Originally Posted by
awec
Your second last paragraph, replace "GAA" with "OO" and what do you have? :) Oh, take out the "membership is not based on religion though too" :D
The KAT things is a disgusting thing to paint on any childs head. The OO has come in for criticism in recent years from Protestants as well as Catholics. A lot of Protestants would see it as having adopted a "quantity over quality" approach to it's membership in recent times and that can apply at times. Without trying to single out unfairly, but the provincial lodges (outside of Belfast) would be morally superior in my humble opinion. They also lost a lot of support from Protestants/Unionists over their quite frankly pathetic handling of Drumcree in the 90's/early noughtees.
I am not religious in any way shape or form and I'm not bothered regarding tribal politics (if you can believe that :p ), but I do respect the OO for what they stand for the same way I respect the GAA and what they stand for.
I've never been to a GAA game and it's something I'd love to experience, but being from Armagh and with Armagh being the tinderbox county that it is thanks to certain scumbag individuals I don't know if I could go and feel like I'm "fitting in", and for that reason I understand why most Catholics don't like to watch the parades (but as I said, there are plenty that do).
Please, excuse the waffle.