Journalist shot dead in Derry

[Chocolatepeanuts]

I cant see another post about this. 29 year old Lyra McKee shot dead when dissident republicans fire at police during riots. 21 years since the Good Friday agreement. Im frightened for our wee country and my children's futures.

Another family devastated .

www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-northern-ireland-47985469

It just goes to show how bonkers the place is, if people who are menaced by thugs can’t or won’t go to the police. I think I’d be inclined to go and live somewhere more civilised if I could afford to.

You dont think it happens in mainland UK?

I still feel that soldiers in the streets, army checkpoints, bombs, bomb scares etc is surely very different to what you are describing. Armed soldiers stopping you en route to Belfast to find out where you are going with snipers hiding in the grassy banks at side of road is not part of everyday life anymore.

Of course what you have now isn't good enough. But I live beside social deprivation, drugs and crime and disengaged young people in England. I have no idea how things compare in terms of crime rates but those problems go beyond NI.

Someone said up thread that young people have not experienced that so can't compare but it seems many forget what it was like. Perhaps because at the time it was our "normal".

Yes I expect it does happen on the mainland in pockets but it seems to be the norm in NI. Of course I’m only going by the posts on here at what the media would have us believe.

We were watching some old footage on TV recently and it showed people being searched. This was completely normal to me growing up, searched on the way into the city centre in Belfast. I was unfortunate enough to have big boobs and every time I went into the airport as a skinny teenager I was touched, firmly, all over my chest to make sure they were real and I wasn't hiding anything in there. My 12 year old, who doesn't even like us to touch her in any way was nearly in tears saying 'what if it goes back to that? I wouldn't let anyone touch me like that'. And I had this dawning realisation that what I thought was totally normal throughout my entire childhood was very much not. It's amazing what you accept as normal when you've never known anything different.

justanother thats exactly what im saying, I'd take this any day over what has gone before. These are just thugs by any other name, and it happens on the mainland too I'm sure. I wouldnt say its the norm here, it's certainly an undercurrent, but for me it was something that happened if you were involved in that type of activity, or got into drugs. We were unlucky, Im sure the majority never experience anything like it.

Yes, sorry Chocolate. I was thinking about posts on the thread suggesting things are as bad and the Good Friday Agreement didn't change things.

My friend works for a large building contractor. Lots of social housing projects on both sides of the community. Every week there is a payment to the local "security " firm. This happens in both the Catholic and Protestant areas. It's an accepted part of working in those areas.

It’s a bit like the elephant in the room though isn’t it - things got that bad in the first place because of the paramilitaries and the criminal gangs.

Is this some kind of weird joke?! The fuckers are now "instructing their volunteers to take the utmost care".

Aye very good. Just take care with that fucking gun yeah.

Did any of you watch the funeral?

Father Martin Magill:

“I commend our political leaders for standing together in Creggan on Good Friday. I am however left with a question: ‘Why in God’s name does it take the death of a 29-year-old woman with her whole life in front of her to get us to this point?’”

😡😢

He didn't hold back. I hope it made a few people squirm.

Arlene certainly looked uncomfortable! As did Mary Lou.

Arlene looked very defensive, arms folded etc. They'd all want to cop themselves on.

A sad day.

They were squirming surely. Theresa May nodding in full agreement. If only Lyra's death is not in vain. We can hope it is a turning point.

Her sister was amazing also.