Slugging it out
Last night's ±«Óãtv "Unlocking the Past" event has been blogged by .
On this morning's Not the Nolan Show, I was slugging it out with callers following the news that the Orange Order has received a from the government to help the it develop the Twelfth of July commemoration as carnival-like tourism event. One of our callers thought that was like trying to rebrand the Ku Klux Klan, a view which predictably outraged some members of the Loyal Orders who called the show. In a fit of pacifism, I was moved to tell the callers to stop talking over each other and invited them to talk to each other without shouting. I'll never get the hang of this shock jock thing.
Comments
I just wonder if they've left it too late. I was talking to a friend about the twelth yesterday, and we both felt that while the day had been a highlight of our childhood, and we still had a visceral response to the sound of a Lambeg drum, we didn't feel we could go any more.
Amazing how people over here can rarely articulate an intelligent debate on issues such as this, instead they retreat into shouting matches, insults and horrified outrage at the other's point of view.
Maybe once we get past this, politics in this region can join the world of grown-ups.
We have had the same problems with Shock Jock and it is destroying America.
Once again, enjoyed the show this morning thoroughly William, and I thought the debate following 'Unlocking the Past' was informative and stimulating.
I think that should answer D Smyth, and prove that a rational and articulate debate about history is not only possible but essential for us as we move forward in the future.
There is no question about deeply held ideas within communities, but learning about each other through a better understanding of our history is our only hope.