It’s not respect between the traditions we need, it’s an iota of remorse.
I don’t respect the right of Republicans to name play parks after murderers nor do I respect the rights of Loyalists to parade anywhere they damn well please. Both of them can just "get off my lawn". Calls for the other to respect their culture is not only falling on deaf ears but it’s like a red rag to a bull. And those who bleat loudest for their culture to be respected are, unsurprisingly, the greatest perpetrators of exactly the same foul against their imagined opponents.
But both traditions need to express remorse not respect. We need to see some remorse from the "PUL" community for 50 years of Unionist domination and some remorse for thirty years of mayhem and murder from the Republicans would go a long way.
if you’ve chosen a side you owe the rest of us an apology
It doesn’t matter to me which side you’re from; if you’ve chosen a side you owe the rest of us an apology for being party to a dirty little skirmish that has left thousands dead, tens of thousands traumatised and despite the platitudes of a peace process, continues to inflict harm on the population.
Neither side is willing to accept they have ruined the lives of millions of people.
Neither side is willing to admit they continue to inflict their bile upon the young and create more victims of this dirty skirmish every day.
Neither side is prepared to admit they were wrong.
And that’s why my advice is to leave.
Advice for young people growing up in NI: do what it takes you leave. You’re wasting your time there.