Galway Advertiser 1999/1999_05_20/GA_20051999_E1_016.pdf 

Extracted text

Comment & Letters

Educate together
W
c live, as the traditional Chinese proverb has it, in 'interesting times'. We also live in times when many of the old bugbears that frightened our grandfathers and great-grandfathers are again raising their heads: tribal ism, nationalism, and bitter divisions based on religious persuasions. Tribalism in Africa has resulted in millions of deaths; nationalism in the broken state that was once called Yugoslavia has, over the past 10 years, witnessed the deaths of thousands of people singled out for persecution for no other reason than the accidental circum stance that has made them Bosnian or Croatian. And in Kosovo a late 20th century pogrom has seen hundreds of thousands of ethnic Albanians driven out of Kosovo for no other reasons than that they are Muslims. And at the present time hopes for a lasting and just peace in Ireland are on a knife-edge, and the optimism that has sustained the quest for reconciliation between Catholics and Protestants, Nationalists and Unionists is threatened by the old suspicions, the old fears, the old hatreds. Surely, all people of goodwill must feel that we have moved beyond these anti quated divisions? Surely no reasonable person nails his colours to the mast of 'King Billy', or still lustily belts out as a nationalist hymn 'Who fears to speak of '98?' However, even the least 'political' of citizens, south or north, who tunes into the eady morning news will be aware that the old divisions in this country are still depressingly alive and well. This week the Church of Ireland has been agonising over how to deal with the sinister advent of the forthcoming 'marching season'. And it will perhaps come as a shock to citizens of the Republic that for the past year there has been a continuous presence in Drumcree by members of the Orange Order, determined to assert their 'historic' right to march through Nationalist areas and cock a snook at those who would dare question the justice of the cause of 'King Billy'? Sometimes it is salutory to remind yourself that the Siege of Deny, the Battle of the Boyne, and the defeat of the Jacobites at Aughrim took place over 300 hundred years ago. Anyone who directs their attention to the Northern half of this country during the summer months might be forgiven for imagining that this belongs to old, unhappy far off things, and battles long ago".

tempt the results of such negotiations? This is one of the original Dear Editor, I would like to thank John Arden and Margaretta D'Arcy for questions I asked. Mr Arden and Ms D'Arcy have failed to give their considered reply to my original letter. The events of the past a satisfactory answer to it. John Pilger, I am afraid, I have no time for. His wild accusa week have further strengthed my belief that Nato clearly is mak ing up its strategy as each day passes. I entirely agree that "it has tions and consistent anti-Americanism are so over-the-top he puts himself outside the arena where rational argument is possible. become a horrendous and futile mess". However, having carefully re-read my letter, I fail to find any More than 40 years ago, George Orwell, after noting that the suggestion in anything I wrote that would justify their attribution British Left affected to believe "that the American troops had to me of "vindictive hawkishness". let alone the implication that been brought to Europe [during World War II] not to fight the I consider war - any war - as bearing the slightest similarity to "a Germans but to crush an English revolution". His comment on boy's comic-book where superheroes 'go in' all gung-ho". I that absurdity can be equally applied to Mr Pilger's nonsense: "One has to belong to the intelligentsia to believe things like that deeply resent this absurd caricature of the views I expressed. In my remarks about the wretched incompetance of UN no ordinary man could be such a fool." involvement in the Yugoslav crisis during the past decade, I I don't know what to say about the remarks in their letter about offered to provide them with the names of at least a dozen books the issue of women's unwaged work, as it falls quite outside the and articles by reputable journalists showing the serious short things that were raised in their first letter, as well as my original comings of the UN and UNPROFOR concerning negotiations and one. In fact, I fully agree with the points made, but fail to see their peace-keeping in Bosnia, Croatia, and Kosovo. immediate relevance with regard to my letter. The authors they quote, Noam Chomsky and John Pilger, while Finally, I would simply say that I, too, would like to see this certainly "reputable", are, however, irrelevant with reference to terrible conflict brought to an end. But I also feel equally strong the matter I was discussing, that is, the poor record of the UN and ly that what Milosevic has been responsible for in Kosovo, either UNPROFER. Mr Chomsky and Mr Pilger say nothing about this by direct order or through acceptance of what has been done by point in the passages offered by Mr Arden and Ms D'Arcy. his army and the roving bands of irregulars is a far greater evil What they do have to say, however, certainly reinforces my than anything for which Nato can be said to bear the responsibil original observation that nothing delights a certain kind of critic ity. more than another chance to denounce the United States and Nato Do Mr Arden and Ms D'Arcy believe that force can ever be as the Western equivalent of the 'Great Satan'. Mr Chomsky's justified in.a situation where a great evil is being perpetuated? remarks are, in general, a useful rule of thumb when confronted And how do you bring home to Milosevic or any dictator that his with the prospect of a conflict in which lives are likely to be lost. behaviour is totally unacceptable? Through sarcasm, perhaps? I agree that 'diplomacy and negotiations are never at an end". But Yours, what do you do when the person with whom you are negotiating, Paddy Fahy, and have negotiated with time and time again over a lengthy peri Loughrea od, has a record of breaking or treating with indifference and con

