OK Sorefingers, let's get a few facts straight here. The idea that people like William Penn fled oppression and high taxation is ridiculous. America was thought of as part of the UK - Penn was an englishman for christsakes, and remained proud to be one for his whole life. Religious toloration was practiced in the UK (as it was in all Protestant countries) but many British subjects went to America to found colonies dedicated to their own religious beliefs. They were never persecuted in the UK, and while in America, Penn remained a loyal subject to the King. As for taxation, it was lower in America than in the UK, but tax was never burdomsome in the UK as you suggested. During the American War of Independance, which grew out of a series of arguments between the Mother country and the colony, most of the rebels remained loyal to the King, and had no wish to break free. Independence was not the issue. Taxation was, and not because it was burdomsome, but because it was levied without representation. Originally, they wanted to have representatives placed in the House of Commons; but quickly, the desire for independance grew. As for whipping our asses, Washington spent most of his campaigns running away from General Cornwallis. It wasn't until Lafayette (sent by the King of France to cause trouble for his enemy, the British) came along and turned the tide against the British that the Americans won.Washington loved freedom so much that he kept hundreds of slaves and persecuted the remaing loyalists to such an extent that they had to flee to Canada. Far from being a hero, he was a slave-owner and tyrant. Oh yes, and as soon as America got its independance, the taxes went up. By the way, there were very few Irish Catholic recruits. In fact, very few Irish Catholics. They didn't come swarming over until after the famine. Most of the soldiers were English and Scots. The American war of independance had a lot in common with the English Civil War. When Jefferson came over to England and looked over the ground where the Battle of Edgehill was fought, he said that this is where the first shot in the American War of Independance was fired. Although both Ireland and America fought the British, the two wars had nothing in common. One was, as I have said, a civil war between the British; the other was a nationalist war, typical of the sort that took place all over Europe at the time. Sorefingers, you are good at the hysterical insults but weak on the historical facts.

Pooka. The National Land League came about as a result of absentee landlords. Many of Ireland's problems came about because of its lack of Industrialisation, not because of it. You are confusing two issues, here. Revolutions come about because societies do not industrialise fast enough. Look at Russia. Oh, and where did you get the idea about "Churchill's culpability for Hitler's imperialist aggressions?" Incidentally, it is true about DeValeria leaving a light on at night to guide the Luftwaffe. Why he wasn't tried as a war criminal and then hung, defeats me.

I realised I haven't had time to answer everything, but I'm glad to clear up a few misconceptions. Oh yes, and Wankfinger, there is a bullet with your name (paid for by loyalists in Canada) on it coming your way, courtesy of the UDA. snigger, snigger.