Monday, March 07, 2011
Peace and Justice
Socialist icons like Nelson Mandela, Che Guevara, and Gerry Adams are deservedly honored for their devotion to advancing human rights, but lesser known figures like Bernadette Devlin play an equally vital role in achieving peace and justice. While all are recognized for their freedom fighter status, not all took up arms to advance their particular struggle. Devlin, instrumental in advancing equality in Northern Ireland, led the civil rights movement there when even non-violent activists like herself were murdered by police, army, and paramilitaries.
Devlin, who once represented my ancestral homeland of Tyrone as an MP in Westminster, was no patsy when it came to fighting the British Empire, but today she has focused on preventing a return to warfare by building bridges between Catholic and Protestant communities. In this 2007 interview, Devlin acknowledges the different roles required to create a lasting peace.
Devlin, who once represented my ancestral homeland of Tyrone as an MP in Westminster, was no patsy when it came to fighting the British Empire, but today she has focused on preventing a return to warfare by building bridges between Catholic and Protestant communities. In this 2007 interview, Devlin acknowledges the different roles required to create a lasting peace.
