Just last Wednesday 13-year-old Louis Kerr from north Belfast was subjected to sectarian abuse by a gang of around ten youths as he made his way to football training. He was also physically attacked and given two black eyes and a bruised head.
He was attacked simply because he lives in a protestant area. He probably isn't even actively religious but his presumably catholic attackers didn't care about that. He was just seen as a "wrong 'un" who was "in the wrong place".
There are plenty of community workers, teachers and others trying to replace sectarianism with more normal attitudes, but progress is slow, especially when such attitudes are passed down through the generations.
Thankfully our neighbourhood in east Belfast doesn't see any such incidents. This is a very mixed area with people of different religions, skin colours and sexual preferences living peacefully together. A more middle-class area, in short.
Unfortunately our politicians aren't above aiming sectarian remarks at each other, which hardly encourages ordinary folk to mend their ways.
It's hard to see what more could be done to eradicate these noxious attitudes. So called integrated schools (schools that take pupils from all religions) are slowly increasing in number but they're still few and far between. Again certain politicians do their best to stop them opening.
Regrettably sectarianism will be with us for a long time yet.
Pic: Louis Kerr
That is sad. Hard to believe this is happening 500 years after the Reformation.
ReplyDeleteBijoux: Indeed. It's like some throwback from centuries ago.
DeleteVery sad. Sectarianism, Racism, Casteism and phobias of all sorts abound in all countries to some extent. Only the degree differs.
ReplyDeleteRamana: Yes, there's sectarianism all over the world unfortunately. There's a lot in Glasgow as well as Northern Ireland.
DeleteI remember very well what we called here the North-Irish/British Civil War and the terrible Bloody Sunday in 1972 if my memory is correct. I am not sure if religion is the real problem. Religion is often önly used to separate people and create hate. I am a Jew, my husband is Palestinian we practice no religion but we practice the law of empathy , friendship and to stay open minded.We are old now and did quite well with this.
ReplyDeleteThis poor little boy Louis Kerr is the victim of the ever lasting human stupidity.
Hannah
Hannah: Catholic and protestant very roughly coincide with those who want a united Ireland and those who want to remain in the UK. So there's also the nationality issue enmeshed with the religious one.
DeleteThat's sad.
ReplyDeleteMary: Not only sad but depressing that the same old syndrome goes on year after year.
ReplyDeleteI think all this starts from home. If the parents don't encourage/take part in sectarian attitude, the kids too will fall in line.
ReplyDeleteHaddock: I agree. So many of a child's attitudes are learnt from their parents, it's up to parents to pass on civilised behaviour.
DeleteI don't see sectarianism. I see ten thugs who wanted to beat up a kid. They need to be prosecuted for assault and everyone, Catholic and Protestant need to say loudly and clearly to thek ten thugs, " We aren't buying your baloney. You just wanted to hurt a child. We don't need your sorry excuse.
ReplyDeleteJust my point of view.
Ann: You're right, to some extent sectarianism is just an excuse to be violent to other people. If there wasn't any sectarianism, they'd just find some other pretext.
DeleteI despair of the entire so-called human race.
ReplyDeleteTammy: I don't despair of the whole human race, only that large number of people who're determined to ignore all civilised values and behave like morons and gangsters. But there are still many good people in the world.
DeleteIt's very sad that happened to that young boy. As Ann previously commented, the assailants were just plain thugs and it would be nice to know if any were charged with assault.
ReplyDeleteBeatrice: No one has been charged as yet, but the boys who did it should be easy enough to identify.
DeleteThat's much like attitudes toward people of color, especially black people, in the U.S. -- especially so in certain parts of our country.
ReplyDeleteJoared: It's based on something very similar -mindless hostility towards people who're seen as "different".
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