Queen visits Ireland, I object!!
So I've gotten into a bit of a discussions on FB about this and that's a fairly limited medium to outline my objection to Queen Elizabeth II visiting Dublin.
First off let me explain that I am a firm believer in the romantic image of Ireland, all the counties of the island under one government, no foreign soldiers, police, policies etc etc. I dont in any way support the suggestion that violence is the way to achieve this. I have no problem with Gerry Adams, yes he was a terrorist, but so long as he continues down the path of peace and politics then how is he different from others in Irish history that changed tack when it they realised that violence wasn't going to get them anywhere. So long as the gun is out of Irish politics I'm all for that.
My objection to the head of the British state visiting Ireland is not, as you could perceive from the above paragraph, about how she oppressed us, or is a representative of a country that oppressed us etc etc. She didn't oppress us, we were a republic by the time she came to the throne so she is pretty exempt from those accusations. Yes she is the head of the British army, I'd assume that she didn't decide to send troops into northern Ireland, she has the MoD for that. I'm also reasonably certain that if people that we considered to be Irish and that considered themselves Irish were being shot in a foreign county that we'd deploy the army to defend them too, at least I hope we would.
I hate to admit that the reason that I don't want the queen to visit Ireland is that there is, without doubt, going to be some tracksuit wearing, misguided fuckwits that decide that Satan himself would be more welcome walking in with his trousers round his ankles and the intention to rape everyone he meets, she should have stones thrown at her or worse!! It's only going to take a handful of these agitators to start the riot because there are plenty of disenfranchised Irish youths that (a) need somewhere to vent their frustrations and (b) are bored and violent enough that mindless destruction and attacking people could be a laugh, and of course the ancient perceived enemy will be a brilliant target for these frustrations.
This riot, that may only be small but that will in my opinion, happen, will make confirm the old view that the Irish are thick, violent people. In the UK this will pretty much put the Irish (back?) on the EDL, and other such peoples, lists of bad peoples that are destroying England and other such rhetoric. I for one don't want to see this type of cartoon returning to the pages of the tabloids.
http://www.punchcartoons.com/images/M/1881.10.29.199.jpg
Some of the talk about it has been expounding how Ireland can talk to its old enemy and move on in a mature way as partners and good neighbours in Europe and the world as a whole. The key to the whole thing is the maturity. I am saddened to say that I don't believe Ireland has it. I believe that there will be people that will embarrass themselves and the country on the international stage and there will be those that sing the praises of those that get arrested embarrassing us on the international stage still more.
I believe that the Irish government and president should not invite Queen Elizabeth II to the country so that we can retain our position on the international stage as a relaxed country that has a place in that arena. I fear if she visits we will remove the respect that we have earned.
On a purely selfish level I live in England, I'd rather not have my countrymen cause a wave of anti Irish feeling fill the country I have to live in thanks all the same. This job is hard enough at times, having teenagers jumping on the anti Irish bandwagon at me is just going to make this job harder.
First off let me explain that I am a firm believer in the romantic image of Ireland, all the counties of the island under one government, no foreign soldiers, police, policies etc etc. I dont in any way support the suggestion that violence is the way to achieve this. I have no problem with Gerry Adams, yes he was a terrorist, but so long as he continues down the path of peace and politics then how is he different from others in Irish history that changed tack when it they realised that violence wasn't going to get them anywhere. So long as the gun is out of Irish politics I'm all for that.
My objection to the head of the British state visiting Ireland is not, as you could perceive from the above paragraph, about how she oppressed us, or is a representative of a country that oppressed us etc etc. She didn't oppress us, we were a republic by the time she came to the throne so she is pretty exempt from those accusations. Yes she is the head of the British army, I'd assume that she didn't decide to send troops into northern Ireland, she has the MoD for that. I'm also reasonably certain that if people that we considered to be Irish and that considered themselves Irish were being shot in a foreign county that we'd deploy the army to defend them too, at least I hope we would.
I hate to admit that the reason that I don't want the queen to visit Ireland is that there is, without doubt, going to be some tracksuit wearing, misguided fuckwits that decide that Satan himself would be more welcome walking in with his trousers round his ankles and the intention to rape everyone he meets, she should have stones thrown at her or worse!! It's only going to take a handful of these agitators to start the riot because there are plenty of disenfranchised Irish youths that (a) need somewhere to vent their frustrations and (b) are bored and violent enough that mindless destruction and attacking people could be a laugh, and of course the ancient perceived enemy will be a brilliant target for these frustrations.
This riot, that may only be small but that will in my opinion, happen, will make confirm the old view that the Irish are thick, violent people. In the UK this will pretty much put the Irish (back?) on the EDL, and other such peoples, lists of bad peoples that are destroying England and other such rhetoric. I for one don't want to see this type of cartoon returning to the pages of the tabloids.
http://www.punchcartoons.com/images/M/1881.10.29.199.jpg
Some of the talk about it has been expounding how Ireland can talk to its old enemy and move on in a mature way as partners and good neighbours in Europe and the world as a whole. The key to the whole thing is the maturity. I am saddened to say that I don't believe Ireland has it. I believe that there will be people that will embarrass themselves and the country on the international stage and there will be those that sing the praises of those that get arrested embarrassing us on the international stage still more.
I believe that the Irish government and president should not invite Queen Elizabeth II to the country so that we can retain our position on the international stage as a relaxed country that has a place in that arena. I fear if she visits we will remove the respect that we have earned.
On a purely selfish level I live in England, I'd rather not have my countrymen cause a wave of anti Irish feeling fill the country I have to live in thanks all the same. This job is hard enough at times, having teenagers jumping on the anti Irish bandwagon at me is just going to make this job harder.