Anyone got opinions on this ?

" Lowering our flag is a shameful surrender to Ulster’s gangsters "



Under the 'Good Friday' agreement, flying the Union Flag is illegal in Northern Ireland on 348 days of the year
By PETER HITCHENS
PUBLISHED: 01:58, 9 December 2012 | UPDATED: 02:14, 9 December 2012

In a large part of this country, it is against the law to fly the Union Flag from government buildings for 348 days of the year. This has been so since the year 2000. As a special treat, it can be flown for the other 17 days. The rest of the time the flagpole stays bare.
The place where this law operates is Northern Ireland. I wonder how much longer we shall be able to fly our national flag in the rest of the United Kingdom, or even how much longer that flag will exist at all.
I think this is a shocking fact. I am one of the few British journalists who bothered to read the so-called ‘Good Friday’ Agreement under which this country capitulated to the gangsters of the Provisional IRA, under American pressure.

'No surrender': Protestors wave Union Flags in front of Belfast's City Hall earlier this week after the Union flag was removed from the building
I know that we released hundreds of grisly criminals, destroyed our security apparatus and withdrew the Army in return for various unsigned and unenforceable promises from Sinn Fein and the IRA.
But even I did not know that this was one of its effects. Our national flag, you see, might offend someone. That is also the excuse for its recent removal from Belfast City Hall, which has led to so much bitterness and turmoil in that city.
But the reality is this. You haul down your flag when you surrender. And it was a surrender. I was amused to see that Mrs Hillary Clinton, that nasty hard Leftist now aiming for the White House, had her vote-winning visit to Northern Ireland spoiled by the flag riots on Friday.


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VIEW FULL ARCHIVE
How can you have riots and peace? The great pretence, that giving in to organised crime brings peace, was for once exposed. Northern Ireland’s poor and weak have never been so subject to intimidation and gangsterism, and I wonder if I will live to see the (sadly inevitable) day when Irish troops are putting down Orange riots on the Protestant Shankill Road, probably caused by illegal displays of the old Union Flag. Peace, indeed.
The squalid history of this event is a warning we refuse to heed and which is barely known here.
I saw it happen, in Washington DC, astonished by the brusque and scornful treatment of my country by a nation I had foolishly seen as an ally.
I remember one very senior White House official letting slip to me that she thought of Britain as a sort of Serbia, just another place to intervene in, as Syria is now. I have laughed at the phrase ‘Special Relationship’ ever since.
I followed Sinn Fein’s Gerry Adams round the USA, as this coffin-faced apologist for violence and terror was feted and adulated by Americans who would have shrunk from him had he spoken for any other cause but the Irish one.
I annoyed him so much with my inconvenient questions that he publicly said I should be ‘decommissioned’ and – on the one occasion we were ever alone together – showed me his less diplomatic, less humorous side.
What was this about? Mrs Clinton’s husband Bill needed working-class Roman Catholic votes to win the White House, votes his party had lost by backing abortion.
So he discovered the Irish cause, about which he knew little and (I suspect) cared less. He also took a lot of Irish-American campaign money. In 1993, Irish America, which these days means some very big business, tired of waiting for results and demanded action.
And so he acted, and so we were forced to make a shameful peace with the IRA, and haul down our flag over part of our own territory.
By the time the whole thing’s finished, St Patrick’s Cross will have to come out of that flag, and the harp will depart from the Royal Standard.
I think that when countries suffer defeats, they should admit to them and grieve over them, not pretend they have won. That way lie more defeats and more humiliations.


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well if i classed myself as irish and not british id be offended by the union jack too flying in my country and fair plays they dont fly the irish flag up that pole do they? ..... lets face it how many times have we seen the union jack held by cardiff city supporters? ..... at a rough guess .... NEVER! .... tbh the union jacks days are numbered imo.

Its terrible how the system is slowly trying to destroy the sheer patriotism of the loyal ulster folk, their land has been attacked by fenians for years and they have never waivered, yet our treacherous politicians try and do it, quis seprabit! No surrender

well if i classed myself as irish and not british id be offended by the union jack too flying in my country and fair plays they dont fly the irish flag up that pole do they? ..... lets face it how many times have we seen the union jack held by cardiff city supporters? ..... at a rough guess .... NEVER! .... tbh the union jacks days are numbered imo.

what a load of rubbish, I did a tour of ulster back in 1987, met the people, saw the division and witnessed the british pride

well if i classed myself as irish and not british id be offended by the union jack too flying in my country and fair plays they dont fly the irish flag up that pole do they? ..... lets face it how many times have we seen the union jack held by cardiff city supporters? ..... at a rough guess .... NEVER! .... tbh the union jacks days are numbered imo.

what a load of rubbish, I did a tour of ulster back in 1987, met the people, saw the division and witnessed the british pride

ive been to belfast a few times .... the last time was in 2007 ..... ive felt more british in lapland! .... saying that the sports shops were full of rangers and celtic shirts so i could of been in glasgow! .... i wonder how the loyalists would feel if the irish flag was flown! ... infact i might take a union jack with me to the next home match .... should go down great that!

