Year: 2007
Module: Community Relations
Variable: COMMENTS

Below are the responses to the open-ended question:

'Is there anything else you would like to say about community relations in Northern Ireland?'

Note: Responses were only edited for grammatical reasons, if necessary. Square brackets indicate where editing occurred..

1. A lot of sectarian views are passed from parents to children, and I doubt this will ever change

2. Anything that gets people of different ethnic groups together is a good scheme, because you don't like or dislike someone based on religion

3. As a community we need to try harder to improve relations in NI

4. As a sixteen year old, I have a part time job in a mixed culture and religion setting. I feel this has given me an opportunity to meet people of different religions and cultures. I am enjoying this experience. Only for this part time job I don't think I would get this opportunity in other aspects of my life.

5. As a whole, in relation to different religions in NI, I don't think it is causing as many problems as it once did. I do think the cross community programmes help bring everybody together, it gives young people, who are easily influenced, the chance to see how other religions and people from a different ethnic background aren't so different at all. It helps people integrate and make friends with people they may not have had a chance to before. Therefore I think more cross community schemes and events should be organised.

6. As much as I would like the two communities to get along and work together more, a part of me feels there will always be a small hint of resentment for the other community because it will be passed down the generations

7. Bigots need to be excluded. Parents need to be taken to classes to prevent them teaching their children to prefer their community without even knowing why they have been taught this rubbish

8. Catholics and Protestants do not mix well enough, there is not enough activities for both religions to come together e.g. sport. Gaelic is a mainly Catholic sport and more Protestants should play too, and friendships may be formed.

9. Catholics get everything and that's not fair

10. Community relations can be improved but those who are raised to be prejudice will always feel opposed to cross community projects. No amount of projects, time or teaching will change it. Also, many people in NI, much like other cultures, find it difficult to accept other groups, minority or not. Perhaps we could help people see - we're all human

11. Community relations in NI are no different to community relations, if not better, that other countries. An organisation called the IRA have bombed us in the past, no different to the Muslim extremists in the holy lands. Paramilitaries have been using patriotism to cover up for drug schemes, no different to America's own mafia. We in NI have been described by many tourists as a friendly society, mainly because of our ability to laugh at ourselves. Personally I have a problem with do-gooders and politically correct people using the so-called "troubles" as a means of bettering themselves

12. Community relations in NI are still bad. People have not realised that people from other religions, countries, or ethnic origin are no different from us, but cross-community projects will not work if people are forced to attend. People must want to attend and be open minded enough to give it a chance to work.

13. Community relations in NI aren't a problem unless single minded people make it one. I despise sectarianism and all discrimination because throughout my life my friends and I have been subjected to this prejudice ever though we are a mixed religion

14. Community relations in NI aren't as good as they could be because of old arguments causing new ones. Parents of kids who don't like other religions or different races give that message to their kids, and with youths today being more rowdy and out spoken than others before them, the rifts between communities grow every day

15. Community relations in NI deteriorates around the 12th July. This is because Protestants usually have a tri-colour on top of their bonfires or they have a tri-colour with a Catholics name who had been murdered. This makes Catholics very annoyed.

16. Community relations projects are very positive, but I feel that they are only a small step in solving the problem of sectarianism, more has to be done as well.

17. Community relations will never get better in NI if the two main religions live in different societies and are always apart. As a Catholic I know hardly anything about other religions and I would like this to change.

18. Community spirit has gone. No one cares about each other which is disgraceful. People on the dole should be made to work, at least part time.

19. Ethnic minorities seem to be left out and not accepted by either Catholics or Protestants

20. Even though relationships between the main religious groups has improved over the years there should be concern about the growing number of problems between local people and immigrants. These issues should be dealt with before they grow into a serious problem so that NI doesn't have to go through the troubles years again.

21. Everybody is all the same so why can't they all try and get along. It doesn't matter whether you are Protestant or Catholic we are all human. Some people get too caught up on their religion. I don't think being a Catholic or Protestant should be focused on so much. It only causes problems.

