NationStates Jolt Archive

Today the NI assembly was re-opened after 5 years of direct rule from London. Of course the politicians believe its a good thing with age old enemies finally coming together, but (going on interviews just seen on BBC news) the people of Belfast aren’t so happy.

The people interviewed were angry, mainly because one of the leading MP's of whom I cannot remember the name is a former IRA military commander. It seems for many people in Belfast at least the wounds are still too deep to accept and respect there enemies (Catholics/republicans) with communities still separated with walls a fences, literally.

Any thoughts?

i think its a good thing and a sign times are changing, even though the wounds are still deep.

Today the NI assembly was re-opened after 5 years of direct rule from London. Of course the politicians believe its a good thing with age old enemies finally coming together, but (going on interviews just seen on BBC news) the people of Belfast aren’t so happy.

The people interviewed were angry, mainly because one of the leading MP's of whom I cannot remember the name is a former IRA military commander. It seems for many people in Belfast at least the wounds are still too deep to accept and respect there enemies (Catholics/republicans) with communities still separated with walls a fences, literally.

Any thoughts?
I genuinely think that that is now very much a minority viewpoint. You will recall that bob McCartney, who was saying exactly that, lost his seat in the Assembly despite standing in six constituencies. Of course, that's not to say that there are still unhappy with the idea of power sharing, but if getting Ian Paisley and Martin McGuiness (?sp) together in government together isn't convincing of at least the potential for change, I don't know what is.

I'm pleasantly surprised that it looks like a functional assembly has been established. I do not feel that this assembly was elected with this purpose in mind, but that it has happened bodes well for the reaffirmation of the role of the body in Northern Irish politics, and that the next time around will be an election to government rather than a statement of sectarian division.

But is the assembly really worth having if a majority of people don’t trust it. Let’s not forget that the reason it was closed five years ago was because Sinn Fain was accused of housing a republican spy ring.

So does this mean we get that billion pounds now?

But is the assembly really worth having if a majority of people don’t trust it. Let’s not forget that the reason it was closed five years ago was because Sinn Fain was accused of housing a republican spy ring.

I think people in northern ireland have been burned too many times to be completely trusting of anything in politics. Give them time and they'll come round to it

But is the assembly really worth having if a majority of people don’t trust it. Let’s not forget that the reason it was closed five years ago was because Sinn Fain was accused of housing a republican spy ring.
The phrase 'accused' being the key one here.

well lets see:

there is a man who uses the slogan "Save Ulster from Sodomy" yet and another who is a terrorist

fun fun! fun!

well lets see:

there is a man who uses the slogan "Save Ulster from Sodomy" yet and another who is a terrorist

fun fun! fun!
There's no accounting for taste in a democracy.

Wait...the Assembly's going again?

well lets see:

there is a man who uses the slogan "Save Ulster from Sodomy" yet and another who is a terrorist

fun fun! fun!

Well, it's certainly more interesting than spawn-of-Thatcher and spawn-of-Thatcher-clone.

I'd give it a few weeks before Paisley breaks down into one of his diatribes about not sharing power with terrorists and storming off to sulk.

I may not like Sinn Féin but I hate the DUP far, far more.

I'm pleasantly surprised that it looks like a functional assembly has been established. I do not feel that this assembly was elected with this purpose in mind, but that it has happened bodes well for the reaffirmation of the role of the body in Northern Irish politics, and that the next time around will be an election to government rather than a statement of sectarian division.

How do you mean not elected with this purpose in mind?

Well, it's certainly more interesting than spawn-of-Thatcher and spawn-of-Thatcher-clone.
Who we might be rid of soon! (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6639945.stm) - I love the picture on the right hand column.

Who we might be rid of soon! (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6639945.stm) - I love the picture on the right hand column.

Well, we'll be rid of one of them soon. Unfortunately it looks like the clone will be lingering around for a while yet.

Well, we'll be rid of one of them soon. Unfortunately it looks like the clone will be lingering around for a while yet.
Lingering where the other left off, no doubt...

How do you mean not elected with this purpose in mind?
The views of the candidates at election time were laid bare. It was core to the mandate of the DUP that they wanted nothing to do with having Sinn Fein in office, and Sinn Fein made it clear themselves that they wanted nothing to do with any body that would exclude them as a matter of principle.

People voted for the two parties in massive numbers on this hardline basis; voting for diplomats rather than lawmakers.

The views of the candidates at election time were laid bare. It was core to the mandate of the DUP that they wanted nothing to do with having Sinn Fein in office, and Sinn Fein made it clear themselves that they wanted nothing to do with any body that would exclude them as a matter of principle.

People voted for the two parties in massive numbers on this hardline basis; voting for diplomats rather than lawmakers.

I don't think that's right; people didn't vote for the parties because of anything they said in the build up. They voted for them because they felt tradition dictated that they vote for one "side" or the other, and the UUP and SDLP are largely ignored these days, so the DUP and SF were always going to get the vote, no matter what policies or views they espoused.

well lets see:

there is a man who uses the slogan "Save Ulster from Sodomy" yet and another who is a terrorist

fun fun! fun!

An ex-terrorist. Or at least part-time now, at any rate. Who supports gay marriage. You can see the comedy-drama potential there, just leppin out at ye.

An ex-terrorist. Or at least part-time now, at any rate. Who supports gay marriage. You can see the comedy-drama potential there, just leppin out at ye.
Especially on dead ringers - the 'civil partnership' sketches between Adams and Paisley are hilarious. But that's not what you were on about...

No, its the thought of the Big Bible Thumper and the Bombing Fenian Homo hugger.....who'd a thunk it....