kainedamo
Superhero
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- Sep 11, 2001
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I've never voted before. Not because I'm lazy or apathetic to politics, but because I saw no point. And because there is no one worth voting for. All of the political parties here in Northern Ireland are like bickering children. It's the same everywhere, but I feel it's especially worse here. It's because of the whole Catholic vs Protestant thing, the whole United Ireland vs British rule thing, and all of our history and all of that. The parties only care about getting votes from either Catholics or Protestants. While the IRA was still carrying weapons, I couldn't vote for Sinn Fein.
Things have changed. Not so much the political climate, but my own feelings. The parties will continue to bicker like they have done for years unless something changes. They will ONLY get down to REAL politics when there is a united Ireland. There will be no point to the DUP harping on and on about it, because it will be a reality. Plus, the IRA have given up their weapons. For a good lot of years now, they haven't committed any acts of violence, and I haven't seen much evidence they are continuing any criminal activity. The splinter groups still have guns and still try to do what they do. But asking the main body of the IRA to take guns away from guys that refuse to let go of the past is impossible. And these guys are such a minority it doesn't even matter.
Nothing Sinn Fein does is good enough for the DUP. I watch the news, I see what the DUP try to do. They're constantly trying to rile people up. First Ian Paisley said he will only sit down with Sinn Fein when the IRA gives up violence. That has happened. But that isn't good enough for Ian Paisley. People joke and say "does he want them to reassemble the weapons, then destroy them all again?". The thing about Ian Paisley is is that he's loved because he's completely unmoving. He will always, always say "no" no matter what. The man is a bigot and hates Catholics. I've seen the old footage.
Another reason I never voted before is because Sinn Fein always wins a place in my local community. But voting isn't just about locally, is it?
Out of the current parties we have, Sinn Fein is best. The DUP has been opposed to EVERYTHING in the late 20th Century and 21st Century that has made this country better. Including the Good Friday Agreement. "Vote no on the Good Friday Agreement", they said. It made our country better. The violence has died down so much over the last 10 or 15 years, not to mention how much things have improved economy wise, tourism is way way up, so many new buildings and investments from abroad. The DUP still sometimes say "the Good Friday agreement changed nothing". The DUP are hypocrites. Always harping on about Sinn Fein/IRA not making enough concessions, but do they say a word about unionist parties still involved with loyalist terrorist organizations? No. Not even when the UDA say they will disband, but only when the government gives them 8.3 million pounds. Isn't that insane?? So yeah, I believe a united Ireland will make things better still. There would be no more point about arguing about British rule because we would be ruling ourselves - the way it should be anyway.
Things have changed. Not so much the political climate, but my own feelings. The parties will continue to bicker like they have done for years unless something changes. They will ONLY get down to REAL politics when there is a united Ireland. There will be no point to the DUP harping on and on about it, because it will be a reality. Plus, the IRA have given up their weapons. For a good lot of years now, they haven't committed any acts of violence, and I haven't seen much evidence they are continuing any criminal activity. The splinter groups still have guns and still try to do what they do. But asking the main body of the IRA to take guns away from guys that refuse to let go of the past is impossible. And these guys are such a minority it doesn't even matter.
Nothing Sinn Fein does is good enough for the DUP. I watch the news, I see what the DUP try to do. They're constantly trying to rile people up. First Ian Paisley said he will only sit down with Sinn Fein when the IRA gives up violence. That has happened. But that isn't good enough for Ian Paisley. People joke and say "does he want them to reassemble the weapons, then destroy them all again?". The thing about Ian Paisley is is that he's loved because he's completely unmoving. He will always, always say "no" no matter what. The man is a bigot and hates Catholics. I've seen the old footage.
Another reason I never voted before is because Sinn Fein always wins a place in my local community. But voting isn't just about locally, is it?
Out of the current parties we have, Sinn Fein is best. The DUP has been opposed to EVERYTHING in the late 20th Century and 21st Century that has made this country better. Including the Good Friday Agreement. "Vote no on the Good Friday Agreement", they said. It made our country better. The violence has died down so much over the last 10 or 15 years, not to mention how much things have improved economy wise, tourism is way way up, so many new buildings and investments from abroad. The DUP still sometimes say "the Good Friday agreement changed nothing". The DUP are hypocrites. Always harping on about Sinn Fein/IRA not making enough concessions, but do they say a word about unionist parties still involved with loyalist terrorist organizations? No. Not even when the UDA say they will disband, but only when the government gives them 8.3 million pounds. Isn't that insane?? So yeah, I believe a united Ireland will make things better still. There would be no more point about arguing about British rule because we would be ruling ourselves - the way it should be anyway.
