Letter: A society which fails to remember its past social justice wrongs is doomed to repeat them

A letter from Thomas Keith:
Members of Northern Ireland Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice were present outside the Clayton Hotel in Belfast as the Covid-19 Inquiry held its first day of hearings in Northern IrelandMembers of Northern Ireland Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice were present outside the Clayton Hotel in Belfast as the Covid-19 Inquiry held its first day of hearings in Northern Ireland
Members of Northern Ireland Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice were present outside the Clayton Hotel in Belfast as the Covid-19 Inquiry held its first day of hearings in Northern Ireland
By Letters
Published 3rd May 2024, 00:00 BST

An observation about some Northern Irish churches and Christian charities which claim to be a voice for social justice in the public square.

On Tuesday, April 30, the UK's Covid-19 Inquiry heard evidence in Northern Ireland for the first time.

On Wednesday, May 1, the UK's Legacy Act took effect.

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Letter to the editorLetter to the editor
Letter to the editor

Neither will unlock families' access to justice yet there has been barely a word of challenge from many who claim to advocate better stories for our society and culture.

Neither have demonstrated much other than dysfunctional government, yet that seems acceptable to many for the sake of 'social justice' objectives: note, the churches and charities together lobby (on the same page as most media) for a return to Stormont, with a silent lobby for a reform-before-return.

One has to surmise that the criteria for social justice advocacy in Northern Ireland must involve avoiding the elephants in the room!

There are many issues worthy of attention and much of current advocacy work is to be commended with the right focus on the living, not the dead.

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But it seems that many churches and charities seem to be very forgetful about certain politicised issues.

Perhaps it's wise to apply the maxim that a society which fails to remember its past (social justice) wrongs is doomed to repeat them.

Thomas Keith, Kilkeel

Related topics:Kilkeel