22. Everyone hates each other and that's not going to change

23. Everyone in NI needs to wise up and stop this silly fighting because these is a lot more serious things to worry about. We all need to unite and fight for our rights and to make sure that our voices are heard. We need to show people that NI is united and it's stronger than ever

24. Fix it soon. Please

25. General opinion of most people think they are fine, although in hard-line areas such as east Belfast the relationship is poor

26. Get all the foreigners out of my country back to where they come from

27. Get the Polish out

28. Having a son who has autism has given me chances to meet people from other religions and we have worked together as a group to highlight our children's needs. These children have in my opinion done more for this country and bridging barriers that once separated us than any of our highly overpaid politicians have

29. I am involved in a cross-community project and I feel that it has helped me to break any stereotypes I have of people from different community groups. Therefore I feel that cross community projects are successful and there should definitely be more opportunities for both young and old to be involved in such projects. However I feel that there is a severe lack of funding for cross community projects and this is an issue that the new NI executive should deal with

30. I believe bringing in other ethnic people to NI is not good to do at the present time with there still being much hatred between Catholics and Protestants. These people will get hurt in the crossfire

31. I believe community relations will always be part of living in NI. Although many people still have a problem with different religious backgrounds, many others are proud that they have experienced these problems, but overcame them. Issues like sectarianism are now materials used by comedians and advertisers, showing that our troubled history is slowly but surely ending, and becoming less a problem and more something to be proud that has ended

32. I believe if children were taught about different races and religions then there wouldn't be as much bullying and fighting in school. They would learn to see they are all like one another and share similar opinions and interests on things. Also it is how children are brought up by their parents, because if the parents are bad mouthing different races or religions, children are just going to think it is right for them to do it as well.

33. I believe that in some areas, young people are so bored they stir trouble just for something to do. For a "kick". If the government provided more for them to do, I believe such problems could be avoided. For instance, if I were to see a new play park being built, my first reaction would be "in no time thugs would have it destroyed" which is based on past experiences. More logical distractions from violence such as grants for cinemas etc. should be thought about. I also believe that there are more problems than religious ones for teenagers to the concerned about. Being a victim of stereotype can be stressful. Getting labelled as an "ema" or a "jock" or a "Barbie" can cause stress when really I believe those teens only conform to such images to get a sense of belonging and worth

34. I believe that my generation are more open to the fact that new religions are coming over to NI.

35. I believe that people should be judged on personality not colour, appearance or religion. As people from one community can be just as "bad" as people from another we shouldn't be so blind in the sense that most people believe that their religion is "best" as no one has any greater status than someone else

36. I believe that there should be more focus on the community relations between young people today, as they are the future, and the more they learn about other communities and religions, the more they can provide for their children in the future. Parents contribute immensely to the attitude their child/children can have about other ethnic origins, so this attitude needs to be acted on immediately or else relations between communities may never get better than they are right now.

37. I believe that they are better now than say, 20 years ago but there will always be that underlying tension between the two sides. It's as if the tension is genetic, we can't help it

38. I believe that we should put our differences aside and become friends across the religious barrier so that we can focus our energies more positively on making NI a better place for ourselves and for tourists who come to visit

39. I believe that with time NI will become a better place to live in, however sectarianism will always be an issue to some extent

40. I don't care what religion or colour people are. I would like to live round "my own kind" because it is easier and there is less chance of trouble if you go to school with them. NI is always going to be split between Prods and Catholics. It's just how it is. I've grown up in it and I'm fine. I go to the twelve every year and yet one of my closest friends is Catholic, goes to a Catholic girls school. I marched with the orange men yet at the time I had a boyfriend who was Catholic. And you also said about colour, I have a close friend who is black. We are who we are.

41. I don't go by what religion someone is, I go by what the actual person is like. You shouldn't have to not like someone just because of what religion they are.

42. I don't mind working alongside people of different race and religions but I don't want to work with people that are racist or sectarian

43. I don't think it matters what religion we are. Sometimes it is the way in which a family has been brought up over the years. If different religions were brought together I think people wouldn't care any more. Religion doesn't matter. We are all people. We all share the same feelings. People should give one another a chance. That's what I did

44. I don't think race or religion make any difference to me. As far as I see everyone should be treated the same. All of the arguments that happen in my town are due to religion. Personally I think it is stupid. People should just learn to accept people as they are and not judge them if they don't know them

45. I don't think religion is becoming the biggest worry, I think the fact that if you're gay or not is becoming an issue. As a friend of mine is and he gets constant abuse from the community for it.

