Listen without prejudice
I've never warmed to George Michael (musically or any other way), but there's been a very interesting debate going on over at "United Irelander" that's especially worth a look. It's an idea about the Republic of Ireland (re-)joining the British Commonwealth. In fact, go now and have a look. Yes, now. See you in a minute ...
If you let the idea settle for a while, lean back in your favourite armchair and enjoy a generous Bushmills, you can't fail to find some merit in there. Now I know the hardliners on both wings will find it difficult giving that sort of idea any serious amount of brain-time, but I'll venture to say two things to you:
1. The island will never be at peace while any large grouping feels alienated and unaccepted, so it's moves like this we need from both sides;
2. The middle ground we all need to move onto is a constellation of several changes, all as creative and generous as this one. Wouldn't it be great to find them together?
posted by B.U. @ 10:13 p.m.
5 comments
5 Comments:
Well if my poll is anything to go by, and I imagine a larger poll would indeed have similar results, it's a move that's too much to stomach for Irish people.
A pity. People need to realise that the border may have been put there by the Brits, but it's only ourselves who can get rid of it.
"the border may have been put there by the Brits"
I hope deep down you realise that's a very simplistic and one-sided way of looking at the situation, whether you admit it publicly or not.
If facing up to the past is too much to stomach, I don't hold much hope for the future.
beano
"I hope deep down you realise that's a very simplistic and one-sided way of looking at the situation, whether you admit it publicly or not.
If facing up to the past is too much to stomach, I don't hold much hope for the future."
By 'Brits' I meant the British government since they were the ones who implemented the proposal. Like I said, they put it there - but it's only the people of this island that can get rid of it.
"By 'Brits' I meant the British government"
You see that's part of the problem: I knew you meant that. It was also put there by hundreds of thousands of 'Brits' who were ordinary citizens of Ireland at the time. It was also put there by Michael Collins and other pro-treaty folk in the South, it was not imposed unilaterally at the whim of some civil servant just for the hell of it to wind the paddies up.
beano,
It is abundantly clear that the unionists in the six counties pushed for the border the most, even at the expense of their unionist friends in the Ulster counties of Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan. Let's not forget that Redmond and the Home Rulers were given a promise by Lloyd Goerge that any exclusion of Northern counties would be TEMPORARY, whereas Carson was informed by Lloyd George any exclusion would be PERMANENT.
The difference is, Carson's promise was on paper.
Let's also not forget that part of the acceptance of the Treaty by Collins and co was a belief that the Boundary Commission would hand back alot of territory to the Free State as Lloyd George insinuated. This proved not to be the case.
It's also worth pointing out that de Valera informed the delegates sent to negotiate for the Treaty that they should do their utmost to end partition which was against the will of the people.
The reality is, there was no referendum put to the people on a border. Why? Because it would not have passed.
That is why I label the border a British construct.
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