One-Shot (22/06/09)

I'd rather not remind everyone how ugly my homeland can be, but sometimes it's necessary. Now, it's necessary. In case you couldn't be bothered reading the article linked above (it's OK, neither did I), Esther Rantzen said Northern Irish people are addicted to hatred. She attempted to back-pedal on said radio show today, softening the edges of her original statement. Rantzen's remarks were met with mostly aggro comebacks to the effect of "we're not that bad!" A small portion of callers, however, backed her up. Much as it pains me, I know where they're coming from. Now, if you thought I was copping out just then by not saying "I would, too!", here's why. It's pure falsehoods (I mean, hello? Have you forgotten whose blog you're reading?) No, we're not addicted to hate; we're conditioned to hate. Our status quo lives or dies on whether we accept this grotesque education or show it the business end of our collective Chuck Taylor's. Anyone to listen to Episode Three of Back-Talk will know my hard-line pessimism towards cross-community healing here, but to suggest a people so behassled by hatred actually enjoy it is misguided and more than a little ignorant.