Why Does Scotland Want To Be Independent?

[Rhyfelwyr]

Rhyfelwyr enjoyed reading the wiki but it doesn't actually make clear that he was killed by the state, just some evidence that possibly supports the theory... is it a commonly held perception that he was killed by the state?

It's pretty much commonly accepted by people of all persuasions.

[johnhughthom]

Really? Must be another Northern Ireland and another Billy Wright. Only commonly accepted thing with most people I know, Catholic and Protestant, is the guy was complete scumbag and no loss to the world.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

It's probably commonly accepted in Rhy's part of Scotland.

[Rhyfelwyr]

It's probably commonly accepted in Rhy's part of Scotland.

I based what I said on what Northern Irish people have said to me. All Protestants to be fair, but from different parts of the spectrum. Granted, I don't know any that would identify as liberal or Alliance-types, but I think johnhughthom's circle must be pretty narrow to have that conclusion.

[johnhughthom]

Of course, that must be it Rhy, you must have a wider circle of acquiantances from Northern Ireland, despite my being born here, being brought up here and working here for most of my adult life.

I'm not saying there wasn't government collusion, I'm just saying it's far from accepted amongst the circle of people I know (however big or small it may be).

I'm guessing you've spoken to a lot of people who describe Billy Wright as some sort of Loyalist hero? I was brought up in a Loyalist housing estate in what is a mainly middle class Protestant town (city now, apparently). For most of my youth there was little happened in the town, a few murders (including people I knew both murdering and being murdered) and some bombings, but generally the troubles almost seemed to be something that took place somewhere else. That changed for a while because of Billy Wright, there was a lot of violence, intimidation and tension around during the UVF/LVF feud, and it was the only time I was ever wary walking home at night and didn't feel completely safe in my community. A community that was never really troubled before Billy Wright decided he knew what was best for it.

But sure Rhy, you know best after speaking to a few people.

[Rhyfelwyr]

Well if you want to play that game, from what you've said I can see I have more first-hand experience with loyalism and loyalists than you do even if you lived there longer. And the area I lived in didn't support Billy's side of the feud so they weren't biased because of that - but they still recognise what happened.

Billy Wright was before my time and my relatives have had their neighbours and workmates killed on either side of that feud and the related feuds (as far as the C Company chain of events was a spinoff), I've actually been at one of their graves because we visited it while paying respects to another relative there and it really brings home the reality. Everyone has their own theories on who did what and who did it first, so if they can't agree with first-hand experience (by that I mean living there at the time) then who am I to judge?

For all that I have only ever heard people say that Wright's death was a government job.

But I guess you know best, when, even by your own admission, you have pretty much no experience with any of that.

[johnhughthom]

For a pretty intelligent chap, I don't quite understand how you got my admitting little first hand experience with loyalism and loyalists, but I'm not going to continue this, quite frankly, pathetic little debate any further.

[gaelic cowboy]

Really? Must be another Northern Ireland and another Billy Wright. Only commonly accepted thing with most people I know, Catholic and Protestant, is the guy was complete scumbag and no loss to the world.

He made enemies on both sides so its not a surprise that he was topped in prison at all at all, six months after his death an the LVF called a ceasefire.