Just a little geography lesson for you yanks.

http://www.lastminute-hotel.co.uk/images/uk_map.gif

The big island is called Britain.
The small island is called Ireland.
The big island plus the top part of the small island is called The United Kingdom.

england has no government. england is not a separate political entity. england did not liberate any colonies. england did not win the battle of britain. england ceased to exist as an independent political entity in 1707.

No topic of discussion raised.
Thread closed.
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h52/The_Devil_Inside_666/threadclosed.gif

You are free to say stuff like:

"Gee mom isnt Scotchland part of engerland?"

I call it Great Britain. England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland are provinces.

what is the point of this thread?

I think the thread starter is annoyed at US ignorance of simple geography. The use of "England" to refer to Britain/UK.

it is about as accurate as calling americans "yanks" or "yankees"...thats like me calling an irishman "welsh".

in short, he has no right to be upset about this until his own ignorant behaviors are remedied. once that happens, fire away!

Just a little geography lesson for you yanks.

http://www.lastminute-hotel.co.uk/images/uk_map.gif

The big island is called Britain.
The small island is called Ireland.
The big island plus the top part of the small island is called The United Kingdom.

england has no government. england is not a separate political entity. england did not liberate any colonies. england did not win the battle of britain. england ceased to exist as an independent political entity in 1707.
And London isnt a Disneyland ride either ;)

I think the thread starter is annoyed at US ignorance of simple geography. The use of "England" to refer to Britain/UK.

Got it in one.

I always wanted to travel to England ever since watching Highlander. Never understood why the English wore those skirts though. Or why they're so hot for Lucky Charms...

(Seriously though. Fish for breakfast?! Freaking weirdos.)

Ha ha you lost in Vietnam.

How many Europeans can name all 50 states in the USA?

For that matter do they know that all states, to an extent, are governed independently of one another?

Yeah. But only because we screwed the French over by pulling out of Korea with their asses still hanging out in French Indochina. Guess you could call it karma.

How many Europeans can name all 50 US states?

Oh come on now. You're getting a bit carried away now. This would be like asking peole to name all the... districts or whatever (burrough?) in England.

I think that the nail's already been hit on the head by saying that all Americans aren't Yankees.


Edit: Question: Was my use of 'England' above incorrect? Should I have said UK or Great Britain?

I could probably name all of them if you gave me a few minutes, but I look at a lot of maps and play a lot of strategy games that involve maps of the real world....

I can probably point to most of them too.

I know all the important states... :)

I know all the important states... :)
Only the BlueStates are important.

How many Europeans can name all 50 US states?

Oh come on now. You're getting a bit carried away now. This would be like asking peole to name all the... districts or whatever (burrough?) in England.

No it wouldn't be. Having us ask you to know our districts/counties would be akin to asking that of those in England.

Indy mentioned Europeans naming them, not the English. The U.S. has more states than the EU has countries. Heck, our states are also bigger than many of your countries as well. Our states and capitals are like your whole countries and capitals. So if you (in the general sense) wanna complain about the lack of geographical knowledge of Europe, the same applies to yours of the United States. Don't gimme the copout of "you're just one country, all we need to know is Washington D.C.".

- N

First.
I'm American.

Second.
The thread is about knowledge of the difference between England, Wales, Scotland, and North Ireland.
That's four. Count 'em. Four locales.

Are you still going to say that's comparable to knowledge of the 50 states?
Really?

I said that the nail's been hit on the head with the 'Yank' statement?
Why?
Because it effectively partitions the US into several large and distinct regions (even if somewhat unofficial.)

The North (east, that is. Yankees.)
The South (east, that is. The ... southerners.)
The Midwest. (Heartland and breadbasket.)
The southwest. (Orale(sp?), vatos. Wassapening?)
The Pacific Northwest. (Does it ever stop raining here long enough to commit suicide on a sunny day?)

That's five. Count 'em. Five locales to keep track of.

More comparable than 4 to 50.

The thread is about knowledge of the difference between England, Wales, Scotland, and North Ireland.
That's four. Count 'em. Four locales.

Are you still going to say that's comparable to knowledge of the 50 states?
Really?

As I said, the poster said "Europeans", not "people in the UK", even if that's what the topic is about.

Heh, I do enjoy your side comments to the U.S. regions tho. :D

- N

Americans from the former Confederate states do not like to be called Yanks. And we don't like it when other people call them Yanks.

