*sigh* Belfast has worsened, in my opinion......

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mad1

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Angie Jolie lover from Belfast Norn Ireland. I LO
It really has...........Im sure Lara Mullen will agree..........I know its not necessary to post this but I really feel the need to share and Im not looking for sympathy or anything, I just wanna get it off my chest..........

To me this city has gone downhill rapidly, esp since the Orange Parade was not allowed to walk down Garvaghy.......the tension between both communities has worsened and two nights ago a man was shot in the head round the corner from my brother, who has a slight mental disability, (and of course this has made him more nervous and he may become unwell again through feeling scared when he had a fantastic run of being in excellent mood, this will be a shame, for him...:()......anyway, I forgot about this incident had happened and last night going up that way was stopped for 'ID Checks' and I actually felt a bit on edge......I thought they started doing routine checks again which they did when the Troubles were around........until I was reminded they are looking for somebody................and I checked on my brother while there and he was a little unwell..............the guy was shot for his religion.......paramilitary attack.

anyway...........also, this trouble u hear about in Short Strand? Well, police only start to patrol or stay there when crowds get big - as I say, some nights it is bad, some nights very quiet........its strange............but police arent there all the time now and yesterday driving home through that area, the two communites of teenagers (lets see, maybe a group of 10 on one side and 15 on the other) started throwing bricks, stones, bottles at each other amongst tea-time traffic!!!!!!!! ( I know, all of u out there must be tinkin, 'but Maddie, it could be worse luv, get a grip, more danger in other cities!' - and ur right.........but like, it feels bad enough, in fact, its the sickening reality that nothing here will get better).........Now, I and lots of other drivers were just up stopped at the lights while these fukers were doing what they were doing......and I just put me fukin foot down and drove through them fast, in order to try and get through with risk.....in the hope my car would not get hit by bricks/stones..........and I was lucky, but I could see other drivers hesitating with nerves and I really felt for them, wanting to turn their cars and go another route -for kids like that are unpredictable.........................no police were there but Im sure they arrived soon after to cordon the groups off more, or stop the traffic..........but I was shaking with fright going through cause it scared me................it would anybody innocent......

Im fuking sick of it!!!!!!!!!

F.U.C.K.I.N.G SICK OF IT!!!!!!!!

like 80% others here....


and then kids who walk on the crossing and just dither with their mates and then stand in front of u when the lights are green. This happened to me the other night.......and it really pissed me off, I was so tempted to get out and punch the little fucker, and I wouldnt think twice about doin it! Nor would I care if I was locked up for it, for I'd do anything now to teach little brats like that a lesson, I would not think twice with anger built up in me about punching them til they were bleeding, I would not think twice about pinning them up against a wall with my car...........I just would not think twice........I would never do it of course, but through frustration built up I've felt like crossing that line..............Im sure some of u have been there............

But he just stood there, burger in gob dithering extrememly slowly while I blew my horn then HAD to manouvre round him..........I wasnt gonna fucking waste time...........nearly anywhere u go, there are lots like this, same attitude......they dont give a fuck, nor respect anything anymore, they would mug a pensioner or tease a handicapped person endlessly......where did good manners go? Where did respect go? Why are these kids out in these streets bored and choosing to attack or be destructive? Believe me, Ive seen a LOT of it..............so dont nobody say Im blind.

Folks it really is nasty here these days......................its like, Belfast is being run by teenagers.........nasty ignorant violant teenagers.........who drink, do drugs.......etc......

I hate it here now.........10 years ago, it was NEVER as bad as I see it now.................

It truly is becoming, or rather, HAS become a 'dive' for kids to hang out in...........only 30% of the city would be decent for tourists now...........................its lost all its morality..........

This city aint big enough and its now packing itself out with all the above..........just gettin worse and worse.........Bigger cities can have trouble on the outside, Belfast is so small its moving from outside to middle so fast......in fact.......the whole city is violence now.........


:(

sorry, Im just feelin down about it.......I am NOT expecting any replies from yas, or sympathy, as I said............I just wanted to express my angerness and frustration


yet, loads of pple still love this city..........

:tsk: strange............

sorry

Im done now............just nobody expect this place to get any better................for I live here, and I DONT see it.............thank u.
 
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Awww! I know all about whats goin on there bc My grandma was born in Belfast and we still have family that live there. It really sucks all of the stuff that is happen over there!

psst: I have to do a speech on Fri and My speech is about N. Ireland and the turmoil that it is going thro!

