Hunger

This film hit close to home for me, I am an immigrant from Ireland, and I grew up hearing stories about Ireland being oppressed by England, and how they took our basic rights from us when they invaded Ireland. They took away our right to worship God, our right to speak our native tongue (Gaelic) and they burned our records of our lineage. When the Irish stood up and revolted against the English and went to have a peace treaty, Michael Collins was warned by Eamon de Valara not to settle for less than all of Ireland, and Collins did just what he was warned not to do. The IRA continued to fight against England to get that last County.

To me Bobby Sands was a hero, even though in essence what he did was commit suicide. He had a belief he was willing to give his life for. Freedom, from a tyrant that had butchered his people and taken away everything they once loved. Just like the Films we watched before this V for vendetta and Fight Club depict people declaring revolution on something they disagree with, they can be looked at in one of two ways, as a terrorist, or as a hero. We as people depending on where we stand have to make the decision on what they are in our eyes, are they a hero? Or are they terrorists? Does the end justify the means? What was lost so there could be an increase or was it all a waist.

This is a picture of what Bobby Sand's actually looked like.

When I think of the Irish Republic Army (IRA) I think about bombings and shooting like the one we saw in the film when the guard is shot in the nursing home. Bobby Sands was not ever convicted for any shootings or bombings, he was believed to have been involved in a shoot out and a bombing, and was taken into custody because he was part of what Great Britain deemed a terrorist organization. He was guilty by association, not by an act that could be proven in court. While in jail he was the leader the strikes they had in prison that we saw in the film. When the prisoners went on a 15 days naked strike, the strike where the put rubbed their feces on walls and then onto hunger strikes.

I often wonder why Michael Collins settled for less than all of Ireland. What was so hard about listening to Eamon De Valara? Was it out of fear that the war would continue, and more Irish blood would be spilled fighting the English. If that was the case I don’t think that his hopes were realized, more Irish and English people still died for the county he gave up in the treaty. If they had just gotten the last county so many peoples lives would not have had to be wasted in revolution for the years to follow, there was unrest for nearly 90 years. Given the circumstances I admire Sand’s courage and love for his country, to do what he felt he needed to do to make a difference.