Young
Unionists

The below blog was written by UYUC Secretary, Stephen Goss.

During my recent travels in the United States, I came to realise we can learn a lot from our cousin across the Atlantic. America has every kind of diversity imaginable; regional, ethnic, religious, to name but a few. It is politically divided – you are either a Democrat or a Republican. Yet, despite all the differences, it is unquestionably one nation. While in Washington D.C., I began to realise why. It became clear to me that all these groups could be one people because it is very simple to be American. America stands for liberty, democracy and equality. If you think they are sound principles, you can be an American and this is how 300 million men and women of every conceivable race, religion and background are bound together.

A form of civic religion has developed to keep this diverse nation united; George Washington is portrayed as Christ-like – an infallable figure who delivered Americans to independence and freedom. The rotunda of the US Capitol depicts his ascension into heaven, while a 555ft obelisk memorial to him borrows from ancient Egyptian methods of venerating the gods. Other notable Presidents are worshipped in Greek and Roman style temples – both Jefferson and Lincoln are immortalised in structures more fitting in the forum than a modern capital. The ‘Charters of Freedom’ (Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights to the rest of us), are displayed like holy relics in what is tantamount to an altar sanctuary at the National Archives.

While these civic religious aspects are perhaps over the top, I do believe we can learn from the American example. What does it mean to be British? The identity was once based upon empire, Christianity and industrial might, but our factories are all but gone, the empire has been reduced to insignificant islands scattered across the globe and Christianity is no longer as popular or dominant as it use to be. Consequently, if we are to stop the UK slowly withering away, we need to redifine what unites us. As can be seen from America, it does not take very much – simply a few vague principles that can be acceptable to the inhabitants of all four constituent countries is enough.

In Northern Ireland the necessity of unifying ideals and concepts is all the greater. So far we’ve had eleven years of peace; it’s about time we started working on the next step – unity. Northern Ireland is neither Irish nor British; it is a fusion of the two and only a concept based on this understanding will bring us together. The people of Northern Ireland come together to ensure peace, we did it in 1998 and again following the recent dissident attacks, yet a desire for continued peace is not enough. We need to establish a Northern Irish identity. It could pehaps stem from a sense of community spirit, and borrowing from the Americans, faith in democracy.

No doubt many will be scathing or simply sceptical about attempts to nurture a new, blended identity, preferring to retreat into the comfort of firmly established ‘Britishness’ or ‘Irishness’. However, this sort of inflexibility is inaccurate and will get us no where in the long term. Whatever shape the identities of Northern Ireland and the UK as a whole should take, they will not be uniform, but will account for the diversity that exists. Although seemingly paradoxical, America demonstrates that unity from diversity is perfectly plausible. If we make the effort, just like them, we too can achieve ‘e pluribus unum’ – from many, one.