This is noticeable on many wall murals, some of which cause fear and resentment to outsiders. Two weeks ago I wrote about the mural in the Shankill area celebrating massacres of Catholics. Last week a new mural appeared in Twinbrook in west Belfast remembering the young victims of plastic bullets during the troubles. These included one youth aged 18, but omitted a Protestant youth aged 20, who was killed by security forces in Portadown in 1986. Perhaps the cut-off point was age 18, but it would have been much more compassionate to include Keith White.
Murals reflecting our shared life do exist.
Yes, we do have much in common. Many unionists are however concerned that there is a plot afoot to remove all symbols of Britishness from Northern Ireland. Much of this stems from a leaked report from the Dublin department of foreign affairs some time ago. That stupid report has never been satisfactorily explained and continues to provide ammunition to opponents of the Good Friday agreement. On the nationalist side there are also those who cannot see the new possibilities within the agreement, and who see it only as a means of diluting the purityof republican ideals.