Vergil needed at vigil
"What do you think you are doing!!!!????" was said in a tone of voice which made it obvious that we had no right to be there. One young - early 20s - USA citizen's response on their initial approach to the Justice Not Terror Coalition vigil in Belfast at the City Hall. I tried to explain. She asked if we were opposed to 'revenge'; I said yes, she clearly supported it. I asked was she a person of faith; it was clear she identified strongly as a Christian. I raised the incompatibility of revenge with Christianity. She said it's 'an eye for an eye' (which made me wonder which bible she reads - a narrow and outdated nationalist interpretation of the Hebrew bible or the Hebrew bible and the Christian New Testament).

She saw the US role as taking responsibility for (order in) the world. I raised the issue of Chile on another 11th September (1973) and US intervention in other Latin American countries and elsewhere. She saw it all as benign US intervention. She saw this 'responsibility' as being connected with people on a global level - and apparently superseding or overriding any ethical or religious beliefs she had; she certainly did not see any contradiction in being a 'Christian' but supporting 'revenge' and 'an eye for an eye' (it was she that used those terms). She couldn't comprehend how anyone could oppose US bombing in Afghanistan; she said it wasn't making their situation any different because all they had known for years was war. The effects of bombing clearly weren't the responsibility of the USA according to her way of thinking. She couldn't comprehend we could be opposed to all violence. After seven or eight minutes of argument she stormed off saying "You're totally crazy" in a tone of voice which indicated she wanted to show we really were mad.

I wonder if I communicated in as nonviolent manner as I could. But given her initial arrogant reprimand I was determined to challenge her. No, she's certainly not crazy but her attribution of that quality to us is the typical cop-out thrown at people for a stand that you cannot - and do not try to - understand.

She had what I would assume is a typical US American 'benign' interpretation of the USA's foreign policy, I suppose unable to comprehend how a 'great democratic country' (my words and italics) could have supported such brutal repression and violence abroad over decades and even centuries (I won't go further into this here but economic interests and superpower status are the two biggest reasons). I made a mental note that next time there's such a confrontation I'd hand over to any of the US citizens who might be with us on the vigil, let it be 'American' to 'American' in case that might communicate better; maybe she would find it harder to write off a compatriot, but maybe not. Another young woman at the same vigil came up and made a donation of œ30 to an aid organisation whose leaflet about the need for humanitarian aid we carried (we weren't collecting but were willing to pass it on). There couldn't have been a different response.

Deconstruction No.2; The United Kingdom
Last time round I did a bit of analysis on the 'US' of 'A', and on US culture the time before. Continuing this trend I decided to try my hand at the 'United Kingdom', and next time I'll do 'United Ireland'. United we stand, divided we fall.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland came into being on 1st January 1801 through bribery and corruption, in particular that relating to persuading the Irish parliament to vote itself out of existence. As such it is no surprise that even loyalists didn't try to commemorate it in the year 200-2001 (meanwhile 'Northern Ireland' had been substituted for 'Ireland'). Scotland and Wales are often forgotten in the 'United Kingdom' because Wales was colonised so early the English tried to ignore its position, and Scotland to some extent the same - though Wales is more often simply lumped together as part of 'England and Wales'. There is a Scottish part to the Union jack or flag but no Welsh part (is it any wonder Welsh nationalists feel aggrieved?) and it includes a 'a cross similar to that of St Patrick, patron saint of Ireland' (note: similar to).

It is true however that devolution to Scotland, Wales and - mirabile dictu - Norn Iron - has altered the nature of the 'United Kingdom' in a significant way, altering power relationships of the 'four nations' (not 'formations') with London and the Westminster parliament. So, a bit more pride and a bit less sleeveenism.

One ongoing problem for the English is what is the 'English' identity in all this, not just in a multi-cultural Britain and a devolved UK. Is 'England' going to be represented by beer-swilling flag-of-St-George carrying football fans displaying their spare tyres and racist attitudes or by 'Aryan' racists who make 'English' only apply to white people. 'England' may have ruled the world, ruled the waves or waived the rules, but now that country has an ID problem - in relation to itself and in relation to Europe. England has something of a proud liberal record in some respects - and a not so proud record in others (e.g. miscarriage of justice cases involving Irish people).

A further problem comes with those who define themselves as British in Northern Ireland - which is part of the UK but not of Britain. The problem is how you can have 'British' outside 'Britain'. I think this is more a semantic problem and people have the right to define themselves as they so wish - though the extent to which the people of Britain also see the people of Norn Iron as British varies. If I can describe myself as 'Irish' in the USA or Britain, then surely people can describe themselves as 'British' in Northern Ireland - even if they have never set foot on the island of Britain - because of their cultural and political identification with the other island.

But 'loyalism' is a bit of a misnomer (the term 'unionism' is, however, a correct appellation of a political belief). The Troubles have shown that 'loyalists' in Northern Ireland have been some of the most disloyal subjects of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and they have murdered many other subjects of said Majesty. I know that David Miller's "Queen's Rebels - Ulster Loyalism in Historical Perspective" (1978) is criticised by some commentators for not taking into account developments in loyalist political thinking and approaches but perhaps it does provide some inkling of how 'loyalists' feel they can be 'loyal'' to Her Majesty while being intensely disloyal to Her Majesty's Government. The answer here is in the covenant the 17th century settlers in Ulster entered into with the Crown; swear allegiance, keep control and do pretty much what they liked. Miller portrays this ideology coming down to today.

