The natives are restless...

[sandyRoe]

The incessant throbbing of tribal drums lasting long into the night, frenzied dancing around gigantic bonfires, and today long trudges to arcane religious rituals.
How do you spend the 12th of July?

[Bbbananas]

I quite like the sound of all that you've just described sandy. Can I do it naked? And would Gin be easily to hand?

[Bobbisox]

absolute nonsense Sandy, why don't they ban such marches on both sides, it seems all it does is incite trouble.

[Noraq]

somewhere else?....anywhere else!!!! =)

[sandyRoe]

The elders of the Free Presbyterian church would pretend to frown on nakedness, but might take a peek. As the Elders watched Suzanna at her ablutions.
They see all forms of intoxicants as 'The Devils Buttermilk'. It's really not as much fun as it sounds.

[Bobbisox]

errm am I on the 'gist' of this thread Sandy:-(
is this about the Apprentice Boys March in N Ireland, I assumed it was by the 12th July bit???

[tigerlelly]

Christ's first miracle was changing water into wine but many Christians won't touch it - go figure!

[Bbbananas]

Oh, geddit. Is it something to do with oranges?

[sandyRoe]

Bobbisox, today is the march of the Orangemen. The apprentice boys march in August, I think.
But for the last few nights there has been rioting. If only they could ban all marches here.

[Bobbisox]

arhh right Sandy, yes it seems they should ban them all, I have seen the News this morning re; the riots, what a real shame, Belfast is a lovely city which I have visited many times

[daisya]

I agree with you Sandy roe, I think the marching is done to incite bad feeling and continue with the hate that seems so much a part of "the troubles" in NI if only people would forgive try to build bridges to bring people closer. However it would only ever work if religion didn't play a part so I imagine that's a no-no then in my opinion.

[Old_Geezer]

Ah wondered what was significant about the 12th and then recalled you were Irish.

Intellectually I believe that most of the community there are your average normal peace loving folk who disapprove and stay out of this sort of thing, but what one sees in ther media are, yet again, images of petrol bombs and riots and everything; and the impression can be rather different. It seems the community there is just intent to rile each other up every year, and fall back to the past troubles as soon as they can.

I wish you luck staying out of it. If only someone could come up with a reasonable solution to it all.

[Bobbisox]

O_G it seems to have gone from the 'grown men' element to disaffected youths causing as much mayhem as they can similar to the student riots we had here, they appeared to be quite young from the News clip this morning

[Bobbisox]

yes, it appears so

[vulcan]

There is no solution, Ian Paisley may have retired from the political scene but his "not an inch" lives on, on both sides of the community. Intransigence and bigotry will ensure there will always be conflicts in Northern Ireland

[Bobbisox]

I found it to be a lot worse in the west of Scotland Vulcan? I found the NI people to be warm and friendly and yet going to Glasgow to a certain part, it was very bigoted

[netibiza]

Why do they have to march, it's like those red crabs that have to march across an island and get killed cos they don't stop. I just don't understand this marching thing. is it something medical and they can't help it? If it causes trouble then don't do it - simples.