[toby843]

Originally Posted by as90

He is a hero to us British, obviously he won't be to the irish.

Royal Artillery?

[erichardse10]

I haven't seen Steve claim he was a hero?. He strikes me as a guy thats getting on with being in the bb house?. He's a dull housemate, for sure, but I ceetainly don't think hes claiming to be any hero or anything?

[vivsgirl]

Originally Posted by erichardse10

I haven't seen Steve claim he was a hero?. He strikes me as a guy thats getting on with being in the bb house?. He's a dull housemate, for sure, but I ceetainly don't think hes claiming to be any hero or anything?

I accept that I've never actually heard Steve describe HIMSELF to be a hero, but equally, I have never heard him correct any of the other housemates when they make a big deal about the fact that he IS a hero, e.g. he's never said anything like "I was just really unlucky", or "I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time", which is the truth of the matter.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by MrGaryy

There was another thread on this but it got terribly sidetracked and was closed before I got to it so I opened this one to discuss the matter.

First of all, walking past a bomb and getting blown up does not make you a hero. That is an insult to the real heroes of the world. I would consider someone who did something exceptionally brave or someone who is solely responsible for saving another person's life in a crisis a hero. Walking past a barrel does not make you a hero just desperately unlucky.

Secondly, to those who say the fact he joined the forces in the first place makes him a hero as he was risking his life for freedom - he was fighting in Northern Ireland, the troubles were not about freedom they were about power and prejudice. Something which is in a way almost proven by how bigoted Steve has shown himself up to be in so many respects.

Brave for joining the army, yes. A hero, absolutely not.

absolutely agree Gary.

[as90]

He fought for Britain and the democratic world against faceless terrorists, that's a pretty heroic act.

[Pato]

i think anyone who's willing to die for our country is a hero

[MojoNixon]

AquaSquirts is back. Desperate JJ fan i see.

[AquaShots]

Originally Posted by MojoNixon

AquaSquirts is back. Desperate JJ fan i see.

Put your glasses on then cos you are mistaken.

[MojoNixon]

Originally Posted by AquaShots

Put your glasses on then cos you are mistaken.

No need, i guess you are that desperate, miserable Shabby lovin teen then.

[AquaShots]

Originally Posted by MojoNixon

No need, i guess you are that desperate, miserable Shabby lovin teen then.

You clearly have me confused with someone else.

[MojoNixon]

delete

[MojoNixon]

Originally Posted by AquaShots

You clearly have me confused with someone else.

Oh! So you are her EX??? So he did find hotter new wife after you

[moghirl]

Originally Posted by MrGaryy

There was another thread on this but it got terribly sidetracked and was closed before I got to it so I opened this one to discuss the matter.

First of all, walking past a bomb and getting blown up does not make you a hero. That is an insult to the real heroes of the world. I would consider someone who did something exceptionally brave or someone who is solely responsible for saving another person's life in a crisis a hero. Walking past a barrel does not make you a hero just desperately unlucky.

Secondly, to those who say the fact he joined the forces in the first place makes him a hero as he was risking his life for freedom - he was fighting in Northern Ireland, the troubles were not about freedom they were about power and prejudice. Something which is in a way almost proven by how bigoted Steve has shown himself up to be in so many respects.

Brave for joining the army, yes. A hero, absolutely not.

Totally agree with you especially reagrds "The Troubles were not about freedom they were about power and prejudice " .. hear hear !

Servicemen and women know exactly what they're siging up to although I bet recruitment fail to elaborate on the facts that they could probably lose a limb or two and possibly come home in a box ..

Here's a wee tune by Billy Connolly that sums it all up ..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdBoSu56_3Q

[Niamh.]

I wasn't referring to when they entered Northern Ireland in 1969 no. I was refering to when they first formed in 1913.

[Shasown]

Originally Posted by Niamhxo

I wasn't referring to when they entered Northern Ireland in 1969 no. I was refering to when they first formed in 1913.

It was the Irish Volunteers that formed in 1913. They has the little row in the town in 1916. During that period the term Irish Republican Army was used by the Irish Volunteers and the Irish Republican Brotherhood to loosely describe themselves. The IRB co-opted James Connelly's Irish Citizens Army.

There were splits within organisations after the suspension of the Home Rule Act in 1914 after the declaration of war. But at that time the IRA wasnt a term used to describe any or all of the nationalists movements.

If you read the text of the Easter Proclamation you will see this backs up the above

Poblacht na h Éireann.

The Provisional Government
of the
Irish Republic
To the people of Ireland.

IRISHMEN AND IRISHWOMEN: In the name of God and of the dead generations from which she receives her old tradition of nationhood, Ireland, through us, summons her children to her flag and strikes for her freedom.

Having organised and trained her manhood through her secret revolutionary organisation, the Irish Republican Brotherhood, and through her open military organisations, the Irish Volunteers and the Irish Citizen Army, having patiently perfected her discipline, having resolutely waited for the right moment to reveal itself, she now seizes that moment, and, supported by her exiled children in America and by gallant allies in Europe, but relying in the first on her own strength, she strikes in full confidence of victory.

The remaining forces left of those organisations were formally called the IRA in 1919 upon the formation of the Dáil Éireann in Dublin on 21 January 1919.(First sitting and inaugaration of the Aireacht.)

The term had been used before however IN America in the 1860's The acronym IRA was first used by the IRB organization in America (also known as the Fenian Brotherhood).

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Shasown

It was the Irish Volunteers that formed in 1913. They has the little row in the town in 1916. During that period the term Irish Republican Army was used by the Irish Volunteers and the Irish Republican Brotherhood to loosely describe themselves. The IRB co-opted James Connelly's Irish Citizens Army.

There were splits within organisations after the suspension of the Home Rule Act in 1914 after the declaration of war. But at that time the IRA wasnt a term used to describe any or all of the nationalists movements.

If you read the text of the Easter Proclamation you will see this backs up the above



The remaining forces left of those organisations were formally called the IRA in 1919 upon the formation of the Dáil Éireann in Dublin on 21 January 1919.(First sitting and inaugaration of the Aireacht.)

The term had been used before however IN America in the 1860's The acronym IRA was first used by the IRB organization in America (also known as the Fenian Brotherhood).

Yes we learned all about it in school

[StGeorge]

Originally Posted by Niamhxo

Yes we learned all about it in school

Unfortunately Niamh there are many Brits who only know about Ireland from what they see on TV news.

I just hope that the youth of NI can work together for its future and maybe decades down the line the island can be reunited like the Germanies were..in peace and with agreement. I doubt it will happen in my lifetime.

I just wish that forums like this were not used as a place for people to spout untruths and bigotry just cos a BB HM happened to have been blown up in NI whilst a serving soldier. Dislike him for reasons to do with his BB performance..and not due to his former career.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by StGeorge

Unfortunately Niamh there are many Brits who only know about Ireland from what they see on TV news.

I just hope that the youth of NI can work together for its future and maybe decades down the line the island can be reunited like the Germanies were..in peace and with agreement. I doubt it will happen in my lifetime.

I just wish that forums like this were not used as a place for people to spout untruths and bigotry just cos a BB HM happened to have been blown up in NI whilst a serving soldier. Dislike him for reasons to do with his BB performance..and not due to his former career.

I never said I disliked him because he was a soldier though?

[StGeorge]

I think its safe to say that the recent politics of Ireland as a whole (100yrs or so), has been a mess that both sides should not look back at with pride.

As i have said, i think the Troubles (1960s onwards) was a direct result of a botched partition.
But i also beleive that in a modern civilised society, to take up arms instead of going to the ballot box, then you have lost your argument.