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Issue No.8 Spring 2002
Overview
Welcome to the first 2002 edition of The Other View. The magazine's editorial
board is delighted that the project has continued publication at a time when
Northern Irish society is going through a difficult but challenging period in
what is essentially an era of relative peace and stability. The diversity of
themes represented in each article in this edition demonstrates a commitment to
addressing all the issues no matter how tentative or complex which impact on our
lives on a day and daily basis. Besides our regular contributors this edition
contains articles produced by people who have been impressed by the quality and
standard of The Other View and who for one reason or another support its
underlying ethos of promoting open and honest debate on the issues which
continue to divide us and the commonalities which unite us.
This edition will be published post St Patrick's Day and the significance here
is that on the other side of the Atlantic our political and religious leaders
can lay aside their differences to come together in celebrating our shared
Christian heritage. So why can't we aspire to creating the conditions whereby
this can happen in say, Armagh the 'City of Patrick', or Downpatrick which has
just opened a multi-million pound heritage centre which celebrates the life of
Patrick. Of course there are certain realities that must be considered not least
the increasing polarisation and alienation that exists between and within the
two communities. The endemic anti-social crime that is plaguing working class
communities and the so-called 'cold house' for Protestants theory are certainly
issues which have not gone away and a number of articles in the current edition
are thematically based on such issues.
In a real sense this is community 'dialogue' in action through the medium of
writing and the most welcome elements of it is the diversity of opinions
expressed and the fact that every article carries both intrinsic and extrinsic
value and is in many cases borne out of direct experience. In this respect The
Other View project is achieving an aspiration in that it developing a more
inclusive approach through inviting contributions from a broader platform all of
which is grist to the mill of promoting freedom of expression and acknowledging
diversity.
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