The things I haven't wanted to say

It is easy to find good things to say about Belfast and to ignore the distasteful stuff. But the bad stuff doesn't go away.

David and I got lost recently and ended up on Twadell Avenue, where the Orange Order is manning a protest camp. The Orange Order is a fraternal organization "sworn to defend protestant supremacy" according to Wikipedia. It dates to 1795, when Catholic-Protestant clashes were at a high water mark.

The camp was created after the Parades Commission prevented the local chapter from marching through a Catholic area. The commission had been formed to reduce violence on 12th July and other parade dates. The Orange Order feels their God given rights have been taken away (sound familiar?) and they are camping near a Catholic neighborhood blaring protestant marching songs until they get their way. The camp features British and Israeli flags--the latter a response to the Palestinian flags seen in Catholic neighborhoods, whose residents feel they live in occupied territories.

Sigh. Most people I talk to roll their eyes and find these characters comical. It seems like a class issue. The better off you are, the more likely you are to live in areas not affected by sectarianism. The working class neighborhoods are where the fight is on. The sad thing is, the politicians seem to represent the people who want to keep this fight alive, not the "can't we all get along" people. The link above is to a bit a comedian did about Twadell Avenue.

When I put things in perspective, I remember Ireland is a place as much about tragedy as comedy. The two go very much hand in hand here, hence the great literature, drama, art, and music that have emanated from this little isle.
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