I can't believe the news today

Alright, I've only got a few minutes to update. I've just arrived at work and will be starting to learn how to upload things onto Corrymeela's website in a bit.

If USA folks didn't hear, after my class got a long lecture from Nigel yesterday about how things "can't go back to the way they were here, with police officers and civilians being targeted", a police officer was shot in the head in Craigavon last night. I was the first in my flat to hear about it since my body for some reason insists it can't fall asleep before 2:00 a.m. I was poking around on the internet and looking at google earth tucked in my bed when the headline emerged. On top of the two soldiers shot dead on Saturday, this is absolutely horrible thing to have happen to Ulster right now. On my walk to work through Belfast this morning I felt like there was a definite strange aura or uneasy tone on the streets. No one has claimed responsibility yet, but I think it's commonly accepted already as being another RIRA attack.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern
-ireland-policeman-shot-dead-in-ambush-14219526.html


I feel really frustrated. The original IRA's goal of a united Ireland made so much more sense when the Easter Rising happened in 1916 and even at the height of the troubles. After so much violence and loss throughout the past century, such a long process to peace, and now that the country has finally started to become stable I have wonder if it's even a legitimate goal anymore. Many people I've spoken to don't even think the Republic of Ireland would want or support a union. I feel like I'm not in a place to have definite opinion of whether or not a united Ireland would be the best thing, but I can definitely say I know it's not worth it if this is the way it has to be done.

“Children today do not remember the horrors of the past. Let us not repeat that pointless loss of life with them."

“A small group of people who are determined to wreck political progress are becoming more dangerous. This is a small number of people who we know could be dangerous with a small number of weapons. These people are determined to bring Northern Ireland back to a place that we won’t allow it to go to."

"I was a member of the IRA, but that war is over now. The people responsible for last night's incident are clearly signalling that they want to resume or restart that war. Well, I deny their right to do that." -Martin McGuiness

Grr I have work to do.
More later,
Karen

p.s. Paramore did a cover of U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and it's pretty good:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sr-kMFjSkM