Dup will never allow Irish language act

[Tubberman]

As a distanced observer, the language used and the message sent out by Arlene Foster is a throwback to the 80s or 90s.
It's pathetic that in 2017 this type of "not an inch" mentality still exists, and it's a very sad reflection on society in NI.

[imtommygunn]

The british government give no shit about us to be honest.

People who don't vote and who vote DUP are to blame for voting these people in. If you don't vote you are responsible for this!!

[magpie seanie]

The DUP are so stupid though. They're merely reinforcing for everyone to clearly see the belief that unionists are incapable of seeing nationalists as equal. They know no other way than to "keep the taigs down" and the whole peace process is extremely awkward for them. When there were shootings and bombings they were delighted as it made spreading their hate a lot easier. I understand lots of unionists are not like this but until they stand up and get rid of the DUP then they're complicit. I won't be holding my breath.

As we see in the US and elsewhere, apathy is the feeding ground for extremists like Trump and in this case the DUP.

There's going to have to be some sort of joint authority brought in. If they're this staunch about the Irish Language Act then we're really going nowhere.

[haranguerer]

Completely complicit. I've a lot of very decent unionist friends, but when politics comes up (v rarely and never by me, but inevitable re RHI etc), you can see the veil come down. Most will continue to vote for them.

As we've seen with Brexit and Trump, people just want a story to believe so they don't have to admit they were wrong, the truth of that story is irrelevant.

[DownFanatic]

Anybody any idea how this is all going to pan out after the election?
Will we have a working assembly?

[seafoid]

The DUP are so stupid though. They're merely reinforcing for everyone to clearly see the belief that unionists are incapable of seeing nationalists as equal. They know no other way than to "keep the taigs down" and the whole peace process is extremely awkward for them. When there were shootings and bombings they were delighted as it made spreading their hate a lot easier. I understand lots of unionists are not like this but until they stand up and get rid of the DUP then they're complicit. I won't be holding my breath.

As we see in the US and elsewhere, apathy is the feeding ground for extremists like Trump and in this case the DUP.

There's going to have to be some sort of joint authority brought in. If they're this staunch about the Irish Language Act then we're really going nowhere.

You can see that in the election videos.
The DUP are very defensive and negative
The nationalist parties are far more positive.

[NAG1]

Anybody any idea how this is all going to pan out after the election?
Will we have a working assembly?

SF will be returned with a slightly improved mandate as will the DUP, there will be some horse trading done in the background until we arrive with som compromised solution that no one is happy with and doesnt address any of the on going issues.

So then the next crisis will crop up next year or the following year and we are back to exactly where we are now, we are in a perpetual cycle, until the issues of the past are addressed to the satisfaction of all in this place and we can then look how to move forward from there.

[Seany]

Remember - This is not about the Irish language per se, but about an innate hatred they have of our identity and the particular things that make us Irish.,  They know they are living with a race of people with a very deep and ancient cultural past and that our songs, music, games, pastimes are what make us unique.  They have none of this at all, so they turn things like bonfires, flags and parading past Catholic homes into their 'culture'.  It's easy for them to throw muck at the GAA because of the 'grounds named after terrorists' thing, but the Irish language is much trickier for them to hide their naked bigotry because it's a language and therefore, just an innocent method of communication.  So they attack it from two fronts - first by saying that by virtue of SF people using it, they are 'weaponising' it (did you ever hear such nonsense?)  and second, by making their own language up Ulster Scots and demanding that it should get half the funding. 
The problem is that because we as Irish are naturally welcoming, open minded and try to see logic, that we endeavour to understand and rationalise their behaviour, but in any other normal functioning society, they would be seen for what they are; bigots, in the past and without a political idea between them.

...and this isn't even mentioning their obsession with the Bible, their belief that the world is 5000 years old, that gay people are going to hell, as are 47% of the population and even before you think of the corruption, the scandal, the Red Sky, The NAMA, the wood pellets, etc etc etc. 

SF should get medals for having stuck them for so long.  Ten years of relatively stable govt.  Incredible restraint.  McGuinness meeting the Queen, going to see NI matches and Foster wouldn't even join him to go and see a ROI game.  All little, petty, pathetic things. 

What really grinds my gears is that some say 'they're all as bad as each other'., No they're not.  There's one set of really bad eggs in there and you could toss a coin between the rest.  ALliance coming out of this really well, but beyond Naomi, they've very little else.  SDLP displaying perfectly the maxim that winners focus on winning, losers focus on winners.  They are obsessed with SF and are trying to say they would be a good alternative govt with UU, while they disagree with them on the exact same things as SF disagree on; Irish language, LGBT, Brexit, The Past and get this - even if all their candidates get in, they haven't enough for a government anyway!  ANd don't even mention the populist nutters in PBP who campaigned for Brexit and are now marching against it. 

So, in summary, the only reasonable way to send the strongest possible message out to them all is to vote SF. 

