SP at Secretly Skint blogged yesterday on Oradur-sur-Glane. My first comment on SP's post was "I first went to Oradur-sur-Glane over 10 years ago and it was probably
one of the most emotionally difficult experiences I'd had. Subsequent
visits have been less stressful but nevertheless have been an incredible
reminder of man's inhumanity to man. I did quite a full post on it on Eagleton Notes
back in 2008.". One of the things that I was reminded of was the image
of a person in the recent Bosnia/Croatia conflict being crucified on
their own door. That is a mental image which has never left me. How
the British UN soldiers trying to keep some sort of order who found that
must have felt I cannot begin to understand.
Bearing
in mind that I read this not long after I'd got up in the morning I
knew that it was going to affect my thoughts for the day and it did
indeed.
This evening I revisited it and
noticed that the last of many comments was by SP and was "It's a
wonderful world, it's the people who spoil it.". How apposite.
I have led a very sheltered life in
that I've never been involved in such conflict where man has tried to
annihilate man and do it as cruelly as he possibly can.
Today I am truly thankful for that.
Posts
This is awful. A horrendous incident.
ReplyDeleteIt defines inhumanity.........I sadly suspect it is humanity.
Look at any continent in any decade and there are variations of similar behaviour, some worse, some less heinous but all evil.
Even Dr Barnardo's organization was guilty, their motto or mission statement...Transforming The lives Of Children........they did that when they shipped illegitimate kids to Oz.
Politicians will do whatever is necessary with other peoples lives to further their ends. Society reflects this.
On the bright side I have experienced and I sometimes dealt with people as I would like to be treated. I know I've not always been brave enough.
Happy Christmas and cheer up you old grump!
I don't know what to say. This is the first time a Thankful post made me feel depressed.
ReplyDeleteAmen, Graham.
ReplyDeleteI agree Adrian although I would defend myself on the 'grump' charge. Whatever other faults I may have I am rarely grumpy. Talking of Oz it was legal to kill aboriginals on sight until 1957. I'm just a spectator to the memory of these things.
ReplyDeleteSorry Monica.
Thanks Lisa.
Some things just leave me speechless. I have visited all those links - thank you for bringing them to our attention again. It is stories like this that must make it hard to be German, or Japanese, or even English, Scottish, Irish, Bosnian, Serb...
ReplyDeleteHistory is littered with examples of man's inhumanity. None of it is excusable or acceptable and yet we continue to read about it happening. I am glad they kept the ruins - educating future genrations seems to be our only defence against future situations.