Ireland

This trip has given me a lot of perspective and even more opinion.  We spoke to people involved in the Troubles on all levels, from a fellow involved in the IRA and on the street being shot at during Bloody Sunday, to a fellow falsely accused of masterminding a pub massacre, to several individuals involved in the peace process on various levels, to politicians, to etc., you get the idea.

The most recent part of the trip was some time at a place called CoryMeela.  This place to me could not have been even more useless.  The idea behind this place is to help those that come to unwind and take apart the questions they have in order to analyze where they came from and what they can do.  I felt I could unwind and reflect on my own time without someone leading the sessions.  But perhaps that only applies to me.  Many in the group seemed to be affected and helped by our time there.

The official lecturing and learning is done on this trip and we are left to our own in Dublin until flying back wednesday morning.

Oh and Happy Fathers Day

Derry

Standing upon the streets of (london)derry where the events of Bloody Sunday (30 Jan 1972) happened I was whomped with the overarching realization that American society could quickly escalate into the same sort of violence which plagued Ireland during the Troubles.  The harder the top attempts to make money off the backs of those under them they will force the economic divide wider creating a desperation among those on the bottom rungs of society.  When voices struggle to be heard and they see that they are ignored they might go to more radical methods in order to have themselves noticed.  It takes more than just one side of the conflict to just lay down to stop a burgeoning conflict. Both sides involved must realize there are problems and be willing to do that which is necessary to stop the coming clashes.