A final consideration here is why it is still a 'United Kingdom', not 'Queendom' (despite Queens Victoria and Elizabeth respectively mopping up the monarchy for most of the 19th century and almost half the 20th). It's just patriarchal terminology. But as royalty are now fairly passé and something of a laughing stock for many sane individuals, perhaps they might need to look for a better title? 'United country', 'united state', 'union of', I don't know ('united states of' following devolution? 'United Nations' has already been claimed). Speaking personally, even if I identified with the island of Britain I'm not sure I would want to be part of a 'kingdom'. A kindom yes, a kingdom no.

Feel free to come back to me about these deconstructions, though I am trying not to be too de(con)structive! Either the USA, UK, or - forthcoming - 'United Ireland'. You know where to get me.

Making a bags of it
I had occasion one evening recently to be standing catching (or at that stage, not yet catching) a bus in lower O'Connell Street in DDuubblliinng. Right outside McDonalds, yes, the one with the fallen arches, the golden idol. Green I may already be in my inclinations but I was horrified at the veritable mountain of black plastic bags being carted away by the rubbish removal lorry. It was something like a green vision of hell. A wasteful, throwaway society that has routinised disposal of resources and that squanders what it has and is in an orgy of plastic. What a sad commentary on 'civilisation'. As Gandhi said when asked what he thought of western civilisation, "it would be a good idea". We look askance at the unbridled forces of the industrial revolution of the nineteenth century in Europe. We look back in amazement at what some of our ancestors got up to in their primitive ways. Well, maybe our descendants will regard us as some of the most primitive of all. Because we had the resources to do things but refused. Or where we chose we chose easy options of disposing of waste (dump indiscriminately or incineration plants creating dioxins creating cancers) rather than tackling the problem at source and minimising waste, and where there is to be waste ensuring it can be safely treated and/or recycled. We are the truly primitive people, we really are.

Going to seed
This is the time of year that gardeners - you know, those sexy individuals that teevee programmes discovered a few years ago - go to seed, literally. There is nothing more satisfying than poring (or even pouring) over your favourite seed catalogues and planning what to grow next year. The fact that what you order or buy represents the triumTel: of hope over experience, well, you can but dream of the great crop of xxxxxxxxx that you'll grow, and forget the dismal failure that yyyyyyyy was last year. Even the non-garden endowed can get in on the act. Basil I never grow outdoors because I discovered slugs like it as much as humans (which goes to show slugs are pretty clever in their own way, even if they don't go for garlic so much) [Ed - This is the second mention I've noticed in your column of pesto sauce or the ingredients for pesto] [Billy - Hey pesto!]. Instead it has pride of place in the top landing window, you could call it a little basilica (though what the neighbours think we're growing there is anybody's guess). Compared to the little bit of basil that you'd get for UK£1 (IR£1.27 or 1.61 Euros, must download that Euro sign) it's some of the most economical gardening I do. And all indoors.

While neighbours who let their convolvulus grow into our garden would not be given full marks in my neignbourhood gardening prize, the wild is always preferable to the cut and slash brigade. Typically this is where someone comes into to do the garden on a paid basis, cuts down the lilac at the end of the growing season so it doesn't flower the next year, and the willow likewise so it doesn't have a litter of catkins in the spring. Even worse is the 'totally ignore then totally blitzkrieg' brigade whose garden hasn't been touched for years; then in comes the clean up squad who take out everything, including the roses and other shrubs which were surviving quite happily with nothing done to them. Then a week or two later the weeds reappear and there is nothing, nothing of colour or merit in the garden, nor will there be. What a sad world a garden can be. Let a thousand flowers bloom - even if many of them are wild and weedy.

A very preposterous new year to you
Well, it's that time of year again, Christmas, 'yule' live to regret it. Stress and angst levels reach record proportions even before the extended family get together. I really like it when I arrive but travelling there is the bad bit; deadlines appear from everywhere and the shops get more frenetic and shoppers more desperate. But a break, seeing more of friends and loved ones can be just the midwinter tonic you need, apart from that gin and tonic or whatever your festive cheer is ('Three cheers for Santa, I really wanted this tie'). Unfortunately where aunties provide aggro, and nephews and nieces get on your nerves, well, don't have that bust up just yet, or book your family mediation early. Ah yes, fond memories of the family table after Christmas dinner where the assembled clan began to discuss the politics of the day and the 'hang 'em, flog 'em' approach meant that you a) stuck Santa's Christmas stocking in your mouth (metaphorically at least, sock it to me, Santa) and held your peace and everybody else's so that World War 3 didn't erupt over the dinner table, or b) you didn't hold your peace and it did erupt into World War 3 and early departures and long silences for the forthcoming year. Until the whole experience was repeated the next Christmas. That's what you'd call a 'traditional Christmas'.

So, I wish you all the best for the season that's in it be you Christian, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, atheist or pagan (from whom a lot of Christmas as celebrated is borrowed) or 'other'. And I wish you and all of us a peaceful and preposterous new year. As Dave Allen used to say and maybe still does, may your God go with you.

Your humble servant,
Billy.