The rest of us don't mind being called Yanks. It doesn't matter which part of the country we're from, when it comes to the Civil War we were all on the same side. You don't have to divide the USA into five parts, just two. The South, which is really the southeast, and everybody else.

If you call a Southerner a Yank he will punch you in the face. If you do it in front of a real Yankee they will both punch you in the face and then start punching each other.

If you don't want to call us all Americans then just call us all gringos. That will get you in less trouble.

Orale is the correct spelling, mi hijita, because in traditional spelling you don't put the accent over a capital letter. If it's in the middle of a sentence it's órale.

yankee = US person not from "the south"
yank = derogatory British term for americans

he just wanted to poke americans a little.

whatever. it's "cool" to dislike americans and call them stupid over here in europe. so i guess the thread starter is reallllly cool, eh?

i guess i should start calling you a "limey", or "dirt farmer"?
come on, grow up.

Just a little geography lesson for you yanks.

http://www.lastminute-hotel.co.uk/images/uk_map.gif

The big island is called Britain.
The small island is called Ireland.
The big island plus the top part of the small island is called The United Kingdom.

england has no government. england is not a separate political entity. england did not liberate any colonies. england did not win the battle of britain. england ceased to exist as an independent political entity in 1707.
Yes but England is still better than scottland, whales and Ireland(northern and rep) at football!
England is superior!

england has 50 million people to pick a team from.

Scotland and the rest have < 6 million.

Football is just a bunch of posers with shaved legs anyway.

Yeah well atleast we dont have to wear full body protection 'septic'!

....or stop every twenty seconds for a group hug!

it seems the foreigners have turned on eachother.....fellow americans, NOW is the time to strike!!!!

LOL Come on we all know homoeroticism is the real reason for wearing those shoulder pads and crash helmets? ;)

american football players do 2 things. smash eachother up, and diddle eachother in the offseason.

that is, when they arent being arrested for a rainbow of drug offenses.

Soccer is for broke ass fools who cant afford anything more than a ball :D .

So have any of our Brit friends actually played American Football??

We have played with some Brit guys who are here for college. They can run and run and run and run (like damn rabbits)... but they cant catch a ball to save their lives LOL. Years of soccer esq 'not using your hands' does wonders for hand -eye cordination :D

You are free to say stuff like:

"Gee mom isnt Scotchland part of engerland?"

Groundskeeper Willy: It won't last. Brothers and sisters are natural enemies. Like Englishmen and Scots. Or Welshmen and Scots. Or Japanese and Scots. Or Scots and other Scots. Damn Scots, they ruined Scotland!
Principal Skinner: You Scots sure are a contentious people.
Groundskeeper Willy: You just made an enemy for life!

... (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Simpsons)

Soccer is for broke ass fools who cant afford anything more than a ball :D .

So have any of our Brit friends actually played American Football??

We have played with some Brit guys who are here for college. They can run and run and run and run (like damn rabbits)... but they cant catch a ball to save their lives LOL. Years of soccer esq 'not using your hands' does wonders for hand -eye cordination :D

Every heard of rugby?

american football is the pussy version of it.

Soccer is for broke ass fools who cant afford anything more than a ball :D .

So have any of our Brit friends actually played American Football??

We have played with some Brit guys who are here for college. They can run and run and run and run (like damn rabbits)... but they cant catch a ball to save their lives LOL. Years of soccer esq 'not using your hands' does wonders for hand -eye cordination :D
one of my favorite funny memories of living here in belgium is trying to show 2 guys here how to throw a rock across a river. one of them actually made it, but only by making a giant rainbow arc with the rock....it was about 20 yards across.

i laughed so hard that i almost fell out of my skin.

on the other hand, i cant bounce a soccerball on my foot more than twice in a row.

touche, the world outside of america!!

the English are racially different (originated from different tribes)
they have won the tribal wars and made the other tribes (Wales, Scotcherland, etc.) be England's bitch
[this is very crudely put...]

and then, for PC purposes, they gave it a nice big name to include everyone in the mix... just to be inclusive

some Englishmen are upset at this PC concept. they often say "i'm an Englishman, not a Britton" ...

structurally, maybe there is no such thing as England... but otherwise, there is. even the map shows this

Crudely and wrongly put.

