Bobby Sands an IRA activist ?

[Ayahuasca]

BBC news today referred to hunger striker Bobby Sands as an ‘IRA Activist’.

When did convicted members of the Provisional IRA go from being terrorists to being activists?

[Mortarboard]

Ayahuasca said:

BBC news today referred to hunger striker Bobby Sands as an IRA Activist .

When did convicted members of the Provisional IRA go from being terrorists to being activists?

Perhaps you should read up on what he did, from start to finish.

M.

[Ayahuasca]

Wiki -

Sands was arrested and charged in October 1972 with possession of four handguns found in the house where he was staying. He was convicted in April 1973, sentenced to five years imprisonment, and released in April 1976.[19][20]

Upon his release, he returned to his family home in West Belfast, and resumed his active role in the Provisional IRA. Sands and Joe McDonnell planned the bombing of the Balmoral Furniture Company in Dunmurry on 14 October 1976.[21] The showroom was destroyed but as the IRA men left the scene there was a gun battle with the Royal Ulster Constabulary. Leaving behind two wounded, Seamus Martin and Gabriel Corbett, the remaining four (Sands, McDonnell, Seamus Finucane, and Sean Lavery) tried to escape by car, but were arrested. One of the revolvers used in the attack was found in the car. On 7 September 1977, the four men were sentenced to 14 years for possession of the revolver.

Did he do anything else that you think I should be aware of?

[Mortarboard]

And what happened once he was in H-block?

M.

[Police State]

Mortarboard said:

And what happened once he was in H-block?

M.

He martyred his self.

[and31]

Mortarboard said:

And what happened once he was in H-block?

M.

He refused to eat and died?

[Yahonza]

Ayahuasca said:

BBC news today referred to hunger striker Bobby Sands as an IRA Activist .

When did convicted members of the Provisional IRA go from being terrorists to being activists?

Isn't that one of the banned words?

[mac96]

Sadly being a terrorist was at the time more common than being a hunger striker, so he is remembered for the latter.

[Mortarboard]

And also a duly elected MP.

M.

[Randy Winkman]

As someone that remembers this stuff from that time I'd definitely see him as an "activist" as well as a terrorist. The hunger strikes did a hell of a lot to get the IRA and the republican cause into the news.

[Kwackersaki]

and31 said:

Mortarboard said:

And what happened once he was in H-block?

M.

He refused to eat and died?

And did us all a favour.

[Foss62]

Mortarboard said:

And what happened once he was in H-block?

M.

To be pedantic, he was in one of the ‘H’ blocks. They were named due to their shape.

[Randy Winkman]

Kwackersaki said:

and31 said:

Mortarboard said:

And what happened once he was in H-block?

M.

He refused to eat and died?

And did us all a favour.

Wiki say that his funeral was attended by over 100,000 people and that the hunger strikes were "the driving force that enabled Sinn Féin to become a mainstream political party.".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1981_Irish_hunger_st...

Is that what you mean by "did us all a favour"?

[McGee_22]

Mortarboard said:

And also a duly elected MP.

M.

And an armed terrorist? Was he an active MP who took up his seat to represent his constituents in accordance with his remit?

[loafer123]

Mortarboard said:

Ayahuasca said:

BBC news today referred to hunger striker Bobby Sands as an IRA Activist .

When did convicted members of the Provisional IRA go from being terrorists to being activists?

Perhaps you should read up on what he did, from start to finish.

M.

I assume your point is that he was both an activist and a terrorist?

[Mortarboard]

loafer123 said:

Mortarboard said:

Ayahuasca said:

BBC news today referred to hunger striker Bobby Sands as an IRA Activist .

When did convicted members of the Provisional IRA go from being terrorists to being activists?

Perhaps you should read up on what he did, from start to finish.

M.

I assume your point is that he was both an activist and a terrorist?

Yes. And civil rights defender too, for accuracy.

Its not all grrrrr IRA.

M.

[Murph7355]

Mortarboard said:

Yes. And civil rights defender too, for accuracy.

Its not all grrrrr IRA.

M.

I believe Hitler liked dogs

[Mortarboard]

Murph7355 said:

Mortarboard said:

Yes. And civil rights defender too, for accuracy.

Its not all grrrrr IRA.

M.

I believe Hitler liked dogs

Comparing someone with enough conviction to go on hunger strike to his death for prisoners' right to Hitler?

Thats pretty low Murph. Do better.

M.

[McGee_22]

Mortarboard said:

Murph7355 said:

Mortarboard said:

Yes. And civil rights defender too, for accuracy.

Its not all grrrrr IRA.

M.

I believe Hitler liked dogs

Comparing someone with enough conviction to go on hunger strike to his death for prisoners' right to Hitler?

Thats pretty low Murph. Do better.

M.

Far more willing to kill, hurt or terrorise people than engage in debate? The comparisons are far clearer than the differences.

[Mortarboard]

McGee_22 said:

Mortarboard said:

Murph7355 said:

Mortarboard said:

Yes. And civil rights defender too, for accuracy.

Its not all grrrrr IRA.

M.

I believe Hitler liked dogs

Comparing someone with enough conviction to go on hunger strike to his death for prisoners' right to Hitler?

Thats pretty low Murph. Do better.

M.

Far more willing to kill, hurt or terrorise people than engage in debate? The comparisons are far clearer than the differences.

Learn your history. You're so far wide of the mark its comical.

Willing to apply the same standards to british armed forces in NI then?

How does ordering the kill unarmed civilians grab you, for example?

M.

Edited by Mortarboard on Thursday 8th January 23:23