Belfast rioting over removal of Union Jack

[Maguire01]

If anything I can see this consolidating Alliance's position in east Belfast. The thugs out protesting and their supporters have probably never voted alliance and this whole situation has probably just strengthened their position with the electorate who did vote alliance.

It does a lot to dispel the small u myth and fence sitting image.

I certainly hope this is the case. Politics is often a dirty sneaky business but the DUP have sunk to a new low this time....please let it back fire!!!

I'm only speculating but I think there's a large section of the unionist electorate that are far more liberal and progressive than the DUP and UUP represent.

I hope more middle of the road Unionists/Nationalists move towards the Alliance party. What the North also needs is an effective liberal Nationalists and an effective liberal Unionist party. The problem is alot of sound minded Unionists and Nationalists/Republicans are probably just voting DUP and SF because the UUP and SDLP are gone so useless.

I see two things here
1 - The DUP and SF have in many ways adopted the positions of the UUP and the SDLP from 10/15 years ago, hence attracting some more of those parties' voters.
2 - Turnout at elections has nosedived, so a lot of moderate voters are simply staying at home.

If there was an election tomorrow, Alliance would have some massive wins. Whether they'll maintain any momentum until the next election is another thing altogether.

[trileacman]

So basically everyone should just join Alliance and hold hands skipping off into the sunset and pretend that the constitutional problem doesn't exist and that anyone who cares about it and wants to support a party which aims to either maintain or end the union is just an extremist?

So you're happy for the riots and sectarian politics to continue to infinity?

Exhibit A there trileacman, thanks. So basically anyone who doesn't vote Alliance is a sectarian then in this six county Narnia? I am a Republican and I am fiercely non-sectarian. I think I'll give Alliance a miss all the same, thanks.

But your're happy for the current status quo to endure, leaving us with riots over a flag? You'd don't welcome any move towards a common middle ground?

[Nally Stand]

So basically everyone should just join Alliance and hold hands skipping off into the sunset and pretend that the constitutional problem doesn't exist and that anyone who cares about it and wants to support a party which aims to either maintain or end the union is just an extremist?

So you're happy for the riots and sectarian politics to continue to infinity?

Exhibit A there trileacman, thanks. So basically anyone who doesn't vote Alliance is a sectarian then in this six county Narnia? I am a Republican and I am fiercely non-sectarian. I think I'll give Alliance a miss all the same, thanks.

But your're happy for the current status quo to endure, leaving us with riots over a flag? You'd don't welcome any move towards a common middle ground?

Again did I say I was happy with the statue quo? It's only a few years ago that there were daily bombings and shootings and collusion and harassment etc etc but that has all but ceased, and guess what....that wasn't due to the alliance party. My issue is with the airy fairy nonsense that we should all just vote alliance because they are middle ground, and regard anyone who wants to support a party which best represents their political views on the border feel like they are some sort of extremist. You can't just wish away the constitutional issue and label anyone with deeply held beliefs on it as a sectarian.

[Minder]

Xmas market temporarily closed.

[JUst retired]

If they take the funding of some of these "community" groups,I think they would soon pull their horns in. After all it is supposed to be for reconcillation,is it not.

[Rossfan]

I agree. If the UUP and SDLP had of elected

Jasus !!! This is getting out of hand 

[trileacman]

So basically everyone should just join Alliance and hold hands skipping off into the sunset and pretend that the constitutional problem doesn't exist and that anyone who cares about it and wants to support a party which aims to either maintain or end the union is just an extremist?

So you're happy for the riots and sectarian politics to continue to infinity?

Exhibit A there trileacman, thanks. So basically anyone who doesn't vote Alliance is a sectarian then in this six county Narnia? I am a Republican and I am fiercely non-sectarian. I think I'll give Alliance a miss all the same, thanks.

But your're happy for the current status quo to endure, leaving us with riots over a flag? You'd don't welcome any move towards a common middle ground?

Again did I say I was happy with the statue quo? It's only a few years ago that there were daily bombings and shootings and collusion and harassment etc etc but that has all but ceased, and guess what....that wasn't due to the alliance party. My issue is with the airy fairy nonsense that we should all just vote alliance because they are middle ground, and regard anyone who wants to support a party which best represents their political views on the border feel like they are some sort of extremist. You can't just wish away the constitutional issue and label anyone with deeply held beliefs on it as a sectarian.

You are completely over-reacting, two lads were talking about the normalisation of NI politics with two liberal parties placed either side of an mid-line alliance. In the next line you managed to twist that into "So basically everyone should just join Alliance and hold hands skipping off into the sunset and pretend that the constitutional problem doesn't exist". That's a comical over-reaction and twisting of what was said.

[Nally Stand]

So basically everyone should just join Alliance and hold hands skipping off into the sunset and pretend that the constitutional problem doesn't exist and that anyone who cares about it and wants to support a party which aims to either maintain or end the union is just an extremist?