How many Europeans can name all 50 states in the USA?I cannot, nor can any other European, nor any American for that matter. This is because there are not fifty states in the US. There are only forty six.
I do not post errors: I post opinions, thinly veiled insults, and facts. The above paragraph presents a fact.
Does anyone wish to try for a thinly veiled insult by challenging my statement?

Every heard of rugby?

american football is the pussy version of it.
Rugby League

Rugby is a cool sport and rugby players make great running backs and kickers. Not so good quarterbacks and recievers (that whole pass and catch thing again....).

Americans from the former Confederate states do not like to be called Yanks. And we don't like it when other people call them Yanks.

The rest of us don't mind being called Yanks. It doesn't matter which part of the country we're from, when it comes to the Civil War we were all on the same side. You don't have to divide the USA into five parts, just two. The South, which is really the southeast, and everybody else.

If you call a Southerner a Yank he will punch you in the face. If you do it in front of a real Yankee they will both punch you in the face and then start punching each other.

If you don't want to call us all Americans then just call us all gringos. That will get you in less trouble.



Yeah I don't think most Americans really like being called a Yank unless if they are a Yank, of course. Everyone can't know everything about another country. I don't expect them too and I don't think the Southerners should get mad at someone who calls them a Yank because the person wasn't told who's a Yank and who isn't.

Soccer is for broke ass fools who cant afford anything more than a ball :D .

So have any of our Brit friends actually played American Football??

We have played with some Brit guys who are here for college. They can run and run and run and run (like damn rabbits)... but they cant catch a ball to save their lives LOL. Years of soccer esq 'not using your hands' does wonders for hand -eye cordination :D
Yeah you yankers are really good at using your hands aren't you. ;)

I'm still confused so I looked it up.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yankee#Contemporary_uses

Within the United States, the term Yankee can have a number of different contextually and geographically dependent meanings.

...

A humorous aphorism attributed to E.B. White summarizes these distinctions:

To foreigners, a Yankee is an American.
To Americans, a Yankee is a Northerner.
To Easterners, a Yankee is a New Englander.
To New Englanders, a Yankee is a Vermonter.
And in Vermont, a Yankee is somebody who eats pie for breakfast.
What about Seppo (as in 'septic tank')? Can we call you that?

yankee = US person not from "the south"
yank = derogatory British term for americansNo. Yank is an Americanism. It's been short for Yankee since the Civil War. "Johnny Reb and Billie Yank." You guys can use the word any way you want, but if we don't understand it the way you mean it, it's not very effective. Southerners already consider Yank to be an insult because of its original meaning, so misusing it isn't effective with them. We don't consider it to be an insult at all, so misusing it isn't effective with us either.

Now on to your misuse of the word Briton. You guys aren't Britons, you're Norman-Saxon hybrids. The Anglo-Saxons killed off the Celtic Britons, except for the ones who took refuge in Brittany and a few smaller enclaves. Then you not only stole their land but their name too. :)

Not me....I am a McSomething.

As far as I had read the picts were still here in Scotland when the Scots came over.

As far as I had read the picts were still here in Scotland when the Scots came over.
ah yes...those short, hairy fellows.

Now on to your misuse of the word Briton. You guys aren't Britons, you're Norman-Saxon hybrids. The Anglo-Saxons killed off the Celtic Britons, except for the ones who took refuge in Brittany and a few smaller enclaves. Then you not only stole their land but their name too. :)
How dare you besmirch our good name with your learning and historical perspective!

Genetic analysis reveals that the Anglo-Saxon invasion was primarily an invasion of the ruling class and a lifestyle, not of a people. The original Britons are still alive and well and living in Milton Keynes.

Another thing that many americans need to know

Australia is neither on the East nor West coast of America, it is along way away

invert nexus/ you seem to be pulling the british down, first, it is called a kilt/ and the people who wear them are very proud. second the welsh/ another proud people, miners/ farmers/ singers. the irish people very very kind/ generous/thoughtful/ in most of irland very peacfull. and the british themselves, well we are the kind of people who would not turn our backs on anyone, O and we dont shoot at our own army personel either.

No part of Ireland is part of Britain.

me, my mum and my sister sat down together and tried to name all 50 states (we are british) and we only forgot missouri

Can anyone name the 4 islands of Japan? with out having watched university challenge the other night when it came up as a question.

Can anyone name the 4 islands of Japan? with out having watched university challenge the other night when it came up as a question.
I think I know 3: Honshu, Kyushu and Hokkaido. Not sure of the 4th.