46. I don't think that enough is being done to improve community relations in NI. There has been a large increase recently of Eastern Europeans coming to work in NI. I welcome them and feel that they are needed to work here but I don't think they have been given enough help to integrate into our society. I also think that people from NI should be better educated on what they bring to NI and how necessary they are to become a more prosperous place. I feel that this would help reduce any tensions that exist towards people from ethnic minorities. Regarding sectarianism between Catholics and Protestants, I believe that many young people simply adopt their parents' views instead of making their own and so the hatred between the two sides throughout the troubles have filtered through to the next generation. Until more is done in schools etc. in the form of cross-community projects I don't think we will see an end to sectarianism. I feel that most people only have friends of the same creed as they haven't had the opportunity to socialise with people from other backgrounds because of single faith schools, neighbourhoods and few cross-community projects.

47. I feel community relations in NI are better but I also feel there is plenty of room for improvement. I also think that there is quite a lot of bitter, narrow minded people here who tend to focus on each others differences rather than our similarities. In order for NI to improve a lot of tensions and past events need to be forgiven (on both sides) for people to be able to move on, towards a healthier society

8. I feel that as I have said Protestant and Catholic community relations need to improve greatly, so that we could all try and get on with no sectarian abuse or separation. If this was to improve I would feel better about walking to my school in my uniform without getting looks or remarks from other children going to different schools.

49. I feel that clubs such as sports clubs or youth clubs help build cross community relations and so more youth clubs in the Armagh area could help break barriers between the two communities. There have been some in the past but publicity was extremely poor

50. I feel that community relations in NI are not improving as rapidly as they could due to the politicians inability to form a united front and to dismiss the consequences of past actions.

51. I feel that if cross community projects in schools took place at an earlier age and more often, community relations would have more effect on those involved.

52. I feel that it is better to mix with people from different backgrounds to yours so that you can learn from each other instead of thinking that people are different because of their religion or colour.

53. I feel that people should learn to accept different races and religions and to work together. This could lead to a better NI.

54. I feel that some people's views are changed or decided by their friends and that not enough people stick up for what they believe in

55. I feel that there is too much of a divide between Catholics and Protestants and more cross-community projects for young people should be available to help eliminate prejudice

56. I feel that there should be more opportunities for young people to take part in cross-community projects

57. I feel the relations in NI are very much influenced in our age groups and 16 year olds experience a lot more these days and see very damaging images. There will always be conflict in NI between religions

58. I feel the relationships between different religious groups depends on where you live. In small towns, there is still tension, however in large cities, there is more violence and abuse

59. I felt I could not answer questions 59-61 because I would like to judge people on their individual merits and not their religion. Questions like these can only serve to create further boundaries. I think that sectarian hatred can only be combated through more mixing of religions. People need to learn to judge each other upon their merits

60. I have found that community relations in NI between the Protestant and Catholics have greatly improved recently however, I feel in some areas there are still tensions which could be combated by mixed neighbourhood and less one-religion areas. I have found that a lot of discrimination has now been directed to members of immigrant and ethnic minority communities such as the Polish and travelling communities.

61. I live in the countryside in an all Protestant area but my nearest town has slightly more Catholics than Protestants and there is definite hostility between the two, especially in my general age group. We can't get the same bus as there are arguments and abuse every day when we do, so we have separate buses but even then there is occasionally trouble getting off the buses walking up the street. I would like to see us getting on better even though I don't like a lot of them but I can't see this ever happening as there is such a big divide but I would like to see our new government try to address this issue.

62. I love living in NI, despite everything that's gone on here. Things are gradually getting better amongst the older generation but sometimes I feel that with people my age or younger they are getting worse. That some people are just picking up where our parents left off. I think the majority of this isn't actually out of a genuine dislike for people from a different community group (although this may be some of a factor) but out of boredom and just lack of understanding of the other people and also because that's just the way things were done in the past. I think a lot of people need to let go of the past to make a better future.

63. I personally believe that community relations in NI will not be strong for at least another 5 to 10 years. It is up to our generation to change our divided communities into one united nation

64. I personally believe that if there were more organised opportunities through schools and outside schools to meet other people who are not from the same race/religion then I believe that relations would definitely improve. I also believe that families have a very important role in moulding and indeed influencing the beliefs of their children and so if children are educated now, more so than ever an equality between race/religion then in generations to come community relations would most likely improve

65. I personally think that it is a disgrace to the people of NI the way that we are being seen but on the same point it is no-one else's fault but our own. We are portraying ourselves as evil, vindictive people, who don't understand that whether someone is either Catholic or Protestant it doesn't matter. Our religion does not make us, it builds up our identity not our lives and not many of us know that. The young people of NI are the real victims. They are not learning properly about this point in conversation. It is not just schools and the media that need to help us understand this serious and disruptive point on hand but also our families. Mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, grandparents, they can all play an important role in this. It isn't just a 10 minute speech after you have got in a row with that boy from that Catholic or Protestant school up the road. No. This is our lives and the world's future. We all need to make an effort to understand that religion and skin colour really doesn't matter in the slightest.

