I was looking at the historic origins of patriotism and found this passage from "Fears In Solitude" within
Sibylline Leaves [
The Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge: Prose and Verse]. It was written in April 1798 during the alarm of an invasion.
We send our mandates for the certain death of thousands and ten thousands! Boys and girls, and women that would groan to see a child pull off an insect's leg, all read of war, the best amusement for our morning meal! The poor wretch who has learnt his only prayers from curses, who knows scarcely words enough to ask a blessing from his Heavenly Father, becomes a fluent phraseman absolute and technical in victories and defeats, and all our dainty terms for fratricide. Terms which we trundle smoothly o'er our tongues. Like mere abstractions empty sounds, to which We join no feeling and attach no form! As if the soldier died without a wound. As if the fibres of this godlike frame were gored without a pang. As if the wretch who fell in battle doing bloody deeds pass'd off to Heaven translated and not kill'd; As though he had no wife to pine for him, no God to judge him! Therefore evil days are coming on us, O my countrymen! And what if all-avenging Providence, strong and retributive, should make us know the meaning of our words, force us to feel the desolation and the agony of our fierce doings!
The statements are intended to have the reader consider the position of those committed to war. Not just the traditional wars labelled as such, include these:
- the war on the poor
- the intentional derogation of societies and communities
- the preying on differences in the name of greed and superiority
We must ask who has represented us and brought the conflict forward. What stake do those responsible for the deaths of those involved have in the choice of war? Will the responsible parties hold to being responsible? They must know the reality of war, don't they? Rather than bear that responsibility the story is turned over to our press and television.
They will wash away the true nature of violence, sanitize it for easy consumption and build support for the effort of war, rarely questioning the premise for engaging.
As I view and think it through I find it is aligned with thoughts that we will
reap what we sow. Violence will beget violence. Sadly we contribute to the maddening delusion that the war must exist. We also cling to the belief that our press and television are there to provide news in the manner we need to hear it. The message is clear that the authorities behind the message are helping us, providing guidance in the "truth" of the matter.
Welcome to 2014 - I hope you continue to read what is outside the mainstream. Remember this saying I've been using throughout 2013, it deserves more time in our lives.
Question authority or be enslaved by it.
Educate yourself, quest for the truth, live a life of service to others and know through this you will be cared for as the community grows. Be so close to the story you follow that you are part of that story knowing it intimately. Its time to be engaged in living and responsible for making future plans that have a future for our children.
