My opinion of him is very low, but on the flipside I have to admit he was very influential in Northern Ireland's peace process. That's all I'm going to say on him.

This could be a very contentious thread, so keep it civil please.

Good.

Is that you just being contentious? Or are you just being a dick per normal.

Personally, I'm not going to cheer at anyone's death. But I certainly won't be mourning him.

Nor I.

Lol

To be honest Loz's answer neither surprises me, nor shocks me, as I suspect that many many people would say the same when presented with the news.

I know. Is it just me, I would never, ever use the word "good" after hearing about someones death. Even if I hated that person, I would at least have the good grace and dignity to say nothing.

What I will remember him for is being a key player in the Northern Ireland Peace Process which we now seem to take for granted. The fact the he was able to forge a friendship with Rev Ian Paisley is pretty remarkable all things considered.

We should never forget his murky past and all the bloody spilt, but that he made the crossover to politics is certainly worthy of respect.

RIP

Perhaps the thread title should be updated to "Child Killer Martin McGuinness..."

24 years and 1 days since the 2nd Warrington bombing...so yes

Northern Ireland Blackmail with Violence If We Don't Get Our Way process

Especiallly in recent weeks with the election, failure to come to an arrangement, and then I heard some IRA apologist on the news this morning.

I now wait impatiently for the bearded bar tender to shuffle his mortal coil

OK, I've just landed from another planet. I don't trust wikipedia or the BBC, but I've heard that EF is a reliable font of earthly wisdom.


Give me five good reasons to despise the man and five good reasons to respect him.

He was part of an Organisation which killed at least 5 children.

He took part in a peace process which prevented the deaths of at least 5 children.

If his participation in the peace process occured after his membership of the murderous organisation, surely the net result is a positive.


Don't we believe in reconciliation and redemption?

You don't need five reasons. He killed innocent civilians in order to enforce his beliefs on others. This alone entails that he warrants zero respect.

Not my job to pronounce a ratio on reconciliation and redemption.

But my personal line is that having later participated in actively hindering the violence, particularly in light of how bitter the lines were between the parties which negotiated the settlement, mitigates the former activity.

I respect your position, but don't entirely agree. Agreeing to stop murdering people doesn't give much credit in my book. It's great that Northern Ireland is a much safer place to be now, but to give credit to terrorists (on both sides) is like being grateful when somebody stops punching you.

'Good' was my reaction too when I saw the news this morning, I never understood why he was lauded for bringing an end to the violence that he was organising.


Having read a few tomes on 'the troubles' the descriptions of the IRA torture sessions were monstrous, I can't help but wonder how many people died in agony because he lived.

Oh, I don't have a position. I just arrived from another planet.