[seafoid]

Remember - This is not about the Irish language per se, but about an innate hatred they have of our identity and the particular things that make us Irish.,  They know they are living with a race of people with a very deep and ancient cultural past and that our songs, music, games, pastimes are what make us unique.  They have none of this at all, so they turn things like bonfires, flags and parading past Catholic homes into their 'culture'.  It's easy for them to throw muck at the GAA because of the 'grounds named after terrorists' thing, but the Irish language is much trickier for them to hide their naked bigotry because it's a language and therefore, just an innocent method of communication.  So they attack it from two fronts - first by saying that by virtue of SF people using it, they are 'weaponising' it (did you ever hear such nonsense?)  and second, by making their own language up Ulster Scots and demanding that it should get half the funding. 
The problem is that because we as Irish are naturally welcoming, open minded and try to see logic, that we endeavour to understand and rationalise their behaviour, but in any other normal functioning society, they would be seen for what they are; bigots, in the past and without a political idea between them.

...and this isn't even mentioning their obsession with the Bible, their belief that the world is 5000 years old, that gay people are going to hell, as are 47% of the population and even before you think of the corruption, the scandal, the Red Sky, The NAMA, the wood pellets, etc etc etc. 

SF should get medals for having stuck them for so long.  Ten years of relatively stable govt.  Incredible restraint.  McGuinness meeting the Queen, going to see NI matches and Foster wouldn't even join him to go and see a ROI game.  All little, petty, pathetic things. 

What really grinds my gears is that some say 'they're all as bad as each other'., No they're not.  There's one set of really bad eggs in there and you could toss a coin between the rest.  ALliance coming out of this really well, but beyond Naomi, they've very little else.  SDLP displaying perfectly the maxim that winners focus on winning, losers focus on winners.  They are obsessed with SF and are trying to say they would be a good alternative govt with UU, while they disagree with them on the exact same things as SF disagree on; Irish language, LGBT, Brexit, The Past and get this - even if all their candidates get in, they haven't enough for a government anyway!  ANd don't even mention the populist nutters in PBP who campaigned for Brexit and are now marching against it. 

So, in summary, the only reasonable way to send the strongest possible message out to them all is to vote SF.

They are very like Trump's evangelicals who are descended from the same stock.

[haranguerer]

What really grinds my gears is that some say 'they're all as bad as each other'., No they're not. 

Completely agree with that, esp the quoted bit - it excuses those who really are c***ts, and excuses the person saying this for voting for them

[screenexile]

In fairness this will be the first time I will actually cast a vote in an election. Either I've not bothered before or spoiled because the quality of politics in NI is appalling really.

This time I will vote for Sinn Fein though as I think the time is right for the DUP to get properly nailed. The RHI scandal should hit them with many of apathetic voters and should send a decent amount over to Mike TV. Along with that the doubling down of the anti nationalist rhetoric should mobilise a lot of apathetic Nationalist voters to shift towards Sinn Fein.

The most recent vile and disgusting comment about Nationalists/Republicans being 'crocodiles' is actually shocking by someone who is supposed to be the leader of everyone in NI. How f**king dare she do that.

I think she's seen the success of the Trump/Brexit campaign and she's decided to go in hard with the Anti Nationalist agenda this time in the hope it will win her more votes. I hope she does as Ireland and indeed Northern Ireland is much more liberal than the US or the UK and I think it could spectacularly backfire. . . hopefully it does!!

[JPGJOHNNYG]

What really grinds my gears is that some say 'they're all as bad as each other'., No they're not. 

Completely agree with that, esp the quoted bit - it excuses those who really are c***ts, and excuses the person saying this for voting for them

SF are useless and have been weak for years but to say they are as bad is wrong. The default argument now for fleggers defending the DUP is well at least the DUP didnt blow anyone up, Hillarious exchange on LAD yesterday. some guy going nuts at LAD for calling all DUP candidates bigots and jumped to the defence of saintly not a bigot bone in her body Pengelly then went on a rant about SF being ALL terrorists when someone pointed out Pengellys dads history it was a case of er but yeh but er but its nothing to do with her but still all SF where in the Ra like.

[longballin]

In fairness this will be the first time I will actually cast a vote in an election. Either I've not bothered before or spoiled because the quality of politics in NI is appalling really.

This time I will vote for Sinn Fein though as I think the time is right for the DUP to get properly nailed. The RHI scandal should hit them with many of apathetic voters and should send a decent amount over to Mike TV. Along with that the doubling down of the anti nationalist rhetoric should mobilise a lot of apathetic Nationalist voters to shift towards Sinn Fein.

The most recent vile and disgusting comment about Nationalists/Republicans being 'crocodiles' is actually shocking by someone who is supposed to be the leader of everyone in NI. How f**king dare she do that.

I think she's seen the success of the Trump/Brexit campaign and she's decided to go in hard with the Anti Nationalist agenda this time in the hope it will win her more votes. I hope she does as Ireland and indeed Northern Ireland is much more liberal than the US or the UK and I think it could spectacularly backfire. . . hopefully it does!!

Same as that ... SF a curates egg but this time total support to nail DUP

[winghalfun]

In fairness this will be the first time I will actually cast a vote in an election. Either I've not bothered before or spoiled because the quality of politics in NI is appalling really.

This time I will vote for Sinn Fein though as I think the time is right for the DUP to get properly nailed.

My wife (who never votes Sinn Fein) is this time going to vote for Sinn Fein. 

You never know.

[theskull1]

The DUP has got such a hammering over the RHI scandal they (in their eyes) have to saturate their electorate with their tried and tested "Orange vs Green" dialogues. I'm convinced they have a "stepford wives" electorate. Just press the "Orange & Green" button and you have them regardless of how theyve behaved in government or the hope they offer this place. Fear is a powerful motivator