"O God! O Belfast!"
The original quotation ascribed to Samuel Butler (1835-1902)
was his derisory exclamation in the psalm "O God! O Montreal"
when he found himself in that Canadian metropolis during his travels
in North America, and was shocked by its prudishness in placing
Greek statues facing a museum wall. The statues showed the male
figure nude, as was the custom of early Greek sculptors. It was
felt this was much to much for ladies of the Victorian era to
view.
No apology is needed for adapting it to Belfast, that most unfortunate
city, home of sectarian strife for longer than most of us care
to remember.
What merits Belfast's second appearance in the current issue
on this web site, www.vindicator.ca?
Bus stops, that's what. Separate bus stops for Protestants and
Catholics!
This is 2002 in the six northeastern counties of Ireland, not
1948 in Arkansas or Alabama in the U.S.A. It's hard to believe,
but it's a hard fact of life along the Whitehall Road in Belfast.
Where there was one bus stop shared by bus riders of both persuasions,
there are now two, less than a hundred yards apart.
Why?
Protestant bus patrons claimed the single bus stop was located
too close to a Catholic area and they feared for their safety
while waiting at it. The bus stop was moved to meet their wishes.
Then Catholic bus patrons claimed it was too close to the Protestant
area and they feared for their safety.
Translink, the city's bus authority, decided to put up a second
bus stop closer to the Catholic area.
Who sits in front and who in the back of the bus hasn't been
determined.
Reportedly atheists are outraged and are claiming religious discrimination.
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