66. I simply hope for peace between different religions

67. I strongly think that because fighting between Catholics and Protestants has stopped, most prejudice hate is now directed to minority ethnic communities.

68. I think all schools should be mixed religion. Separating Catholics and Protestant only confirms to young people that they should not mix. If, from a young age, children from all backgrounds were put together then they would see that they all have similarities and the differences they do have can be positive. Children are just accepting the views they are taught.

69. I think Catholic and Protestants should be brought together and stop fighting. The way I see it religion doesn't pay for your rent

70. I think community relations are becoming stronger, even in mixed communities

71. I think community relations can be further improved as long as the people behind these cross-community projects ignore any negative feedback but focus on the positive outcomes that these projects cause and use this feedback to improve and further the success of cross-community relations

72. I think it has got a lot better. I am neither Catholic or Protestant, I do believe in God, go to church and went to an integrated school. I have nothing against people's sexuality, colour, beliefs etc. I think NI would be a lot better if all people went to integrated schools and mixed with all religions

73. I think it is stupid that we can be judged on our religious beliefs by other members of our own community

74. I think it's a great shame that the youth of today are still feeling sectarian towards other young people when they don't actually understand what they are doing and how their actions affect and hurt others. People need to grow up and move up

75. I think it's important as at the end of the day we are all still people and cross community events can improve relations with other communities

76. I think its ridiculous in this day and age that people still find pointless reasons to hate each other. Sad things is, there's very little you can do to change people's minds short of stealing their children, which I'm not suggesting is a good idea. Community relations in NI will probably, eventually, catch up with the rest of the modern world but for now we'll just have to do our best to help the new generations.

77. I think my high school doesn't do enough cross-community. If they did the pupils at my school wouldn't be as sectarian as they are, they'd realise people of a different religion or ethnic group are the same as us.

78. I think NI and Ireland should be brought as one country. I hope it does in the future

79. I think NI has a long way to go before Catholic and Protestant become totally integrated but I think it'll be a good thing when it happens

80. I think people in NI are dwelling too much on stuff that happened in the past, instead of looking towards the future. I think that everyone has a right to be proud of their religion and history but many people take things too far. They should leave the past in the past.

81. I think people should be able to get on, no matter what religion/race they are. Life is too short

82. I think people should be able to live in peace with others of different religion and ethnic origin, with no divisions or tension

83. I think people would mix more with the other community if they were in mixed schools and communities because that is where you make friends

84. I think that all the sectarian fighting should stop, as if you kill someone and you say it is because of religion, that just doesn't make sense as whether you are Protestant or Catholic you worship the same God and one of 10 commandments is "thou shalt not kill". So what kind of Christians kill other Christians?

85. I think that even if the community relations between Catholics and Protestants does improve, all the hatred between these two groups will move to other groups such as the Polish

86. I think that if there were more mixed housing estates, schools and even workplaces it would be a lot easier for different religions and people with different ethnic backgrounds to get on and understand that we're all humans and have the same colour blood

87. I think that in "trouble" areas people should support community centres etc and government should help fund. Also for cross community centres place them on the border regions so its not just in a Protestant area or just a Catholic area but will attract more people from both sides because its neutral. Also Christian organisations can be a help to forgetting differences.

88. I think that many of the views of the adults are passed onto the children which means why the teenagers are fighting and with the adults always passing their views onto their children, I believe the violence will never stop

89. I think that there is too much fighting over religions and that flashing the different flags at events for each sides causes most trouble. I believe that both religions should be able to enjoy whatever events they enjoy but keep it on the down low or do it within reason of no trouble. Also I think that anybody should be able to walk through any areas no matter if only one religion does live in the area and the other does not and more schemes should be arranged for young people to take part in. I also think people of different colour and race should get treated equally and be given equal opportunity

90. I think that there should be more opportunities for young people to engage in cross-community activities to improve relations at a young age, and therefore there will be better relations in generations to come.

