Red Monkey: a disarming day

a disarming day

September 26, 2005

According to the BBC News, the "IRA 'has destroyed all its arms.'"

Since I was a little, little kid and decided that I was Irish (digging around in either side of the family tree was largely discouraged), I've been fascinated with the IRA. It was quite easy for me to see the injustice of how the English had treated the Irish, and for so very long. After all, the English are the bad guys in our own American story, so why should they have treated the Irish any better? (And later, I would find out it was also the Indians, the Welsh, the Scots, and a host of others as well.)

With that righteous indignation of a kid who does not know the whole story, I quickly decided that I would love to run away and join the Irish Republican Army and fight for justice against the oppressors. Of course, things weren't exactly that simple.

I'm excited today that the IRA did what it said it would do: decommission their arms. I worry, though, about the Unionists. For every gun or piece of armament the IRA was able to sneak into the country, the Unionists were sneaking in, by some estimates, three or four weapons as soldiers looked the other way.

But after the last few years of violence, I fear that the misguided Unionists who armed themselves in response to the IRA (who, to be fair, armed themselves against the extreme conditions perpetrated by the British army) are determined to keep the violence continuing.

Of course, that's what starts arms races, isn't it? That bone-chilling fear that the other guy has more arms or better arms and a willingness to use them against you.

So what ends an arms race? Blowing each other up will certainly end it. Generally considered bad form, but it does end that particular issue. Of course, you better make sure you eradicate everyone on the "Zooks'" side (to borrow from Dr. Seuss) or else you'll have a new generation of Zooks ready to nuke you later on.

What's another solution?
The one we see in cop shows. You know, where the cop talks the other dude into putting his gun down.

Why does he do it? He knows he's going to go to jail. He knows he's going to be punished for using or threatening to use that gun. But he puts it down.

He puts it down because to not do so is to court mutual destruction. Maybe he can shoot the cop before the cop shoots him ... maybe the cop's buddy will shoot him after anyway.

The IRA disarmed in hopes of getting the Unionists to disarm ... not in hopes of getting the British army to disarm, but so that the rival gang will also follow suit. Otherwise, the IRA and the Unionists will surely continue destroying what's left of Belfast, Londonderry and the six counties.

It's a scary moment, putting that weapon down. You've made yourself vulnerable. Trusting it's the right move. Trusting the others not to immediately kill you. Trusting that you won't have to defend yourself again.

Which takes more courage? To put that gun down or to shoot the man in front of you before he shoots you?

Yeah, I worry about the northern six counties quite a bit. But even though I think that neither violence nor peace solves everything, I do think the IRA made the right move. The political climate in the world at large more favours fair treatment of the Irish now than at any other time. And if the Unionists continue to make trouble, even the English people are ready to abandon the Unionists and let Ireland go completely.

Of course, the Unionists know this too. They've got to be both terrified and full of righteous rage. It's only to be hoped that the gesture of disarmament at least cracks a sliver of doubt into their fear and their rage.

Hopefully there can be a peace to end the terrible beauty and let the island relax at long last.

Posted by Red Monkey at September 26, 2005 10:47 AM | Blog | | StumbleUpon Toolbar Stumble |