G F Schleebenhorst/ if no part of ireland is part of britain, then why the hell did i fight over there to protect it,and see friends lose there lives.

because northern ireland is part of the united kingdom not britain

Apparently you didn't even know where you were.

Apparently you didn't even know where you were.
ouch :D

Just a little geography lesson for you yanks.
The big island is called Britain.
No. No, no. No!

The big island is called Great Britain. It s the largest island of the archipelago known by various names, including (to the annoyance of many) The British Isles.

The big island plus the top part of the small island is called The United Kingdom.
No, I'm afraid not. Try The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Goodness me, if you want to be a pedant, you'd better make sure you get your facts straight!


Now, let's see what some British authorities say about those contentious words "Britain" and "British", shall we?

Number 10 Downing St (http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page39.asp)
Welcome to the official website of 10 Downing Street, the historic home and office of Tony Blair, the British Prime Minister.

The BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4713676.stm)
The government has set an "ultimate goal" for Britain to finish fourth in the medals league in the London 2012 Olympic Games, Conservatives say.
...
At the last summer Olympics in Athens in 2004, Britain came 10th in the medals table, winning 30 overall.

And finally, that grand English standard of correct use of the language, The Oxford English Dictionary (http://dictionary.oed.com.ezproxy.usq.edu.au/cgi/entry/50027713?query_type=word&queryword=Britain&first=1&max_to_show=10&sort_type=alpha&result_place=1&search_id=rJR2-GBlN97-2563&hilite=50027713)
Britain n
1. a. The proper name of the whole island containing England, Wales, and Scotland, with their dependencies; more fully called Great Britain; now also used for the British state or empire as a whole.


Ocker Pete.

No, I'm afraid not. Try The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Goodness me, if you want to be a pedant, you'd better make sure you get your facts straight!



Remember, I am addressing yanks here. Got to keep things nice and simple because of those 30 second attention spans they have.

I smell something... it's an unappetising odour with a hint of minty hypocrisy and the pungent fruitiness of double standards.

Scotland Rules!!!,..the map of Scotland is bigger than England...

G F Schleebenhorst/ so i make one mistake and you make a mountain out of a mole hill, and i knew where i was when the C.O said take cover.

Scotland Rules!!!,..the map of Scotland is bigger than England...

No Wales and England rule, because....err....I'm half Welsh and half English!

I like it when Welsh people say "Brian".

I like it when Welsh people say "Brian".

I like it when Welsh people speak Welsh!

Remember, I am addressing yanks here. Got to keep things nice and simple because of those 30 second attention spans they have.
do we have to have this conversation again?

i guess it is back to "frenchie" for you. :)

do we have to have this conversation again?

i guess it is back to "frenchie" for you. :)
Dumb northern-hemisphere-ers!!!111!! :D

Your auntie was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries!

How many Europeans can name all 50 states in the USA?

Who cares???

For that matter do they know that all states, to an extent, are governed independently of one another?

Yes - its common knowledge.

And well done G. F. Schleebenhorst - It's about time this intelligent forum was educated to how the UK and Britain are different, nice one!

I cannot, nor can any other European, nor any American for that matter. This is because there are not fifty states in the US. There are only forty six.
I do not post errors: I post opinions, thinly veiled insults, and facts. The above paragraph presents a fact.
Does anyone wish to try for a thinly veiled insult by challenging my statement?

What is there to challenge? And where on earth do you get your facts???

Here are the fifty states (Not 46 as you mention)

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Scotland Rules!!!,..the map of Scotland is bigger than England...

Sorry - But you're wrong Vega.

Scotland = 78,789 sq km

England = 130,423 sq km

Not to mention 12 times the population.

Here are the fifty states (Not 46 as you mention)The last time we had 46 states was in 1912, before New Mexico became #47. Arizona was #48, Alaska #49, Hawaii #50.

This guy must have gone to school in America. :)

Alaska and Hawaii are a bit stupid....they're not even joined by land.

Alaska and Hawaii are a bit stupid....they're not even joined by land.
Nor is Northern Ireland to Britain.

That's true, but I didn't say I think that should be part of the UK, did I? ;)

edit: I think it should actually, because it's the Scot's homeland, and Scotland is part of Britain, so there we go.

That's true, but I didn't say I think that should be part of the UK, did I? ;)
Oy! I'm for a united socialist Ireland myself. I assumed you were an Ian Paisley/Orange Order type. I was wrong!