91. I think the main barrier between young people of different religious backgrounds is the fear of your friends mocking you or worse because you are involved with people of different backgrounds

92. I think the relationship between Catholics and Protestants has become closer over the past few years. I believe people are beginning to see there is no real difference and everyone is entitled to their own beliefs. I also think people are making more of an effort to include those from ethnic minorities and foreign countries. Personally I think NI is changing slowly but surely and with the new government at Stormont things can only get better for us.

93. I think the rising number of attacks on ethnic minority groups in the past couple of years is a sad testament to the results of the troubles. It is almost carved into some Northern Irish people's nature that they must have a cause to fight for even if it is irrational, as it gives them an identity

94. I think there are a lot of people from Poland, China etc coming into the country that shouldn't be. They have their own country and should stay there.

95. I think there should be more cross community schemes in schools because the people who attend those types of schemes outside of school obviously are not the people who need to attend them

96. I think there should be more cross-community projects as I feel I benefited a lot from the project I am participating in.

97. I think there should be more opportunities for young people of different races and religions to socialise, because at the moment I feel there is little chance of being able to become friends with these people unless they attend you school. I also believe that sectarianism still exists within our communities and I often feel that the police services are at least slightly sectarian. I think that adults should be encouraged to reconsider their views as well as young people.

98. I think we should treat all children equally

99. I think with the right aims and funding the assembly can improve religious relations but there needs to be less talk and more action. More should be carried out with young children. If area's appearances were improved, relations would be better (like banishing murals and flags which I believe are more to mark territory and to warn other religions than to look good.)

100. I would just like to say that everyone, no matter what race, religion or disability, should be treated as equals and with respect. In NI sadly this is not always the case

101. I would like for children to grow up and not care about religion and be able to have friends of all religions

102. I would like mixed community relations in NI and people to respect everyone and treat everyone as equal

103. I would like to be able to go into the town and go shopping with my Lisneal college uniform or my Rangers football top without thinking that I will get beaten up. I don't like people to stereotype me just because of the way I dress and because of my culture. I see a lot of people walking around the Waterside wearing Celtic tops or GAA tops and no one cares. So why does it bother people? I don't think it's right

104. I would like to get to know more about the people in my community. We never really get the opportunity

105. I would like to say that with an increase of cross community programmes involving young people from all sorts of ethnic groups, the bond between all the groups will become much stronger and within 7-10 years from now any signs of prejudice or discrimination could be wiped out entirely

106. I would like to see a day when bigotry and hatred is not engrained from one generation into the next. Until that happens, we will never have a society where people live contentedly beside each other valuing each others differences and learning from them. People should learn to realise that their God is someone they worship in their own heart and that where we go to church shouldn't affect other aspects of our life.

107. If different communities weren't announced or explored as much "in the media", I think community relations would be better

108. If more communities were mixed with other races, religions etc. our communities wouldn't be so judgemental towards each other and more people would feel less awkward around people from different religions etc.

109. If the people were allowed to continue and live together without the media stirring up and creating "so called" tension between the community in NI it would not create such a problem

110. If there was less discrimination and hatred between all religions in NI it would be a far better place to live in

111. In a community where people are of the same religion they get on very well and have a relatively peaceful environment with each other, but this peace is often disturbed by someone/people from a completely opposite community looking to cause trouble. I live in a mixed community with different races and religions. We all respect each others beliefs and all get on very well with each other and we all live in relative peace. Our peace is never disturbed by people looking to cause trouble which emphasises my point that there should be more areas or estates that are mixed.

112. In answer to Qu. 81, most people prefer to stick with people of their own religion but I prefer to mix

113. In general I would say that in certain areas community relations in NI are improving but in other areas there is still an air of ignorance because of bitterness caused by the troubles, which is understandable but unfair. For myself, I think that there should be more cross-community schemes outside of school. The only reason I have Protestant friends are because I met people who became my friends before we discovered each others religions. Also, where I work I am the only Catholic so all my friends there are Protestant.

114. In my school we are taught to get on with everyone. When meeting someone for the first time, religion would definitely not change our views on them. In fact, it isn't even a detail that enters our heads. Although my school is mostly Protestant due to the area in which it is situated, some of the Catholic pupils are among the most liked pupils. Generally, I believe that religious disputes only apply to a small portion of our community. I feel that it is not a wide spread problem due to the growing education we receive on the subjects in our schools and by our families

115. In my work place there are six workers, two of which are Polish. Before I worked there I was quite suspicious of foreigners coming into NI for jobs and this was mainly because of views from my friends and school friends. From talking to the Polish people at work, I now realise how hard life is for them here but how essential it is for them because they earn a great deal more. I think that it is important for other people in NI to understand how important it is for foreign workers to feel accepted in our community and to welcome them here.

