Should Orange marches be allowed?

[johnhughthom]

Ah, but then why not re-route the marches? The answer is Triumphalism and refusing to face the fact that they have "lost" that area to the evil Papists.

So, you see, it is for rubbing noses.

Why are you arguing with me? I said the marches are pure triumphalism, my issue with your original post was that you implied the routes of these marches were specifically designed to go through Catholic areas and cause offence. This is untrue, at the time the routes were planned these were generally Protestant areas. The issue of re-routing is totally different, and yes I think contentious marches should be re-routed, though some of these marches have been going for decades, so to say triumphalism was the sole reason for not wanting to re-route is probably unfair.

No, they enjoy being Calvinists. I, for example, couldn't be an Orangeman because I'm Anglo-Catholic. As far as a true Orangeman is concerned I'm only half a step above a filthy Papist.

I wish I was "half a step above a filthy Papist", then I wouldn't keep having to think up excuses to my Grandfather why I won't join the Orange Order that don't hurt his feelings.

[Louis VI the Fat]

Can't they combine Orange Marches with Halloween trick-or-treating, that nobody notices them?


Orange marches are as sensitive as KKK marches in Black neighbourhoods. I am grudgingly in favour of not banning them, but I can see myself think otherwise. I am not a fan of sectarianism. Sooo 20th century.

[Pannonian]

Bar the troublesome areas, and charge tolls if they want to go through.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Why are you arguing with me? I said the marches are pure triumphalism, my issue with your original post was that you implied the routes of these marches were specifically designed to go through Catholic areas and cause offence. This is untrue, at the time the routes were planned these were generally Protestant areas. The issue of re-routing is totally different, and yes I think contentious marches should be re-routed, though some of these marches have been going for decades, so to say triumphalism was the sole reason for not wanting to re-route is probably unfair.



I wish I was "half a step above a filthy Papist", then I wouldn't keep having to think up excuses to my Grandfather why I won't join the Orange Order that don't hurt his feelings.

I'm merely dissagreeing with you, and on a minor point. I see the refusal to re-route the marches as a deliberate snub, an attempt to remind Catholics that, regardless of the religious freedom they now enjoy, they "lost".

[Rhyfelwyr]

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[johnhughthom]

I'm merely dissagreeing with you, and on a minor point. I see the refusal to re-route the marches as a deliberate snub, an attempt to remind Catholics that, regardless of the religious freedom they now enjoy, they "lost".

There is also deliberate nationalist provocation to the marchers, it has been turned into a stand-off with neither side willing to back down because the other side will have "won". I consider myself a very even minded Unionist, but even I get a little angry when I see people like Gerry Kelly organising the Drumcree protests. Fair enough, the bulk of the blame lies with the Orange Order and hangers on, but the nationalists have to share a portion of the blame, busing people in from all over Ireland to riot is not the way to protest.

They actually had the comical situation a while ago, when elements of the more religious loyalists started displaying Israeli flags everywhere, only for the more racist anti-semitic loyalists to run around trying to tear them down. In the end, the religious guys seem to have won in this respect (probably the fact that Republicans like to display Palestinian flags, as well as strong ties between the IRA and the PLO had something do to with yes).

That stuff was hilarious.

[tibilicus]

I think it's all also kind of becoming irrelevant, as far as I'm aware the marches are starting to slowly die out. I guess that reflects that unionism is also weakening, in the past decade or so it seems to me, as an outsider of NI of course, that the Sinn fein and nationalist movement seems to be growing whilst unionism is shrinking.

[ICantSpellDawg]

Personally, I love those parades. They make me remember that I hate the English every time I forget for 2 seconds. Sectarianism makes the world go round.

[johnhughthom]

What have they got to do with the English?

[ICantSpellDawg]

What have they got to do with the English?

The English paid Presbyterian Scots to migrate to Ireland to lord over the Irish. You don't think the English did this for the benefit of Scots, do you? What doesn't this have to do with the English?