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"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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