So, I finally got around to writing up my thoughts on the political murals in Belfast. I made post about it on the recently renamed CMC Center for Human Rights Leadership blog. Check it out here.
It seems like you are sticking your head in the sand when you state "I don't have an opinion." Your blog shows you to have more wisdom. Have the backbone to take a position. For eight hundred years it has been the Irish who have been deprived of their human rights. Ireland is the last occupied country in Europe. The violation of all human rights will only grow when good men do nothing or "don't have an opinion."
The issue is not the prior 800 years of colonization. The issue is that now, the majority of people in Northern Ireland want to remain part of the United Kingdom. Now, if Catholics were still being denied the right to vote, or some other group, it would be a more clear cut issue. However, now there is the question of self-determination, the drawing of borders. What borders are justified, which are arbitrary? Aren't most borders in some way arbitrary?
Furthermore, I did not say I do not have an opinion. I'm saying that there are a lot of nuances to this issue that I have not learned enough about to understand. While it is true that inaction can lead to further human rights violations, hasty, ill-informed judgments can also lead to human rights violations.
Well we certainly would not want to be "hasty." Lets take a few more years, decades or centuries to determine if the Irish have been deprived of their civil rights. Lets put aside those past 800 years just as we should put aside those 400 years of slavery in your country. Do you really think it would be difficult to determine the right border in Ireland? Its surronded by water. The current border was imposed by Britain in 1922 because it wanted the 6 Counties it thought had more economic value. Don't get upset mate I just thought you should take a stand. You have an interesting blog.
I'm not saying that there isn't a right answer, or that no one has found it yet. What I'm saying is that I don't know enough to speak of a right answer. For example, I know almost nothing of the treaty with Britain.
Don't worry, I'm not getting upset, I'm just trying to engage with the ideas you posted. I appreciate you reading and commenting. I'm curious, too, however, how did you find my blog?
It seems like you are sticking your head in the sand when you state "I don't have an opinion." Your blog shows you to have more wisdom. Have the backbone to take a position. For eight hundred years it has been the Irish who have been deprived of their human rights. Ireland is the last occupied country in Europe. The violation of all human rights will only grow when good men do nothing or "don't have an opinion."
ReplyDeleteThe issue is not the prior 800 years of colonization. The issue is that now, the majority of people in Northern Ireland want to remain part of the United Kingdom. Now, if Catholics were still being denied the right to vote, or some other group, it would be a more clear cut issue. However, now there is the question of self-determination, the drawing of borders. What borders are justified, which are arbitrary? Aren't most borders in some way arbitrary?
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, I did not say I do not have an opinion. I'm saying that there are a lot of nuances to this issue that I have not learned enough about to understand. While it is true that inaction can lead to further human rights violations, hasty, ill-informed judgments can also lead to human rights violations.
Well we certainly would not want to be "hasty." Lets take a few more years, decades or centuries to determine if the Irish have been deprived of their civil rights. Lets put aside those past 800 years just as we should put aside those 400 years of slavery in your country. Do you really think it would be difficult to determine the right border in Ireland? Its surronded by water. The current border was imposed by Britain in 1922 because it wanted the 6 Counties it thought had more economic value. Don't get upset mate I just thought you should take a stand. You have an interesting blog.
ReplyDeleteI'm not saying that there isn't a right answer, or that no one has found it yet. What I'm saying is that I don't know enough to speak of a right answer. For example, I know almost nothing of the treaty with Britain.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, I'm not getting upset, I'm just trying to engage with the ideas you posted. I appreciate you reading and commenting. I'm curious, too, however, how did you find my blog?