Korean Job Discussion Forums

[philipjames]

1. Saying 'Londonderry' instead of Derry does not constitute oppression. If you think it does you've just shown the weakness of the Irish Catholics' claim to be 'oppressed.' The cop was raised all his life to say 'Londonderry'. There's nothing wrong with saying it. It is his choice. It is not oppression. And it doesn't justify a bullet in the head.

2. There were only 10% Catholics in the police because of Catholics' ideological objection to wearing the uniform of the Crown. Also intimidation from / disapproval by family members. One-third of positions were set aside for Catholics. They chose not to join. That was their right. But one can't then complain about Catholic under-representation in the police. They had the option of joining. They chose not to.

3. The character above who went on about Edward Carson revealed that he hasn't read a book on NI in his life.

4. Discrimination and narrow-mindedness worked both ways in Northern Ireland, although Ulster Catholics would never admit it. From today's Irish Independent: http://www.independent.ie/national-news/protestant-gaa-star-hounded-out-by-vile-taunts-1049377.html

[philipjames]

And let's not forget that discrimination against Protestants was widespread in the South. In the 1911 census Protestants comprised 11% of the population of the 26 counties that would become the Free State / Eire / Republic. Today the Protestant population sits at 3%. That speaks volumes about how 'welcome' Protestants were made to feel in the Republic.

[JMO]

[JMO]

[JMO]

[Bingo]

No offence, but your story about crossing the border at Derry sounds very fishy. The cop made your uncle repeat the sentence until you said "Londonderry?" Sounds a bit bizarre. I doubt it happened. I'm not saying it didn't happen, but I very much doubt it went down as you're saying.

[JMO]

[Bingo]

What was the cop's tone and demeanor. Was he having a laugh with you, or intentionally being a *beep*? There's a difference.

[Grimalkin]

[Grimalkin]

[Bingo]

Nope. But I'm definitely starting to think that you are. The Protestant decline was due to the withdrawal of British troops after 1921? That's the stupidest thing I've ever read. They were not troops, they were southern Irishmen who fled the south. The exodus of Protestants out of the 26 was the largest movement of population in 20th century Ireland. The supposedly "Free" state became a Roman Catholic theocracy that went out of its way to make Protestants uncomfortable and unwelcome. If you need me to cite sources for anti-Protestant descrimination in the South that fact alone shows how unread you are on the issues. But to help with your education I will cite two sources off the top of my head.

Donald Akenson, Small Differences (chapter one)
Susan McKay, Northern Protestants

Again, asking me to cite this stuff is liking asking the weatherman to cite evidence that the sky is blue. Get a library card for Christ's sake.

[Bingo]

Between 1906 and 1921 the Protestant populationd dropped by roughly 200,000 people. These were Irishmen. They were farmers, clerks, bankers, businessmen and unemployed. The south was their home. They were born there as were their parents and grandparents. But such was the threatening atmosphere that they packed up and left.

If you are really interested in this, you can do a web search. The facts are there. I shouldn't have to do your homework for you.

[philipjames]

There was definitely discrimination in the South. There was also discrimination in the North. But while the Nat. population in the North grew to the extent that they felt empowered to confront the State in 1969, the Protestant population in the South was dwindling away. The Irish State made no effort to reverse or stem this tide. Why would they? Ireland was to be Catholic and gaelic; a tidy little mono-ethnic sectarian state. No wonder Ulster Protestants were less than enthusiastic about joining the South. And when religious Roman Catholics started bombing Protestant towns and neighborhoods after 1970 the Republic, rather than arresting them, gave them a free haven to carry out their operations. A charming little mini-Afghanistan in Western Europe. The 1916 declaration talked about 'honouring all the childen of the nation equally." Subsequent events showed that actions spoke louder than words.

[JMO]

[Grimalkin]