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Everybody else in the family is at the Commonwealth Games, so why aren't we?
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I call Ireland's anti-Englishness irrational because it's not adequately explained by the history, and it persists long after the reasons for it have gone away. There are Commonwealth countries with far more reason to be anti-British than Ireland, such as South Africa (the Boer Wars), or India & Pakistan (events leading up to the Partition of 1948). Scotland was permanently changed by the Act of Union and Highland Clearances, yet in the long run having Scotland in the Union was good for both countries.Karl Stein wrote: »So people who would vote against it, people who don't agree with you, are irrational and full of hate?
That's sounds a lot like hatred of democracy to me.
Do you hate democracy?
Here, though, there's a kneejerk anti-British sentiment that gets passed down from generation to generation, poisoning every attempt to improve relations. Ireland could have been one country of 32 counties, long ago, were it not for Ian Paisley saying "No" to everything and the IRA blowing people up instead of negotiating. The political differences between the peoples of these islands are trivial in comparison to the position a hundred years ago, and religion should be no excuse any more, what with religious freedom everywhere.
I don't "hate democracy", but democracy only tells you what the people want, not what is right or makes sense. Individual people can be smart and wise, but "the people" are dumb and easily led. No country in the world is a true democracy, and there are good reasons for that: if the people decide everything "live", you get mob rule.
Switzerland is much closer to a true democracy, but at a local Canton level, not across the whole Federation we call "Switzerland". Here, you only get a referendum on issues relating to the Constitution, not the day-to-day running of the country. "Democracy" is not, by itself, a basis for government. So, before you accuse someone of "hating democracy", you might want to gain a better understanding of what "democracy" is, and is not.
Perhaps Ireland (the 32 counties) could use a little political Rohypnol. It's been said that those who don't remember history are doomed to repeat it, but some degree of forgetfulness is necessary if you're ever going to forge and maintain relationships. Would you want your boy/girlfriend to remember every time you farted in bed?
Government resting upon the will and universal suffrage of the people has no anchorage except in the people's intelligence.
— Grover Cleveland
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I call Ireland's anti-Englishness irrational because it's not adequately explained by the history, and it persists long after the reasons for it have gone away. There are Commonwealth countries with far more reason to be anti-British than Ireland, such as South Africa (the Boer Wars), or India & Pakistan (events leading up to the Partition of 1948). Scotland was permanently changed by the Act of Union and Highland Clearances, yet in the long run having Scotland in the Union was good for both countries.
Here, though, there's a kneejerk anti-British sentiment that gets passed down from generation to generation, poisoning every attempt to improve relations. Ireland could have been one country of 32 counties, long ago, were it not for Ian Paisley saying "No" to everything and the IRA blowing people up instead of negotiating. The political differences between the peoples of these islands are trivial in comparison to the position a hundred years ago, and religion should be no excuse any more, what with religious freedom everywhere.
I don't "hate democracy", but democracy only tells you what the people want, not what is right or makes sense. Individual people can be smart and wise, but "the people" are dumb and easily led. No country in the world is a true democracy, and there are good reasons for that: if the people decide everything "live", you get mob rule.
Switzerland is much closer to a true democracy, but at a local Canton level, not across the whole Federation we call "Switzerland". Here, you only get a referendum on issues relating to the Constitution, not the day-to-day running of the country. "Democracy" is not, by itself, a basis for government. So, before you accuse someone of "hating democracy", you might want to gain a better understanding of what "democracy" is, and is not.
Perhaps Ireland (the 32 counties) could use a little political Rohypnol. It's been said that those who don't remember history are doomed to repeat it, but some degree of forgetfulness is necessary if you're ever going to forge and maintain relationships. Would you want your boy/girlfriend to remember every time you farted in bed?
I didn't read it all but the ascendancy, The Famine and Bloody Sunday in Derry are pretty good reasons for Irish people to have held anti British sentiments... I always think the term anti English lets the Scots, Welsh and some of our fellow Irish off the hook.0 -
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I call Ireland's anti-Englishness irrational because it's not adequately explained by the history, and it persists long after the reasons for it have gone away. There are Commonwealth countries with far more reason to be anti-British than Ireland, such as South Africa (the Boer Wars), or India & Pakistan (events leading up to the Partition of 1948). Scotland was permanently changed by the Act of Union and Highland Clearances, yet in the long run having Scotland in the Union was good for both countries.
Here, though, there's a kneejerk anti-British sentiment that gets passed down from generation to generation, poisoning every attempt to improve relations. Ireland could have been one country of 32 counties, long ago, were it not for Ian Paisley saying "No" to everything and the IRA blowing people up instead of negotiating. The political differences between the peoples of these islands are trivial in comparison to the position a hundred years ago, and religion should be no excuse any more, what with religious freedom everywhere.
I don't "hate democracy", but democracy only tells you what the people want, not what is right or makes sense. Individual people can be smart and wise, but "the people" are dumb and easily led. No country in the world is a true democracy, and there are good reasons for that: if the people decide everything "live", you get mob rule.
