Religious conflicts (From Gazette & Herald)

Religious conflicts

CONGRATULATIONS to your correspondents deploring the decision to allow an Orange Order march on March 29. In anticipation of a response reassuring us that this event will be merely an occasion of harmless fun, let me remind your readers of the true nature and record of this organisation.

Its origins lie in the religious conflicts of the 17th century and the establishment of a Protestant colony designed to secure the conquest of Ireland and which entailed the dispossession of the Catholic Irish. Its object was to maintain Protestant supremacy and its continuing function, apart from celebrating victory at the Boyne in 1690, is to provide a focus for the diehards opposed to reconciliation and compromise in Northern Ireland. By inflaming religious bigotry and sectarian violence, it has so far succeeded in preventing the solution desired by the majority of both communities.

It does this through its numerous, annual provocative drum-beating and flag waving ceremonies, accompanied by inflammatory speeches, provocative because its marches inevitably seek out routes through Catholic and nationalist areas.

What have such marches to do with us? Most Irish people living here are relieved to escape the violence which frequently accompanies these sectarian demonstrations. The good folk of Ryedale should not be deceived as to the harmless fun apparent in the spectacle of grown men in funny hats and carrying rolled umbrellas (arms-bearing being illegal) marching to lively music.

They would be appalled if they heard the words to many of these stirring jingles, for they reek with hatred for their Catholic neighbours and would surely be in breach of the law on inciting racial and religious hatred.

We are now in the season of Lent in the run-up to the great Christian feast of Easter and most of our local churches of all persuasions come together to celebrate what they share in common, as opposed to the divisions of the past. An Orange march is totally anachronistic to our increasingly tolerant and inclusive society and one had to question why they wish to inflict their objectionable tub-thumping customs upon Ryedale. Why are some coming from Northern Ireland?

Could it be that even there the long-suffering authorities are at last calling a halt on their bully-boy activities?

Updated: 15:23 Wednesday, April 02, 2003