Northern Ireland
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
What is actually going on in Northern Ireland?
To tell the truth the same scenario as the soccer match only on a much bigger scale, is what is happening in Northern Ireland at the moment, and has been happening for many years. Catholics and Protestants are killing each other because of religious beliefs. Republicans and Nationalists are killing each other because of political beliefs. Or so they claim. When in actual fact, no one really knows what they're fighting for anymore. Not even the people who are heavily involved know why they're still throwing bombs at each other, even after a lot of years and countless attempts at peace.
It's a sad fact that, although some of the things that are happening to other people in other parts of the world are so unspeakably dreadful, the kind of society that we exist in couldn't exist without it. It stands to reason, because if there was no more terrible violence, then, on the other side of the world, sitting safely and snugly in their little sofas, the everyday citizens would have no-one to feel sorry for. No reason to sit in front of our TV's with looks of horror and say 'Oh no. I can't believe this is happening to real people. Let's do something about it'. And then, shortly after the news bulletin, turn off the TV, go upstairs and sleep peacefully in dreams of merry-go-rounds and cotton candy and forget everything we've just been shown of the horrors others are living.
Without that ability, the ability to stop caring when it's not convenient for us, our society would collapse.
To tell the truth the same scenario as the soccer match only on a much bigger scale, is what is happening in Northern Ireland at the moment, and has been happening for many years. Catholics and Protestants are killing each other because of religious beliefs. Republicans and Nationalists are killing each other because of political beliefs. Or so they claim. When in actual fact, no one really knows what they're fighting for anymore. Not even the people who are heavily involved know why they're still throwing bombs at each other, even after a lot of years and countless attempts at peace.
It's a sad fact that, although some of the things that are happening to other people in other parts of the world are so unspeakably dreadful, the kind of society that we exist in couldn't exist without it. It stands to reason, because if there was no more terrible violence, then, on the other side of the world, sitting safely and snugly in their little sofas, the everyday citizens would have no-one to feel sorry for. No reason to sit in front of our TV's with looks of horror and say 'Oh no. I can't believe this is happening to real people. Let's do something about it'. And then, shortly after the news bulletin, turn off the TV, go upstairs and sleep peacefully in dreams of merry-go-rounds and cotton candy and forget everything we've just been shown of the horrors others are living.
Without that ability, the ability to stop caring when it's not convenient for us, our society would collapse.
