THE READER A publication of the McCandlish Phillips Journalism Institute

Making ‘Hope and History Rhyme’ A talk by David Blevins your seat belt for the shortest history lesson DAvid Blevins INTRODUCTION ever. Patrick had been a slave in but felt called back, so he returned with What’s the first thing that comes to mind Christianity and education. It’s called “the land when you hear the word: Ireland? Most people of saints and scholars.” When Vikings invaded, think the shamrock is our national symbol. It Ireland sought help from England but the isn’t. The harp is. The colour originally English overstayed their welcome. Cue the associated with Saint Patrick wasn’t green. It charming King Henry the Eighth. He didn’t was blue. And much to our disappointment, have any Irish wives to chop the head off so he everyone isn’t Irish on Saint Patrick’s Day. chopped the head off the Catholic Church TheNorthern Ireland - I’ll explain the difference instead. in a moment – punches way above its weight. has to be the only city in the world to England crushed Ireland’s resistance, have constructed an entire tourist industry confiscated the land and sent 10,000 Protestant around the fact that it built a ship that sank: Scots to settle in the north. A territorial Titanic. Now, to be fair, of the other ships we dispute had become a religious dispute. That David Blevins, the Ireland launched in the same year, five lasted 30 years, was 800 years in 100 words. Correspondent for Sky News, spoke at nine lasted 50 years and one, the Nomadic, 1916 was the year of the uprising. The The King’s College in New York City in turned 100 in 2011. Irish rebels who led it were executed. But by October, 2015, on the role of the media in ’s peace process. So the defence, printed on the t-shirts at 1921, the British had agreed to divide Ireland. the Titanic visitor experience in Belfast, stands: Violent republicans continued their attempt to A reporter with the London-based “She was fine when she left here.” These days, bomb and shoot the British out altogether. The cable news network for nearly 18 years, there’s less talk of shamrocks and shipbuilding most recent phase of the conflict (1968-1998) Blevins grew up in Northern Ireland during the conflict and witnessed and more talk of golf and drama. Rory McIlroy claimed 3,600 lives, from a population of just first-hand the region’s inspirational doesn’t hail from Hollywood, California. He 1.8 million people in Northern Ireland. journey from war to peace. He reported hails from Hollywood, a town east of Belfast. Outlawed groups like the Irish Republican Army claimed 2,000 lives. Loyalist groups the IRA and loyalist paramilitary And we’ve gone from producing ships to ceasefires, the brokering of the historic producing world-class television shows like claimed 1,000. British security forces killed at least 350. It was a dark chapter, summed up in and the Game of Thrones. Northern Ireland – has been establishment of power-sharing the words of the song: ‘Sunday, .’ utterly transformed by “the peace process.” It government. He was nominated for the You may have heard of a small band called . is, without question, our greatest achievement. Royal Television Society Award for his We had a history but we also had a hope. In the “Broken bottles under children’s feet, Bodies coverage of the worst single atrocity of words of one of our finest poets, we made hope strewn across the dead end street, But I won’t the conflict, the bombing of Omagh, in and history rhyme. Those concepts – hope, heed the battle call, It puts my back up, Puts which 29 people were killed. my back up against the wall.” Did you catch history and rhyme – have become the Blevins has an undergraduate the juxtaposition? To some, it was a “battle touchstones of our story and my story. Diploma in Journalism, a post-graduate call,” a freedom fight. To others, it was a “dead Degree in Theology and a keen interest end street”, cold-blooded murder, terrorism. in the reporting on faith issues, OUR HISTORY Bono, the lead singer, was prophetic when he particularly in places where religion has questioned “the glory in the revolution” long At the risk of patronising you, let me been an element of the conflict. He is before it had been consigned to history. explain that the island is divided in two. There married to Ruth and they have three are 26 counties in “Ireland” – an independent children. country – often just called “the Republic.” OUR HOPE There are six counties in “Northern Ireland,” part of the . You think it’s I’ll never forget the DJ’s cue: “We’re good that they named New York twice? We’ve interrupting this programme for a newsflash. got five names: ‘Eire’, ‘Ireland’, ‘Northern Ireland It’s a momentous day and David Blevins is at and the Republic,’ ‘the Island of Ireland’ and the news-desk.” I’ve still got the script. ‘the Emerald Isle.’ In the Republic, Catholics “Breaking news in the last few minutes, the McCandlish IRA has declared a complete and unequivocal Phillips are in the majority. In Northern Ireland, Journalism Protestants are in the majority. Now, fasten ceasefire.” Institute