And Tasmania is not joined to Australia. So what?

Every heard of rugby?

american football is the pussy version of it.
Yea that's true. I've played almost every sport in my life. I've played Rugby twice....it's the best, like team fighting.

Deleted

I'm for a united socialist Ireland myself. I assumed you were an Ian Paisley/Orange Order type. I was wrong!
Are you Irish Genji? "No, but my great-great-great-etc grandfather was". There's quite a tradition of romanticising Ireland in the USA isn't there? Hence all the donations to the IRA. You'll probably find that most normal Irish people (ie those who aren't slavering lunatics) just want peace, and are happy to have it at long, long last. I'm not Irish (although, interestingly, my grandfather was :) ) but I do live pretty close by and, I have to say, I'm very happy about the peace thing too. You?

And Tasmania is not joined to Australia. So what?

Neither was the US to the UK. Are you saying the US should be part of the UK?

What is there to challenge? And where on earth do you get your facts???
Here are the fifty states (Not 46 as you mention)

What is there to challenge? The accuracy of the commonly held misconception as to the number of states in the Union.
Where do I get my facts? From a proper education.

Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Massachusetts and Virginia are not states, but Commonwealths. Take those four away and you have forty six.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_(United_States)

What is there to challenge? The accuracy of the commonly held misconception as to the number of states in the Union.
Where do I get my facts? From a proper education.

Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Massachusetts and Virginia are not states, but Commonwealths. Take those four away and you have forty six.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_(United_States)

You really believe that the USA has only 46 states

Someone take that shovel off Ophiolite before he digs a bigger hole for himself...LOL :D

Would Ophiolite like to argue with the CIA?????

Taken from the CIA worldfacts website:- https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/us.html

50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Ophi - you're a scream..........ROFLMAO!!!! :D :D

Oh, and in answer to your above claim that there are only 48 states is - how can a state claim to be a commonwealth when it is a state to begin with?

It is already a state, and recognised as a state as one of the fifty stars on the flag of the USA - dont tell me the flag is wrong too???

Are you Irish Genji? "No, but my great-great-great-etc grandfather was". There's quite a tradition of romanticising Ireland in the USA isn't there? Hence all the donations to the IRA. You'll probably find that most normal Irish people (ie those who aren't slavering lunatics) just want peace, and are happy to have it at long, long last. I'm not Irish (although, interestingly, my grandfather was :) ) but I do live pretty close by and, I have to say, I'm very happy about the peace thing too. You?
I am sympathetic to Real IRA and the old school IRA of the 1970's and 80's. I am not Irish but support the expulsion of protestants and British citizens from Northern Ireland. A Marxist government in Dublin as well.

I am sympathetic to Real IRA and the old school IRA of the 1970's and 80's. I am not Irish but support the expulsion of protestants and British citizens from Northern Ireland. A Marxist government in Dublin as well.

Why????

Why????
I support a workers government in Ireland and I oppose British Imperialism, the Orange Order, militant protestants, Ian Paisley and the hate wall they built in Belfast. Ireland For Ireland. Michael Collins, Pearse, Devlin and James Connolly are heroes and their vision hopefully will lead to a fully Irish Ireland.

Are you, in a similar vein, in favour of Australia for the aborigines and North America for whatever the pc phrase for native Americans is today? Just ignore the wishes of a any majority or significant minority? Good plan.

I support a workers government in Ireland and I oppose British Imperialism, the Orange Order, militant protestants, Ian Paisley and the hate wall they built in Belfast. Ireland For Ireland.

Point taken - Personally I would like to see Ireland given back to the Irish, but there are a hell of a lot of British and protestant people who wish to live there peacefully.

What you are saying is not much different than the white ethnic British wanting to get rid of Muslims out of Britain purely because of their national and religious identity.

Are you, in a similar vein, in favour of Australia for the aborigines and North America for whatever the pc phrase for native Americans is today? Just ignore the wishes of a any majority or significant minority? Good plan.You don't have to go back to the bronze age to correct historical injustices. Do you know nothing of British oppression of Ireland over hundreds of years? It's modern history that needs repairing. The Irish were forced out of their own provinces, correct it is all I say.

Are you, in a similar vein, in favour of Australia for the aborigines and North America for whatever the pc phrase for native Americans is today? Just ignore the wishes of a any majority or significant minority? Good plan.

