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       #Post#: 325--------------------------------------------------
       Tory-DUP deal: Why are the Northern Irish unionists so
       controversial?
   DIR By: andra
       Date: June 27, 2017, 9:12 am
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  HTML http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tory-dup-deal-latest-news-northern-ireland-unionists-hung-parliament-minority-abortion-gay-rights-a7808151.html
       Tory-DUP deal: Why are the Northern Irish unionists so
       controversial?
       "Theresa May has secured a deal with the Democratic Unionist
       Party (DUP) after shock election losses saw the Conservatives
       fail to win a Commons majority.
       The deal comes after weeks of negotiations and will secure the
       DUP's backing on confidence and supply votes, preventing the
       weakened Conservatives from being brought down by motions of no
       confidence.
       However the agreement has sparked a furious backlash over the
       DUP’s record on issues including LGBTQ+ rights and abortion, and
       how the arrangement could jeopardise Northern Ireland's peace
       process.
       Here are some of the most controversial positions held by the
       party:".
       Read rest of article ai link.
       #Post#: 326--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Tory-DUP deal: Why are the Northern Irish unionists so
       controversial?
   DIR By: Rustie
       Date: June 27, 2017, 11:12 am
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       It's a religious thing, Andra, the reason they oppose gay
       rights, gay marriage and abortion is because of religion. This
       is the reason I am not religious.
       #Post#: 973--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Tory-DUP deal: Why are the Northern Irish unionists so
       controversial?
   DIR By: mikemarshall
       Date: October 7, 2017, 4:22 pm
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       That is rather a simplistic analysis of the DUP's political
       position.
       My wife is better qualified to speak about Northern Irish
       politics than I am since her father is from Ulster.
       Perhaps I should ask her to join this forum.
       But I warn people in advance that she would vote DUP if she
       lived in Northern Ireland even though she disagrees with them on
       gay marriage and several other issues.
       #Post#: 989--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Tory-DUP deal: Why are the Northern Irish unionists so
       controversial?
   DIR By: andra
       Date: October 8, 2017, 6:46 am
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       Yes...I live in the US.
       But everything I have read about the DUP disgusts me.
       I think it would be great if your wife joins this forum.
       I have found that people are usually married to people of app.
       equal intelligence.
       If that holds she would be a great asset to this forum.
       #Post#: 991--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Tory-DUP deal: Why are the Northern Irish unionists so
       controversial?
   DIR By: mikemarshall
       Date: October 8, 2017, 6:49 pm
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       I will ask her to join.
       Her attitude to the DUP would be (broadly - she can explain it
       much better than me) that they represent the majority of the
       people of Northern Ireland and that their principal goal is to
       maintain the union between Ulster and the United Kingdom.
       They spent many years dealing with IRA terrorism - an activity
       that Ronald Reagan funded as he did many other terrorist groups
       including the Taliban whom he compared with the Founding
       Fathers! - and so after thirty years of intensive sectarian
       murder by the IRA - including extensive bombing campaigns -
       bitterness is understandable.
       For what it is worth Sinn Fein and the now almost extinct SDLP
       take the same position on abortion and gay rights as the DUP and
       the political philosophy of Sinn Fein is essentially fascist.
       The Provos official political programme was (when it first came
       out - it has since been updated to give it a more pseudo-Marxist
       slant though the racism remains in a less overt way) consciously
       modelled on the Greek colonel's military dictatorship.
       I realise that many people have a view of Irish history that is
       often based on lies and propaganda rather than sober fact. One
       of the most blatant examples of this is the mythical massacre of
       Drogheda when Cromwell invaded.
       Not only did Cromwell invade Ireland because the Catholics were
       engaged in wholesale massacre of the Protestants - including
       promising them their lives if they converted and then killing
       them anyways - but if you read the minutes of the Drogheda town
       council it is quite clear that NO massacre by Cromwell's troops
       took place.
       In the first place, under the rules of law at that time, even if
       it HAD it would have been lawful as the besieged garrison had
       refused to surrender.
       Secondly, the soldiers garrisoning Drogheda were ENGLISH and
       overwhelmingly Protestant. They were Royalist soldiers.
       Thirdly, and most tellingly of all, for quite some time -
       including the day BEFORE the town was captured - the town
       council kept meeting and complaining about 'the deplorable state
       of the street lighting.' On the day of its capture the minutes
       are silent. The very NEXT day - the day FOLLOWING the mythical
       massacre - the town council - supposedly murdered in cold blood
       - met again to - guess what? Yes, that's right; to complain
       about 'the deplorable state of the street lighting.'
       But sadly Sinn Fein lives on lies and propaganda.
       Recently even Irish historians have begun to try and present a
       more rounded view of Irish history.
       The result, predictably, has been that they have been vilified
       and even threatened.
       So if my wife - whose father was forced out of his own city of
       Londonderry by IRA violence - is a supporter of the DUP rather
       than of Sinn Fein it's not simply because she is a Protestant.
       It has far more to do with the repulsive fascism of Sinn Fein.
       #Post#: 1006--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Tory-DUP deal: Why are the Northern Irish unionists so
       controversial?
   DIR By: andra
       Date: October 10, 2017, 3:22 am
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       The history of the Sinn Fein is fascinating.
       I used to live in Boston and now live in a suburb of Boston.
       So the Sinn Fein certainly has its supporters here...still...and
       has for a very long time.
       On another topic...I just want to say I for one am very glad you
       are posting more on this forum.
       You add so very much. Thank you.
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