On Cardiff castle we fly lots of flags, including the george cross! And the union flag (which we are not even represented on) I think we should riot aswell. In all honesty though, its just an excuse for the teens, youths and a few washed up forgotten about paramilitaries over there to throw bricks and smash things up. If they really want to do something usefull for there country, they would spend there time looking for fuking work and paying some tax towards the economy, instead of spending there time smashing there own areas up. That goes for both sides.

On Cardiff castle we fly lots of flags, including the george cross! And the union flag (which we are not even represented on) I think we should riot aswell. In all honesty though, its just an excuse for the teens, youths and a few washed up forgotten about paramilitaries over there to throw bricks and smash things up. If they really want to do something usefull for there country, they would spend there time looking for fuking work and paying some tax towards the economy, instead of spending there time smashing there own areas up. That goes for both sides.

Well I thought this was exactly what the Clintons wanted and the only reason America got involved in the peace process in Northern Ireland. Bill lost the predominantly catholic Irish vote in America after his support of abortion, so to win them back he supported terrorists in Northern Ireland. This is the continuation of what happens when another country decides your politics for you. Not bad for a country that says it will never negotiate with terrorists. Try telling America they cant fly the star spangled banner because they may insult, Koreans, Vietnamese or Muslims. As it stands Northern Ireland is a British territory and the proud British have the right to be British and have their national flag flown 365 days a year.

Only flags at the end of the day.

The world would be a better place if we stopped labelling things and people and started just seeing people for who they are.

Im British, he's Portuguese, she's Norwegian, who cares? I don't. If they are nice people then we'll talk. If later I find out they are not as nice as I initially thought then conversation over. Its as simple as that.

Well I thought this was exactly what the Clintons wanted and the only reason America got involved in the peace process in Northern Ireland. Bill lost the predominantly catholic Irish vote in America after his support of abortion, so to win them back he supported terrorists in Northern Ireland. This is the continuation of what happens when another country decides your politics for you. Not bad for a country that says it will never negotiate with terrorists. Try telling America they cant fly the star spangled banner because they may insult, Koreans, Vietnamese or Muslims. As it stands Northern Ireland is a British territory and the proud British have the right to be British and have their national flag flown 365 days a year.

but aint half the population in northern ireland nationalists .... so maybe there should be 2 poles .... one for the union jack to keep the unionists happy and an irish flag to keep the nationalists happy ..... tbh i think they should just burn the two fecking flags and be done with it all .......... that country [both sides] is a joke!

Well I thought this was exactly what the Clintons wanted and the only reason America got involved in the peace process in Northern Ireland. Bill lost the predominantly catholic Irish vote in America after his support of abortion, so to win them back he supported terrorists in Northern Ireland. This is the continuation of what happens when another country decides your politics for you. Not bad for a country that says it will never negotiate with terrorists. Try telling America they cant fly the star spangled banner because they may insult, Koreans, Vietnamese or Muslims. As it stands Northern Ireland is a British territory and the proud British have the right to be British and have their national flag flown 365 days a year.

but aint half the population in northern ireland nationalists .... so maybe there should be 2 poles .... one for the union jack to keep the unionists happy and an irish flag to keep the nationalists happy ..... tbh i think they should just burn the two fecking flags and be done with it all .......... that country [both sides] is a joke!

Sums you up really piss off two lots of people instead of one, interesting tactic

Have a referendum simple let the people decide. There is enough support from both sides politically to support both arguments.
At the moment Northern Ireland is a British territory, so you fly the British Flag, you can also fly the flag o the territory, namely the flag of Northern Ireland. What you dont do is not to raise your own flag and then offer to fly another one in its place or along side it. If anything it gives more support to the terrorists.
Now if Northern Ireland becomes independent through a referendum or joins Ireland they can fly whatever flag they want.

am I missing something here???

When has Ulster been ruled or governed by the Irish Republic?
I don't understand why on Earth would you have the Irish tricolour on show then? It maybe what the some sections of the Catholic population want (I say "some" as personally know many Catholics over there who would rather stay as is under British sovereignty than be lead by the "Financial McBollocks Party" within the Republic).

If the "British" Union Jack offends anyone, then simply use Ulster's own flag (the Red hand).

Feck me it aint difficult.

