Arlene Foster

it really is Scotlands shame muffinthemoo my late dad was raised in the OO by a stepfather who insisted he go to meetings ...while still at primary school!!Its inbred in them ..thankfully my lovely tolerant dad refused to go after the first few meetings with the support of his GF a Wee Free who also abhorred these clowns .Its shocking that they can disrupt towns and cities with their vile abuse.IF they must march they should assemble in apark and march round it until they all fall down .Then they can be bussed away to whatever gutter they came from

Yes I know Baggs I'm not as tolerant of these eegits as I could be .

Most folk just stay home indoors the day of the walk tbh.

Good. So most folk have some sense, it seems.

Our council simply didn't allow a march to take place. Don't think they asked again!

Surely the Orange Order and other such manifestations of sectarianism will not disappear from NI or Scotland until religious apartheid in schools is abolished?

In my opinion all children should have an absolute right to an inclusive, integrated education, irrespective of the religious affiliations of their parents.

Well said varian

No disagreement on my part varian.

More and more schools are at least “co located” so they share a building, a playground and school assemblies.

It’s a start I suppose...

Meanwhile TMs policy is to have yet more faith schools

Agree varian.
Also don't like the promotion system which accepts (reluctantly) non RCs as teachers but will not promote anyone who is not a baptised RC with the appropriate certificate from the local bishop.
Isn't that blatant discrimination?

Yes it is

I think faith schools are a bad idea too but since they do exist is it further discrimination for them only to want teachers belonging to whatever faith it is? Or is that just what one would expect of a discriminatory school system?

Should these marches be banned?

Paddyann
"""She should be curbing the OO in NI where there are STILL crimes against the Catholic community by them ,people being forced out of their homes etc. """

I ask this question with sincerity.
You have stated that crimes are committed in the name of he OO. Can you cite a link to this information. It is very possible that some members of the OO would be involved in other organizations. However, I cannot recall ever hearing of a crime committed in the name of the OO.
I truly would be interested to see your sources.

I cant provide a link ,sorry but it was widely reported in the media about families who had to flee their homes in belfast after on going abuse from neighbours who were OO members.This is surely unacceptable in the 21st century from people who think they still live in the 17th century..thir battle that they celebrate was a very long time ago and has damn all to do with the people of either NI or Scotland today .It may not have been done in the name of the OO but it WAS OO members

I asked only because I'd never heard of crimes in the name of the OO. I will agree that some OO members are likely to belong to other organisations that would be illegal. But I wouldn't tar all OO members with that same brush.

A small Orange Parade goes through our town on the morning of 12 July as Orange Lodges make their way to the main parade.
Hardly anyone bothers to even go to the end of the street to see them or the bands. No flags are flying from homes as they used to when I was a child.

Any trouble locally around this particular time of year is at the feet of the idiots who look for an excuse to scrap every weekend after closing time when they have topped up on alcohol and are feeling full of themselves.

This is the season of the Borders festivals in Scotland. Many people get drunk so they can hardly see their horses and even sober people get emotional about the superiority of their own toons.
By contrast the OO marches are political and involve worse than friendly rivalry. My late mother's family who were Belfast Protestants had the attitude that OO marches whether in Belfast or in Glasgow were for "rowdies" only, and that unfairness in society is sorted out peacefully.

SinnFein are a political party who want their country reunited.I for one out of the many of irish descent agree fully with them.

Not just people of Irish descent, Paddyann. I'm sure that most people in the wider UK are fed up with the nonsensical situation in NI and wish the whole lot of them would give up this historical bigotry and come to live peaceably on the island of Ireland.

Secularism has a lot to commend it, imo.

Shouldn't marches and organisations which stir up racial or religious or just plain old hatred for other be banned?

Ah but ah but crystal it’s all about free speech don’t you know? Freedom and choice, rights and respect - the clarion call of the OO/DUP ( except of course if it’s women and gay people)

Hatched (sic) faced”is not a personal comment on her appearance, it describes her stance on political issues

Hmm. I think you are fooling yourself or stretching the expression to suit yourself. It IS a criticism of appearance.

If you describe someone as hatchet-faced they have a face with narrow dimensions and sharp features - like an axe.

She may be doing a 'hatchet job' but you are criticising her looks, and in a harsh and uncomplimentary way, if you use 'hatchet-faced'.

All politicians are open to criticism but really, to denigrate her looks is a bit below the belt, imo.

Secularism has a lot to commend it, imo.

I agree Blinko.
I have Irish relatives on both sides of the border and both sides of the religious divide. I have the heritage of a mongrel because of inter-denomination marriage. They'll tell you they believe in a wise and all knowing God, who doesn't really care about the way in which you worship him as long as you try to love one another.

Yet hatred rules. Strange, isn't it?

I agree that Orange Order marches only serve to stir the pot.

Exactly my point Day6. None of us can help how we look, but yes, we can help how we behave.

Did anyone see the programme about the Irish Troubles/situation/paradox, call it what you will, presented by Patrick Kielty about a month ago? A heartfelt story, as his own father was murdered by protestants. He interviewed Arlene Foster. It seems he was at Uni with her and they get on well, despite being on the opposite sides of 'the divide'.

Very interesting take on the problem. AF came across as strongminded, yet likeable and intelligent. Pity her politics don't seem to bear this out.

She is very keen on some human rights, but not on others. Vile, poisonous woman. Heard someone (of Irish descent) on Any Questions yesterday describe the DUP as 'The Taliban of Ireland'. Strong stuff, but he said they are extremely secretive about their membership, and there are rumours that the membership only amounts to around 1100 people. West Coast Scottish ancestry here too, and remember talk of marching, and 'King Billy' but glad to say most of this seems not to have passed on to my generation and the next. My half English children don't believe me I think when I tell them of my Uncle who was angry when I turned up to visit (from my English school) wearing a scarf in the house colour of bright green ( my house was Celts). Incredible. Ms Foster needs to keep her neb out of things which are not her business. Can I say neb without offending anyone's sensibilities?

When we were visiting NI for DGS3's christening we went to Tesco for some last minute supplies.

We were sent away from the checkout because we had some wine (alcohol, pronounced with a spit in the voice) in our trolley. We had to slink through at the end where a hatchet faced stern looking woman refused to speak to us and shoved our shopping through as though it were contaminated.

DH wondered if we'd landed in Saudi Arabia by mistake.

The guests all availed themselves of our booze, in fact some seemed rather merrier than we expected. That was because there were bottles of wine hidden from view in various places including a full laundry basket.

Thank goodness our grandsons realise the OO is bigoted and dangerous.

If you describe someone as hatchet-faced they have a face with narrow dimensions and sharp features - like an axe but surely someone could look like this and be as nice as pie? This wasn’t what I was saying I was saying she has a mean and narrow bigoted outlook.