Past Daze

Dreadful news all round this week practically everywhere. Even Charlie Sheen went down a damp squid last night on the opening night of his one man army to truth tour when hecklers began leaving after only 15 minutes. Tough crowd or just an ill advised move on Mr. Sheen's part? Sadly, it's beginning to look like the latter. Euro Crisis, Ireland's Crisis, Middle Wast Crisis, North African Crisis, Ivory Coast Crisis, Japanese Crisis... it's like there's no break from all the doom and gloom around the place.

The news yesterday that a PSNI officer was murdered as he set off to work in Omagh was a story we don't need playing out on our screens. The Irish people, North and South made their minds up on that issue many years ago. It was a proud time in our history, a time when people put the past to one side in the hope of a better tomorrow for those who followed a peaceful path. For a time it looked like it was all going to work out dandy. That didn't quite work out, as we know, but there is no greater time to put on a united front, as Irish people, regardless of creed.

Dissidents continue to demonstrate they are still active, but they do their ill, not for Ireland or for her people. That day is gone and although some may try, one would hope the will for peace on both sides of the border remains as strong as ever.
There are more important issues at hand, and that's how we handle the mess we are in as a people. There's much promise on these shores and further afield. We just need some people now to start putting the pieces of the jigsaw together. One feels that's challenge enough without having to worry about dissident action whatever side that may come from. With all that's going on around the world at the moment I guess it shouldn't be any great surprise why Ireland shouldn't get her fair share of tough times. I guess we are. This may be a time for a leader of note to come to the fore. I hope Enda Kenny is up for the task. It's not a ship I'd like to be steering.

Other people's realities however seem far worse than ours here in Ireland. They are obvious when placed in groupings that have bonded tribes and tribes of people since the dawn of human existence. When tragedies that cost many lives strike, ones people have no control over. When races of people are left to suffer after the rages of dictators or Mother Nature. Humanity may need to do a spot of therapy on itself and the sooner that happens, the better chance Charlie, and the rest of us, have a chance to start winning again. In some real terms.

The best things about some weeks are they end, so without further ado...