We Need a Peace Process: Lessons from Northern Ireland
Will political polarization inevitably lead to violence in the United States?
A recent New York Times article explored this possibility: As Trump prosecutions move forward, increasingly heated rhetoric could morph into violence across the United States:
“’In April,” the article reads, “before federal prosecutors indicted Mr. Trump, one survey showed that 4.5 percent of American adults agreed with the idea that the use of force was “justified to restore Donald Trump to the presidency.’ Just two months later, after the first federal indictment of Mr. Trump, that figure surged to 7 percent.”
Remember “The Troubles?”
Just recently, I returned from a few weeks visiting Ireland. While in the cities of Belfast and Londonderry (aka Derry), a guide took our group on tour of neighborhoods ravaged by 1970s and 80s sectarian warfare between Catholics and Protestants.
During the Troubles in Northern Ireland, a period of sectarian conflict and political violence from the late 1960s to 1998, over 3,500 people were killed. Tens of thousands more suffered injuries. The conflict also led to significant population displacements, with another estimated tens of thousands of individuals and families leaving their homes due to threats, intimidation, or violence.
Our Irish guide recounted stories of metathesizing attacks and reprisals – tit for tat incidents. He left us with an admonition: “Violence Spreads Like a Virus.” I couldn’t help thinking: What if the Troubles come here, to the US?
It took over 30 years of bombing, killing, and mayhem before the people of Northern Ireland were ready for The Troubles to end. With the help of President Bill Clinton and his envoy George Mitchell, a peace process began. The Good Friday Agreement of 1998 helped bring an end to the violence and paved the way for a more peaceful and stable Northern Ireland.
Looking for Common Ground
Being at a much earlier stage in our Troubles – and with an estimated 393 million firearms in civilian hands as of 2017 – how can we get in front of the situation before it gets much worse?
An opportunity exists. Unlike so many articles that seem to focus only on bad news, the NY Times article ended on a hopeful tone. “Professor Pape, of the University of Chicago, said that while the numbers of people who felt violence was justified to support Mr. Trump were concerning, he would rather focus on a different group identified in his survey: the 80 percent of American adults who said they supported a bipartisan effort to reduce the possibility of political violence.
‘This indicates a vast, if untapped, potential to mobilize widespread opposition to political violence against democratic institutions,’ he said, ‘and to unify Americans around the commitment to a peaceful democracy.’”
What Does a Peace Process Look Like?
How do we tap into the common ground, the potential Professor Pape sees?
According to ChatGPT, “The Northern Ireland peace process achieved success through a combination of patient diplomacy, inclusivity, and international mediation. George Mitchell’s impartiality as a mediator, his commitment to building trust among the conflicting parties, and his persistence in keeping negotiations going, even in the face of setbacks, played a crucial role. President Clinton’s strong support, both politically and diplomatically, added significant weight to the process. The Good Friday Agreement, reached in 1998, laid the foundation for power-sharing and addressing key issues. The process also benefited from international involvement and grassroots efforts to promote reconciliation.”
Where are the Peacemakers?
Here in the U.S. today, some leaders attempt to promote unity and bipartisanship, but the success of such efforts varies. Achieving the level of reconciliation seen in the Northern Ireland peace process led by George Mitchell would be a complex and challenging task in the context of U.S. politics. On the other hand, we we’re not nearly as far into the maelstrom yet on this side on the ocean, in this century. As citizens, as influencers and campaign contributors, we must support leaders willing to seek the common ground and take the high road in politics. As of late 2023, we’re more likely to find such leaders at local grass roots levels, or in third parties.
Be the Peace You’d Like to See
We must also promote a peace process with those we know or meet and disagree with. The first place to seek peace is inside. For me, and likely for most of us, it is only when in the grip of fear that we imagine fighting in the streets, or civil war. In reality, we still live in relatively peaceful communities. There is no Belfast here.
But I woke up early this morning with a knot of anxiety from thinking of the Trump trials, the Ukraine, and now Hamas. I had to turn the problem over to God, and a little voice in head said, “Focus on your Peace Consciousness.”
Meditation and prayer are ways to feel more peaceful and hopeful, to be the change you’d like to see. One’s peaceful inner energy promotes better understanding, dialogue, and outcomes with others. Perhaps peace too could spread like a virus. Perhaps we can start to make connections with fellow pacifists and identify the leaders we need to take us through the coming years. And I’ve probably got the title for my next post – Peace Consciousness.