lol@ the video.

I am sorry I am angry gc, it is because of RL issues and Banquo's tone made me mad.

Quote Originally Posted by gaelic cowboy View Post
Would you prefer the terms occupation and subjugation to invasion then??
Sure there was a lot of that in Ireland's history, just as there were invasions. The question is how far was the PIRA's (and even the IRA's)campaign a direct response to those (and in particular, from "the English").

Was it in response to the 12th century Norman invasion? Hardly.

Was it in response to 16-19th century 'colonialism'. The Gaelic Irish no doubt were subjugated by an Anglo-Irish elite (that had nothing to do with the long-assimilated Normans, and were very much Anglo-Irish as opposed to English, as the Wars of the Three Kingdoms made clear), and yet so were the Presbyterian Scots settlers.

Was it in response to 20th century loyalist rule? Aye, now you're onto something, although once again it is not English oppression the Republicans are against. They have some grievances in terms of civil rights through an Irish-based institution in the NI Parliament, although mainly they are fighting a civil war because of their nationality.

And of course polite British society hates loyalists. Don't think Westminster would bat an eyelid about handing over the 6 counties to Dublin. There's a reason the first shootout the British army had in NI in the troubles wasn't with the IRA, but on the Shankill Road against loyalists.

We've always been bad at PR. When republicans supported the ANC in their imagery/rhetoric, we chose apartheid. When they chose Palestine, we chose Israel. When they chose the progressive left, we chose the reactionary right. Because that's just how we roll, yo.