Quote:
Originally Posted by flip
This is the thing. Time makes some conflicts better and some worse. In this case a lot of people have just let it go, the British have been there so long that Catholics and Protestants have been living side by side for too long to just kick out all British/Protestants.
On the other hand some conflicts get worse with time. It appears that this incident is just a flare up and that the long term conflict will not go the way of Israel/Palestine, but who knows.
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I agree with you for the most part.
Right now, the only thing holding back real peace is the occupation. If Britain and France can put behind them hundreds of years of warfare and live in peace together, then so can Ireland and England. It's not like England doesn't have Catholics that live in England and get along fine with everyone. France also has Protestant enclaves that are not oppressed. Many people from the Republic of Ireland go to universities in England, or do business there.
The religious aspect is blown way out of proportion. The "Catholics" in the conflict are basically just those who are Irish in their roots, and the "Protestants" are those who are either decendents of British settlers and soldiers, or those who helped them and converted to become Protestants. It's a class war more than anything, and not unlike conflicts you see in other countries that were occupied during colonial times.
Even if people live in relative peace, if you're occupied, then you're second class. You will always have that hanging over your head.