I was almost blown up by an IRA bomb in London in the early 70s.
I have no sympathy for terrorism...but equally if you look at how Northern Ireland was in those days you can understand why some people took it up.
The most important thing about McGuinness was that in the end, he took a risk for peace...I'm reminded of Michael Collins who negotiated with the British over the question of Irish independence after WWI.
Winston Churchill reportedly said to him: "I'm risking my political life talking to you"
Collins replied "I'm risking my actual life, talking to you."
Those leaders of both sides in Northern Ireland who engaged in the peace process took huge personal risks of being seen as traitors and eliminated by their former comrades. I don't think anyone who looked at Northern Ireland as it was in the 1970s and 80s and looked at it now could actually say the peace process was a bad thing.
good riddance
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Re: good riddance
How close is "almost"? What is the closest you have actually been to a bomb ?Richard Simpson wrote:I was almost blown up by an IRA bomb in London in the early 70s.
Correct me if I am wrong, but this was after he decided that murdering folk and blowing NI and London to bits was not working, right ?Richard Simpson wrote:Those leaders of both sides in Northern Ireland who engaged in the peace process took huge personal risks of being seen as traitors and eliminated by their former comrades. I don't think anyone who looked at Northern Ireland as it was in the 1970s and 80s and looked at it now could actually say the peace process was a bad thing.
AFAIK, with his track record, he was always in danger of being killed by someone and this was his best chance of survival.
Look on the bright side. He is now the best kind of terrorist, a dead one.
Re: good riddance
Reading some of these comments it becomes obvious why the hatred continues on both sides.
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Re: good riddance
I take it that niether you or any of your family have ever been the victims of terrorism ?steve_h80 wrote:Reading some of these comments it becomes obvious why the hatred continues on both sides.
Lucky boy.
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Re: good riddance
The 'victim' mentality is understandable...it's what encouraged McGuinness, Adams etc to join 'the cause', and did the same for countless others on both sides.
You can trace the Irish troubles back to Oliver Cromwell if you want, and plenty of people on both sides took a perverse pleasure in doing so.
I know a number of people from Ireland...mostly Protestants from the North. I don't know one of them who is now interested in perpetuating the hatreds of the past. They are all far more interested in the future.
I salute them.
You can trace the Irish troubles back to Oliver Cromwell if you want, and plenty of people on both sides took a perverse pleasure in doing so.
I know a number of people from Ireland...mostly Protestants from the North. I don't know one of them who is now interested in perpetuating the hatreds of the past. They are all far more interested in the future.
I salute them.
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Re: good riddance
I don't think it's about 'hatred on both sides' ? Both sides of what?steve_h80 wrote:Reading some of these comments it becomes obvious why the hatred continues on both sides.
Simply and ultimately IMO it's about terrorists wanting to over run democracy, the will of a majority want one way and the minority want another....they use murder to bend it their way if they can. All any one has to do is wait and see how people vote well into the future.
As an aside....he publicly resigned in protest over a heating energy debacle.........but really it was because he was in ill health IMO ....he remained twisted to the end.
Scummers are scummers at the end of the day.
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Will It Buff Out?
Re: good riddance
Generally...
An elderly Cherokee Native American was teaching his grandchildren about life…
He said to them, “A fight is going on inside me, it is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One wolf is evil—he is fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, competition, superiority, and ego.
The other is good—he is joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.
This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too.”
They thought about it for a minute, and then one child asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win, Grandfather?”
The Elder simply replied, “The one you feed.”
An elderly Cherokee Native American was teaching his grandchildren about life…
He said to them, “A fight is going on inside me, it is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One wolf is evil—he is fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, competition, superiority, and ego.
The other is good—he is joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.
This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too.”
They thought about it for a minute, and then one child asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win, Grandfather?”
The Elder simply replied, “The one you feed.”
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Re: good riddance
Yes ...Generally True.....
(but it doesn't mean IMO you can't feed the wolf that deserves to be fed,based on other peoples actions and responsibility or lack thereof ..it's their call which you feed?)
(but it doesn't mean IMO you can't feed the wolf that deserves to be fed,based on other peoples actions and responsibility or lack thereof ..it's their call which you feed?)
Will It Buff Out?
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Re: good riddance
The likes of McGuinness et al still give the go ahead......IMO
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-39350435
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-39350435
Will It Buff Out?