NOV. 2016 | ISSUE 3 | PAGE 1 Can you imagine the hope those matter how hateful, no matter how few words brought for a radio news- hurtful, peace can prevail.” That’s a anchor who’d grown up in an area definition of hope. known as “the murder triangle?” Two months later, the loyalists reciprocated. For the first time in my lifetime, the OUR RHYME scene was set for peace talks. It took How did we, in the media, make another four years for our hope to our hope and our history rhyme? Our become reality. The Irish poet, WB contribution was three-fold. Firstly, we Yeats, wasn’t wrong in 1888, when he ensured every voice was heard. At the penned the words: “And I shall have height of the conflict, British Prime some peace there, for peace comes Minister, Margaret Thatcher, imposed a dropping slow.” Our eldest child, Sarah, broadcast ban on . We was born in February 1998. Two circumvented the law by hiring an actor months later, they brokered the Good David Blevins speaks to members of the to voice his words. We didn’t endorse audience after his talk at The King’s College Friday Agreement. Sarah’s 17 years old his position. We just ensured there was in New York City. now. She and her younger brothers, balance. Secondly, we read between the James and Josh, have grown up in a very lines. The two sides didn’t just disagree different Northern Ireland. Our minds on the solution, they disagreed on the were filled with pictures of bombs and problem. Each came with its own bullets from the six o’clock news. Their version of history. Consensus required minds are filled with pictures of Ed creative thinking – a broad political Sheeran and Taylor Swift from Twitter, document. Journalists analysed it Instagram and Snapchat. meticulously to help people make an Who brought us hope? John informed decision ahead of the Hume – the leader of moderate referendum. We didn’t try to influence nationalism, he’s described as “the the vote. We just tried to be accurate. architect of the peace process.” He Thirdly, we found space for good news. famously said he didn’t give “two balls of It’s easy to obtain a sound-bite from roasted snow” what sceptics thought of those with the most extreme views. his decision to bring the IRA in from They tend to shout the loudest. So we the cold. made an effort to find those with more – the moderate views – Catholics and first pro-British Unionist Protestants who were reaching out leader with the courage to beyond the traditional boundaries. And “IN THE WORDS OF share power with Irish we ensured our young people – the next Republicans. Hume and generation – were given a pen or a ONE OF OUR FINEST Trimble shared the Nobel microphone to make their contribution. Prize for Peace in 1998. Every time we think our rhyme is POETS, WE MADE Gerry Adams – Sinn finished, Northern Ireland writes Fein leader for more than 30 another line. We thought the ceasefires HOPE AND HISTORY years, he persuaded the were the pinnacle until the Good Friday republican movement to Agreement. We thought the Agreement RHYME. ” pursue its objective was the pinnacle until paramilitaries politically. decommissioned their weapons. We thought decommissioning was the – they’re pinnacle until the two most still debating his legacy, and diametrically opposed parties emerged Iraq is another issue, but he spent more from election as the largest and time in Northern Ireland than any other incredibly, agreed to share power. British Prime Minister in history. Queen Elizabeth became the first British And perhaps most of all, US monarch to visit the Irish Republic. Her Senator George Mitchell – the man who Majesty has played an active part in the chaired peace talks. America rewarded peace process. Earlier this year, her son, him with the Presidential Medal and the Prince Charles, shook hands with Gerry Liberty Medal. On receipt of the latter, Adams and visited the place where the he said: “I believe there’s no such thing IRA had murdered his Great Uncle, as a conflict that can’t be ended. They’re Lord Mountbatten. The unthinkable has created and sustained by human beings. not just become the thinkable but the They can be ended by human beings. do-able. There have been setbacks. No matter how ancient the conflict, no Dissident republicans still pose a threat;