116. In NI most neighbourhoods tend to stick to the same religion. I was reared up not knowing much about the different religions, nor caring either. Because of this I have a wide range of friends and I would like my future children to have this opportunity as well. My mum was Catholic and my dad was Protestant and no-one seemed to really care. I think this is one of the reasons I never judged someone because of their religion. Not many children are given the choice of which religion they want to be as their parents decide for them when they are born. So how can you judge someone if they never had the freedom of choice? I believe if more people agreed with this then the community relations would be better in NI

117. In NI you should let people get used to the idea of immigrants coming in because the Catholic and Protestant bickering will always be in somebody but what is a good idea when you go to university you should mix the people in the university houses and let everyone get to know the different religions and let them cook different exotic meals and socialise and get to know each other better. It will also make Catholics and Protestants realise that there is no need for quarrelling. We're all human. Also make more people learn their religion. Then there might by less quarrelling and more forgiving, more associations for people of different races and ethnic minorities to socialise. Less poverty. No abortions - ruins a family and a lady. More facilities for young people.

118. In the end people will realise we are all the same. It is happening as we speak. However, in some areas it will take much longer. People who are bitter and sectarian won't get as far as people with an open mind. I have friends that are Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, atheist and agnostic and we all get on brilliantly. It's the personality I get on with not the religion, so I think policing etc should be strict with sectarian behaviour, however, people will need to discover that there is no difference between Catholics or Protestants etc.

119. It depends where you live, people in towns have a better chance to get to know people of different religions. For young people it is hard to socialise with different groups and especially for ones who live in a totally Catholic or Protestant area.

120. It is poor and needs to be worked upon

121. It isn't the young people that have the "religion problem", it is the adults that have grown up during the height of the violence. Young people mix with other religions all the time now but there is still a small minority that don't. This is mostly because their parents don't and won't let them be free to mix with different religions. It is adults that these cross community schemes should be set up for

122. It requires people of greater wisdom than I know of to find a stable midpoint to bring about peace here

123. It there were more cross community projects formed I think different religions would get on. If there is any, I never hear about them and miss out on the opportunity to take part in them. I also think that there should be a short time, maybe a few days, before any projects to get to know the people you will be with, so it wouldn't be so awkward.

124. It will take more than glossy speeches to fix our problems and nowadays, just because your family is Catholic/nationalist, you don't have to be Catholic/nationalist. Boundaries and rules are changing.

125. It would be good if more young people of both sides could mix more and to let the older generation retire. Young people today don't live in the past. We just want live, work and have fun. Now!

126. It's people's attitudes towards one and other that can make a different

127. It's stupid how something like religion separates people. As Marx said, religion is the opium of the people. I strongly agree with this. That is why I am of no religion and get frustrated why people fight over a f**king book

128. Just that whenever there is a cross-community project there always seems to be a large representation of one community and I feel that there should be the same amount of people there from both communities.

129. Leave it be and let it sort itself out. It is the easiest way

130. Many people in NI are picked on due to their colour and/or religion. I think this is very unfair because everyone is the same. We are all equal. Just because people are of a different religion does not make them any different. They practise different beliefs and that is it. Colour also does not make any difference. I wish there was less racism and sectarianism, nationalist attacks and violence of any kind. It angers me that some people think they are better than others.

131. More and more people are showing hatred towards each others religious beliefs. I think this should be dealt with more reasonably, such as non-violently. That seems to be the only way people know how to sort out their problems.

132. More Catholics should be encouraged to play rugby and cricket and Protestants should be encouraged to play gaelic and hurling. Youth interact best through sport. I play for a mainly Protestant rugby team and mutual respect and then friendship was easily achieved. You don't care who you pass the ball to on the field as long as they won't drop it.

133. More facilities for youths - absolutely nothing for children and young people to do which increases drinking, drugs and violence

134. More outreach events should be organised for young people so as the differences between race and religion can be cast aside. I think that community relations are improving as the younger generation seem to put aside religious differences. However, some children are brought up with a negative attitude towards the other religious community. I think that politicians should show a greater sense of enthusiasm and encouragement towards cross community events and anti-sectarianism. Politicians ought to be mature leaders whom we, as young people, can look up to and respect, and whose views we can admire and share. We ought to be more accepting of different races and those of other religions. However, I feel the government ought to increase our knowledge of others' religions and ethnic groups so as we are better informed and do not have misconceptions about other religions and races

135. More should be done in schools to endorse the concept of mixed communities/relationships, not just in group events, but individually as it is usually the individual that is easiest to co-operate with and make the biggest difference when it comes down to real life situations.

