Arlene's bigotry shines through

[Orior]

So Arlene has made a giant gesture.  Is there a similar gessture that Sinn Féin could make?

In all her talk, Arlene came across as very begrudging. In other words, "I don't really want to be here, and shouldn't really be here, but I'm doing it solely for political purposes"

[longballin]

So Arlene has made a giant gesture.  Is there a similar gessture that Sinn Féin could make?

In all her talk, Arlene came across as very begrudging. In other words, "I don't really want to be here, and shouldn't really be here, but I'm doing it solely for political purposes"

Is the truth. I feel sorry for anyone was at that match

[Mayo4Sam]

So Arlene has made a giant gesture.  Is there a similar gessture that Sinn Féin could make?

In all her talk, Arlene came across as very begrudging. In other words, "I don't really want to be here, and shouldn't really be here, but I'm doing it solely for political purposes"

This doesn't sound very begrudging

"I do realise there might be some people who may be uncomfortable with me being here today on Sunday. But let me say this – I am a leader of a political party that wants to have a shared society in Northern Ireland and to do that you have to take steps forward and to do that we have to build a respect and tolerance and that's what I want to do."

"I hope others take the chance to step forward as well and to understand and appreciate and tolerate another culture perhaps that isn't theirs."

[Insane Bolt]

Every Ulster GAA member should take the opportunity to email/write to her congratulating her on her attendance and hoping that she becomes a season ticket holder at Brewster😜

[quit yo jibbajabba]

"lookit all the stupid wee fenians chasin round the wee ball. stupid wee fcukers"

"would somebody mark thon big heure murphy ffs"

"get Quigley aff. put Quigley on"

*overheard at clones yesterday

[Insane Bolt]

Boris Johnson has gone missing......he wasn't at the game yesterday with Arlene was he? .....and gone on a 3 day bender😜

[Orior]

So Arlene has made a giant gesture.  Is there a similar gessture that Sinn Féin could make?

In all her talk, Arlene came across as very begrudging. In other words, "I don't really want to be here, and shouldn't really be here, but I'm doing it solely for political purposes"

This doesn't sound very begrudging

"I do realise there might be some people who may be uncomfortable with me being here today on Sunday. But let me say this – I am a leader of a political party that wants to have a shared society in Northern Ireland and to do that you have to take steps forward and to do that we have to build a respect and tolerance and that's what I want to do."

"I hope others take the chance to step forward as well and to understand and appreciate and tolerate another culture perhaps that isn't theirs."

It also took her a very long time to confirm that she was going to attend. She would have worked hard rehearsing that statement above. BUT every little helps and at least she crossed the rubicon, so she deserves some credit for that, as does Stalford.

[AQMP]

So Arlene has made a giant gesture.  Is there a similar gessture that Sinn Féin could make?

Met the Queen on many occasion. MMcG went to NI game during the Euros. Mary Lou said L'Derry. I'm sure there's more.

"A giant gesture" , presumably you're having a laugh?

This choreographing and gesture politics irritates me, but surprisingly it often turns out to be beneficial, from a PR perspective as a milestone on the road to reconciliation.
Arlene unfortunately has shown her true colours especially in the Kielty programme. Her comments after yesterday indicate that she only had eyes on her own community's response to the gesture. She is at best bedgrudging and her reconciliation efforts appear forced and contrived. She talked about wishing her neighbours well, in other words it's not my team, it's the local fenians' team.
I suspect the DUP see an opportunity that conservative catholics could swell their ranks, so they'll have to be seen to engage with the GAA to which many conservative catholics have a strong affinity.

At the heels of the hunt , she has never shown any rapport or even recognition for Irish culture. Ireland remains the enemy ( understandably given her own experiences) and her bedgrudging gesture politics is merely a means to an end. She even got in her dig regarding respect for culture, again equating the GAA with the orange order. Her body language was uncomfortable For the most part.
She is among a dying breed of dinosaurs ( Sammy, Edwin , Nigel, Gregory, Nelson) who are fast losing credibility in their own community . The majority of their support comes from the older generation and thankfully their influence is on the wane.
I have to say , the sycophantic " isn't she great for coming along to the Ulster final" grates with me.
She is attending one of the most important Ulster sporting events of the year , on her own doorstep, with her own county competing as underdogs. The fact that it was staged in ROI meant standing in a "foreign country" for their anthem, was no challenge for her.
If She aspires to be a true leader  of NI again, she has to openly embrace all cultures within that. I don't think she possesses those personality traits and leadership qualities, the personal experiences of her family and community still dominate her agenda . Can she rise above that ? I doubt it.

