When ‘tradition’ becomes a clear display of hatred

[WhereIsMyJumper]

Am I being unreasonable to be aghast at the bonfires in NI? Burning the tri-colour as well as an effigy of a migrant boat. How can this be referred to as ‘tradition’??

https://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/firefighters-take-two-hours-to-extinguish-controversial-bonfire-topped-with-migrant-boat-and-irish-flag-in-co-tyrone/a1274789953.html

Maybe the residents of a small Northern Irish town dont want it turning out like the 2 biggest cities in the UK? I think the chances of that are slim to none.

Kneecap have appeared in effigy on bonfires. Victims of Hezbolla and Hamas have not.

Yes, you are being unreasonable.

The famine in Ireland was used as a tool by the British crown to subjugate a people on the verge of rebellion . Huge quantities of grain, livestock and other food was transported from Ireland to Britain throughout the famine. If the forced starvation and 1 million deaths doesn’t count as genocide I don’t know what does … I think as a race we (Irish) understand genocide more than most and that’s why we recognise it in Gaza. The playbook on genocide is eerily similar….

Okay. You can think whatever you like.
Although technically it was about foreigners 🤷‍♀️

The 12th celebrates the Battle of the Boyne. To me it feels like if all the English people in Dresden marched through the streets on the anniversary of the bombing. Or having a bunch of Spitfires and Lancasters fly over Berlin for VE Day.
Seriously, why is this allowed? The bonfires, the marches that intentionally go through Catholic majority areas? It all needs to stop in the interests of moving forwards.

I can think what I like? I wish I had that privilege.🙄

I live in a mile radius of 4 bonfires. I breathe the smoke. My money pays for the damage done. Members of my religion are driven from their homes. Hard working immigrant families are burnt out at massive cost to the police, the fire service, the health service, the housing executive etc.

So I cant think what I like. Unlike you l have to deal with reality and facts.

The effigy burning isn’t the issue.
As I’ve said effigy burning isn’t a religious or political thing in England although obviously it started the ritual in the first place.
Yes catholics don’t particularly like it but they tolerate because they understand it’s no longer about them anymore

Privilege? You cant ‘think what you like then?
Are you Catholic in NI?

We’re not talking about England! We’re talking about NI where it certainly IS a sectarian thing.
I’m Catholic and know very well what I think about November 5th. This is very different.

That was my first thought too.

Think boats brought them to our shores too.

Yes. I was quite clear about that when I spoke of my proximity to the bonfires and how much it costs me.🙄

That’s debatable, lots of factors were involved in what happened.

Don't you know about the plantations? They very much were introduced to Ireland by a foreign power. And obviously Catholicism isn't native to Ireland. Christianity isn't. However, all the native Irish were converted to Christianity which was Catholicism then. Hence, the protestant planters were the interlopers. My God, where is the knowledge of history.

You not used to smoking chimneys and bonfires in gardens?

You know that not everyone gives a shit about the 1600 don’t you?
Why criticise someone about their lack of knowledge about plantations?

No. I live in the inner city, we haven't been allowed to burn smoking fuel for around 30 years and our gardens are too small to hold, or need bonfires.

What's your point? Does your council allow dangerously high bonfires that threaten lives, housing, the electricity supply to the public and hospitals in your area? Are you OK with that?

Is this a serious comment?

Whilst I have been ignorant of NI bonfires until recently, have you seen the sizes of these things!

My neighbour has never burned asbestos in a fire that takes hours for the fire brigade to put out whilst celebrating my subjugation.

(Although he is an annoying git that shoot pigeons with an air rifle from his patio)

Yes, yes I am.
Most people are sensible when it comes to bonfires..
Was this NI bonfire next to a hospital or electricity supply?

I dint know if the boat effigy bonfire was the same bonfire that was built next to a hospital and electric substation, but one certainly was.

You have never had bonfires?
Also, if some loon is going to put asbestos on a bonfire and the other locals are okay with it then I’d be looking at whether they understand the risks they are putting themselves in.

Yes. When we talk about bonfires in NI they are on another level. People spend several months building them, I had never seen anything like the size of this one before I moved here. This one was threatening to take out an electrical substation that powered two hospitals if anything went wrong. I’m all for people celebrating their culture and am aware that for many people this is a big part of their community and heritage like bonfire night is in England, but a lot of people were very concerned about the safety of this particular one this year. Thankfully it seems to have gone without incident with the substation anyway.

What absolute bollocks. Your statistics about the population of Ballymena are busy made up. Total racist bollocks.

It was on an asbestos site, metres away from an electricity substation that served two hospitals, each less that 1/2 a mile away from the bonfire itself. This stuff has been covered by various news outlets this past few days.

Did you not check anything before voicing your ridiculous notions?🤯