July 6 - Yes, I confess: I enjoyed the Canada Day/Indpendence Day weekend entirely too much and perhaps a bit too much past nominal tolerance levels and why not? I live astraddle two countries that celebrate freedom and respect for the individual and which, in defiance of the laughter in the great courts of Europe 230 years ago, are proof of the inherent stabilty of republican governments which respect personal freedoms.

History loves paradoxes, and our age contains a real beauty of a contradiction: we are assailed by a foe that would destroy our individual freedoms yet it is our reverence of and love for these freedoms that most binds our hands in our pursuit and destruction of this enemy.

Time to go back to the beginning, or perhaps more honestly, pick up the story in media res and re-examine the steps by which we began Putting the Pieces Together. It's a great read and cuts across the diversions to bring us back to our founding premises in this struggle.

Yes, there are suggestions of scandals within out armed forces. There are threats from Iran and N. Korea. There are many things that serve to distract us from the primary thrust of this struggle -- things that would weaken our resolve and committment to fight and defend our freedoms because we are a decent people who believe in God's mercy even though many doubt the existence of God.

But going back to those events that precipitated this war on terror, connecting the dots again, and acknowledging anew the implacable face of the enemy is to armour ourselves against dismay and lost idealism when we prove to be all too human -- yet also remind us we are still better than our foe.

If you don't believe me, research and email me about the inquiries into the barbarous attacks on civlians in Iraq and Afghanistan by the insurgents, Taliban and al Qaeda. We know we are human and can sin, but the enemy does not make such admissions.

And that the key difference. Being human is to be prone to error, and those who deny their human state and its necessary component to be capable of error in effect declare that they themselves are gods. I don't care how often they proclaim that there is only one God and his prophet is Mohammed, the proof lies in their deeds and how they persecute those they call infidel, apostate, Shia, or uppity female.

There is much clarity to be found in retracing the steps that brought us here. May it strengthen your hearts and hands.

[On Israel and the Hamas "government" there is little to say except "why can't we do stuff like that?" Sigh. I don't mind praising the audacity of the Israelis or, for that matter, the Australians, but I wish we could learn faster from them. Please.]

Posted by: Debbye at 10:56 AM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
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