FinnMacCool
DP Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2005
- Messages
- 2,272
- Reaction score
- 153
- Location
- South Shore of Long Island.
- Gender
- Male
- Political Leaning
- Very Liberal
Has anyone ever heard of an international conflict such as this which the United States has nothing to do with that has become so personal with many americans? I come from a multi-cultural family part-scottish, part-italian, and part-irish. Particularily the scottish and irish side of my family I have been exposed to their culture more (mainly cause my Italian side has almost completely died out and the ones who remain we don't talk too often) and in a lot of ways, I was surpirsed by the pictures they put of the IRA's cause and the Northern Ireland Conflict. Indeed, my irish family regards the IRA as freedom fighters rather then terrorists, which I couldn't understand seeing as the IRA have killed civillians. My family even has a history of having members in the IRA including my great grandfather, who was deported because he jumped through a bass drum during a Protestant March celebrating the defeat of the Irish by the English.
It wasn't until I delved a bit more deeply into the subject, asking opinions online and taking out a few books, that I began to understand the long and bloody history of the irish vs english conflict. It is centuries old and as ancient as some of the middle eastern conflicts that america is predominantly concerned with nowadays. It is really sad to see Ireland, which I have long before regarded as a peaceful nation that was far different then america but I am now seeing as plauged with violence just as other countries are.
I am aware that the violence from the 1970s has somewhat lessened of late but I doubt that it will ever stop completetly. The very fact that the English will continually celebrate their obscure victory over the Irish will never cease to anger and frustrate many irishmen. So long as the English keep rubbing their faces over it and so long as their are young angry, nationalistwho would be willing to put a bullet in someones head for their country, this conflict will continue.
It wasn't until I delved a bit more deeply into the subject, asking opinions online and taking out a few books, that I began to understand the long and bloody history of the irish vs english conflict. It is centuries old and as ancient as some of the middle eastern conflicts that america is predominantly concerned with nowadays. It is really sad to see Ireland, which I have long before regarded as a peaceful nation that was far different then america but I am now seeing as plauged with violence just as other countries are.
I am aware that the violence from the 1970s has somewhat lessened of late but I doubt that it will ever stop completetly. The very fact that the English will continually celebrate their obscure victory over the Irish will never cease to anger and frustrate many irishmen. So long as the English keep rubbing their faces over it and so long as their are young angry, nationalistwho would be willing to put a bullet in someones head for their country, this conflict will continue.