Flags

["Sinclair" <labehotierre@wanadoo.fr>]

Men who profess to favour freedom, and belittle agitation,  are men who want rain without thunder and thunder without  lightning.

Heroism is heroism!  If a man believes in a cause he should hold it as close to his bosom as his life's breath. Fear is the lengthened shadow of ignorance. 

I grieve for those lost in the senseless, staggering events of 11September. 

Mel Sinclair sent me a quote from the Declaration of Arbroath.

"For it is not glory, it is not riches, neither is it honour, but it is freedom alone that we fight and contend for, which no honest man will lose but with his life." Declaration of Arbroath, 6 April 1320
  
Life is different today , we live in a world that has different assumptions, different expectations, and different fears than before. The United States has been affected most dramatically, but the ramifications of terrorist acts have touched all of us. 

Because the tragedy was of such  proportions, it has forced us all to face some ugly realities and reexamine what we believe and why.  Are sane people really capable of such inhumanity?

Because we're human beings, it's important to look at our response from not only an intellectual level. We need to feel these events  deeply on an emotional level. Clouds and darkness surround us, yet Heaven is just, and the day of triumph will  come.  Justice and truth will be vindicated. Wrongs will be made right, and we will  taste the blessings of freedom.  Every man will stand equal in the light of freedoms' day.

I do not always agree with American world positions or actions. When I saw the devastation and began to comprehend the huge loss of innocent life, I was grieved to my very soul.

Reacting to the death of His friend Lazarus, John 11:35 says "Jesus wept." He didn't weep because he had just found out Lazarus died, nor did He cry because of the loss of His friend.  Jesus  wept because He understood the pain and anguish evil causes.
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Whilst we grieve, we should also feel angry. We should be angry at those beliefs and ideas that promote actions which harm others. Those actions that cost over 7,000 innocent lives.

A strong  response to the 11 September tragedy should also be one of careful thought. Jumping to conclusions will not allow us to see  light in this time of darkness  We must put aside all of our political differences and stand together as one.


People are trying to lump all Muslims together as terrorists . We may wish to speak against Islam as an ideology, but to assume all of its adherents rally behind  terrorists makes us no better than  a bunch of uneducated bumpkins clinging to fairytales.

Holding well-reasoned positions prevents us from over-reacting . It also keeps us from damaging our  world. America's careful reaction is supported  by all right thinking men.

The evil we see is really a result of clashing ideologies, of different worldviews. We must equip ourselves to articulately defend our worldview against its detractors and engage people in the public square to profess our views.

 We need to weigh our words. We need to weigh our deeds.  And only then will we have the true power to change the hearts and minds of  the world. Patriotism is not a one off frenzied outburst of emotion. It is  a measured,  steady dedication of a lifetime. 
The Citadel on the Ashley River in Charleston South Carolina USA contains  a memorial consisting of relics from H.M.S. Seraph, including the periscope and a forward torpedo loading hatch. Both the American and Union flags fly from the structure to symbolize that this British submarine was placed under the command of an American Naval officer for a special mission during World War II. It is the only shore installation in the U.S. permitted to fly the Royal Navy Ensign. H.M.S. Seraph  secretly landed General Mark Clark in North Africa for an intelligence mission. This monument is dedicated to Anglo-American cooperation during WWII. 

 If you are ashamed to stand by your colours, you had better seek another flag.   I am proud in this corner of France, as a Briton,  today to  fly an American flag.

Reconciliation should be accompanied by justice, otherwise it will not last. While we all hope for peace it shouldn't be peace at any cost but peace  based on principle, on justice.


Sinclair