Reply to Arden and D'Arcy

E U AI GFR D C T N O

D E S Y I R I V T

Although we appreciate the constraints of history as much as the next person, we have always been surprised by the reluctance to acknowledge the transparent evidence that what children have most in common is that fact that they are...children: not Protestant, not Catholic, not Muslim, not Hindu but simply children. And anyone who has ever had the experience of seeing children playing together will understand when we say that, whatev er antagonisms might arise between children, unless they have first been taught about 'dif ferences', whether these be racial, national, or religious, they are much more likely to be concerned with who has the ball to play with, or who has more lego, or who has a newer box of crayons. The children of Protestants and the children of Catholics and the children of humanists recognise no such distinctions. And that is why it has always seemed to us that educational differences based on reli gion are unfortunate. We fully recognise and acknowledge the validity and importance of religious beliefs. But we have always failed to understand the objections to the concept of 'educating together'. Surely it is possible to maintain respect for different beliefs without turning these differences into hard-and-fast divisions. Surely the most basic way of incul cating tolerance and respect is to expose children to the rich diversity of the world?

Dear Editor, I wish to state what an honour and plea sure it was to accept a much prized invita tion to the lecture by Ms Hillary Clinton on the occasion of her visit to NUI Galway. As an office-holder in one of the minor university societies (numerically, at least), I was delighted to attend to represent my fellow students. Ms Clinton gave a mag nificent overview of the global situation

Hillary visit ' a n h o n o u r and pleasure'
and the obligation of each one of us to do all we can to cherish differences between peoples, nurture interaction and discus sion, and develop peacefully together. On. a practical point, it was fascinating to witness the transformation of the sports hall and some-time exam hall to the maroon-draped elegance that was the con ferring auditorium. I pay particular tribute to the courtesy and professionalism of the staff of the President's office in my deal

ings with them in the lead-up to the great university event, and indeed to the stalwart stewards who co-ordinated the movements of the large number of people who attend ed. Yours faithfully, Fionula M Monaghan 'Avondale' (Apt 3), Ross Hill, Galway.

' N o to

THE

G L A S H O P OE T AW Y C O L R J C

The Galway School Project has been quietly working for almost a decade now to estab lish the principle of diversity, of the richness of the multiplicity of ways of living and hon ouring difference. Despite the fact that the 160 pupils who are now enrolled in Galway s multi-denominational school have had to lead an uncertain and sometimes peripetetic exis tence, never being certain whether they would have a home, the seed has not alone been planted but also nurtured by parents and teachers who believe that background and ethical preference ought to be respected and cherished. The people behind the Galway School Project believe that one of the most important ways to enhance tolerance and respect for diversity and difference is the creation of a school in which a common core of what unites humanity ethically is fostered; that it is a good thing to expose children to the many ways of being; and that educating boys and girls together - regardless of religion, but respecting all approaches to the splendour of our his torically and culturally multi-coloured path work - is one way in which the divisions which have been so divisive in our country can be tackled with some hope of ending them. Last week the Galway School Project held a public meeting in which a major step was taken in ensuring that this brave initiative can flourish. After a long and frustrating period of waiting for sanction by the Department of Education, it was announced that an impor tant step towards the building of a properly equipped and fully-operational multi-dimen sional primary school ha* been taken. A target dale for the opening of Galway's first multi dimensional primary school has been set. In supporting the Galway School Project's aim of such a school there is no question of criticising existing schools. It is. first and foremost, a question of making provision for choice, one of the fundamental dimensions of any free and open society. We applaud those who have devoted themselves to making such a school a reality and we congratulate the Department of Education for having the vision and courage to ensure that one of the guid ing principles Padraic P a n e , the visionary whose pledge to cherish all the children of the State equally, can find fulfilment as this century draws to a close.

Dear Editor, After a successful demonstration protesting against Hillary Clinton's visit to Galway, the 'No to War' campaign is continu ing to organise in the city. The only force that can stop this bloody war is a powerful anti war movement that stretches across countries. From Greece to Britain, Italy to Germany, there is widespread opposition to this war. Here in Ireland 'No to War' action groups have been estab lished around the country. The campaign is building for a major demo in Dublin on May 28, and the Galway group will be organ-

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ising as large a contingent as possible. Bombs murder, and with huge opposition on the streets we can stop this horror. Hundreds of people in Galway are signing petitions demand ing a referendum on the Partnership for Peace. It is for the peo ple of Ireland to decide on membership. We must not allow Bertie Ahern to shut us up and sign us up. Instead of supporting bloodshed, we condemn NATO bombing, say 'No to War', and refuse to join PfP. We appeal to the people of Galway to build this movement sign the petition, join the campaign (meets Thursday 7.30pm, Curran's Hotel, Eyre Square), and demonstrate against the war| and against PfP. Sean Dunleavy, Secretary, No to War, Galway.

Hillary no friend of the unborn
Dear Editor, I think the city of Galway belong to the people and that there should be some forum where the public can object to the bestow ing of the freedom of the city. Whereas Ms Clinton may have many attractive qualities, she lacks, in my view, the most fundamental qualification of all respect for human life at its most vulnerable. In fact, she sees abortion as a woman's right. The fact that our Irish media are adamant in suppressing infor mation on the horrific truths about abortion leaves the public indifferent to the reality. A few years down the road the same media will be questioning why nobody blew the whistle. I would like to put it on record now that we tried. Yours sincerely, Margaret Desbonnet Galway.

T I HS W E . E K