Northern Ireland

Since the attacks last spring in N. Ireland, I feel like they've constantly been in the news. I know the story of conflict and shit in the area, but I really want to know is why?

What does Northern Ireland produce that the U.K. wants so bad? Do they have good resources? Or is it just another area to tax to make money (which I'm sure it is). IMO, Ireland should be one and not split. There is no clear reason why the U.K. so badly wants it...

There is a significant population of protestants of English, and Scotch extraction living there who are remnants of wars from long ago.  They've been there, in some cases, for centuries.  The problem is the rest of Ireland is roman catholic, and if the English pulled out the protestants would become subject to a more restrictive, religiously influenced, regime.  Rights that British subjects take for granted, like some reproductive rights, would be stripped from them.

Not everything can be explained with your marxist "EVIL CAPITALISTS CONTROL THE GOVERNMENT" outlook.

>>3
No, just most things.  And who said that recognizing the evils of capitalism was necessarily marxist?

The Northern Ulster Irish WANT to be part of the UK.

>>5
Why?

>>4
Yeah, most things like 1+1=2 and ice is cold. Seriously, all marxists do is state the most obvious shit like "rich people own a lot" as if they're the only ones to have ever noticed this ever then mix it up with stupid shit like "we should run everyone's lives".

>>6
Because they are mostly Protestants.  In the rest of Ireland, Protestants are a small, hated, brutally persecuted minority.  The British troops patrolling the streets are the only thing keeping the Catholics from "ethnically cleansing" them into the sea.

>>8
That seems a bit alarmist.

>>9
You'd be alarmed to if a bunch of people were trying to kill you.

http://www.digitalnasties.com/movies/the-graveyard-of-death.html

Forum: Troll Fox News. You up for it?

>>8
Oh dear. I thought Protestants and Catholics were beginning to really get along. This is most terrible indeed.

>>8
lol utter bull shit. Protestants are not hated or persecuted at all in the republic. Religion isn't an issue whatsoever in the republic. Ur comment is simply unionist fear mongering, a ridiculous claim used because unionists cannot provide a legit excuse for northern ireland to remain under british control. How would they be persecuted under an irish government? They would be afforded the same rights as the catholics, protestants, muslims, jews, etc that currently live in the republic. The republic has its fair share of problems, just like any country, but it is a fair and equal society and no religion or ethnicity is currently or ever will be persecuted.

>>2
 They would not be stripped of any rights. If by reproductive rights you're referring to abortion laws, then there would be no difference. Abortion is currently illegal in northern ireland also. The vast majority of citizens completely oppose it, both catholics and protestants alike, it is the same for the republic. Its not a religious issue, simply a different code of ethics from other countries such as england. Perhaps this is routed in old religious values, but both catholic and protestant communities share the same viewpoint on this issue.Thus neither northern ireland or the republic impose any kind of religious regime. If the public stance changed on this issue in either country, there would be a referendum and a change to the law.

 It might interest some of those that aren't from the country to know, but the protestant community is by far the most conservative of the two communities in northern ireland and in general takes a very old fashioned stance on many issues. The DUP, the most popular unionist party in northern ireland, is quite openly against homosexuality. They also unofficially maintain a very old fashioned stance on women's place in the work place. I'm sure not every member of the party or its supporters share these views, but the majority of the support base does. While the catholic community in northern ireland is also far from the most modern thinking community, the majority supports gay rights and equality for women. Considering the catholic religion does not condone homosexuality this may be a bit of surprise. The point I'm making is that protestants would not oppose an irish government because of out-dated or conservative law. They oppose it because they view themselves as british, something they believe is fundamentally not irish, and want a british government, whether they believe britain is entitled to the land or not.

Amerifag of some Irish origin here

I don't really know why this conflict has gone on as long as it has.  I get the Irish side of things -- Eire is Eire, but why do some N Irish fear joining Ireland?  Why is this split between Cathlics and Protestants so important to people?  (my point of reference in the US is my family which gets along quite well despite being Lutheran on Dad's side and Catholic on Mom's side. In America religion isn't something that divides.)  I guess the English just want the taxes, but even then, I don't think that the cost of security in N Ireland and the taxes collected make it worthwhile for them.

>>15

Britian don't want to be in NI, we've been trying to fob them off for years.

By now it's just a case of severe butthurt from both sides over the past 100 years. I'm a prod whose accepted reunification with the south, but I don't want that evil basterd Gerry Adams to think he's won. I imagine its the same for the feiniens.

>>15
 The divide isn't actually about religion. Its about politics. Catholics n protestants aren't divided because they have problems with each others religious views. Its simply because the protestants are descended from british settlers and see themselves as british, thus want to remain part of britain. The catholics are descended from the original irish, see themselves as irish and so want to be able to have their own irish government, i.e be part of the republic.

The religious aspect is simply a way of differentiating. Northern irish catholics don't have anything against protestants in any other country. Most northern irish protestants hold nothing against catholics in the rest of the world, but a large number of them have been taught to believe catholics are evil and hate anything to do with the religion. Even still, for the majority of people, religion isn't the issue at all.

>>15
The Catholics loathe and want to exterminate the Protestants, and will resume the ethnic cleansing the very moment the UK troops leave.

ITT we are unaware that this is the reason UK troops were deployed in Northern Ireland in the first place.

>>18
 You're not fooling anyone. Northern irish catholics do not want to exterminate or persecute protestants at all. They simply want to have their own government. Even if they wanted some sort of genocide (which they don't) it would be impossible under EU regulation. This kind of claim is a result of unionist desperation and completely devalues unionists' credibility.

>>18
 You're not fooling anyone. Northern irish catholics do not want to exterminate or persecute protestants at all. They simply want to have their own government. Even if they wanted some sort of genocide (which they don't) it would be impossible under EU regulation. This kind of claim is a result of unionist desperation and completely devalues unionists' credibility.

>>18
 Resume ethnic cleaning? Surely this is an ironic remark since northern irish catholics have never been the cause of this disgusting crime, have never desired to commit such a disgusting crime and have in fact, been at at the receiving end of this disgusting crime, as the british imposed laws against irish sport, irish language and even irish names for children, up until around 30 years ago.