Is "Brit" an insulting term?
"Not entirely irrational. The sore point has been Ulster which the British government has refused to abandon up till now. Ulster is afterall, geographically part of Ireland and in some ways it is even more Irish than southern Ireland. Yet, as author Tim Pat Coogan pointed out, the British fear that if they leave Ulster it won't be long before Scotland wants independence, then Wales, and then maybe even Cornwall. "
Why should Britain "abandon" Northern Ireland? Most Northern Irish wish to remain in the UK.
Why doesn't the American government give Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas back to Mexico?
Also, why should Northern Ireland become a part of the Republic if it left the UK? The Northern Irish might decide to be neither a part of the UK nor a part of the Republic of Ireland.
<<It teaches on important lesson for all diplomats...to know what the word diplomacy means and to learn at least something about the character of the peoples inhabiting the host country to which they purport to act as Ambassador.>>
This seems to be common problem with "diplomats."
"Many English people assume that the Union flag is their flag,"
And it IS.
<<I'm just a photographer who has inherited some money. >>
And that's why it's so easy for you to tell the poor to just pull themselves up by their bootstraps. You never had to do it, Bill.
Britain should NOT hand over Northern Ireland to the rest of Ireland, because it will go against the wishes of the majority of the Northern Irish.
Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey 2003
Protestant Unionist (pro-British) - 68%
Protestant Nationalist (anti-British) - 1%
Catholic Unionist (pro-British) - 0%
Catholic Nationalist (anti-British) - 60%
Total
Unionist (pro-British) - 38%
Nationalist (anti-British) - 24%
Representation
Northern Ireland currently has 18 seats in the United Kingdom House of Commons (10 unionist, 8 nationalist). The Northern Ireland Assembly has 108 MLAs (59 unionists, 42 nationalists, 7 others), although this is currently in suspension. It is also represented in the European Parliament with 3 seats (2 unionist, 1 nationalist), and at local level by 26 district councils. Voting patterns break down as follows:
2005 Westminster election - Unionists 51.4%, Nationalists 41.8%, Others 6.8%
2005 local elections - Unionists 52%, Nationalists 42%, Others 8%
2004 European election - Unionists 48.6%, Nationalists 42.2%, Others 9.2%
2003 Assembly election - Unionists 52.1%, Nationalists 40.5%, Others 7.4%
Therefore, Northern Ireland rightfully, and democratically, is a part of the UK and will ALWAYS remain in the UK until the Northern Irish decide to join the rest of Ireland or become a completely independent nation, neither British nor Irish.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_and_politics_of_Northern_Ireland
"Also, why should Northern Ireland become a part of the Republic if it left the UK? The Northern Irish might decide to be neither a part of the UK nor a part of the Republic of Ireland."
Adam makes a good point here.
The onus has always been on the Republic to convince the Protestants of Northern Ireland (NI) to join them. It hasn't.
But now things are getting interesting.
The demographics are turning in favour of Catholics in NI. Generally, the Catholic population tends to be Republican. So we could certainly see a day when NI might vote to join the Republic.
But there are further complications here.
It's not 100% sure that the Republic WANTS NI. They know they'd inherit not only a very grumpy Protestant minority but also a Catholic population with hardline Sinn Fein sympathies at a time when the Republic is moving forward socially and economically.
NI is a net tax benefactor in the UK (as are Scotland and Wales). The population of England heavily subsidizes their social benefits. Notwithstanding its impressive economic achievements of late, the Republic of Ireland, with barely four million people, could never hope to offer the same level of financial support to NI that 60 million British taxpayers can.
The absorption of NI might well cause a considerable slump to the Irish economy.
Like Damian, I couldn't really give a toss whether N Ireland joined the South and neither could most British people. The problem really is that the majority of the population in N ireland want to remain a part of the UK. Also people in N Ireland have a nasty habit of killing each other when left to their own devices!
are the Irish the most violent white people?
Adam Fri Dec 09, 2005 6:31 pm GMT
"And it IS. "
Go back to school. It is not. The Union flag is the flag of Britain.
In Ireland the term "Brit" is used when referring to British soldiers that are in the north of Ireland. "Brits out” relates directly to these soldiers and not to the general British civilian who happens to be visiting Ireland or living there.
By the way the only reason the unionists are in the majority in the north of Ireland is because the British drew the map that way. It was designed that they would always be in the majority. Prior to the war of independence Ireland was united and the majority of the Irish people wanted freedom from England but their wishes were ignored.
"How were the British to blame for the potato blight which was caused by diseased potatoes?"
I suggest you read up on your history Adam. Sure enough the English didn't genetically engineer the virus but they didn't do anything to help. Instead they forcibly removed wheat from Ireland which was in plentiful supply and this resulted in millions dying.
is Britisher an insulting term?
It is used in India
"Go back to school. It is not. The Union flag is the flag of Britain. "
So it's the flag of the English then, isn't it?