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DUP MLA “I have no problem with the burning of a tricolour on top of a bonfire”

135

Comments

  • #62
    HurtLocker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 655 ✭✭✭HurtLocker


    AnOrdinaryJoe wrote: »
    'culture' can be a bad thing...... isn't it what is often referred to as banking 'culture' which was mainly responsible for the mess the country is in now.

    I know that! The point is how pathetic a member of a UK parliament can say that burning the tricolour is part of the culture but burning the Union Jack is an act of aggression and provocation. Clearly he thinks a culture of sectarianism and one way hatred is acceptable. The man is an idiot.

    They should put a video of them celebrating their "culture" with his interview as the soundtrack in the visit NI ads they love bombarding us with down here.


  • #63
    Celly Smunt
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,463 ✭✭✭Celly Smunt


    HurtLocker wrote: »
    They should put a video of them celebrating their "culture" with his interview as the soundtrack in the visit NI ads they love bombarding us with down here.

    That's one thing that's really getting at me lately.Last week I landed in DUBLIN airport and was bombarded with visit Northern Ireland posters everywhere.Why the hell would any airport promote an easily accessible foreign country to tourists landing here.We should be getting tourists here,to stay here not providing them the option get a bus and spend their money up north.


  • #64
    gallag
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,352 ✭✭✭gallag


    Have any sf peeps commented on the burning of union flags?
    Do an image search on google for internment bonfire and see that these disrespectful idiots are not limited to one side.


  • #65
    Jimoslimos
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,930 ✭✭✭Jimoslimos


    pmcmahon wrote: »
    That's one thing that's really getting at me lately.Last week I landed in DUBLIN airport and was bombarded with visit Northern Ireland posters everywhere.Why the hell would any airport promote an easily accessible foreign country to tourists landing here.We should be getting tourists here,to stay here not providing them the option get a bus and spend their money up north.
    I don't have a problem with it so long as it's reciprocated. The behaviour up north every summer makes me wonder whether it is.


  • #66
    Mr Benevolent
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,433 ✭✭✭✭Mr Benevolent


    It's a fcuking coloured sheet. Get over it. The ROI has a stupid flag anyway, it symbolises something that's utterly irrelevant to most Irish people. The national anthem is completely outdated and the name of the country is stupid beyond all imagining. Angerland? Fcuk's sake.


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  • #67
    getz
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,255 ✭✭✭getz


    gallag wrote: »
    Have any sf peeps commented on the burning of union flags?
    Do an image search on google for internment bonfire and see that these disrespectful idiots are not limited to one side.
    yes they were burning the union flag in the streets of Dublin ,during the queens visit,


  • #68
    everdead.ie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,153 ✭✭✭everdead.ie


    gallag wrote: »
    Have any sf peeps commented on the burning of union flags?
    Do an image search on google for internment bonfire and see that these disrespectful idiots are not limited to one side.
    This is a repost.

    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.


  • #69
    V_Moth
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,421 ✭✭✭V_Moth


    Why not just burn the bond-holders?


  • #70
    keano_afc
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,713 ✭✭✭keano_afc


    everdead.ie wrote: »
    This is a repost.

    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.

    Spot on. This is an elected official of the largest party in the state saying he has no problem with an act of inciteful hatred. Thats the main problem.


  • #71
    Crooked Jack
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,679 ✭✭✭Crooked Jack


    electrobanana wrote: »
    Does anyone even give a f~ck what goes on up there anymore?
    Same old bullsh#t year in year out... fleg this.. parade that..blah blah blah

    Seriously man, dont lump us all in with these morons. This is nota problem with the north, this is a problem with a certain section of people.
    I dont write off all of Dublin because of the junkies or all of Limerick because of the gang culture.
    You're being as ignorant as the fleg heads.


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  • #72
    Crooked Jack
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,679 ✭✭✭Crooked Jack


    getz wrote: »
    yes they were burning the union flag in the streets of Dublin ,during the queens visit,

    Who was? Certainly not Sinn Fein anyway.


  • #73
    Motopepe
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 111 ✭✭Motopepe


    To the people who are arguing that a flag is just a piece of cloth with words that are just pixels on a screen. Is there any meaning in the symbols that we use?


  • #74
    Shenshen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,453 ✭✭✭Shenshen


    Motopepe wrote: »
    To the people who are arguing that a flag is just a piece of cloth with words that are just pixels on a screen. Is there any meaning in the symbols that we use?

