Chef Mike's Religious Hate
This is what it leads to... It starts with mocking a religion, then it ends up here. Too bad people are so closed minded and evil in our world.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060517...nmurderfuneral
BELFAST (AFP) - About 2,000 people in Northern Ireland have turned out for the funeral of a Catholic teenager who was beaten to death in a vicious sectarian attack as he went to buy a takeaway pizza.
ADVERTISEMENT
Fifteen-year-old Michael McIlveen's death on May 7 was the latest in the 37-year "Troubles" between the Protestant and Catholic communities in Northern Ireland that has seen some 3,600 people killed.
The youngster was attacked by thugs in an alleyway in the mainly Protestant town of Ballymena, in the northeast of the province. He was allegedly beaten with a baseball bat before having his head stamped upon.
Six Protestant youths have since been charged with murder.
On Wednesday morning, the funeral cortege left the McIlveen family home behind a white coffin.
His classmates paid their own tributes to the youngster, forming a guard of honour wearing the jerseys of Glasgow football clubs Rangers and Celtic, which are supported by Protestants and Catholics respectively in the province.
Reconciliation between the two religious communities was the central message of Catholic priest Father Paul Symonds' sermon in All Saints Church, just a short distance from where Michael was killed.
"The family have been deeply moved by the love and concern shown to them. They have shown a wonderful example," he told the congregation.
"Throughout this whole time, I have never heard one tiny word of recrimination or condemnation -- they have borne their grief with incredible dignity. Michael had lived a life which embraced all sides of the community."
The Reverend Ian Paisley, leader of Northern Ireland's largest Protestant party the Democratic Unionists (DUP), who represents the local constituency of North Antrim, was detained by business at the London parliament.
He sent a local member of the party as his representative instead.
But the killing was raised in Prime Minister Tony Blair's weekly question and answer session with lawmakers, including Paisley, who himself hailed the minute's silence held by Northern Ireland Assembly members on Monday.
Mark Durkan, leader of the moderate Catholic Social Democratic Labour Party, also praised the uniting of Celtic and Rangers fans.
He suggested it should spur on politicians of all sides in the assembly to resolve their long-standing differences and finally agree on a power-sharing devolved government.