“They used to say a rising tide lifted all boats, now the rising tide just seems to lift the yachts.” Ed Miliband

Why is it that in a democratic society we deal with gaping inequality and mass poverty? Democracy is the collective power of the people, and the majority of people are decent individuals, charitable, and fair minded.

So how do we end up with politicians who deny climate change, normalise homelessness, and ignore the basic needs of the people?

The answer is that people aren’t educated in democracy and as a result democracy fails the people. Democracy may be an imperfect ideology but it is a powerful tool that can safeguard equality. However if people aren’t thought how to use it then democracy becomes a form of corrupt government powered by the votes of an ill informed jury of children.

Thomas Jefferson once wrote; "Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves, therefore, are its only safe depositories. And to render even them safe, their minds must be improved to a certain degree."

A state’s investment in its education is the only method it has to safeguard its democracy. If there is vast inequality in the education system a state is simply sowing the seeds of inequality and disruption. Without the potential of enlightenment through the education of ethics and political philosophy people will continue to select candidates who misrepresent their core values and humane instincts to care for the poor.
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Inequality in education is the biggest threat we are facing in society right now, it has lead to a colossal disconnect with politics, the rise of demagogues, and the lack of accountability in government.  The education system needs to be reassessed and revamped if we are to get serious about creating a just society and eradicating poverty.

(Picture is of a DC art exhibit which features an Ivanka Trump look-alike vacuuming....because that's where smash & grab democracy has taken us)

The Irish Language is a fake passport, a false identity created by a nationalist state. For the most part the Irish language is dead, it lay on a hospital bed in 1909 when Peadar Kearney wrote “The Soldier’s Song”, which was later popularised by the IRB in the 1916 rising before becoming our National Anthem and translated into Irish for safe keeping. As our National Anthem we only stopped singing it in English in the 1930’s, in attempt to legitimize the budding Republic.

The bucket fed Irish we see in school books is a hybrid common Irish, it’s a watered down version of the language devoid of culture and ‘blas’.  This is to ensure it appeals to a wider public in an inoffensive fashion just like Starbucks coffee.  Book Irish is nothing more than 'Gaeilge Puca' and our ancestors might not even recognise it if they heard it spoken.  

The language serves little purpose unless you’re visiting the graves of 19th century Ireland on a regular basis or in case you get into a fist fight in Dingle, in which case a quick phrase like “Ciarrai Abu” will turn things around to have you back drinking with the locals and listening to tales about “The Bomber Liston” and the golden years of Kerry Football.

Irish is really only for hobby language enthusiasts and provoking the DUP. Generally speaking you’re only entitled to hold one of two positions about Irish, you either love Irish and speak it, or you don’t love Irish and shut up.

The problem with being a language nationalist is that it gets in the way of people being Irish for different reasons. We’re very likely heading towards a United Ireland and we’re going to have to rethink our identity to accommodate six counties, including why we sing our national anthem in Irish. Continuing to sing it ‘as gaeilge’ may be considered a sectarian move set to alienate our new neighbours.  

I’d be a huge advocate of the language on a personal level and I fully support any initiatives to promote it or preserve it. However I’m also in favour of removing it from our schools so our children can learn more practical language skills and compete with the nations of Europe for jobs and export markets. If we are going to imagine an Ireland of the future we’re going to have to look forward and it’s hard to imagine the Irish language continuing to play such a sentimental and antagonising role in society.  

Coming to terms with the death of the Irish Language will be difficult, the denial stage is over and some people may be angry for a while but once we accept it we will take our place amongst the nations of the earth.
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(Picture from a series of collages by Sean Hillen called “What’s Wrong”, the post may not represent his views)