The problems in Ireland go much deeper than the surface that you are scratching at.

Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Massachusetts and Virginia are not states, but Commonwealths.
Yes, they are officially commonwealths. No, that does not mean that they are not states. The terms are not mutually exclusive.

For example, your source states:
In 1785, residents of Kentucky County began petitioning the Virginia legislature for statehood. They wished the County to be recognized as a "free and independent state, to be known by the name of the 'Commonwealth' of Kentucky."
...
In 1776, Pennsylvania's first state constitution referred to it as both "Commonwealth" and "State," a pattern of usage that was perpetuated in the constitutions of 1790, 1838, 1874, and 1968.

I am sympathetic to Real IRA and the old school IRA of the 1970's and 80's. I am not Irish but support the expulsion of protestants and British citizens from Northern Ireland. A Marxist government in Dublin as well.

Northern Ireland (specifically Ulster) is the home of the Scots. If Scotland is part of Britain then why shouldn't Northern Ireland be?

Expulsion of protestants? I'll remember that one. I shall be keeping an eye on you genji my boy.

Northern Ireland (specifically Ulster) is the home of the Scots. If Scotland is part of Britain then why shouldn't Northern Ireland be?
Scotland is the home of the Scots... Ulster was the home of some of their ancestors. So was Africa.

Do you think that Germanic Europe (specifically Schleswig, Twente, Achterhoek, Saxony, Westphalia, Jutland, and Frisia) is the home of the English?

My point was simply that we have more of a claim to Northern Ireland than the Irish do.

Northern Ireland (specifically Ulster) is the home of the Scots. If Scotland is part of Britain then why shouldn't Northern Ireland be?

Expulsion of protestants? I'll remember that one. I shall be keeping an eye on you genji my boy.
Are you an anti-Catholic militant??

No.

My point was simply that we have more of a claim to Northern Ireland than the Irish do.

Northern Ireland (specifically Ulster) is the home of the Scots. If Scotland is part of Britain then why shouldn't Northern Ireland be?


Ouch! - That was a bit below the belt. If we are now going to separate the countries of Britain in this debate dont forget that it was Scotland who won the rule over England and not the other way round as so many people tend to think.

So in actual fact Scotland probably has more rule over Ireland than England does - in fact England isn't a political country anyway and hasn't any say in any political matters.

In fact - Scotland has more say in English politics than England has - how does that grab you.

No.
I'm unconvinced.

I don't give a shit about any christians, be it catholic or protestant....all the same to me. I actually respect (mediterranean) catholics for their way of life even though they only do it because of a fairy tale about a man in the sky.

I don't give a shit about any christians, be it catholic or protestant....all the same to me. I actually respect (mediterranean) catholics for their way of life even though they only do it because of a fairy tale about a man in the sky.I agree. My maternal grandparents were liberal Roman Catholics and that is where I first learned of the IRA and the history of the fight against British occupation. I've sided with the Catholics ever since. It was a class war above all else. The poor working class Irish Cats and the wealthier protestant Brits that saw Cats as human garbage. The religion side of the conflict was alot of window dressing, imo at least.

I agree. My maternal grandparents were liberal Roman Catholics and that is where I first learned of the IRA and the history of the fight against British occupation. I've sided with the Catholics ever since. It was a class war above all else. The poor working class Irish Cats and the wealthier protestant Brits that saw Cats as human garbage. The religion side of the conflict was alot of window dressing, imo at least.
I completely agree. Religion had bugger all to do with it. But anyway, let's put away yesterday's newspapers. 94% of the Republic of Ireland's electorate voted in 1998 to renounce any territorial claims to the North, preferring, as I've already said, peace to bombs. The only main dissenters from the Good Friday Agreement (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belfast_Agreement) were the Democratic Unionists. Everyone else from the North and South ratified it. Do you claim to know better than them? Do you prefer bombs to peace?

I completely agree. Religion had bugger all to do with it. But anyway, let's put away yesterday's newspapers. 94% of the Republic of Ireland's electorate voted in 1998 to renounce any territorial claims to the North, preferring, as I've already said, peace to bombs. The only main dissenters from the Good Friday Agreement (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belfast_Agreement) were the Democratic Unionists. Everyone else from the North and South ratified it. Do you claim to know better than them? Do you prefer bombs to peace?
I'm sure 94% of Americans do not identify with Communism as I do, so polling impresses me little. I don't have to be an Irish citizen to have an opinion on the country. The northern provinces were depopulated and refilled with violent rightwing Unionist terrorists and their supporters. I just believe, as do the Real IRA and other communists and Republicans, that this was an act of war on the people of Ireland and it is a problem of modern history that must be corrected.