NOV. 2016 | ISSUE 3 | PAGE 2 we still witness periods of civil unrest, He said: “I have lost my daughter, usually over flags or parades; and and we shall miss her, but I bear no ill despite the political agreement, the will. I bear no grudge. Dirty sort of talk reconciliation of people in hard-line is not going to bring her back to life. I areas has been painfully slow. But the shall pray for those people tonight and process, that has brought us 20 years of every night.” I’m not embarrassed to fragile peace now, continues to be tell you that I’ve sat with people and held up as an example for other places, cried. The tears ran down my face when not least the Middle East. Juliet Turner sang ‘Broken Things’ at a memorial service in Omagh, one week after the bombing there. You don’t have MY HISTORY to switch off your mind or your heart to Now, let me share a little of my be objective. If you do, you can’t be own personal story. I’ve been a authentic. It wasn’t just Ireland’s history. journalist for 25 years – a short time in It was my history. print, five years in radio and the remainder in television. Well, in MY HOPE multi-media to be accurate. Where did I find my hope? I It’s been an absolute privilege to found it in my faith. My parents were witness Northern Ireland’s transition people of hope; Christian, Protestant, from conflict to peace and to share that evangelical. When I was just 12, my with the world – a potential audience of father died of cancer. To say I was angry 100 million people, watching Sky News would be an understatement but by the in 50 countries. Which stories impacted age of 18, my rebellion was over and I’d me most? The Shankill bombing – 10 embraced their Christian hope. Soon people died in that explosion. It was my afterwards, I had a sense of calling to the first shift as a radio reporter. The ordained ministry of the church. I told – 29 people died, one my mother I felt like the prophet of them pregnant with twins. Her Samuel, that God would never stop mother and 18-month-old daughter calling until I answered. But a wise old were also killed – three generations of Methodist minister gave me some good one family. I went on air at five o’clock advice. “Go and do something else,” he in the afternoon and didn’t come off said, “and if it’s the call of God, you will until midnight. The never out-run Him.” The something – on the day before 9/11, I was else I did was journalism. I spent the broadcasting from a protest at a school next 18 years reporting the peace in Belfast when a bomb exploded 100 From Left to right: Roberta Ahmanson, process and attempting to out-run God. writer and philanthropist; David Blevins, Dr. yards behind me. And the Good Friday In 2006, He finally caught up with me. Greg Thornbury, President of The King’s Agreement – we worked 48 hours During a visit to Africa, that sense of College; Terry Mattingly, journalist & senior straight, right through the night and fellow in media and religion at The King’s calling returned. Shortly after I College into a second day. The sense of history returned home, an old friend rang to say was palpable and none of us wanted to he’d been praying for me and felt God miss the moment. had given him some words. They came World leaders have been queuing from First Samuel, chapter three, verse up to be associated with the peace six: “Again the Lord called Samuel.” process. Northern Ireland – tiny So I left Sky News and spent three Northern Ireland – hosted the G8 years studying Theology. You can summit two years ago. The result is that imagine the reaction of the Irish media: I’m honoured to have interviewed two ‘Journalist quits screen for pulpit’. The American Presidents, three Irish headlines were fascinating. In the Irish Presidents, four British Prime Ministers context, a journalist can talk about most and five Irish Prime Ministers. Who left things: their ethnicity, their sexuality, the greatest impression? None of the even their politics. Just don’t mention above. It was the ordinary people who the ‘r’ word: religion. The conflict had showed extraordinary courage during given religion a bad name long before the conflict. People like Gordon Wilson, the clerical abuse scandal. Both parts of whose only daughter Marie died in the the island have become much more IRA bombing of Enniskillen on pluralist and secular. Last May, Ireland Remembrance Sunday. David Blevins speaks to Hannah Smith, – yes, “Catholic Ireland” – became the Photographer and writer, after his talk at first country in the world to legalise The King’s College in New York City.

