Prince Charles Meets Sinn Fein

[mushroom25]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-32786393

who'd have thought this might be possible, if you'd suggested it 15 years ago?

[Garador]

Tora etc., I am Not anti British, quite the opposite, just a Republican.

[Retrochic]

Garador, if you did a really good job for years and years for Charity and were offered an OBE, or even better, a knighthood, and this would really help your charity to have you Sir Garador as their patron, would you decline it because of your Republican beliefs?

[ToraToraTora]

ok garador there are plenty of republics out there, go and live in one and be happy.

[Retrochic]

Tora the irony is that in some of the biggest Republics our Royal Family are extremely popular!

[Garador]

Yes Rhetoric, I would refuse any honour, those who get them generally don't deserve them, those who do, rarely get them.

Tora etc., accept that not everybody holds your views, thank goodness, and I'm quite happy living in this country, as I have done for over 70 years.

[mushroom25]

garador, you won't see a republican Britain in your lifetime, and it's unlikely your grandchildren will either. australia and NZ have talked of taking the republican path but have not shown definite signs, and even the SNP have said an independent Scotland would still have a royal as head of state. there'll be no will for the majority here to vote republican until the commonwealth start doing the same.

[jno]

apparently Charles has denied being an IRA member himself...

http://i100.independent.co.uk/article/a-quite-spectacular-typo-from-the-washington-post--gy_WpU2HbZ

[sandyRoe]

He would say that, wouldn't he? ☺

[andy-hughes]

There are two ways of looking at this -

outrage, because both sides represent the respective sides of a historical conflict that has lost thousands of lives and caused untold misery, so a meeting like this should never happen, and we can go on mistrusting each other, with the smouldering embers of conflict ready to flame at any time, or ...

reconciliation, because big changes in minds and attitudes come from small but significant steps, and this is one of those.

Hatred and conflict have to end, and the way to end them is for both sides to recognise that they have played their parts, and they have to move on, personally and nationally.

I applaud Charles for his ability to swallow his hatred and distrust of Mr Adams and all he stands for, and I applaud Mr Adams for putting aside generations of hatred and distrust of the British establishment - both in the name of keeping the peace that we now enjoy.

It's useless to hang on to old hatred, it only hurts the haters.

This is a way forward, and I think it is wonderful news for everyone.

[sandyRoe]

Hear, hear!!!