If you lived in Northern Ireland, which party would you support?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Northern Ireland BRTD would be so differen than American BRTD to begin with that none of what he says would apply anyway. He'd still be hardcore into his culture and hate the other one, but it would either be ethnic Protestant or Catholic instead of scene culture. The other side is clearly alien to his culture so obviously he wouldn't support that.

I've seen Belfast on band's touring schedules before. There is a scene in Northern Ireland.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Northern Ireland BRTD would be so differen than American BRTD to begin with that none of what he says would apply anyway. He'd still be hardcore into his culture and hate the other one, but it would either be ethnic Protestant or Catholic instead of scene culture. The other side is clearly alien to his culture so obviously he wouldn't support that.

I've seen Belfast on band's touring schedules before. There is a scene in Northern Ireland.

The people in it would be either Protestant or Catholic.

[Sol]

The PUP.

[Peter the Lefty]

This whole religious thing is weird.  The thing that makes no sense to me is why the Protestants there, who are pretty much all Lowland Scots, don't have any sense of Celtic nationalism like their counterparts across the creek?  I mean, why are they so fanatically pro-British, when, aside from religion, they're essentially cousins of the Irish?  Makes no sense at all. 

So I guess I'd be an agnostic, Ulster supporter of the SDLP. 

[DC Al Fine]

This whole religious thing is weird.  The thing that makes no sense to me is why the Protestants there, who are pretty much all Lowland Scots, don't have any sense of Celtic nationalism like their counterparts across the creek?  I mean, why are they so fanatically pro-British, when, aside from religion, they're essentially cousins of the Irish?  Makes no sense at all. 

So I guess I'd be an agnostic, Ulster supporter of the SDLP. 

Ask a Scot whether they consider the Irish kin or vice versa and you'll get an earful

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Northern Ireland BRTD would be so differen than American BRTD to begin with that none of what he says would apply anyway. He'd still be hardcore into his culture and hate the other one, but it would either be ethnic Protestant or Catholic instead of scene culture. The other side is clearly alien to his culture so obviously he wouldn't support that.

I've seen Belfast on band's touring schedules before. There is a scene in Northern Ireland.

The people in it would be either Protestant or Catholic.

There are Jews in Belfast.

And I can guarantee there aren't any observant Catholics (and not many observant Protestants either.)

[TJ in Oregon]

Northern Ireland BRTD would be so differen than American BRTD to begin with that none of what he says would apply anyway. He'd still be hardcore into his culture and hate the other one, but it would either be ethnic Protestant or Catholic instead of scene culture. The other side is clearly alien to his culture so obviously he wouldn't support that.

I've seen Belfast on band's touring schedules before. There is a scene in Northern Ireland.

The people in it would be either Protestant or Catholic.

There are Jews in Belfast.

And I can guarantee there aren't any observant Catholics (and not many observant Protestants either.)

Jewish BRTD would be interesting.

What party do the Jews vote for in Northern Ireland?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

What party do the Jews vote for in Northern Ireland?

It's a very small community, mostly centered in a few parts of one city (Belfast, obviously). That said, I'm told on good authority that the tendency has always been to keep out of the whole psychodrama as far as possible and to back moderate parties.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

This whole religious thing is weird.  The thing that makes no sense to me is why the Protestants there, who are pretty much all Lowland Scots, don't have any sense of Celtic nationalism like their counterparts across the creek?  I mean, why are they so fanatically pro-British, when, aside from religion, they're essentially cousins of the Irish?  Makes no sense at all. 

It's not about any of that.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

What party do the Jews vote for in Northern Ireland?

It's a very small community, mostly centered in a few parts of one city (Belfast, obviously). That said, I'm told on good authority that the tendency has always been to keep out of the whole psychodrama as far as possible and to back moderate parties.

Don't be silly Al, we are know that first they have to decide whether they are Protestant or Catholic Jews (to quote a famous Belfast Joke).

This whole religious thing is weird.  The thing that makes no sense to me is why the Protestants there, who are pretty much all Lowland Scots, don't have any sense of Celtic nationalism like their counterparts across the creek?  I mean, why are they so fanatically pro-British, when, aside from religion, they're essentially cousins of the Irish?  Makes no sense at all. 

So I guess I'd be an agnostic, Ulster supporter of the SDLP. 

That's not really relevant. Also you might want to read up on your Scottish history first. Though some Scots Nats like playing up the whole 'Celtic' thing but it doesn't really mean anything in practice (and for obvious reasons, they are not doing that so much now).

The other thing to note is o/c that sectarian partisanship in practice does not have much in connection with religious practice - and also that the Catholic parties nowadays take more liberal positions on US-style 'Social issues' than the Protestant ones (counting Alliance as nonsectarian but even they have been having problems with Gay marriage atm).

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Northern Ireland BRTD would be so differen than American BRTD to begin with that none of what he says would apply anyway. He'd still be hardcore into his culture and hate the other one, but it would either be ethnic Protestant or Catholic instead of scene culture. The other side is clearly alien to his culture so obviously he wouldn't support that.

I've seen Belfast on band's touring schedules before. There is a scene in Northern Ireland.

The people in it would be either Protestant or Catholic.

There are Jews in Belfast.

And I can guarantee there aren't any observant Catholics (and not many observant Protestants either.)

Jewish BRTD would be interesting.

For being someone who rejected his upbringing and turned to Christ and converted? I suppose someone raised Jewish from that type of background is always interesting. Even more interesting for being someone raised Jewish from North Dakota.

[Robert-Stark]

Sinn Fein.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

Probably DUP or Alliance.  I would be tempted to say UUP, except that I oppose monarchism.  I would support civil rights for Catholics, but I also am not entirely sure about Irish reunification.

[hawkeye59]

Either Alliance or the Greens, I guess. Probably Alliance, if only because they're the ones that can do better.

[countydurhamboy]

Hopefully I would vote Alliance.  However being from a protestant background, a monarchist and a unionist. If I was brought up in NI, I suspect the UUP would get my vote.

[Peter the Lefty]

This whole religious thing is weird.  The thing that makes no sense to me is why the Protestants there, who are pretty much all Lowland Scots, don't have any sense of Celtic nationalism like their counterparts across the creek?  I mean, why are they so fanatically pro-British, when, aside from religion, they're essentially cousins of the Irish?  Makes no sense at all. 

So I guess I'd be an agnostic, Ulster supporter of the SDLP. 

Ask a Scot whether they consider the Irish kin or vice versa and you'll get an earful

I've heard that before.  Is it because of NI or just religion in general?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

It's because they are not Americans.