Author: tdennee

Listening to Stephen O’Neill speak both in class and in the webinar a couple weeks ago I was most intrigued by the depth of the issues in Ireland. My pre-conceived notions of Ireland held that it was a relatively unproblematic place. However, it has become clear in my studies that such a place simply does not exist. Every nation and people on Earth experiences hardships and quarrels; whether they be large or small, problems are a universal truth to life. In drawing parallels between the Troubles and the Civil Rights movement it has become clear that division remains the most prominent reason for these problems. This is the concept I have written about in my essay; it seems rather clear to me that the source of humanity’s problems stems almost entirely from self-made divisions that we build. This can be seen in the works we have read this semester. Further, it can be seen today. The Black Lives Matter Movement is still fighting to resolve the discrimination faced by African Americans that is the result of the institution of race and racism.

Another point that has resonated with me from this class is that parallels can be drawn in more places than one would expect. Drawing comparisons and finding meaning within them has provided me deeper critical thinking skills and has driven me to be more thoughtful when it comes to social issues. I feel I have come to a deeper understanding of racial and socioeconomic inequality. And I believe this understanding is invaluable for one to have. While I can certainly say I learned a lot about 1968 and the turmoil of the period, I think this understanding will be my greatest takeaway from the course.

I felt there were many parallels to be drawn during our close reading and discussion of John 5 and Catonsville Nine. Namely, I was interested in the discussed concept of martyrship. What exactly makes someone a martyr? I certainly think that this concept is quite subjective. Officially, a martyr is someone who dies for their beliefs. Previously, I had never been exposed to martyrship being bestowed on anyone outside of religion. That is, I had only known the honor to be given to religious figures that had been killed for maintaining their faith. I do feel that this honor can and should be further extended to those that die for social causes. For example, Emily Davidson, the suffragette, should most certainly be considered a martyr for her efforts. I feel that it is, at the very least, equally as honorable to die for the betterment and rights of others as it is to die for one’s faith. And perhaps Father Berrigan felt as though he was acting for both as his faith is interwound with his belief that war is immoral. However, I think it was a stretch to consider the Catonsville Nine to be martyrs. They did not die for the cause; they were simply fined and jailed. Admittedly, it was a bold and positively good effort. However, I am simply unconvinced by the claim that they should be considered martyrs. I would be interested to see if martyrship is regularly extended to mean simply risking one’s freedom and well-being in other contexts. Is death a necessary parameter to be given such a high honor?

In reading and hearing from McCann I was struck most by the religious divide. I had always known that Northern Ireland was predominantly protestant and the Republic of Ireland was Catholic, but I did not know the extent to which this contributed to the troubles that occurred. I feel that this is something that we take for granted in the United States. While religious discrimination most certainly still exists, I feel that religious communities are pretty well integrated. That is, people of every religion live, work, and form relationships with each other. I was especially surprised that the religious discrimination came between different sects of Christians. From my personal background I have never experienced any Christian who felt that their sect was superior to any other. Further, I have never encountered any Christian who even seemed to care what denomination other Christians were. Perhaps this is unique to my experience, but I feel that in general Christians feel closely enough related in their beliefs that there is little quarrel between them. Additionally, I was also surprised to learn that the conclusion of the troubles in Derry did not resolve the religious divide. It shows just how much the Irish align themselves to their religious views. Religious participation in the United States, by contrast, has declined steadily over the years to the point where I have never personally witnessed religious discrimination— individuals with strong beliefs simply seem to be more rare. McCann wrote about how peace was mostly brought about due to the people not having the stomach to continue the slaughter. It seems to me that this peace was shoddily struck and a true conclusion to the separation of Ireland has never occurred. There remain calls for a united Ireland yet many in Northern Ireland remain loyal to the UK. It is a wonder whether there will ever be a resolution to this seemingly forever ongoing division. I am curious to see if religious communities in Ireland will set aside their differences and begin to coalesce as the religious of the United States seemingly have. Will the Protestants of the north and the Catholics of the south make up and form a united Ireland?

Dr. King is obviously admirable for a multitude of reasons. However, I am most impressed with his resilient commitment to nonviolence. Time and again he was mistreated— I cannot begin to imagine the stress and frustration he must have felt. The FBI, an entity intended to protect and serve, urged him to commit suicide. His house was bombed. He was jailed several times. It must have felt as if the whole world was against him. His mission was not only good and just, but also empirically right. His belief that all men are created equal is simply fact. To be so dramatically opposed whilst knowing that you are right is incredibly frustrating under any circumstance. Add in all the abuse that he endured and it is remarkable that he remained committed to peace throughout his life.

I feel this sentiment can be connected to today. I understand the present frustration from the black community over police brutality. I therefore also acknowledge that it is unreasonable to expect a completely peaceful reaction each time a black person is killed by police. I do not condone the violence that has occurred, nor do I feel that it is just. Rather, I simply feel that it should be expected. The marginalization of black people is utterly unjust. To expect an entire community, mistreated and forced to live on the periphery, to act peacefully and rationally one-hundred percent of the time is simply foolish. We must accept that violence is a consequence of the injustices that we as a society allow to occur. If we wish to see violence snuffed out, we must be committed to reform.

I am excited to learn about the confluence of Irish and African experiences in the tumultuous ’68. I do recognize that the groups are vastly different from one another but look forward to analyzing the parallels that can be drawn. Thus far, I have found Vinen’s novel to have done a good job in setting up the foundation to begin making these connections. The sheer amount of social and political upheaval of ’68 is fascinating. However, it seems that many of the parallels that we will lay out over the course of the semester will be between ’68 and the present day. I certainly sense that the current cultural attitude is similar to that of ’68. An utterly polarized political landscape along with several looming threats is an environment ripe for drastic, sweeping changes. While I am young, I believe it is telling that at no point in my life has society felt so unsettled by current events. The global pandemic is just the tip of the dumpster fire our generation has inherited; massively daunting challenges such as global warming, racial inequality, and potential economic collapse in the wake of the lockdown lie on the horizon. From reading Vinen, I felt that same sense of desperate fear for the future— young people such as the students in ’68 felt the need to voice out against the system for fear of their futures.