRA campaign of 1919-1921 was more restrained. (Not that I personally agree with either by the way, but that is different matter) The leadership was different, the older guys like Collins, knew that middle Ireland had limited appetite for violence thus they had to be careful on how to conduct the war, but in the PIRA's case, you had absolute nutcases and hawks like MacStiofan leading the charge, thinking they could shoot and bomb their way to a UI and escalated the situation each and every time. ...
That night, 6/7 March, nine Republican prisoners who had previously been tortured, with bones broken with hammers, were taken from Ballymullen Barracks in Tralee to Ballyseedy crossroads and tied to a land mine which was detonated, after which the survivors were machine-gunned.
On the morning of November 21, 1920, at precisely 9 a.m., agents of Michael Collins’ Squad—AKA, “The Twelve Apostles”—spread throughout Dublin City and went to work. When they were finished, 14 British Secret Service agents were dead and the legend of “Bloody Sunday” was written—in British blood—in the annals of Irish history.
James Brown wrote: » This kind of restraint?
You've an odd view based on obvious bias and a tounge in cheek regard for the alledged seriousness of the violence. Agree or not with him, Collins did what McGuinness and Adams did IMO. You are making excuses for one.
Ultimately beyond your personalised skewed opinion I don't see what any of the above has to do with Leo leaking confidential documents or O'Broin's take on FF/FG/Greens new housing policy. I have noticed the bigger the FF/FG **** up the harsher the 'RA tales. *jaded eye roll emoji*
markodaly wrote: » Ah, I know there would be someone here to point out something the old IRA did as some direct comparison. Let me know when you can pull examples of the old IRA bombing civilian areas enmass and directly targeted civilians and killing toddlers/women in big numbers in England and NI. Eh, no not really. For example, Collins didn't order the kidnapping and abduction of a mother of ten. He also did let a family member of his abuse people for years. Also, Collins signed the treaty because he knew that a long war would be both unsustainable and not in the Irish public's interest. He sought out peace at the first opportunity and was willing to compromise. He was willing to lead and take the flack for it. The PIRA stuck to its guns for 3 decades. Slow learners?? Looks up the facts on this, you will be pleasantly surprised. This is a SF thread. Take the other stuff to the other threads and stop trying to close down discussion.
CrazyFather1 wrote: » Poor old Pearse, I see he released a video, the government have passed but common sense it has to review the CBOI study. Of course Huff&puff are telling lies and not telling anyone this. Saying it is the government just delaying it. Seemingly looking after the people of Ireland is "antics and tactics" and taking the side "of the insurance industry" Then from the video he seems to be suggesting to people not to renew their insurance because the companies are fleecing everyone. Which is not true. The problem with dual pricing is people not ringing around, so for me personally my insurance won't decrease because I have the cop on to ring around. More lies from Huff&puff. No surprise, said exactly what would happen yesterday and wow I was 100% right.
FrancieBrady wrote: » It's manners to link to the video you are talking about. Or is there a chance that if we going looking for it, it doesn't exist? You are a great advertisement for his output though...don't think I was ever on the SF Facebook page until you started to advertise it.
CrazyFather1 wrote: » Really? I am sure I seen one guy going around here saying "The charter doesn't require me to link" which you had no problem with at all. Strange now you have with me? It's a Sinn Fein thread is it not? are we not supposed to discuss Sinn Fein topics? It seems you have a set of rules for these threads which change daily and have no link to the actual charter of the forum. Maybe you should share the rules you have please?
Charter wrote: Do not post any material that you know or should know is hateful, abusive, harassing, false and/or defamatory, inaccurate, vulgar, obscene, profane, threatening, invasive of a person's privacy, or illegal.
blanch152 wrote: » WTF? The poor young man, duped into being a bomb-carrier, lost his life tragically and now they want to celebrate him?
grayzer75 wrote: » He was a volunteer on active service in the UK so was hardly duped into anything. Nobody was forced to take part in operations as part of active service units so there's no point in trying to spin it any other way.
CrazyFather1 wrote: » Poor old Pearse, I see he released a video, the government have passed but common sense it has to review the CBOI study. Of course Huff&puff are telling lies and not telling anyone this. Saying it is the government just delaying it. Seemingly looking after the people of Ireland is "antics and tactics" and taking the side "of the insurance industry" Then from the video he seems to be suggesting to people not to renew their insurance because the companies are fleecing everyone. Which is not true. The problem with dual pricing is people not ringing around, so for me personally my insurance won't decrease because I have the cop on to ring around.
blanch152 wrote: » Don't think Martin McGuinness, Bobby Storey or Gerry Adams would have carried a bomb on a bus like that and exposed themselves to that risk? Like all who have been sent on such missions, he was duped.
tikkahunter wrote: » List is available next week as was stated , you his puppet ?
FrancieBrady wrote: » Never said boo about the charter. I said it was 'manners' to do it. You told two lies yesterday, so sorry, I need to check out everything you say. That is the problem with telling lies.
mike_ie wrote: » Mod: I'd like a link to that video myself please, or at least a transcription, before you continue that line of conversation.
Deleted User wrote: » Martin mcguiness literally was arrested for explosives offences (much larger than bomb than,which killed obrien)
CrazyFather1 wrote: » https://www.facebook.com/sinnfein When your responded you even mentioned Facebook. I think this is direct linkhttps://fb.watch/3K11-qT0eg/ The lies you mention is not really true is it, it was clearly a joke and this was pointed out to you numerous times.
Pearse Doherty wrote: Do not just accept your renewal quote.....
grayzer75 wrote: » There's pictures of him online when a bomb was being loaded in the back of a car lol
James Brown wrote: » The 'RA nor Ghengis Khan had a patch on the modern British Army so give over. The IRA were fighting the BA not Big Mick
FrancieBrady wrote: » So yet another lie, he does not tell people to not renew their insurance, he very specifically says: Which is advising them to do what YOU are doing, question the quote and shop around.
Fionn1952 wrote: » Hold on, that's literally a video of Pearse providing an update and then providing the same advice you offered yourself earlier in the thread; don't just accept your renewal quote. Another blatant lie. I suppose you'll try pass this one off as a joke or parody and all? Oh what a tangled web we weave....
CrazyFather1 wrote: » What I posted As I said he is suggesting, not telling them not to renew. He mentions nothing about shopping around. He just says "Do not accept your renewal quote". Then goes into a rant about the insurance company. Or maybe you can point me to a video when he tells people to shop around?
CrazyFather1 wrote: » Please post a link to the video when Pearse tells people to shop around? give them advice what they should so because in that video he says nothing of the sort
FrancieBrady wrote: » You lied about what was said CF1. He said NOTHING, NADA, ZILCH about 'not renewing' This is exactly what he said: 'Do not just accept your renewal quote' with the emphasis on 'just accept'. Which means to anyone with a basic ability to interpret - 'question the quote'.