If the quote is an accurate, verbatim copy of what she said, it doesn’t on the face it appear to be a tacit support for the IRA. The sentence “I imagine had I grown up in Belfast I would have 100 percent joined the IRA,” sounds like she was trying to posit the view that, had she experienced a childhood in that troubled, blighted city, and been a Catholic - which being part Italian/Irish I would imagine she is - then she can envisage experiences and ingrained views that would have led to her support to the pro-Republican cause, even to potential support for the paramilitary terrorist groups of differing complections. That doesn’t sound to me as though she was advocating explicit support as such. I’m sure, upon reflection, she would have considered wording it a little differently. It isn’t, it should be noted, a very articulate or considered Englsih sentence. And by that, I don’t mean to attempt to make the statement a little more innocuous, diplomatic or objective. It appears the answer was on the spur of the moment. ” … would have 100 percent joined the IRA” ? Well, either you join or you don’t; one doesn’t join 50 percent, do you ? Of course, you may argue, whether the sentence is literate or not, it will still betray the thought and opinion that underwrote it. It still suggests that she tried to give an instant sound-byte reply, but put her Gucci booted, perfectly pedicured foot photogenic foot well, truly and squarely into her loose mouth.

Rose McGowan is not a heavyweight intellectual, political commentator or leading voice of someone caught up in The Troubles. She’s a Hollywood actress. Her comments, insensitive or offensive, ill-informed or downright ignorant, were made from the cushioned, luxurious, fully air-conditioned insulation of La-La Land, USA. It can be assumed that the media put a loaded question to her in such a way that the response was practically pre-governed, then taken out of context, and then advertised around the world’s media platforms like some dubious sermon from the Mount. Why, I ask myself, was this comment published ? What, you have to ask yourself, was the desired reaction the media wanted ? Controversy ? Insult ? The anger whipped up based on lies by omission of the whole truth ? Well, it seems to have worked, doesn’t it.

The fact that as story is reported in the news doesn’t infact mean that it has any news-worthy value or importance whatsoever. Better to regard the comments as those of a silly woman who was put on the spot, wished to say something with intelligence or merit, and was found wanting.

The IRA, UDA, INLA, UVF were all the same, murdering terrorists. Ask the shopkeepers who had to pay them protection money, or the people whose sons were battered to death with iron bars in “punishment” attacks (when the paramilitaries set themselves up as judge jury and executioner) or the normal people they intimidated every day what they think. These people were thugs, period.

They were criminals under a flag of convienience, nothing more. As a former soldier I had the good forutne of coming face to face with some of these vermin and treating them like the scum which they are, which they always found difficult as they were so used to everyone bowing down to them out of fear. Words cant describe how much hate I will always have for paramilitaries in Northern Ireland, no matter what flag they waived. McGowan needs to hold that in perspective.

If the IRA were so wonderful, do the Irish Americans never wonder why everyone who lives there is so glad to see the back of these scum now peace has taken hold?

but i’ve just stumbled across this article and feel very dissapointed, surely she does not support the ira? i don’t think she thought very carefully about what she was saying. but im sure if you placed her in the real situation instead of a make believe one then her views would be very different.