I’ll admit I’m late to the game in figuring out what’s been going on in the world. My high school had a decent enough American History course, though I didn’t go much beyond that and my interest in those areas were never all that high. I’m blooming late, then, and it’s an amazing transformation to see how what I thought I knew was so blatantly on the surface.
I’m a huge, huge fan of Henry Rollins, both by seeing him speak live and by his many videos and his “dispatches” on henryrollins.com. I admittedly have not read any of his books; yet.
As an avid Netflix fan, I tonight found and watched the IFC’s “Henry Rollins” Uncut video where Henry is in Northern Ireland. Needless to say, the particular footage and interviews and commentary were enough to set my blood on fire and making me really wanting to know more.
In general I try not to regurgitate the bulk of the content on which I am reviewing, and I’m going to follow that trend here. If you have any interest in the situation, I feel strongly that you should watch the piece through for yourself, as it won’t take too long (less than an hour) and is rather well packed. Namely, Henry interviews a variety of different people from both the IRA and from Union members as well as some other local figures.
What is incredible to me is how those who were interviewed iterated that it was not a fight between Protestant and Catholics, but between independence and rule by the United Kingdom. What little I did hear about the conflicts in the early 90s hardly ever voiced this sentiment, and the idea that it was an imperial rather than a secular war is just insanity. The effect of the media and how it constructs and manipulates public opinion is huge; if not to those who are directly involved and know better, but to anyone else in the world who is thereby cut off from proper access to the bolded points which affect so many people. Furthermore, the mass of current doubt as to whether the current systems are sustainable, and the extent to which the current society is segregated rather than truly “in peace” is very seriously a story which has not been brought to proper light. Rising fences, constant security, and other forms of military presence are all elements that I, in cheery Boston, cannot even conceive; and this is speaking to only the current “benevolent” state of where they are now, saying nothing to decades of conflict.
There are clearly many more aspects to the story, though I certainly got a good primer in the discussion held by this particular video piece. I look forward to learning more.