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Some people say love is blind. I disagree. It is infatuation that is blind. To my mind, real love means I will tell you the truth, my truth, the truth of my experience. Love also means that I will listen to you as you tell me your truth, no matter how painful that is.
Truth has been in short supply in Ireland for many years. Bankers and developers have told lies. The clergy have told lies. The government have told lies. Political parties have told lies. The Health Services have told lies. (This is not a complaint, but a simple statement of fact.) Lies permeate every facet of our culture. And there is nothing more destructive to any relationship than lies. So what can we do? Do we sweep the lies under the carpet? Do we perpetuate the lies by pretending there has been no injustice? Do we give in to the learned helplessness of our colonial experience? Or do we take responsibility for bringing about change to the best of our ability? Edmund Burke wrote "For the triumph of evil it is only necessary that good men do nothing." This is what we could become in Ireland now, a whole load of good people doing nothing. Is this what we want for ourselves and our children? Do we perpetuate the injustices of the recent past or the present by saying and doing nothing? Do we, as a people, wish to see evil triumph? You see I don't believe that we do. I just think that most of us do not know what to do. We are full of feelings of helplessness. We say to ourselves 'what is the point of doing anything, no-one is listening.' I understand that feeling. I understand the desire to give up and hope it will all go away. Unfortunately, the problems we are facing are not going to go away. I believe the solution is simple but not necessarily easy. We must begin to tell the truth. When we see or hear of civil rights violations we must speak out. Whether the issue is the rape and assault of children, violence against women, theft by politicians, bankers and developers, the removal of vital health services from people with disabilities or unjust taxes. We must open our mouths and speak out. Those who have done wrong must be held accountable for their actions. We must not fall into the trap that we have no time for justice because our country is in the red. We are in the red because of lies and only the truth will bring about real and lasting change. So if you love your country as I do, do not stand by and watch her destroy herself. Take a stand for what is right in whatever way you can. Stand up for the elderly person, who contributed to this country all their life, dying on a trolley in a hospital corridor. Stand up for the person being denied access to their birth or medical records. Stand up for the school children being denied a proper education. Stand up for the people losing their homes because of the developers. Do something, no matter how small. Tell the truth no matter how faintly. Let your love of our country be an active thing. Let your love of Ireland be an honest and truthful thing. Be one of the good men and good women who do not allow evil and lies to triumph. Read on for Truth No. 2
12 Comments
Andrew Madden
2/24/2012 05:45:49 pm
Great piece Martine, staying silent while others suffer should never be an option. The shameful avoidance of truth in this country by people who pride themselves on their values, often repulsed me ... Andrew 2/24/2012 05:57:19 pm
Under the Brehon Law to be a bystander to a crime was in itself a crime, that would be a wonderful law to bring back in Ireland Andrew.
A. ONeal
2/24/2012 09:10:02 pm
Martine, 2/26/2012 08:27:50 am
"The soul is sacred, the body is sacred, the mind is sacred, dreams are sacred.." How true this is A, and it is our right and our responsibility to do whatever we can to protect that. 2/24/2012 10:11:13 pm
This is a truly inspiring article, Martine, written with passion and love. Thank you for speaking out. We all need to be prepared to speak out, in our own ways, against the injustices that are bringing our countries to their knees. 2/26/2012 08:30:26 am
Thank you Julia, I see that passion in your work when you empower people to stand against becoming square pegs in round holes.
Melissa
2/24/2012 10:22:39 pm
Not just Ireland, you could as easily be speaking directly to the soul of the United States. We seem to have lost ourselves. It can be quite disheartening. Keep fighting the good fight! 2/26/2012 08:40:43 am
I have times myself Melissa when I wonder where will it all end. Recently I was reading Martha Beck and was heartened by what she said on this subject. She said that she chooses to believe that goodness will triumph. (I paraphrase) "Do something, no matter how small. Tell the truth no matter how faintly. Let your love of our country be an active thing." Beautifully said Martine. I think this thought can be taken even further to a global level. We must believe that everyone the world over is sacred, more important than corporations and money. Thank you for yet another thought provoking post. 2/26/2012 08:42:33 am
There are so many of us Mairead. We only need to find each other. Thank you. 2/24/2012 11:13:35 pm
Martine, so beautifully said. We must all speak out and tell the truth and not be cowed by those we once thought held power. Their power is meaningless because it was and is corrupt. They tried to destroy the soul of Ireland (think of the centuries of Brehon law and ancient beliefs the Catholic Church co-opted then tried to eradicate), but there are some of us left who know how it was and how it can be once again. We just need more voices speaking truth, more bravery in standing front and center and calling them for what they are. It is a crime to bear witness and not speak out. It is wrong to continue to trundle off to Mass, fill their coffers weekly and nod at their lies, even if you haven't perpetrated crimes of torture or rape or abuse. Allowing them to continue their reign of fear and repression is just as much a crime as participating directly in it. Keep speaking out like this...spread the word, ignite the fire in other brave souls and surely the world will change. 2/26/2012 08:53:59 am
Every time the 'needs' of an organisation are placed above human rights and civil liberties, damage is always done Mari. Taking back our power is no easy task but when we remember that we are not alone, something awesome, in the true meaning of the word, happens. Leave a Reply. |
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