Maul/PIRA

This is a fictional political diary-vignette about PIRA (Provisional Irish Republican Army) that challenges us to question if we democracy-minded citizens in America actually care about terrorism-and-governance troubles around the world, especially after 9/11(!).

This vignette references the anarchy-symbolism of the Sith warrior Darth Maul (since he nicely captures ideas about governance-paranoia!). I'm using Darth Maul also because I think he's the best 'turmoil-Sith' to be used for 'dangerous' folklore. Wouldn't you agree?

How can we use the public pulpit in the 21st Century to relate American comforts (and power) to address real-life problems faced by people in other, less fortunate, parts of the world?

DISCLAIMER: This ornamental hyperbole-political diorama meant for Catholic historianship is in no way a justification of counter-productive terrorism but is a free-speech consideration about modern-day schisms and should therefore not be construed as a 'sympathy' with any political group or concern!






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"I was born in Belfast (Northern Ireland) to an Irish father and an Asian-Indian mother. I grew up in Belfast and went to high-school in Belfast and joined PIRA (Provisional Irish Republican Army) after high-school. I chose not to go to college and opted for the IRA cause instead. My favorite Star Wars sith character is Darth Maul, because he reminds me of what is necessary for the struggle for independence for Irish Catholics, and the kind of hellfire required to extinguish British rule in Northern Ireland. I consider myself a hippie --- that's not a death-notation."



"The Irish have been struggling to rid their lands of British rule for a very long time. The Irish achieved independence for mainland Ireland in the early 20th Century, thanks to the leadership of Michael Collins and Eamon de Valera. However, partisan politics created the need for a British Protestant 'state' somewhere in Ireland and Belfast and Northern Ireland were 'chosen' to remain part of the British Empire. The Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) was formed to retrieve Northern Ireland and refute the claim it belonged to British Protestants. The Irish Catholics living in Northern Ireland worry about continuing socio-cultural ostracism, and the Parliament seems unwilling or unable to help. That's why we see IRA rallies in the streets of Belfast. I wonder what Darth Maul would make of all this political dementia in Europe?"



"I worship a green Catholic fairy named Alyssa, who's my muse for PIRA-work. As a formal soldier of the Provisional IRA, I think about the magic of Alyssa when I fight for Irish Catholics living in Belfast worrying about the neglect by Parliament. Alyssa reminds me that the cause of the Irish has and will always be a thing of music and magic, and despite our requirements for use of terrorism to rid British rule, I think of Alyssa when I think fondly and spiritually about the splendor of the Northern Ireland women's soccer team and how it can promote awareness and dialogue for the troubles."



"I wear this PIRA-pin on my person as often as I can, because it reminds me of my loyalty to Irish Catholics and how Catholicism itself is an endangered religion by the troubles endured in Belfast. As people around the world gather in Vatican City to revere the Pope, Catholics living in Northern Ireland worry about the inability of the Parliament to deal with the historic problems with Protestants in Belfast who feel incompatible with the Irish living there. This is a serious problem in modern times, so this pin I wear reminds me why we celebrate politically incendiary mystical story/myth characters (or 'avatars') such as the devilish Darth Maul, a Sith warrior who symbolizes mental awareness of real disasters."



"The Irish love songs about sadness and poems about the loss of joy. We're a proudly sentimental people who believe our differences in religion and language from British and Protestants illuminates why we constantly worry about how we will someday finally feel separate from England. We eat differently, pray differently, sing differently, and protest differently. Since the days of Eamon de Valera and the inception of PIRA, Irish Catholics continue to identify with Star Wars avatars such as Darth Maul, since we remember why religious and cultural schism is a realm of true hell."



"In America, people fondly and peacefully celebrate St. Patrick's Day and attend or watch the culturally symbolic festive parade on TV. Americans live in luxury and great happiness, far from the sorrows of religious or cultural schism. Yes, Americans have not worried about schism since the Civil War when racism and slavery was finally questioned nationally. Americans dress up in beautiful St. Patrick's Day gear, while we soldiers of PIRA continue to dress up as 'terrorists' seeking to end depression. When will Belfast have a real St. Patrick's day diorama? We secretly watch St. Patrick's Day parades in America...on TV."



"Parliament may never solve this problem. We may always think of Parliament as filled with chimps who simply don't know what to do about the schism between Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland. Maybe Hollywood (USA) can make more movies about us. Maybe Star Wars comic book writers can devise time-travel tales of Darth Maul going to the Easter Rising in the 20th Century and witnessing how the emergence of Irish rebellion against British rule created a long legacy of political dilemma, even in distinguished England."



"Soldiers and representatives of the Irish Republican Army will always be honored in life and death by we soldiers of PIRA. We can do many things to resist our uncomfortable ties to England, but in the end, what we need is a real sentinel, such as Darth Maul. That is to say, the trouble with the Irish is that we just love too much soccer, rugby, and Riverdance. Who will understand this?"



"As a formal soldier of PIRA, I've executed 13 British Black-and-Tan unit-militiamen in Belfast, 5 Protestant Loyalists in Parliament, and numerous pro-British sympathizers taxing the Catholics living in Northern Ireland. I'm considered a valued asset to the IRA, and I hone my skill and interest in target-shooting, camouflage, underground networking, and black-market munitions tracking. As Darth Maul might say, 'Finally, the Irish will scatter the British in Belfast...finally the Irish will see their day of a great but triumphant tribulation!'. If nothing comes of all this dementia, then at least we 'angels' of the Irish Republican Army can live with the condifent belief that we did everything possible to solve the problem of the Great Schism. God bless the Irish...and the world."

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