Letter: Are voices of influence ready to step outside their comfort zone and help bring about change in NI?
A letter from George Millar:
For many people in Northern Ireland, tribalism and sectarianism is associated with working class communities.
Sadly we couldn’t be further from the truth, with these traits existing in both middle class and professional class communities.
Why are these traits so rooted in dividing our people? One has to look at organisations such as the Gaelic Athletic Association and the Roman Catholic Church on one side with the Orange Order and the Protestant churches on the other side to see how their roles have united or divided our communities.
Why did 3,500 people have to die and 30,000 injured for Irish republicans to pursue a terrorist campaign that was destined to fail? Tribalism and sectarianism resulted in 20,000 republicans and loyalist paramilitaries being imprisoned.
Is our politics in Northern Ireland determined by tribalism and sectarianism as we witness the failure of politicians to bring about change in building new and workable relationships at Stormont for all the people in Northern Ireland?
How do the roles played by organisations such as the GAA and Orange Order alongside the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant churches bring about the changes we have elected our politicians to pursue on our behalf?
Are these voices of influence prepared to step outside their comfort zone and help bring about change?
George Millar, Newtownards