Very good post.  Foster is an out and out hardnosed bigot.  Yesterday was just a bit of window dressing aimed at the "why can't we call just get along" brigade.

[screenexile]

So Arlene has made a giant gesture.  Is there a similar gessture that Sinn Féin could make?

Met the Queen on many occasion. MMcG went to NI game during the Euros. Mary Lou said L'Derry. I'm sure there's more.

"A giant gesture" , presumably you're having a laugh?

This choreographing and gesture politics irritates me, but surprisingly it often turns out to be beneficial, from a PR perspective as a milestone on the road to reconciliation.
Arlene unfortunately has shown her true colours especially in the Kielty programme. Her comments after yesterday indicate that she only had eyes on her own community's response to the gesture. She is at best bedgrudging and her reconciliation efforts appear forced and contrived. She talked about wishing her neighbours well, in other words it's not my team, it's the local fenians' team.
I suspect the DUP see an opportunity that conservative catholics could swell their ranks, so they'll have to be seen to engage with the GAA to which many conservative catholics have a strong affinity.

At the heels of the hunt , she has never shown any rapport or even recognition for Irish culture. Ireland remains the enemy ( understandably given her own experiences) and her bedgrudging gesture politics is merely a means to an end. She even got in her dig regarding respect for culture, again equating the GAA with the orange order. Her body language was uncomfortable For the most part.
She is among a dying breed of dinosaurs ( Sammy, Edwin , Nigel, Gregory, Nelson) who are fast losing credibility in their own community . The majority of their support comes from the older generation and thankfully their influence is on the wane.
I have to say , the sycophantic " isn't she great for coming along to the Ulster final" grates with me.
She is attending one of the most important Ulster sporting events of the year , on her own doorstep, with her own county competing as underdogs. The fact that it was staged in ROI meant standing in a "foreign country" for their anthem, was no challenge for her.
If She aspires to be a true leader  of NI again, she has to openly embrace all cultures within that. I don't think she possesses those personality traits and leadership qualities, the personal experiences of her family and community still dominate her agenda . Can she rise above that ? I doubt it.

Very good post.  Foster is an out and out hardnosed bigot.  Yesterday was just a bit of window dressing aimed at the "why can't we call just get along" brigade.

She's damned if she does and damned if she doesn't!!

If she hadn't gone half the country would say ah sure look at aul bigoted Arlene she wouldn't even go to a football match and now that she has gone people are saying it's only an empty gesture and what's the point.

It's a pity things have gone this way. For whatever reason she decided to go and I think it's a step in the right direction whatever the motive.

[HiMucker]

So Arlene has made a giant gesture.  Is there a similar gessture that Sinn Féin could make?

Met the Queen on many occasion. MMcG went to NI game during the Euros. Mary Lou said L'Derry. I'm sure there's more.

"A giant gesture" , presumably you're having a laugh?

This choreographing and gesture politics irritates me, but surprisingly it often turns out to be beneficial, from a PR perspective as a milestone on the road to reconciliation.
Arlene unfortunately has shown her true colours especially in the Kielty programme. Her comments after yesterday indicate that she only had eyes on her own community's response to the gesture. She is at best bedgrudging and her reconciliation efforts appear forced and contrived. She talked about wishing her neighbours well, in other words it's not my team, it's the local fenians' team.
I suspect the DUP see an opportunity that conservative catholics could swell their ranks, so they'll have to be seen to engage with the GAA to which many conservative catholics have a strong affinity.

At the heels of the hunt , she has never shown any rapport or even recognition for Irish culture. Ireland remains the enemy ( understandably given her own experiences) and her bedgrudging gesture politics is merely a means to an end. She even got in her dig regarding respect for culture, again equating the GAA with the orange order. Her body language was uncomfortable For the most part.
She is among a dying breed of dinosaurs ( Sammy, Edwin , Nigel, Gregory, Nelson) who are fast losing credibility in their own community . The majority of their support comes from the older generation and thankfully their influence is on the wane.
I have to say , the sycophantic " isn't she great for coming along to the Ulster final" grates with me.
She is attending one of the most important Ulster sporting events of the year , on her own doorstep, with her own county competing as underdogs. The fact that it was staged in ROI meant standing in a "foreign country" for their anthem, was no challenge for her.
If She aspires to be a true leader  of NI again, she has to openly embrace all cultures within that. I don't think she possesses those personality traits and leadership qualities, the personal experiences of her family and community still dominate her agenda . Can she rise above that ? I doubt it.

Very good post.  Foster is an out and out hardnosed bigot.  Yesterday was just a bit of window dressing aimed at the "why can't we call just get along" brigade.

