12 December, 2007

Martin Macguiness

It’s very strange to see Ian Paisley and Martin McGuiness to-gether, smiling. Very strange. Saw the RTE news on public TV that shows the 10m of Irish news every Wednesday @ 1830h. They are leading figures in the Northern Ireland government who were bitter enemies for decades.
Tell you the truth, although he was such a hated figure for so long, I don’t mind seeing Paisley’s face. I’m all about peace and reconciliation. If Sein Fein can make peace with the unionists, that’s all rite with me.

I have cousins who live in the North. I may have written about this before, but when I visit (not since 2000) its so strange to see the army deployed on the streets. Patroling the streets, guns @ the ready, eyes up, in a straggling line- just like Bagdad!! However, they did pose for pictures- I took a few “hidden shots” before I realized they didn’t care about some Yank w/ a camera. And then there were the helicopters, two @ a time. One would be in the air to cover the landing one. Fucking Vietnam, some of the times with a few flites of them flinging over skies.

And then there was the Manchester attitude. Got cousins in Manchester- same side, same relation. Manchester had been bombed in the 90’s something fierce. Man U. cousin had an overwhelmingly negative view of the IRA.

All three of us like Manchester United, however. On that we can agree.

2 comments:

Dread Pirate Jessica said...

France and Italy, the cops are always walking around with machine guns. In Italy it was extra weird until a few years ago because they were conscripted kids. In Switzerland, most men have automatic weaponry in their homes for most of their adult lives due to military arrangements.

Hilts said...

The Republic of Ireland also deploys its troops when banks are shifting their money. We have the armoured truxx, but once passing on the bus through some 1000 strong village and there are the troops @ the ready. Shocking site first seen.