Well I thought this was exactly what the Clintons wanted and the only reason America got involved in the peace process in Northern Ireland. Bill lost the predominantly catholic Irish vote in America after his support of abortion, so to win them back he supported terrorists in Northern Ireland. This is the continuation of what happens when another country decides your politics for you. Not bad for a country that says it will never negotiate with terrorists. Try telling America they cant fly the star spangled banner because they may insult, Koreans, Vietnamese or Muslims. As it stands Northern Ireland is a British territory and the proud British have the right to be British and have their national flag flown 365 days a year.

but aint half the population in northern ireland nationalists .... so maybe there should be 2 poles .... one for the union jack to keep the unionists happy and an irish flag to keep the nationalists happy ..... tbh i think they should just burn the two fecking flags and be done with it all .......... that country [both sides] is a joke!

Sums you up really piss off two lots of people instead of one, interesting tactic

Have a referendum simple let the people decide. There is enough support from both sides politically to support both arguments.
At the moment Northern Ireland is a British territory, so you fly the British Flag, you can also fly the flag o the territory, namely the flag of Northern Ireland. What you dont do is not to raise your own flag and then offer to fly another one in its place or along side it. If anything it gives more support to the terrorists.
Now if Northern Ireland becomes independent through a referendum or joins Ireland they can fly whatever flag they want.

while n.i is still british then fly the union flag.if a vote went the nationalists way then as it,s not british anymore another flag would be needed.the republic,s?they might not want the extra land and people.it will not be in jerry and the peacemakers time that we see a united ireland.the republic is skint and tied to the euro.rich catholics have in the north voted to stay in the union.i,d say some of the less well heeled will do the same now they have parity in jobs and homes

Well I thought this was exactly what the Clintons wanted and the only reason America got involved in the peace process in Northern Ireland. Bill lost the predominantly catholic Irish vote in America after his support of abortion, so to win them back he supported terrorists in Northern Ireland. This is the continuation of what happens when another country decides your politics for you. Not bad for a country that says it will never negotiate with terrorists. Try telling America they cant fly the star spangled banner because they may insult, Koreans, Vietnamese or Muslims. As it stands Northern Ireland is a British territory and the proud British have the right to be British and have their national flag flown 365 days a year.

but aint half the population in northern ireland nationalists .... so maybe there should be 2 poles .... one for the union jack to keep the unionists happy and an irish flag to keep the nationalists happy ..... tbh i think they should just burn the two fecking flags and be done with it all .......... that country [both sides] is a joke!

Sums you up really piss off two lots of people instead of one, interesting tactic

Have a referendum simple let the people decide. There is enough support from both sides politically to support both arguments.
At the moment Northern Ireland is a British territory, so you fly the British Flag, you can also fly the flag o the territory, namely the flag of Northern Ireland. What you dont do is not to raise your own flag and then offer to fly another one in its place or along side it. If anything it gives more support to the terrorists.
Now if Northern Ireland becomes independent through a referendum or joins Ireland they can fly whatever flag they want.

but half the people there dont want to be british ..... yes its under british rule but they didnt choose that ... henry V111 conquered the place in the 16th century .... anyway the nationalists are in stormont, and that pretty much sums things up!

Well I thought this was exactly what the Clintons wanted and the only reason America got involved in the peace process in Northern Ireland. Bill lost the predominantly catholic Irish vote in America after his support of abortion, so to win them back he supported terrorists in Northern Ireland. This is the continuation of what happens when another country decides your politics for you. Not bad for a country that says it will never negotiate with terrorists. Try telling America they cant fly the star spangled banner because they may insult, Koreans, Vietnamese or Muslims. As it stands Northern Ireland is a British territory and the proud British have the right to be British and have their national flag flown 365 days a year.

but aint half the population in northern ireland nationalists .... so maybe there should be 2 poles .... one for the union jack to keep the unionists happy and an irish flag to keep the nationalists happy ..... tbh i think they should just burn the two fecking flags and be done with it all .......... that country [both sides] is a joke!

Sums you up really piss off two lots of people instead of one, interesting tactic

Have a referendum simple let the people decide. There is enough support from both sides politically to support both arguments.
At the moment Northern Ireland is a British territory, so you fly the British Flag, you can also fly the flag o the territory, namely the flag of Northern Ireland. What you dont do is not to raise your own flag and then offer to fly another one in its place or along side it. If anything it gives more support to the terrorists.
Now if Northern Ireland becomes independent through a referendum or joins Ireland they can fly whatever flag they want.

but half the people there dont want to be british ..... yes its under british rule but they didnt choose that ... henry V111 conquered the place in the 16th century .... anyway the nationalists are in stormont, and that pretty much sums things up!

Honestly you are thick arent you.
Wouldnt a referendum sort that out surely and vote on whether you want to be British or Irish or Independent, stick an option to be American for all I care.