NOV. 2016 | ISSUE 3 | PAGE 3 same-sex marriage by popular vote. No man abide in the calling wherein he is – is 4.5 million. That means there are 10 one uses the term “Christian journalist” called and his work will be as sacred as times more Irish people in America, in Ireland. It’s an oxymoron. Most the work of ministry. It’s not what a than in Ireland. Nineteen of the 44 U.S. regard journalism as something secular; man does that determines whether his Presidents have claimed Irish ancestry religion as something sacred. They work is sacred or secular. It is why he – from John F Kennedy, whose family don’t read enough C.S. Lewis. Don’t let does it.” Why do I do it? Because made it from Wexford to the White anyone tell you nothing good ever came Ireland needs reporters who get House in the space of a generation – to out of Belfast. ‘The Lion, the Witch and religion; reporters who understand that , the great, great, great, the Wardrobe’ came out of Belfast. He others come with a different worldview; great, great grandson of a cobbler from said, “There is but one good; that is and reporters who let their journalism Moneygall. He dropped by for a God. Everything else is good when it do the talking. It’s never been so Guinness two years ago. looks to Him and bad when it turns important in Ireland, now that stories And that’s fine by us. Ireland is from Him.” Everything can be sacred. about marriage, abortion, euthanasia – the land of ‘cead mile failte’ [cade meela It took me a long time to learn that I and not sectarian conflict – are topping faltia]– a hundred thousand welcomes. didn’t have to separate my history and our news agenda too. You’ll be “taken” by the home of Liam my hope. Journalism was my history, Neeson – do you see what I did there? Theology expressed my hope so I So don’t let the facts cloud your MY RHYME suppose a journalism that gets religion green-tinted spectacles. You will find could be described as my rhyme and I’m shamrocks there, you will find the most In a sense, I had to write my own finally reciting it in a place at peace. breath-taking landscape and you will personal rhyme. Shortly before I find a good party on St. Patrick’s Day. It’s graduated with a degree in Theology, I a place fulfilling the prophecy of the late agreed to take on a part-time ministry CONCLUSION Seamus Heaney: “History says, Don’t role with the Methodist Church. hope; On this side of the grave; But then, Twenty-four hours later, Sky News War correspondents – that’s once in a lifetime; The longed-for tidal invited me to return and I agreed but on effectively what we were – tend to thrive wave; Of justice can rise up; And hope a part-time basis. For four years, I on danger. Sometimes, people ask if I’m and history rhyme.” worked part-time in the ministry and disappointed there’s less violence to part-time in the media. The marriage of report on my beat now. Let me assure the two occurred 18 months ago, when I you, there’s nothing I’d rather be returned to Sky News full-time. The reporting than the dawn of peace in the penny had finally dropped. The two place I call “home.” It didn’t unfold in the corridors of power at Parliament The Reader is a publication of things – journalism and religion – are The McCandlish Phillips not mutually exclusive. Buildings in Belfast. It came from the ground up, from Catholics and Journalism Institute God wasn’t calling me to the The McCandlish Phillips Protestants who’d reached out to each ordained ministry. He was calling me to Journalism Institute (MPJI) is other and discovered in the process that live out my faith in the media – to based at The King’s College in they weren’t that different. The gather the news ethically and to report it New York City. MPJI provides firebrand Unionist, the Rev , with integrity. “There is more to education, training and and former IRA commander, Martin journalism than accuracy but there professional development McGuinness, not only shared power, never less,” to quote Terry Mattingly, a projects for journalists at the they became friends and were pictured man who knew U2 before they were high school, undergraduate and laughing together so often, they were professional levels. It is named famous. We need reporters who can nicknamed “the chuckle brothers.” after the late John McCandlish answer the God question in journalistic What united these ancient enemies? Phillips, a legendary reporter at terms, not religious terms. In short, we They spent enough time together to The New York Times. need reporters who get religion. When discover that the other might not be a Islamic jihad is posing a threat in the monster after all. We must do more to land of Saint Patrick, a journalist who enable the two communities to spend Editor: Paul Glader doesn’t get religion doesn’t get the time together. My son James spent the Designer: Peter Freeby biggest story of this generation. month of July in Kansas – Catholic and Copy Editors: Caroline McNair, Journalists who don’t get religion Protestant teens were taking part in Youn-Joo Park, Terry Mattingly 56 Broadway, 5th floor, stick out like a sore thumb in Belfast. something called ‘The Ulster Project.’ New York, NY 10004 They say things like, “Prayers were said It’s built on the premise of ‘peace by for the Protestant victim.” Protestants @JMPjournalism piece.’ We need America to keep phillipsjournalism.org don’t pray for the dead in Northern pushing for integrated education in Ireland. Journalists who do get religion Northern Ireland. have made an enormous contribution to Why should you do that? peace: ensuring every voice is heard; Because 45 million people in the United McCandlish questioning opinion that’s presented as Phillips States claim they’re Irish. The Journalism fact; giving truth priority over political Institute population of Ireland – all of Ireland correctness. AW Tozer said: “Let every

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