WHAT is 'good character'? In my hall I have the 'graduation' photo of my daughter as she left Naíscoil na bhFál, a part of the now proud tradition of Gaeilgeoirí in West Belfast. The Cumann Iar Scoile located in the Naíscoil was a fundamental part of her childhood, with acting, sports and especially art promoted alongside care, love and respect. It was a foundation for life.
At the helm of the formation of those values was the Príomh Oide, Sue Pentel, the Jewish Gaeilgeoir who placed culture, family (in its widest sense) and care at the core of my child’s young formative years.
Sue has been our voice of conscience, challenging us all to see Palestine and to never be complacent. To see her arrested on Saturday in Belfast city centre for pricking the consciences of everyday folk who may not be aware of the connection of Barclays Bank to the slaughter of Palestinian children made all good people sick to the core of their stomachs and confirmed yet again that something is rotten at the heart of the PSNI, in contrast to Sue’s proven history of good character.
I saw good character when three young people from West Belfast and Derry explained their experience of transgenerational trauma in their internationally acclaimed film. They didn’t lecture us, or seek sympathy, Kneecap just told us what it is to grow up in a city fractured by conflict and the legacy of colonial militarisation. And then they rose to sing and dance in response. Kneecap discomfort us and challenge us to face double standards and complacency with lyrics that jar and imagery that deliberately shocks. They challenge terms such as terrorist and peacekeeper and turn them on their head. Their film told us what is at the heart of that provocation – good character.
When Liam Ó hAnnaidh was arrested for allegedly holding a flag of a proscribed organisation he did not hide away. He called it out for what it is – an attack on all of those who dare to challenge the Israeli state and their pretence that their intent to wipe the Palestinian people from the face of the planet has anything to do with a response to 'terrorism'. The displacement of outrage on to this young man is because he has stood up in good character in defence of an oppressed people with whom he and his band have shown courageous solidarity.
Winston Irvine does not have a history of good character. He has played a cynical game of provoking threats to peace while personally benefitting from the role of 'peacemaker'. The pretence that there was a UVF leader involved in building peace when every pseudo effort was accompanied by a wad of cash was comfortable for some.
This charade played a part in the legacy debate. Some want to privilege the comfort of military actors rather than the rights of the violated and that has led to a nexus of mutual interests preventing progress on legacy. Those who wrote the references for Irvine need to reflect not only on their interventions on his behalf to the court, but on why they meddle and pretend that human rights are negotiable while making some actors comfortable.
Placating and abusing the peace process is not good character. Raising our conscience in defence of the oppressed and silenced most certainly is.
Sue and Kneecap abú!