You can bang on about king henry all you want I dont think many people living in northern Ireland remember that particular conflict first hand. Historical arguments dont work, never have done never will do.
Scotland was conquered by England and funnily enough they are going to have one of those magical referendums on whether they want to be British or not, but until they decide Scotland is still British, it will still fly the Union Flag. Dont see the difference between Scotland and Northern Ireland, though the IRA still has its biggest Allie in its corner the United States of America.

" Lowering our flag is a shameful surrender to Ulster’s gangsters "



Under the 'Good Friday' agreement, flying the Union Flag is illegal in Northern Ireland on 348 days of the year
By PETER HITCHENS
PUBLISHED: 01:58, 9 December 2012 | UPDATED: 02:14, 9 December 2012

In a large part of this country, it is against the law to fly the Union Flag from government buildings for 348 days of the year. This has been so since the year 2000. As a special treat, it can be flown for the other 17 days. The rest of the time the flagpole stays bare.
The place where this law operates is Northern Ireland. I wonder how much longer we shall be able to fly our national flag in the rest of the United Kingdom, or even how much longer that flag will exist at all.
I think this is a shocking fact. I am one of the few British journalists who bothered to read the so-called ‘Good Friday’ Agreement under which this country capitulated to the gangsters of the Provisional IRA, under American pressure.

'No surrender': Protestors wave Union Flags in front of Belfast's City Hall earlier this week after the Union flag was removed from the building
I know that we released hundreds of grisly criminals, destroyed our security apparatus and withdrew the Army in return for various unsigned and unenforceable promises from Sinn Fein and the IRA.
But even I did not know that this was one of its effects. Our national flag, you see, might offend someone. That is also the excuse for its recent removal from Belfast City Hall, which has led to so much bitterness and turmoil in that city.
But the reality is this. You haul down your flag when you surrender. And it was a surrender. I was amused to see that Mrs Hillary Clinton, that nasty hard Leftist now aiming for the White House, had her vote-winning visit to Northern Ireland spoiled by the flag riots on Friday.


More from Peter Hitchens...
The good ship 'Tory Party' is finished - please keep calm and head for the lifeboats01/12/12
PETER HITCHENS: If the zealots truly cared about equality, they'd fight for female dustmen24/11/12
Dragging us into a futile war is a job for the political blowhards, General - not YOU 18/11/12
Crime ISN'T falling, it's just that we've given up trying to combat it10/11/12
Today, children, we're teaching underage sex and debauchery03/11/12
Enter a church and you should hear echoes of eternity - not the Sugababes28/10/12
Out of Europe? No, Dave's just leading us up the garden path20/10/12
Savile's secret is finally out. But what about all the other lies?13/10/12
VIEW FULL ARCHIVE
How can you have riots and peace? The great pretence, that giving in to organised crime brings peace, was for once exposed. Northern Ireland’s poor and weak have never been so subject to intimidation and gangsterism, and I wonder if I will live to see the (sadly inevitable) day when Irish troops are putting down Orange riots on the Protestant Shankill Road, probably caused by illegal displays of the old Union Flag. Peace, indeed.
The squalid history of this event is a warning we refuse to heed and which is barely known here.
I saw it happen, in Washington DC, astonished by the brusque and scornful treatment of my country by a nation I had foolishly seen as an ally.
I remember one very senior White House official letting slip to me that she thought of Britain as a sort of Serbia, just another place to intervene in, as Syria is now. I have laughed at the phrase ‘Special Relationship’ ever since.
I followed Sinn Fein’s Gerry Adams round the USA, as this coffin-faced apologist for violence and terror was feted and adulated by Americans who would have shrunk from him had he spoken for any other cause but the Irish one.
I annoyed him so much with my inconvenient questions that he publicly said I should be ‘decommissioned’ and – on the one occasion we were ever alone together – showed me his less diplomatic, less humorous side.
What was this about? Mrs Clinton’s husband Bill needed working-class Roman Catholic votes to win the White House, votes his party had lost by backing abortion.
So he discovered the Irish cause, about which he knew little and (I suspect) cared less. He also took a lot of Irish-American campaign money. In 1993, Irish America, which these days means some very big business, tired of waiting for results and demanded action.
And so he acted, and so we were forced to make a shameful peace with the IRA, and haul down our flag over part of our own territory.
By the time the whole thing’s finished, St Patrick’s Cross will have to come out of that flag, and the harp will depart from the Royal Standard.
I think that when countries suffer defeats, they should admit to them and grieve over them, not pretend they have won. That way lie more defeats and more humiliations.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/artic ... z2EZXJBokx
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You support the palestinian cause but think it's right to deny the irish?
I think your full of sh it