    Outside of our own heads?
    No.

    And even inside they only have the meanings we want them to have.


  • #75
    getz
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,255 ✭✭✭getz


    Crooked Jack wrote: »
    Who was? Certainly not Sinn Fein anyway.
    gangs of irish republicans,over a 100 involved attacked the police 21 arrested, that is what irish central news mag says


  • #76
    keano_afc
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,713 ✭✭✭keano_afc


    getz wrote: »
    yes they were burning the union flag in the streets of Dublin ,during the queens visit,

    And if that did happen, did any of our politicians come out and say that had no problem with it?


  • #77
    miss no stars
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,957 ✭✭✭miss no stars


    I think the issue here isn't the burning of the flag. I'm fairly sure people are used to that.

    The real problem is that there's a public elected official condoning the burning of a neighbouring state's flag, which is essentially divisive and disrespectful at best, and incitement to hatred at worst.

    All he had to do was side step the issue. He could even have said that as a private individual he has no problem with it, but as a politician he has a duty to ensure continued cooperation and trade and peace between GB, NI and the ROI and that burning the flag of any of those would appear to be an action that would work counter to that.


  • #78
    getz
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,255 ✭✭✭getz


    keano_afc wrote: »
    And if that did happen, did any of our politicians come out and say that had no problem with it?
    we all have idiot and bigoted politicians,did not Ireland have its fianna fail prime minister implicated in IRA gun-running ?far worse than having no problems in burning a flag.


  • #79
    Crooked Jack
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,679 ✭✭✭Crooked Jack


    getz wrote: »
    gangs of irish republicans,over a 100 involved attacked the police 21 arrested, that is what irish central news mag says

    Cant find the article you're referring to. This BBC one says 5 people were arrested at a 32 CSM protest and that there was a little jostling elsewhere.
    No mention of flag burning or police being attacked and I certainly dont recall any of that being on the news during the visit but I'm open to correction.
    It's pretty sad though that some posters here simply cannot condemn a unionist politician for a disgraceful act of bigotry without going "but, but, but Sinn Fein."
    It says a lot.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-13449279


  • #80
    Jimoslimos
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,930 ✭✭✭Jimoslimos


    getz wrote: »
    we all have idiot and bigoted politicians,did not Ireland have its fianna fail prime minister implicated in IRA gun-running ?far worse than having no problems in burning a flag.
    So it's justified then, or are you going to regale us with further tales of whataboutery?


  • #81
    miss no stars
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,957 ✭✭✭miss no stars


    getz wrote: »
    we all have idiot and bigoted politicians,did not Ireland have its fianna fail prime minister implicated in IRA gun-running ?far worse than having no problems in burning a flag.

    I think the difference is temporal. One was during the troubles, the other is during a time of relative peace. FFS, do we need more violence? That's not to condone the gun-running, but you do have to put things in context. Irish politicians saw people who also identified themselves as Irish being subjected to violence and persecution. Are Irish (not Gerry Adams, he's one of your lot!) politicians presently persecuting northern unionists? Last time I checked they weren't, so how can this man's comments be justified in the context in which they were made?


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  • #82
    jake_the_muss
    Site Banned Posts: 18 ✭jake_the_muss


    daily mail columnist peter hitchens ( not traditionally a friend of irish republicanism ) put it best IMO when commenting on what he observed at 11 th of july bonfire nights where the tri colour was burned

    " one wonders if the best way to celebrate ones own nationality is by denigrating that of another state "


  • #83
    getz
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,255 ✭✭✭getz


    Crooked Jack wrote: »
    Cant find the article you're referring to. This BBC one says 5 people were arrested at a 32 CSM protest and that there was a little jostling elsewhere.
    No mention of flag burning or police being attacked and I certainly dont recall any of that being on the news during the visit but I'm open to correction.
    It's pretty sad though that some posters here simply cannot condemn a unionist politician for a disgraceful act of bigotry without going "but, but, but Sinn Fein."
    It says a lot.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-13449279
    I think there may of been a dampening down on the media,this is what happened, 21 arrested on let off with a caution,20 appeared before cloverhill district court,they were part of over 100 people from republican support groups who were throwing bricks at police at the junction of dorset st/eccles st and hardwicke street.also one crowd gathered at the central bank area of the city as they burned the union flag and chanting ;who are ya; before stamping the flag into the ground.


