Letter from America

Strange but true

I found it hard to believe. Americans I mentioned it to also found it hard to believe. But, nonetheless, it was true.

Terrorist Grand Marshall

The Grand Marshall chosen for this year's St. Patrick's Day Parade in Rockland County, New York, was a convicted IRA terrorist. This celebration - the second biggest in the State - attracts 40-65,000 spectators. It is only outsized by New York City itself which draws two million visitors. The Grand Marshall was to be one Brian Pearson. Brian Pearson is a former IRA member who served 12 years in prison in Northern Ireland for driving the getaway car after the Royal Ulster Constabulary barracks were bombed in 1975. Mr. Pearson came to the US illegally but gained political asylum status in 1997. The Immigration and Naturalisation Service (INS) is, apparently, appealing and reviewing his residency status.

For a convicted IRA terrorist to lead a significant national celebration while the country is waging war on terrorism is astonishing.

Bureaucratic error?

Perhaps it was simply a bureaucratic mistake. Like the similarly mind-boggling way in which the INS just recently issued visa clearance to the now deceased infamous terrorists who had hijacked and crashed the planes on September 11. On the other hand, just down the road from me is an Irish pub which has a copy of the IRA declaration hanging proudly on the wall on the way to the lavatory. Same pub is frequented by patriotic Americans discussing the moral virtues of the war on terrorism.

Of course every culture has its own blind spots. American culture may be unique in only rarely wondering what they might be. Unlike the British press, the American news media is relatively tame. And Americans are indoctrinated from an early age by the mantra of self-belief. The consequences of this plus the national myth of the 'manifest destiny' of the American people can produce a sense of overwhelming confidence. It can also lead to appointing an ex-IRA terrorist at a time of a heavily promoted righteous crusade against terrorism.

Gospel significance

The gospel significance of this is acute. It means that the church has a particular role in America to question. Much of American society is built on the assumption of its righteousness. The church has a message of good news for sinners. Instead of proudly flying the American flag in the church's sanctuary (a common practice) it should carefully undermine national pretensions in order to point to the King of kings and Lord of lords. America may be great but God is greater. And he will not yield his glory to another.

Josh Moody, New Haven, Connecticut

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