136. Most places they are fine. I don't even think of my friends being different religions. They are just my mates. Most people who are brought up by good parents don't care what religion anyone is.

137. NI is known primarily for its past troubles, however I believe that although that was a number of years ago the troubles and divisions will always be there. One way to overcome this is to send future children to mixed schools where they can bond with people outside their own community. Living in a mixed estate could cause fights and riots but that may be better than divided estates e.g.. the Falls Road and Shankill in Belfast. I have been brought up to relate only to people in the same community as myself, however, this is not the way forward and integration is a necessity.

138. No matter what happens NI will always find something to fight about. That is what people in NI have always done and they will keep doing it no matter what and that is why I hate NI.

139. On the whole I don't think many people care about religion or ethnicity, we only believe this because we see examples of it on the news. We do not, however, see the people who don't care about religion or ethnic groups. Community relations have greatly improved over the years.

140. Only that no differences should be made between any of the religious groups, in my opinion everyone is the same

141. People are ignorant and this ignorance turns to bigotry, which becomes violent. The hatred has to stop and not just between Catholics and Protestants. People from different beliefs and backgrounds should be treated with dignity and respect. There should be more integrated schools and cross-community projects to end prejudice in NI.

142. People find it hard to stop believing in the prejudices that they have been raised with, as were their family members before them. We need to focus on changing the attitude of the young and remove them from the atmosphere that they have been so used to - to show them that it's not normal to judge someone by which religious house they attend.

143. People like myself need more of a chance to mix with different religions

144. People need to abolish prejudice and begin bridging the gap or it's never going to work

145. People seem to have a hatred of tanned people. Tourists from countries along the Mediterranean are often mistaken for Arabs. Eastern European people are also picked on and abused because they may not speak good English. So the Eastern Europeans tend to become cautious when in a mostly Anglo/Irish area.

146. People should not be asked what religion they are when they meet someone. You should concentrate on what the person's personality and qualities are like instead of judging them on their religion. There are only a few people who ruin the cross community relations.

147. People use religion here as an excuse to use violence on someone. They don't understand that if there is someone we don't particularly like it is because of their personality (those of our own religion), so why is it any different with those of other religions? Where I live there was no trouble between religions until the marches occur. It seems to me that these marches are a trigger into the past violence in NI

148. People will always be bitter towards Protestants and Catholics especially people who have been seriously affected by the troubles, for example if someone died, but we can't expect them to forgive the other religion or whatever but my generation should be more open minded to other religions because realistically the troubles, or whatever, can't have affected them and if they are bitter they are easy influenced by people. People should be able to choose for themselves.

149. Policemen doing their jobs

150. Politicians and the PSNI have more control over the relationships than us. As we are brainwashed by politicians and controlled by the PSNI or other more democratic organisations

151. Relations between different religions are only frowned upon by the parents. A child while growing up will not dislike people who are different unless their parents make it so. I believe all ethnic religions should get along because we are one world and by getting along we are making the world a safer more fun place to be.

152. Safety issues - there is a major problem in this country when I don't feel safe to walk down the street at night myself

153. Sectarianism will not end until the leaders of political parties who take part in sectarian views and beliefs stop trying to get what's best for their community only, rather than what's best for everyone (e.g. Sinn Fein - Gerry Adams, DUP - Ian Paisley). As for different races, people are very wary of other races because of the terrorism in mainland UK. I think sectarian behaviour should be treated as severely as racial behaviour is - to both sides. Fairly.

154. Simply not enough, schools play no role in them but should. Children should be taught not to treat or discriminate against others.

155. That all religious groups should be able to get along

156. The government needs to do more to help those being assaulted due to their beliefs and to educate those who are causing these problems.