Switzerland is much closer to a true democracy, but at a local Canton level, not across the whole Federation we call "Switzerland". Here, you only get a referendum on issues relating to the Constitution, not the day-to-day running of the country. "Democracy" is not, by itself, a basis for government. So, before you accuse someone of "hating democracy", you might want to gain a better understanding of what "democracy" is, and is not.
Perhaps Ireland (the 32 counties) could use a little political Rohypnol. It's been said that those who don't remember history are doomed to repeat it, but some degree of forgetfulness is necessary if you're ever going to forge and maintain relationships. Would you want your boy/girlfriend to remember every time you farted in bed?
Ireland's "anti Englishness" or "anti Britishness" really? what a ridiculous irrational thing to say. you need to back that up or retract it do you generalise much. I call your sweeping generalisation boll0x unless of course you can back it up..can you? what a dumb ass statement to make.0 -
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A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »I am referring to the sporting occasion. The Golf is not up there at all with the appeal of a multi sport Games such as the Commonwealth Games. I have watched a bit of the Commonwealth Games (mainly the Swimming, Triathlon & Track Cycling) and will probably watch the last hour of the Golf just to see who wins. The Commonwealth Games offers far more appeal to spectators and competitors than the Ryder Cup.
I am not suggesting Ireland joins the Commonwealth, I am suggesting that the Commonwealth Games as a sporting occasion is far bigger than the Ryder Cup.
Maybe not to you, but it is to me and a lot of other people. The commonwealth games is barely getting a mention from any of my British friends, yet when the ryder cup is on, there is lots of talk about it. In our social/multi-media age, people watch it at home and chat about it on line at the same time, so it becomes a global event, it also happened with the olympics, people talking to each other in real time on different continents as they watched. I honestly haven't seen that at all with the commonwealth games. It may change when the athletics starts. I cancelled my Sky Sports subscription a few years ago, but got it back for September 2012 and will do the same again this year just for this event.
Maybe you're not a golf fan, and thats fine, you're allowed not to be, but try watching the Ryder cup from the beginning, it is unlike any other golf competition. So many people watch it that wouldn't know one end of a driver the other, but it is the whole event that captures the imagination. Funnily enough its on in Scotland this time, if you want to just watch the last half hour, you'll need to keep up to date with it, as I'm not sure how you would know when the last half hour is, it could all be over on the Saturday
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Strawberry Milkshake wrote: »What's not to love about Rugby 7s!
Have you seen this guy? He's not at the commonwealth games though, as he's American
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By choice. These days the Commonwealth of Nations includes countries such as Mozambique, which was colonised by the Portuguese but was never part of the British Empire. Ireland could easily join if it wanted to - heck, de Valera was in favour of the idea just a few years after Ireland became a Republic - but it would never pass a vote. Too much irrational hatred of anything that might appear to link you to your nearest neighbour.
You read that before you posted it right?
By the way, apart from Mozambique "these days" what other countries that were not part of the British empire are in the British commonwealth?
Rockall?0 -
I call Ireland's anti-Englishness irrational because it's not adequately explained by the history, and it persists long after the reasons for it have gone away. There are Commonwealth countries with far more reason to be anti-British than Ireland, such as South Africa (the Boer Wars), or India & Pakistan (events leading up to the Partition of 1948). Scotland was permanently changed by the Act of Union and Highland Clearances, yet in the long run having Scotland in the Union was good for both countries.
Here, though, there's a kneejerk anti-British sentiment that gets passed down from generation to generation, poisoning every attempt to improve relations. Ireland could have been one country of 32 counties, long ago, were it not for Ian Paisley saying "No" to everything and the IRA blowing people up instead of negotiating. The political differences between the peoples of these islands are trivial in comparison to the position a hundred years ago, and religion should be no excuse any more, what with religious freedom everywhere.
I don't "hate democracy", but democracy only tells you what the people want, not what is right or makes sense. Individual people can be smart and wise, but "the people" are dumb and easily led. No country in the world is a true democracy, and there are good reasons for that: if the people decide everything "live", you get mob rule.
Switzerland is much closer to a true democracy, but at a local Canton level, not across the whole Federation we call "Switzerland". Here, you only get a referendum on issues relating to the Constitution, not the day-to-day running of the country. "Democracy" is not, by itself, a basis for government. So, before you accuse someone of "hating democracy", you might want to gain a better understanding of what "democracy" is, and is not.
Perhaps Ireland (the 32 counties) could use a little political Rohypnol. It's been said that those who don't remember history are doomed to repeat it, but some degree of forgetfulness is necessary if you're ever going to forge and maintain relationships. Would you want your boy/girlfriend to remember every time you farted in bed?
You have a severe inferiority complex bnt.
Just because no one sees Britain as a super power in Ireland anymore does not make us anti-English.
You want to move on?
Well how about Ireland not being obliged to remain tied to the hip with a country that once invaded it, along with others.
And, also, how about they stay in the EU if they are so concerned with our "shared history", and lose the jingoism.
Watch some hurling pet. 0 -
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