What are you reading the week of Sunday, June 28, 2015?

[TexasProgresive]

5. If you read to excape the present political realities

don't read Trinity by Leon Uris. This kind of book takes time to read because it causes me to think and reflect on the truth.

The prose of Mr. Uris is exquisite as he weaves the stories of Ulster Catholic and Anglo-Irish Ascendency families, the new capitalists and Scottish Presbyterian firebrands in the explosive mix of late 18th century northern Ireland. While most of the characters are fictional the thoughts and methods that have wrought the division of Ireland's 32 counties into 2 states complete with the horrors of the "troubles" of the late 20th century.

The methods of the powers that be consisting of the Hubble and Weed families is to set the lower classes against each other with the use of ethnic and religious prejudices. This a parable for what has been happening in our country.

The following dialogue between the Viscount Roger Hubble and his new ally the industrialist Sir Frederick Week is so representative of our country today. Just change the names and you can add the additional fuel to the fire of guns.

After a bloody riot in (London)Derry whipped up by the preaching of one Oliver Cromwell MacIvor the Viscount Roger Hubble is expressing his concerns to his new partner, the industrialist Sir Frederick Weed:
"'The man incited a riot,' Roger said in disbelief.
'Regrettable,' Weed mumbled insincerely. '……..Gladstone and all that bloody Liberalism have changed that. We have to depend on masses of people, repugnant as it may be. Our base of power is Protestant unity, the Orange Order, if you will. What our good Ulster folk lack in culture and sophistication they make up in assumed piety. It is a simple sort of mentality which has to be kept fed and happy with a few crumbs of old-fashioned Jesus sprinkled on their daily porridge. MacIvor, repulsive as he may be to you and me, knows how to say exactly what they want to hear and there is no better way to keep those people unified than to put them in a state of righteous outrage…the holy grail… the crusade… that sort of nonsense.'"