  • #84
    super_furry
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27,387 ✭✭✭✭super_furry


    jake_the_muss wrote: »
    daily mail columnist peter hitchens ( not traditionally a friend of irish republicanism ) put it best IMO when commenting on what he observed at 11 th of july bonfire nights where the tri colour was burned

    " one wonders if the best way to celebrate ones own nationality is by denigrating that of another state "

    To a certain extent that right there is one of the biggest problems up North. There's plenty on both sides that define themselves by what they aren't and what they hate, rather than what they believe in and what they stand for.


  • #85
    caustic 1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,314 ✭✭✭caustic 1


    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.

    This man, I use the word lightly, was elected to his position because of his views and in my opinion will be hailed a hero for his views by the people who elected him, wrongly or rightly. He will be loving every minute of thinking he got one over on the catholic minions.

    If that petty attitude got him there so be it I am a great believer in what goes around comes around and more than likely he will get bit in the bum at some stage for his narrow mindness.


  • #86
    qwerty93
    Closed Accounts Posts: 221 ✭✭qwerty93


    You can imagine the uproar on here if Gerry Adams and co. made the same statements about burning the Union Jack..seems as if people are happy to see their own flag being tarnished but would be outraged by seeing other countries flags burnt by irish people. Get a grip.


  • #87
    Yamanoto
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,489 ✭✭✭Yamanoto


    There's a long history of DUP public representatives engaging in mischief, which they know full well will ruffle feathers and gain them column inches.

    Their party conferences used to be chock-full of buffoons trying to outdo eachother with sorry routines taking a pop at the UUP, the South and the 'Lundy's' in Whitehall. It was an odd mix of Klan-meet indoctrination meets Blackpool Pier delivery - the more outrageous it was, the more it was lapped up by the infantile mob in attendance.

    If folks wanna get worked up about it, go right on ahead.

    Just doesn't merit the effort imo.


  • #88
    jake_the_muss
    Site Banned Posts: 18 ✭jake_the_muss


    super_furry wrote: »
    To a certain extent that right there is one of the biggest problems up North. There's plenty on both sides that define themselves by what they aren't and what they hate, rather than what they believe in and what they stand for.


    that's the old " sure celtic are just as bad as rangers when it comes to the sectarianism " line

    anything close an objective analysis shows that showing disrespect to the other side is a far more common practice on the unionist side

    I believe its a longing to relive days of empire when it was wholey accepted that irish catholics were lesser , nowadays with new dispensation and general anti discrimination laws from Europe , burning the flag on bonfire night in the name of culture is the only way unionists can put paddy in his place and show him who,s boss

    sad really


  • #89
    yoloc
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 375 ✭✭yoloc


    bohsboy wrote: »
    Maybe someday soon, the six counties may break apart from this island and float very, very far away. Never to return.

    We can only live in hope.

    What a dirty stinking thing to say


  • #90
    Crooked Jack
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,679 ✭✭✭Crooked Jack


    getz wrote: »
    I think there may of been a dampening down on the media,this is what happened, 21 arrested on let off with a caution,20 appeared before cloverhill district court,they were part of over 100 people from republican support groups who were throwing bricks at police at the junction of dorset st/eccles st and hardwicke street.also one crowd gathered at the central bank area of the city as they burned the union flag and chanting ;who are ya; before stamping the flag into the ground.

    Assuming this is true (I still see no link or evidence) it's still wholly incomparable to the issue on the thread.
    One group of people, linked to a fringe party, burning a flag in a single incident in response to a specific issue is in no way similar to, much less a justification for, the annual banquet of hatred that people in the north are subjected to being openly supported by a member of a government party.
    Just once I'd like to see someone on here defend unionism by defending unionism rather than attacking nationalism.


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  • #91
    HurtLocker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 655 ✭✭✭HurtLocker


    getz wrote: »
    we all have idiot and bigoted politicians,did not Ireland have its fianna fail prime minister implicated in IRA gun-running ?far worse than having no problems in burning a flag.

    That was in 1969. Nearly 44 years ago. In 5 and a half years itll have been half a century ago. Lets talk about the state who gerrymandered to give unionists minorities majorities in elections or discrimination for public jobs and housing if we are going back that far. Did Northern Ireland have a PM at the time who had said "When I made that declaration last ‘twelfth’ I did so after careful consideration. What I said was justified. I recommended people not to employ Roman Catholics, who were 99 per cent disloyal."

    We are talking in 2013 about 2013 relations.


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