Friday miscellaney

You have to love the occasional odd-ball news story. Granted, this won't make it onto Law and Order, but at least the beekeeper got some restitution for the un"bear"able crime of having his honey repeatedly stolen.

Just in time for St. Patty's

The front page story on the Irish Indo's site today stated that Ireland is implementing a new, lower legal limit for blood alcohol content for Irish drivers. As an American reading the story it seemed very timely, what with St. Patrick's day celebrations looming on the horizon this weekend and the city of Chicago preparing to dye the river green. This legislation is a subtle reminder that not all Irish folks are falling-over drunks. Granted those Irish that do drink consume more than the average American per sitting, but that doesn't mean they are all drunks. St. Patrick's day as a holiday is really an American invention. In Ireland, up until recently, it was always a solemn occasion that included a trip to Church. In America, we put green dye in already terrible American macro-brewed beer and claim to be Irish, if not for a few hours. Who, then, is more responsible? The Irish who are taking proactive measures to increase responsibility and accountability for people who drink in their country, or Americans (generally aged 18-30) that view St. Patrick's day as a time to get black-out drunk for the sake of "being Irish." The disconnect between Ireland and Irish-America is shocking at times. Unfortunately, without more Irish historians in America to dispel these myths, change is not on the horizon, unlike that pint of green beer this weekend....

The political use of WWI memory: An American case

Granted, one of my minor fields is American history, but I'll be the first to tell you that I find the subject dour and boring. Nevertheless, when I came across this article on CNN I had to pause for moment. It discusses the recent honoring of the last American WWI vet. As someone who studies the First World War and it's memory, I find this blatant use of the memory of the war for political ends to be deplorable. The entire gist of my dissertation is to challenge this sort of official, top-down politicization of WWI memory in Ireland. The most interesting aspect of this article, at least for me, was the desire of others outside the bounds of the government to have a proper memorial to the veterans of the First World War in the national mall. I'm not suggesting the Mr. Buckles should not be or is unworthy of being honored. That's not the case as at all. Furthermore, I think it's great that his story garners national attention. It's just the timing of the event I have a problem with. In the midst of an election year, where the Iraq war is a hot topic. To truly honor Mr. Buckles, the government should have honored him this past November. After all, in America Veteran's Day is on the 11th of November, which is Remembrance Day in Britain and Ireland, a day which derives its importance from the end of the First World War.

Another one bites the dust

A week or so ago, I made a quick observation about Ian Paisley, Jr. resigning his position in the Northern Irish government. This week his father, Ian Paisley, Sr., announced that he will step down in May of 2008. This begs the question: What's next for Northern Ireland?

Paisley, Sr. made it clear (taking a jab the hierarchical Catholic Church in the process, no doubt) that when he steps down from the NI government, it will be a clean break. The fact that his son resigned last week ensures that there will not be a "chosen successor" to run the DUP.

As I ruminated before, the situation in Northern Ireland has the potential to make some giant steps forward without the Paisley's calling the shots. Hopefully, their fellow party members will be a bit more tactful and amenable in the way they handle power-sharing in Northern Ireland. Let's hope that that power-sharing continues!

When to say "when"

Renowned Irish poet Seamus Heaney has a bone to pick. Currently, there is a proposal to build a new highway through one of Ireland's most important historical areas. The continued evolution of Ireland's economy and the need for greater access via automobile are the culprits of this cultural outrage for Heaney. I can't say that I blame him. This semester I'm TAing for an International Studies 101 course. The bulk of the material thus far has focused on the issue of globalization and positives and negatives associated with it. Economically, globalization tends to be a boon for most countries that can harness it. Socially and culturally, the outcome is much more mixed. As Mr. Heaney suggests, the development of the Irish economy is being done at the expense of Irish heritage. These are the sort of subtle attacks globalization makes on culture that make one group simply shrug while others throw up their arms in frustration. If the Irish government were smart, they would re-route the proposed road, but hire some historians to generate road markers along that stretch of road. Incorporating a few stopping points along with some historical information the Irish would be able to preserve and even promote their culture at the same time that they move forward in the global economy. There are plenty of roads in the States like this. I can recall driving through the Rocky Mountains coming home from Aspen a few summers ago, and in addition to the beautiful views, there were places to pull off, take pictures, and read information about the area. It seems like a minimal investment to protect the culture that makes Ireland such a wonderful place to begin with.