No, it is a feature of ancient history that is no longer relevant. People matter more than politics. Politics must serve the people, not the other way round. I'm sure you agree.

You don't have to go back to the bronze age to correct historical injustices. Do you know nothing of British oppression of Ireland over hundreds of years? It's modern history that needs repairing. The Irish were forced out of their own provinces, correct it is all I say.Just as the aborigines were forced off of their lands, and the native Americans off of theirs. If they were lucky and not slaughtered in the process. And both of these events did not occur in the bronze age, young Genji. They post-date much of the opression you are talking about. So, if it is good enough for the Irish, why isn't it good enough for the rest?

Of course bombs are better than peace :rolleyes: just look at the country called 'Lesotho'. Surrounded entirely by South Africa. It's an embarrassment, I tell you! Those foreignors/separatists are waiting to invade us and we must invade them first in order to subjugate them/make them integrate.

Nothing like driving through a city with a machine gun and mowing down civilians to punish them/curb their evil separatist impulses! It really makes everything better. No really, people actually like you for killing them. Come on, it's common knowledge!

(Delete as appropriate for fascist/communist)

I agree. My maternal grandparents were liberal Roman Catholics and that is where I first learned of the IRA and the history of the fight against British occupation. I've sided with the Catholics ever since. It was a class war above all else. The poor working class Irish Cats and the wealthier protestant Brits that saw Cats as human garbage. The religion side of the conflict was alot of window dressing, imo at least.
O' Yeah you better be sure about that sunny or else "Sein Fein" will be knocking on your door!. :(

Just as the aborigines were forced off of their lands, and the native Americans off of theirs. If they were lucky and not slaughtered in the process. And both of these events did not occur in the bronze age, young Genji. They post-date much of the opression you are talking about. So, if it is good enough for the Irish, why isn't it good enough for the rest?Actually it was the Bronze Age in the Aztec and Inca empires, and the Stone Age everywhere else in the Americas and in Australia. :)

O' Yeah you better be sure about that sunny or else "Sein Fein" will be knocking on your door!. :(
I would welcome them with open arms, though SinnFein is too moderate for my tastes.

I would welcome them with open arms, though SinnFein is too moderate for my tastes.
You're young, Genji. Early/mid 20s, I'd guess. One day you'll stop wearing your politics like an item of clothing and become more practically-minded. You'll look back down the years and smile wryly at your idealistic, young self.

For now though, keep being idealistic. And keep being an American communist. America needs a lot more of them.

Not to mention that his facts are decades out of date. British citizens are allowed to live anywhere in Ireland thanks to the EU (just like the hundreds of thousands of Poles currently working there). And even if this weren't the case, The Republic of Ireland's Jus Soli law includes Northern Ireland, so everyone born there - which probably includes all but a handful of Protestants - are full Irish citizens anyway.

So the dream of 'kicking the British out of Ireland' might run into the slight difficulty that 'the British' are under the protection of the Irish government ;)

You're young, Genji. Early/mid 20s, I'd guess. One day you'll stop wearing your politics like an item of clothing and become more practically-minded. You'll look back down the years and smile wryly at your idealistic, young self.

For now though, keep being idealistic. And keep being an American communist. America needs a lot more of them.
I appreciate the compliment re: my age! I turned 43 on August 13th. I've been reading and an activist since you were shitting in your diapers. :cool:

Just a personal note on the IRA and that situation over there. I don't profess to know alot about the situation, i'll study up on it one day in the future.

I remember living in the UK in 1990, my old man was posted to the School of Infantry in Warminster (Lovely place), but i remember the hysteria encountered over there. Many times the military members in the area were told to look out for suspicious activities, etc etc. I remember being told on several occasions to wait for mum to drive the car out of the garage (about 50m away in a communal area) before getting in, finding out when i was older it was because just in case there was a car bomb. Quite scary stuff, but now i believe it was hyped up a fair bit.

I appreciate the compliment re: my age! I turned 43 on August 13th. I've been reading and an activist since you were shitting in your diapers. :cool:Mi hijo, I think you've been reading and an activist since you were shitting in your own diapers. :)