Obviously it doesn’t absolve him of anything. And I do not think that was offered for justification.
I also don’t see how some one who freely described himself and his actions as horrible can be said to be attempting to excuse their actions. Particularly given that he offered this story freely.
This guy offered a story of how a crisis lead him to turn away from hatred and violence. After buying into it. In a place and time defined by hatred bubbling over into violence.
I dont think he should be attacked for doing that. Particularly since the “sides” thing you seem hung up on very much seems to be the mentality he’s calling himself out for.
Tell that to Ian Paisley, fuck the DUP are still on the Nigel Farangey end of the Brexit fight.
Ireland as a whole never saw much in the way of immigration till the 00’s, and that doesn’t seem to have much included NI. But post WWII the UK saw an influx of people from other parts of the common wealth and former empire. Particularly Jamaicans/Caribbeans, a late influx of Indians and other South Asians, and bunch of different people from the Levant.
Some portion of those people ended up in the industrial cities of Northern Ireland. And “Britain for the British” was part of the Unionist pitch. There were documented attacks against blacks, and other groups. Mostly by Unionists, but also by IRA and their associated organizations.
From what I understand they’d both stop you for being a Hindu Indian, and the Unionists founded a political party partly predicated on getting rid of you.
Might still. I know a few people from the Republic of Ireland that have had some issues in Belfast.