So you're happy for the riots and sectarian politics to continue to infinity?

Exhibit A there trileacman, thanks. So basically anyone who doesn't vote Alliance is a sectarian then in this six county Narnia? I am a Republican and I am fiercely non-sectarian. I think I'll give Alliance a miss all the same, thanks.

But your're happy for the current status quo to endure, leaving us with riots over a flag? You'd don't welcome any move towards a common middle ground?

Again did I say I was happy with the statue quo? It's only a few years ago that there were daily bombings and shootings and collusion and harassment etc etc but that has all but ceased, and guess what....that wasn't due to the alliance party. My issue is with the airy fairy nonsense that we should all just vote alliance because they are middle ground, and regard anyone who wants to support a party which best represents their political views on the border feel like they are some sort of extremist. You can't just wish away the constitutional issue and label anyone with deeply held beliefs on it as a sectarian.

You are completely over-reacting, two lads were talking about the normalisation of NI politics with two liberal parties placed either side of an mid-line alliance. In the next line you managed to twist that into "So basically everyone should just join Alliance and hold hands skipping off into the sunset and pretend that the constitutional problem doesn't exist". That's a comical over-reaction and twisting of what was said.

Ironic post, coming from someone who just made the assumptions that because I think there is nothing wrong with voting for parties with clear positions on the constitutional issue, that I must be happy with rioting and sectarianism.

[omagh_gael]

Scum

http://twitpic.com/bk5mk4

[charlieTully]

Scum

http://twitpic.com/bk5mk4

look at the oul doll standing beside them, can you imagine your mother at something like that. scum is right.

[Minder]

Scum

http://twitpic.com/bk5mk4

look at the oul doll standing beside them, can you imagine your mother at something like that. scum is right.

DUP councillor Ruth Patterson refused to condemn it.

[Hardy]

I agree. If the UUP and SDLP had of elected

Jasus !!! This is getting out of hand 

Surely you mean "out have hand".

It is unbelievable, though. What do they actually think they're saying and how does it make sense to them?

[Keyser soze]

To be truthful as a nationalist and small 'r' republican I don't mind seeing the loyalists getting up a head of steam about another tiny erosion of their supremacy. They simply have zero concept of what constitutes equality or parity of esteem.

Situations like these, where the unionist family stand shoulder to shoulder in supporting a violent backlash against a democtratic decision which doesnt suit them , are a great lesson to the younger nationalist population of how there will never be equality for them in NI. Without carry on this like this sure all the catholics would be lining up to join the DUP and there'd never be a UI.

I suppose they'll be singing their rendition of the Famine Song. Is it just me who finds it deliciously ironic for Scots who were planted in Ireland a few centuries ago and whose forefathers endured the famine along with the rest of us are now singing a sectarian song made up by biggotted Scots to sing to irish people teling them to go home. These clowns are now parading round Ireland singing it to Irish people. I find that so funny.

[AQMP]

I agree. If the UUP and SDLP had of elected

Jasus !!! This is getting out of hand 

Surely you mean "out have hand".

It is unbelievable, though. What do they actually think they're saying and how does it make sense to them?

That's the point Hardy...they haven't the first clue what their message is or what it is supposed to be.  "No Surrender"...to what?? Feck all people are asking them to surrender to anything.  This was a democratic decision taken by a local authority, and frankly if the Council had kept it quiet, 99% of the population wouldn't have noticed it.

They need to look around them.  Had this been 1982 or even 1992 there would have been 150,000 people at the City Hall.  They could only muster 200 in Ballymena, the capital of Paisleystan, during the week.  If any of them could read they should read the editorial of Friday's Belfast Telegraph, once the voice of mainstream Unionist thinking.  The "Tele" stopped short of calling them scum...but only just.  However, the real villains here are the politicos who are leading these brain deads by the nose for their own purposes.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

Situations like these, where the unionist family stand shoulder to shoulder in supporting a violent backlash against a democtratic decision which doesnt suit them , are a great lesson to the younger nationalist population of how there will never be equality for them in NI. Without carry on this like this sure all the catholics would be lining up to join the DUP and there'd never be a UI.

One of my current housemates regularly throws the eyes to heaven with my two English housemates when I refuse to indulge in the Team GB or the Royal baby/wedding craic, or when I use speach which identifies me as being not of Britain. The Irish lad from a Catholic background, often refers to NI as Britain and got caught up in Team GB guff, to which I would correct him that GB and UK are not the same place and would talk of Team GB as I would any other foreign team like France, Jamaica or Australia. Yet the last few days the Irish lads chat has changed profoundly, he seems to be seeing the truth behind the parity of esteem 6 county style. Of course from your point of views thats all hearsay.