Arrrgh!!!!
Does anyone think we could ever go back to the 1970s again in Northern Ireland? I look at the old faces of the men with intolerable entrails and wonder if this generation had it in them to go back to where they were?
On the one hand, at least we are not killing each other. Apart from a few deluded Republicans and paramilitary types who are actually running drug rings and prostitution rackets, no one else is interested in going back to the bombing. Even when it was taking place, people told me, the majority who didn't want any of this suffered in silence, looking on, while those who had nothing to lose just went about with the rule of the gun.
Of course its a lot more complicated, and i never ever try to say anything about the political situation here because i don't come from here and i never went through what they went through. But then you could say the same about a 12 year old child. Which is the amount of time i've been here. A whole generation have lived through a time of peace. Oisin does not know what the 'war' means here. He did not know how terrible Belfast was, or how people would never sit near windows in pubs. He does not know the terrifying sound of a bomb going off. Or seeing Saracens in the streets, the guns pointing down at you from the top of tanks and armoured cars. Seeing the soldiers walking the roads in patrols, as if this was Afghanistan.
However, i find it abominable that all this is being fought over so little. That people would throw all this peace away, this fragile peace away on small little points. The DUP have really shown their true colours this time. Selfish people who don't care for the people, but for the survival of their party. The community. The support of the community. The community doesn't support them. Do they think we don't see what they're doing? It's classic. We have a terrible crisis of our own making in our own home, so let's get unity by attacking someone else, and then maybe the members of our family won't see how dysfunctional we are.
Disgraceful. Fecking disgraceful.
Sinn Feiin should call their bluff. OK, have your stupid no Parades Commission. On the condition that as soon as there is a riot, we Parades Commission comes back again. Self police yourself. Get people to sit down and talk respectfully to each other. That's why we had the Parades Commission to begin with. Because you couldn't fecking talk with each other. I know the wounds are deep, but i've often thought that if Sinn Fein could have called the DUP's bluff - the DUP always putting the most hurtful and ridiculous options before the Sinners, because they don't want to share power, which seem on the face of it rational, knowing that they won't say yes - we would have gotten much further. And they could also say, ok, we'll call your bluff. Have your stupid photographs and your stupid requests for this that and the other. We'll have power sharing, thank you very much.
But they couldn't call their bluff. They just couldn't, because they were too hurt. We are the victims, we are the victims. We have been shafted all these years. The secret of not being a victim - stop acting like one.
Oh i'm so fed up. So fecking fed up.
On the one hand, at least we are not killing each other. Apart from a few deluded Republicans and paramilitary types who are actually running drug rings and prostitution rackets, no one else is interested in going back to the bombing. Even when it was taking place, people told me, the majority who didn't want any of this suffered in silence, looking on, while those who had nothing to lose just went about with the rule of the gun.
Of course its a lot more complicated, and i never ever try to say anything about the political situation here because i don't come from here and i never went through what they went through. But then you could say the same about a 12 year old child. Which is the amount of time i've been here. A whole generation have lived through a time of peace. Oisin does not know what the 'war' means here. He did not know how terrible Belfast was, or how people would never sit near windows in pubs. He does not know the terrifying sound of a bomb going off. Or seeing Saracens in the streets, the guns pointing down at you from the top of tanks and armoured cars. Seeing the soldiers walking the roads in patrols, as if this was Afghanistan.
However, i find it abominable that all this is being fought over so little. That people would throw all this peace away, this fragile peace away on small little points. The DUP have really shown their true colours this time. Selfish people who don't care for the people, but for the survival of their party. The community. The support of the community. The community doesn't support them. Do they think we don't see what they're doing? It's classic. We have a terrible crisis of our own making in our own home, so let's get unity by attacking someone else, and then maybe the members of our family won't see how dysfunctional we are.
Disgraceful. Fecking disgraceful.
Sinn Feiin should call their bluff. OK, have your stupid no Parades Commission. On the condition that as soon as there is a riot, we Parades Commission comes back again. Self police yourself. Get people to sit down and talk respectfully to each other. That's why we had the Parades Commission to begin with. Because you couldn't fecking talk with each other. I know the wounds are deep, but i've often thought that if Sinn Fein could have called the DUP's bluff - the DUP always putting the most hurtful and ridiculous options before the Sinners, because they don't want to share power, which seem on the face of it rational, knowing that they won't say yes - we would have gotten much further. And they could also say, ok, we'll call your bluff. Have your stupid photographs and your stupid requests for this that and the other. We'll have power sharing, thank you very much.
But they couldn't call their bluff. They just couldn't, because they were too hurt. We are the victims, we are the victims. We have been shafted all these years. The secret of not being a victim - stop acting like one.
Oh i'm so fed up. So fecking fed up.
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