She's damned if she does and damned if she doesn't!!

If she hadn't gone half the country would say ah sure look at aul bigoted Arlene she wouldn't even go to a football match and now that she has gone people are saying it's only an empty gesture and what's the point.

It's a pity things have gone this way. For whatever reason she decided to go and I think it's a step in the right direction whatever the motive.

No doubt it is a step in the right direction and she deserves some credit for that.   However like every concession the DUP make, it is always too little too late to have the impact that it should have. 

[johnnycool]

So Arlene has made a giant gesture.  Is there a similar gessture that Sinn Féin could make?

Met the Queen on many occasion. MMcG went to NI game during the Euros. Mary Lou said L'Derry. I'm sure there's more.

"A giant gesture" , presumably you're having a laugh?

This choreographing and gesture politics irritates me, but surprisingly it often turns out to be beneficial, from a PR perspective as a milestone on the road to reconciliation.
Arlene unfortunately has shown her true colours especially in the Kielty programme. Her comments after yesterday indicate that she only had eyes on her own community's response to the gesture. She is at best bedgrudging and her reconciliation efforts appear forced and contrived. She talked about wishing her neighbours well, in other words it's not my team, it's the local fenians' team.
I suspect the DUP see an opportunity that conservative catholics could swell their ranks, so they'll have to be seen to engage with the GAA to which many conservative catholics have a strong affinity.

At the heels of the hunt , she has never shown any rapport or even recognition for Irish culture. Ireland remains the enemy ( understandably given her own experiences) and her bedgrudging gesture politics is merely a means to an end. She even got in her dig regarding respect for culture, again equating the GAA with the orange order. Her body language was uncomfortable For the most part.
She is among a dying breed of dinosaurs ( Sammy, Edwin , Nigel, Gregory, Nelson) who are fast losing credibility in their own community . The majority of their support comes from the older generation and thankfully their influence is on the wane.
I have to say , the sycophantic " isn't she great for coming along to the Ulster final" grates with me.
She is attending one of the most important Ulster sporting events of the year , on her own doorstep, with her own county competing as underdogs. The fact that it was staged in ROI meant standing in a "foreign country" for their anthem, was no challenge for her.
If She aspires to be a true leader  of NI again, she has to openly embrace all cultures within that. I don't think she possesses those personality traits and leadership qualities, the personal experiences of her family and community still dominate her agenda . Can she rise above that ? I doubt it.

Very good post.  Foster is an out and out hardnosed bigot.  Yesterday was just a bit of window dressing aimed at the "why can't we call just get along" brigade.

She's damned if she does and damned if she doesn't!!

If she hadn't gone half the country would say ah sure look at aul bigoted Arlene she wouldn't even go to a football match and now that she has gone people are saying it's only an empty gesture and what's the point.

It's a pity things have gone this way. For whatever reason she decided to go and I think it's a step in the right direction whatever the motive.

No doubt it is a step in the right direction and she deserves some credit for that.   However like every concession the DUP make, it is always too little too late to have the impact that it should have.

I'm glad she went, but it speaks volumes that the first minister attending one of the biggest sporting events here involving her home county no less is deemed to be a concession. To who I don't know.

The fact she's also getting it in the ear from the DUP bible thumpers also speaks volumes as much as Arlene rightly or wrongly is in the bigoted bracket there are far worse out there.

If Jim Allister had his way the chains would be back on the playground swings!

[Dire Ear]

Divide and conquer !

[red hander]

She's read the runes and realises that the demographics are against unionists, particularly in light of Brexit and her 'crocodiles' approach to her neighbours, which is persuading a lot of soft nationalists not to prop up the failed, putrid statelet anymore. I suspect she also knows that she's going to come out of RHI looking extremely incompetent/culpable, thus the current charm offensive to burnish her tawdry image. It's probably all too little, too late for her IMO. She's seriously damaged goods, no matter what spin her cheerleaders on the Belfast Telegraph put on it

[6th sam]

She's read the runes and realises that the demographics are against unionists, particularly in light of Brexit and her 'crocodiles' approach to her neighbours, which is persuading a lot of soft nationalists not to prop up the failed, putrid statelet anymore. I suspect she also knows that she's going to come out of RHI looking extremely incompetent/culpable, thus the current charm offensive to burnish her tawdry image. It's probably all too little, too late for her IMO. She's seriously damaged goods, no matter what spin her cheerleaders on the Belfast Telegraph put on it

That's it in a nutshell

[general_lee]

If Jim Allister had his way the chains would be back on the playground swings!

That **** was too busy w**king over the UDR on Sunday, so much for keeping the sabbath sacred