Two Tribes…One Country?

Northern Ireland.

A troublesome little spot.

Tricky.

Two tribes, one island, one border, 6 counties, 2/3 of a province and a whole load of issues.

Issues like a person has issues.

Personality issues, resulting from the upbringing of the people, infusing us with personality disorders. All of us. We have views and opinions that to people in other parts of the world are incomprehensible. They are a result of our childhoods, and our parenting. Freud would have had a field day.

But like most personality disorders they are invisible the person who has them unless they ask for therapy.

Maybe it’s time.

To admit there is something wrong and look for a solution. One that is not related to the problem.

Not along the lines of:

“Yes, you have a problem with being angry, now go and shout at someone in the street.”

“It is good of you to see that in yourself, that you have an addictive personality, let’s go for a drink. Smoke?”

A solution that shows that winning or losing is only making the other people in your lives lose or win. That if it is all about getting your own way that is no solution at all.

And what if the therapy leads you to look at life from both sides now (thanks Joni).

That you have to work with the other people who are incapacitated by the disorder.

Here is the solution.

Joint Sovereignty.

Step one the therapy has worked, because everyone reading this has had an immediate reaction:

No WAY!!!

Thats how people always react to the solution to issues.

Unionists, no way, we are British, this is our country, and we are never never never going to do that.

Nationalists, are you mad? When we are so close to possibly, inevitably going to get our own way and have a United Ireland?

But here’s the reality.

We are moving to 50:50 population. That means half and half, not one is bigger than the other. That means sharing, working together, seeing a new future.

Joint Sovereignty:

The UK and Ireland together. Taking responsibility for the prosperity of Northern Ireland. Have whichever passport you want. No trade borders. Shared health and education. Building bridges, literally and metaphorically. Creating friendships through agreements that put prosperity at the forefront.

Working together to protect the culture of all the people. Dual nationality.

Why?
Because in the therapy it was discovered that the people of the North have move in common with each other than they have with those in GB or Ireland. That the shared experiences are important to them and not many others. That having a place of our own, jointly, with no ownership or one upmanship will open the doors to allow us to be friends. Different but friends.

Because any other solution will not be a solution at all. The Irish dealing with Orange people. The Unionists seething and crackling with resentment.

A solution that actually gives both tribes what they want. Moving out of the house and into their own flat. Getting a job.

And the key to all this is the Protocol. A unique place for Northern Ireland, jointly managed, to be an open door to the UK from the EU and Ireland, and a gateway from the UK to the EU. An identity that is ours. Not the same as the Scots, Irish, English or Welsh. Ours.

The Protocol could have the totally unintended consequences of helping us grow our economy, create new, well paying jobs, open our doors to more tourism, more investment, and more peace.