157. The only way in which NI will prosper in the future and overcome the difficulties in today's society is if we work together as one, as a community. We are slowly but surely getting there but we all need more education on each other's religion, race and ethnical origins, even if it has to be forced into us. Schools, regardless of whether they are strictly based within one religion, have to be made to enforce a principle of "all in one community" and not "one in a community"

158. The opinions of other religions that people develop are nearly all inherited from family and friends. If people set a better example, and didn't attempt to pressurise others, then I think that cross-community relations would improve: people would form an independent genuine opinion of others which would no doubt be a better opinion than any other

159. The situation in NI will stay the same until schools become united with an equal balance of Catholics and Protestants with other ethnic groups. We need to learn religious education together, socialise and work together for a better, fairer future.

160. The two sides will always have a problem with each other, no amount of activities can change that

161. The whole thing is farcical and will unfortunately most likely never be resolved. People need to learn that it doesn't matter. Advertising and cross-community projects are only effective on a small scale, this fact just needs to be drilled into kids by their parents and teachers at a young age.

162. There are much better relations between Catholics and Protestants than there was 10 years ago but there is still more effort needed from both sides to improve the peace process

163. There has never been enough community relations in NI. The community, I believe, has a parish in which people do not organise enough events for young people. In the last community I lived in there were only two clubs that brought people together; drama and football. There is not a place where young people can go out. Other races of people who move in to our community were never welcomed enough and there was no real community spirit. In our community now there is an issue of rubbish disposal as our road is paying taxes and our road is only now getting fixed even though it was needed years ago. Also there are no major schemes for promoting recycling. Our house has still not received a recycling bin, even when the rest of the road has.

164. There is a lot of discrimination to the race and ethnic group of different people more so I think than religion now a days and I feel it's because people think that we all have to dress the same and act the same to get along with that person. I have a friend who was with a group of friends the same kind as them but she decided she wanted to be different so they all left her because she changed her ethnic group; she is still the same person inside, therefore I feel she or anyone else should not be discriminated against.

165. There is a lot of projects that NI do with community relations but there doesn't seem to be a positive outcome from the hard work going into the projects. There doesn't seem to be a focus on what should happen after projects are finished and how they should put what they have learnt into action and change NI for the better.

166. There needs to be something done. If not the future will look bleak for NI. People will be afraid of who they talk to in case something will "happen" to them. Communities will become even more divided

167. There really should be more cross community youth clubs and schools and neighbourhoods in Derry. There is only on cross community club called REACH Across and there is only 2 cross community schools

168. There will always be problems about community relations in NI. It used to be Catholics and Protestants fighting each other. Now the foreign workers are the subject of abuse.

169. They are getting better but I think it will take a lot longer for things to be resolved. It seems like when one problem goes away another one arises.

170. They are improving - people are becoming less prejudiced

171. They are slowly improving but more needs to be done by the government and adults need to set a good example.

172. They are very poor and NI will always be divided by religion. Not very many people mix with other religions and so stay away from them, leaving two communities with "their own kind" and not thinking of why

173. They're improving immensely

174. This generation of young people in NI feel a lot less sectarian prejudice than others, the relations are getting better it will just take time and be down to parents to teach their children better than past generations.

175. To continue to deliver projects that focus on different cultures and single identity groups to abolish ignorance that exists in our communities

176. Used to be bad, have got better, not as much prejudice

177. We don't see a huge mix of ethnic minorities in NI and I think it would be more interesting and better for people if we did. Therefore, we could be educated about different religions and learn how to mix and get on better with people of different "colour" or race without it being awkward.

178. Where I live and go to school, there is no segregation or racial problems. Although I do know of happenings and places near me and in NI where these discriminations have occurred. I think more work needs to be done to mix future generations from an earlier age and that where problems occur the people involved should be introduced to programmes which mix people of different religion/ethnic group etc.

179. Who cares anyway. It's not like people are going to change because of some questions. You were better to send this to someone who cares

180. Why do Catholics/Protestants still have hatred for each other about issues that were relevant in the past? Why are Catholics discriminated against more than Protestants? Why is the government funding the 12th July bonfires and still they complain about greenhouse gases and pollutions when these bonfires give out lots of chemicals? Why are 16 yearr olds classed as adults when it comes to paying for things such as buses, cinema etc but we are not old enough to drink and go out to clubs but we are classed as adults for everything else?

181. Yes they have been improving between the different religions, however an awful lot more work is needed to be done before there is widespread satisfaction throughout the country. An awful lot of work is needed on relationships between the people of NI and the migrant workers

182. Yes truthfully I don't mind Catholics. They are just like Protestants except they believe something different but I don't like the foreign workers for the simple fact they're taking jobs and blowing stuff up. I really do wonder where their loyalties lie in our country or their own

 




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