Junkyard Tom wrote: » I honestly don't think they're capable.
Padre_Pio wrote: » These lads aren't loyalists or paramilitaries. They're just a bunch of d*ckheads looking for an excuse to riot. There's no political motive here, I doubt any of them are engaging with a politician or media outlet explaining their objectives. Plenty of them in every part of Ireland. They should be arrested for vandalism and that's it. No sense giving them a platform. The NI protocol is the excuse, not the reason.
igCorcaigh wrote: » No. Bad analysis. These kids were directed to go onto the streets by senior figures. The kids are used. This is how it works. It's political.
Padre_Pio wrote: » What senior figures? Who are these people in the shadows? What's their goal? Haven't seen a manifesto in the news.
BanditLuke wrote: » Bye bye Loyalists. Head back to the mainland your time is up.
steddyeddy wrote: » I lived in England and very few of those living there wants to keep Northern Ireland in the UK.
steddyeddy wrote: » What amazes me most is the lack of insight the loyalists have as to who is their main opposition. I lived in England and very few of those living there wants to keep Northern Ireland in the UK. Official polls even show that the British people who supported Brexit would rather Brexit happened than keep Northern Ireland in the union if the choice presented itself. Now Boris Johnson used the DUP, signed a bill into law which meant an Irish sea border and yet the DUP still find it in themselves to say "Ireland" pushed this on us. I realise they're in a difficult political position as they are in this predicament due to the actions of Westminster yet their raison d'être is to hate anything Irish. Still though, an occasional trip back into reality would do them the world of good.
steddyeddy wrote: » I realise they're in a difficult political position as they are in this predicament due to the actions of Westminster yet their raison d'être is to hate anything Irish. Still though, an occasional trip back into reality would do them the world of good.
FrancieBrady wrote: » By the end of the summer you'll see how isolated they and those who cheer them on are. The vast majority of Unionists want no truck with this.
swampgas wrote: » This is all too common through. For a long time a lot of Irish people defined themselves (in part) as "not British", and a lot of Brexiteers defined themselves as "not European", well maybe more specifically as "not German" and "not French". These beliefs don't change easily - we need new crutches for our sense of identity before we can discard any old ones. The DUP have been in "not Irish, not Catholic" mode forever, it's what they are. They liked Brexit because the further the UK diverged from the EU the further it was diverging from Ireland, and if that endangered the GFA (which they hate as it forces them to cooperate with their sworn enemy) then all the better. They don't seem to have anything else they can use to define themselves. If we Irish didn't exist they would have to invent us to give them something with which to terrify their children. No matter how badly the Tories mistreat and betray them, they will suck it up because the alternative is to admit that maybe their old enemy isn't so bad after all. And that's thinking the unthinkable.
blanch152 wrote: » The vast majority of decent people never have any truck with those who resort to violent means to achieve political ends. It is the same in this instant. The rioting is wrong, and must stop. However, the two sectarian parties must grow up and learn to live with one another.
blanch152 wrote: » Ultimately, the "not Irish, not Catholic" mode will run out of steam, which is where the gap for the Northern Irish identity will appear.
Triangle wrote: » Really, you honestly think that? If that were the case, we wouldn't be singing ra songs in the pub post elections. The North is still divided with historic bias. Just to a lesser degree, but it's still there on both sides.
McMurphy wrote: » Posted this in the wrong thread a minute or two ago. Anyone hear Nolan threatening to sue "Tim" earlier on BBC? Your man completely and utterly owned him, Nolan clearly rattled by that, he was completely caught off-guard.https://twitter.com/skullywagg/status/1379359141752401922?s=19
FrancieBrady wrote: » Nolan and the BBC editing out the segment apparently. Ridiculous what this guy is let away with really.
briany wrote: » I remember some years ago that Stephen Nolan appeared alongside Hector O Heochagain in a programme called Hector Breaks for the Border where Hector went up north for a week or whatever, and Stephen came down south for a week. Hector was Hector as usual, being overly enthusiastic and a bit annoying because of it. Nolan was a bit surprising in that he mentioned having never been down south before, and did not initially seem that enthused about visiting. He lightened up as his visit went on and there were times where he seemed to be enjoying himself, but I was surprised that he, as a supposedly educated journalist, had never ventured south of the border, as it were. Given that the Republic constitutes the much larger proportion of the island of Ireland, it takes a bit of doing never to venture beyond the confines of that quadrant in the north east, down to any other part. He apparently never even had any interest before. He tries to portray himself as unbiased, but it often is all too obvious where his sympathies lie.
FrancieBrady wrote: » Nolan and the BBC editing out the segment apparently. Ridiculous what this guy is let away with really.https://twitter.com/Sal_feeko/status/1379457225803059205
steddyeddy wrote: » I'm delighted he gets called out on this. He is a provocateur who has the most extreme figures on his program on a weekly basis. He's certainly not unbiased either.
blanch152 wrote: » Plenty of Spanish people have never been to Portugal, and vice versa. It isn't that unusual.
FrancieBrady wrote: » Stats are coming out on twitter, seems the caller was on the money. Heavily weighted in favour of Unionism. Allister has been on a quarter of the shows, when his party has 1 seat and 2.5% of the vote. Questions for Nolan and the BBC's impartiality.