To think that the timing of Gerry Adam's arrest does stink a bit?

[ClubName]

I despise the man and hope they have enough on him to let him rot, throw away the key etc

But, whatever they have it's not new (not new this week anyway) and I can see why he and his supporters think the timing of his arrest is political.

More importantly, unless he does end up in prison for a long time (which sadly I doubt) this whole business is just going to enhance his popularity and build the case that the PSNI aren't impartial

Scarlett's if that's the case that anyone who took a life during the troubles should go to jail for a long long time then we'd be looking at awful lot of retired British Solidiers and RUC officers going to jail as well as members of Sinn Fein. I think the stats are roughly 55% of people who died during the Troubles were murdered by Republicans, 40% by loyalists and the security forces and about 5% were "unclaimed". I don't think it's feasible.

No, the difference in Scotland was how they have challenged British rule by the ballot box, not by violence. I agree that yes, nationalists were often treated very badly, but the British army where only in NI as there WAS violence. They did add to it undoubtedly (internship was horrific and very wrong) but if there wasn't terrorism on the part of the PIRA they wouldn't have needed to be there. To say otherwise is getting bogged down in political rhetoric and brainwashing.

scarlett you are a perfect example of how these threads descend into ridiculous black and whiteness!

The British army were there because it was an occupied state.

Not to put too fine a point on it, they weren't there because of violence, there was violence because they were there.

Do you see how senseless this is??

There is no bad guy/good guy scenario here and until people realise that, this peace process will always be on ridiculously tenuous ground.

This arrest will go a long way to damaging shaky olive branches. People are still angry and still pick their sides and you will always have someone waiting to start it up again!

'the difference in Scotland was how they have challenged British rule by the ballot box, not by violence.'

Honestly, they are completely and utterly different situations.

Plus then theres the fallout of court marshals and the wearing of the poppy. No, all we can do as Ireland, Northern Ireland and Britain is move forward.

Oh dear, scarlettsmummy2, you really don't know what you're talking about, do you? Do you know the circumstances in which the British Army were sent in to Northern Ireland? Take a look at this timeline:

August 1969 British Army are sent to Northern Ireland
December 1969 Provisional IRA are founded

Scottish and Irish experiences under the Union are very, very different.

at the horrors of 'internship'.

Janine- what was happening up to 1969??? Why would the British army have suddenly, almost fifty years after the formation for the republic, have decided to go to NI??

Scarlett seriously you think people should just accept being beaten, raped and killed for things as simple as speaking their native language?
I mean this in the nicest way but read some Irish history books, maybe from the great hunger to the present day. You may surprise yourself with how little you know.

Scarlett have you read anything about Irish history?

And yes before anyone says it I am truely ashamed of the actions of my ancestors on my mums side.

Janine- what was happening up to 1969??? Why would the British army have suddenly, almost fifty years after the formation for the republic, have decided to go to NI??

Crikey. You really don't know? And you're from Northern Ireland? I echo Friggin's suggestion to educate yourself a little bit.

Friggin- the trouble with history is that there are three sides to every story and the chances are that your perceptions are as skewed as you perceive mine to be.

I have said that I KNOW awful things happened to Catholics, mostly with regards to discrimination over jobs and housing. However I also know that the 1960's and 70's weren't a jolly time for working class prods either. The reign of terror from the IRA will never ever in my eyes be excusable.

Scarlett it was so much more than discrimination when it comes to jobs and housing. I learned about Irish history in school, in Ireland. I may be old but i certainly was not knocking about in 1845 . Are you suggesting that school history books are biased?
Reign of terror by the PIRA is a no no but the Black and Tans were a fine and dandy group, eh?

www.schoolbooks.ie has a range of leaving cert books on Irish history if you want a read Scarlett.

Gerry Adams is kind of untriable though, isn't he? Because everyone knows it will create bloodshed and a return to violence.

That woman was murdered, and its ridiculous to claim that no living people know anything about it. Just reading some of the comments in the press from one of the women who has died recently, who was involved, about the victim being "a horrible person", etc. - just unbelievable.

Scarlett I live in Scotland and I feel quite intimidated, as do many people I know, in terms of expressing our political views if they don't accord with some people's desire from independence. Its not only being challenged at the ballot box, I'm pretty sure that DH was refused a job interview because he wasn't in the SNP and another friend was questioned in an interview about it and said he felt very uncomfortable.

Of course school books will be to some degree biased. All history will be biased as everyone has different perceptions.

Melon- yes, parts of Scotland can be extremely political and sectarian.

Laying aside the actual facts in the books .

Melon I don't know enough of Scotlands history to comment in any way, having only recently found out (through MN) that there are marches and bonfires there too.
Whatever way the vote goes please let there be no violence. It is a very important political time for Scotland.

Of course school books will be to some degree biased. All history will be biased as everyone has different perceptions.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't bother with educating yourself (and retaining ever so slightly bigoted opinions), it simply is a reason to read more widely.

The British Army went into northern Ireland because of the violence.

The sight of Adams and McGuinness lording it up as politicians makes me feel sick. Just because they have packed up the donkey jackets and balaclavas and put on fancy suits does not make them any more credible. They are still unwilling to distance themselves from the IRA so it just shows where their loyalties lie. They make me ashamed to be Irish.

The British army were initially welcomed by the Catholic population of Belfast, who in a lot of areas were being systematically burned out of their homes. They weren't called in to control the Provos you know scarletts...

I didn't say they were brought in to control the Provos! I was imputing that there was already serious civil unrest, hence the reason the army was brought in- they didn't simply turn up to persecute the nationalist community.

if there wasn't terrorism on the part of the PIRA they wouldn't have needed to be there.

That's what you said.