Monsters
I was going to post the actual picture freeze-frame here of the video release by Al-Jazeera of the terrified and sobbing hostage Margaret Hassan. Hassan is the kidnapped director of CARE international in Iraq who is an Irish born Iraqi citizen and is now pleading with Tony Blair to pull back British troops so that her captors will spare her life. I initially wanted to post the picture here because I wanted our readers to come face to face with the brutality and pure evil that our enemies are inflicting upon humanity. I think it's important sometimes for the evil deeds of our enemy to illustrate itself in the ultimate suffering of a human face subjected to its grotesqueness. However, I began to think that using the pain and horror of Margaret Hassan to illustrate my point would be in some way akin to the brutal purposes for which her diabolical captors are tormenting her. Ultimately, I think I simply didn't want that image to peer at us continually from this page. We have been haunted enough by such images and we know them too well.
And so what are we to do when faced with such heart-wrenching pleadings from a good and innocent person such as Margaret Hassan? What comfort can we give her? I know that if she were a loved one of mine, I would do anything that was within my power to save her from the grisly fate which awaits her. I would stop the world on its axis if I could. I would blow up the British Army if that's what it would take. I would be on a plane to Iraq, shaking with rage, set to bound into Fallujah and rummage the sordid streets in search of her. I would find al-Zarqawi and take his head for myself or die trying.
And yet that dismal fate would be mine, not the world's. The world cannot bend its knee to abate my suffering alone. However, the world can at least make sure it doesn't mince just who is responsible for my fate. It dare not look to Tony Blair or George W. Bush. All it need do is take the camera which is fixed on Margaret Hassan and turn it around to view the guilty wretch of a sub-human who is holding it. There is your man (there is your devil).
I deeply pray for Margaret Hassan and her family. May she come home safe.
And so what are we to do when faced with such heart-wrenching pleadings from a good and innocent person such as Margaret Hassan? What comfort can we give her? I know that if she were a loved one of mine, I would do anything that was within my power to save her from the grisly fate which awaits her. I would stop the world on its axis if I could. I would blow up the British Army if that's what it would take. I would be on a plane to Iraq, shaking with rage, set to bound into Fallujah and rummage the sordid streets in search of her. I would find al-Zarqawi and take his head for myself or die trying.
And yet that dismal fate would be mine, not the world's. The world cannot bend its knee to abate my suffering alone. However, the world can at least make sure it doesn't mince just who is responsible for my fate. It dare not look to Tony Blair or George W. Bush. All it need do is take the camera which is fixed on Margaret Hassan and turn it around to view the guilty wretch of a sub-human who is holding it. There is your man (there is your devil).
I deeply pray for Margaret Hassan and her family. May she come home safe.
posted by Wonderdog | 10:35 AM | Permalink
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7 comments
7 Comments:
Where are those self-righteous "human shields" now? Why aren't they massing in Iraqi cities as they did before the war? Why aren't they volunteering to accompany truck drivers, civilian contractors or aid workers of any nationality? Can it be that they know who won't hesitate to roll right over them to get to their intended targets or, surprise, even target them? Posing, preening cowards. I pray for strength for Ms. Hassan to endure this.
Dirtbiker for W
Excellent point, Dirtbiker. The "human shield" types seem to care only about the "injustice" being perpetrated by Western democracies. We haven't seen any of them in Iraq lately -- or in Darfur. And, as you say, it's because, deep down, they realize that their method of non-violent protest only works against opponents who exhibit some sense of fundamental moral decency, who make some distinction between civilian and combatant, and who demonstrate some restraint in their dealings with the former.
No civilized nation can give hostage takers the time of day. All hostages must be treated as already dead in these unfortunate situations. You can't play by one set of rules when your enemy re writes his own on a daily basis.
I just hate the misplacement of blame in these situations. There are actually people who would view these animals sawing off Ms. Hassan's head as she screams in bloodcurdling horror and place the blame squarely on George W. Bush or the U.S. forces who are fighting to rid the world of such barbarians. Remember when Nick Berg's father went on a rant about George W. Bush after his son was beheaded? Remember how he sympathized with his son's murderers by saying that they would never have done such a thing to his son had they known that Nick was on their side? It boggles the mind.
What was the name of that brave Italian who wouldn't go out with a whimper when he was executed? (I'm ashamed that I can't recall it.) I feel terrible for Ms. Hassan and her family. But I sure hope that if I ever faced something so awful that I'd stand brave like the Italian and spit in their evil faces. Maybe even curse their "god" and praise the true God.
But, we don't know our own untested strengths and weaknesses. Who knows, maybe they threatened to hurt someone else if she didn't make the tearful plea. That would be an awful situation.
May God have mercy on Margaret Hassan.
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VA, it was Fabrizio Quattrocchi and his final defiant words to his captors were, "Now I'll show you how an Italian dies!" A true hero.
Funny how Al-Jazeera failed to show video of that execution, citing it as "too gruesome".
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