Actually, our 2nd amendment merely enumerated a British common law right which King George had repeatedly violated. The rights in amendments 1-8 enumerate common law British rights that the King had most frequently violated in the Colonies. The rest were enshrined in the 9th amendment.
The cause of crime in America, if you cared to actually know what the hell you were talking about (i.e. similar to your blatant ignorance RE the origins of our Constitutional rights) is found in the fact that almost all the crime occurs in cities and states that have the most restrictive gun laws. Here in New Hampshire, our crime rates are lower significantly than, say, Britain.
I don't claim to know everything about American law, but im not nearly as ignorant of it as you are of the situation in Ireland. as for the crime rates, show me specific, verifiable proof where the data collection methods are comparable. No apples and oranges please. Try to remember that you could know the American constitution and its origins back to front and inside out and it still doesn't make you an expert on the matter of debate here, Irish politics. My point was that the American constitution is the American Constitution and doesnt apply to Northern Ireland. My point and the fact of the matter is that
there is no right to bear arms in Northern IrelandReally, the Irish Catholics are not repressed? When was the last time a Catholic political party was allowed in NI government?
Martin McGuinness was NI head of education during the last executive power sharing at stormont. Entire parties dont represent NI for one reason, rule would be one sided. Members of Sinn Feinn governed NI as part of this executive.
http://en.wikipedia....r_for_Education "Sinn Féin now has 24 members of the Northern Ireland Assembly (out of 108), five Westminster MPs (out of 18 from Northern Ireland) and five Republic of Ireland TDs (out of 166). This increase is widely perceived as support for the IRA ceasefire and some commentators maintain this support would decrease if the IRA returned to violence (although this did not happen during the brief resumption that occurred between the 1994 and 1997 ceasefires)." Wikipedia (
http://en.wikipedia....popular_support)
Thank goodness the laws here are not like the UK. Your country is drowning in its own socialistic orwellian swill. The Irish Republic doesn't want reunification so long as the Unionists remain in NI.
Conjecture. No proof, raw opinion.
Now you are changing the subject. You claimed they were native. The whole reason they are called "Orangemen" is because they were followers of the House of Hanover in de-catholicising Scotland and Ireland.
I never claimed they were native. Though I fail to see the relevance. Explain the relevance for me and why it is important. I don't see that it is. They live in this country now, they don't need to be native to have rights.
Britain has much higher violent crime rates than the US, and the cops there fudge the numbers, such that if a bloke kills four people in one event, its classified as one murder in British crime stats. They downplay murders into manslaughters, manslaughters into homicides. They let murderers back onto the streets and incarcerate normal people who defend their lives and property.
Meanwhile, Washington DC and other high crime areas, which have higher death rates than NI (and higher death rates than our troops in Iraq, btw), have the most restrictive gun laws in the country.
Here in New Hampshire, we have the most free gun laws and the lowest crime rates. I don't need any permit to walk down the street with any pistol, rifle, or machine gun in my hands or on my hip.
Prove this with relevant verifiable figures. Ensure that the definition of gun crime or violent crime are the same between sources. Remember governments change measurement methods to alter figures. Give me proof here not your opinion. Remember violent crime != gun crime. I know of British studies where violent crime is very loosely defined. In one instance a girl having her backpack stolen and tossed around was classed as violent. Before you throw apples and oranges at me, ensure you have studies where definitions are comparable.
I recognise that not everything can be proven with sources, but in this case you're claiming figures so let's see them.
And your country allowed Hezbollah to raise funds in Britain up until recently... and it was only recently your government deported the one eyed Sheik. The 9-11 hijackers all gained asylum and shelter in European welfare systems and universities, due to your archaic view of the muslim world.
Two wrongs don't make a right. Also I'm not in open support of Hezbollah. I have demonstrated no archaic view of the muslim world and my view on the muslim world is not nearly as ignorant and misinformed of your view of Ireland. Incidentally, from Wikipedia:
"The IRA has also received weapons and logistical support from Irish Americans, in the USA especially the NORAID group.(See also) Apart from the Libyan aid, this has been the main source of overseas IRA support. U.S. support has been weakened by the War against Terrorism, and the fallout from the events of the 11 September 2001. US Political backing for Sinn Féin was badly damaged by the Robert McCartney killing in late 2004. McCartney, a Catholic, was killed by IRA members in a pub brawl. Other IRA members destroyed all the forensic evidence on the scene and intimidated the witnesses. The McCartney family have publicly denounced the IRA." (Wikipedia)
http://en.wikipedia....d_organisationsI saw no mention on Wikipedia's entry on Hezbollah of significant UK backing of the organisation. Although this is entirely offtopic because it is Ireland which we are discussing here. You're moving the goalposts to try to find an argument you can win because you're beginning to see how absurd your supporting the IRA actually is.
As Twain once said, "It ain't what people don't know thats the problem, its what they know, that ain't so."
Quote some Dickens while you're at it. It still doesn't make your sensationalist rubbish any more true. Besides you're in no position to imply I am misinformed. You still refuse to acknowledge the dictinction between Catholics and Nationalists and Between Protestants and Unionists, yet it is so clear cut and simple a distinction.
Edited by centurion, 14 September 2006 - 03:08 PM.