:sad:
 
Why are these kids out in these streets bored and choosing to attack or be destructive?

Ireland needs an economy. The way kids stay out of trouble is having jobs, staying in ORGANIZED activities, and going to school. Make 'em get a job.
 
Lilly said:


Ireland needs an economy. The way kids stay out of trouble is having jobs, staying in ORGANIZED activities, and going to school. Make 'em get a job.

Now THERE'S a novel idea, I wonder why we havent thought of that. Probably we Irish are much too stupid.

I'm not convinced that the problems in Belfast are much worse than in any city to be honest, ok we have kids hanging out on the streets, drinking, taking drugs, getting into fights. You show me a city that doesnt...
 
yes we do have sectarian problems here, and I dont really know all the answers, it has got to start with integrated education at a young age if you ask me.
Though I went to all-catholic schools from the age of 4 through to 18, I dont consider myself bigoted, I dont hate people of any religious persuasion merely on the basis of that religion, but I do disagree with the opinions of many, but what else is new?

I think the actions of almost all political parties in Northern Ireland are unhelpful, from the arrogant blocking boycot tactics of the DUP, to the holier than thou attitude of the UUP and Sinn Fein's "What? Us? We never did nothing" attitude. Pointing the finger just doesnt work. Get on with what your elected for.
 
cloudimani said:


Now THERE'S a novel idea, I wonder why we havent thought of that. Probably we Irish are much too stupid.


yes, i thought it was a novel idea too.

i didn't mean it to be demeaning, just saying that's what generally solves the "kids are running the streets" conflict.
 
Awww Maddie, I'm so sorry to hear this....for you and for everyone affected.

I have no frame of reference for your situation. I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like to live with such constant threats.

All I can offer is some prayers and good thoughts sent your way. That and a :hug: just for you!
 
I just returned from Rep of Ireland and didn't make it to visit Belfast. Maybe next time.

sorry for what sounds like to be a bit of urban crime sweeping your city.

I live in Los Angeles so I know what you mean about random violence and street hoodlums. Of course we don't have the religious / political issues that you have . Altho I thought the politics were better in N. Ireland? I know things always flare up around Orange time but I was thinking things were getting a bit better?

Maybe I'm completely out of touch, I don't know....
 
mad1 said:
I know its not necessary to post this but I really feel the need to share and Im not looking for sympathy or anything, I just wanna get it off my chest..........

mad1:

You should never feel that you shouldn't post such an account in a U2 forum known as "Free Your Mind;' in fact, I think this is the perfect place for you to express it.

I wish I could tell you something to make it seem better; even so, I do hope and pray that it gets better.

~U2Alabama
 
Ireland has a strong and growing economy. Its one of the fastest growing economies in the EU. Northern Ireland does not.

I never understood what is going on there-- the protestants and the catholics are both christian. Why can't they find some common ground? Its as if there has been so much fighting and Orange Parades pelted with rocks and Protestant areas being bombed. Its no wonder there are kids like this in Belfast-- they haven't grown up to know anything different.
 
i agree.

to put it very flippantly, N ireland seems to have had an especially shit summer.

theres more talk about all the shit here(as yall know dundalk is a very republican border town, think omagh etc).

it just all seems to be stirring up again
 
Hmm I dunno, there are times I'd love to say to pple, 'If you dont live here, dont talk about it like u know it'........but I dont........for there are more intelligent pple out there who would know more than me.........

but to answer the question about jobs and youthclubs for teenagers...let me tell u something.....

A Youth Club round the corner from me.........oh but when I was 10 or something and going round there to get a lift up with the others for horse-riding at Birr House....the place was in good spirits and no trouble.............then, but then, under 2 years ago, I discovered than for whatever stage before, it became a dive for teens, and a teenage girl was taken from inside by a couple of teenage lads from inside, and raped round the back of it?

Now, YOU tell me what went wrong there please............can u NOT see the point Im trying to get across? Teenagers here have become more destructive on their own territory and Youth Clubs are pointless now.........that Youth Club is now shut.....but theres another nearby which is definately a dive..........I think its shut now too..................


and as far as I would tink, half the issue here in Northern Ireland is out of politicians' hands - physically!


words are never enough...........

so there like
 
that's awful....but then again they probably weren't brought up any different.....the main reason that kids go 'bad' is coz their families are based on violence and drugs....
 
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