and all counterjihad bloggers everywhere
KING HENRY V:
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Or close the wall up with our English dead.
In peace there's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility:
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger;
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd rage;
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect;
Let pry through the portage of the head
Like the brass cannon;
let the brow o'erwhelm it
As fearfully as doth a galled rock
O'erhang and jutty his confounded base,
Swill'd with the wild and wasteful ocean.
Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide,
Hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit
To his full height. On, on, you noblest English.
Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof!
Fathers that, like so many Alexanders,
Have in these parts from morn till even fought
And sheathed their swords for lack of argument:
Dishonour not your mothers; now attest
That those whom you call'd fathers did beget you.
Be copy now to men of grosser blood,
And teach them how to war.
And you, good yeoman,
Whose limbs were made in England, show us here
The mettle of your pasture; let us swear
That you are worth your breeding; which I doubt not;
For there is none of you so mean and base,
That hath not noble lustre in your eyes.
I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start. The game's afoot:
Follow your spirit, and upon this charge
Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!'
Henry V, Shakespeare
some comments from Ro in an AoW thread below:
AOW - you reached me just within the last few months. You are still making a difference. A friend of mine, to whom I just casually mentioned some of this stuff last month just e-mailed me and wants to get together to discuss how to get more people "on-board" as well.
We may not win - you guys are right - it may just get all swept away in the maelstrom of WWIII. (I remember reading the Guns of August, knowing how WWI started, yet feeling the dread of seeing the gathering storm and wishing that JUST ONE THING could have gone differently).
And THAT is what you are all doing - pouring energy, integrity, grit and love into this in the hope that you may reach that ONE person or group that may make that ONE decision that MAY, in effect, change history. You may not know until heaven. So, with all the energy you are putting into this, I can understand if you need a break for a while. But I can guarantee failure if we do nothing. We are testing those aphorisms: 1. The only way for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing; and 2. The Jews could have been saved had the "average German" spoken up.
Unfortunately we are living in a real "Lord of the Rings" scenario. And it's the only life we have.And we will likely have to trek deeper into the heart of darkness, too. I have come to believe we may, literally die in the process. But not to keep on to is to die now.
Thank all of you for doing all you do and bearing the spiritual and emotional costs.
Ro
15 comments:
Ro,
AOW - you reached me just within the last few months. You are still making a difference.
Really? With as little as I've been doing the past several months?
You give me some encouragement to keep trying!
Damn. I'm tearing up. Is that stupid or what? Especially for a tough, somewhat ol' broad like me.
I can guarantee failure if we do nothing. We are testing those aphorisms: 1. The only way for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing; and 2. The Jews could have been saved had the "average German" spoken up.
I've been thinking a lot about Point 2. I do believe we're in an analogous situation right now, in 2009. And I see that so many of us are swamped with valid economic concerns on a personal level -- much as in Germany during the rise of the Third Reich. I do know of many who have shut up because (1) they can't financially afford to be a counterjihadist right now as most of their time is taken up with just making ends meet, and (2) they fear for their jobs should they be "caught" working in any way in the counterjihad. No anonymity is ever perfectly secure!
MR,
Thanks for posting that soliloquy.
I wonder how many times it has been used to give encouragement? No matter. The words of The Bard still work, especially for one like me. I teach a Shakespeare unit every year. This year: King Lear.
--------------
Looking back now on my despair of the past several months, I see that I should have brought this matter to the attention of IBA sooner. But I'm the type that hates to whine!
Addendum:
I'm not quitter.
And I'm grateful that others here are posting with frequency when I know of stories that should go up. Most do, without my having to post, thus freeing me up again.
There are days I feel like a prisoner. I'm not, of course. Yet.
I don't see it as whining AoW. Nor do I see you as a quitter. Weary, sure. Apparently a number have been feeling that way and what better way to vent? We're all going to look like Ayman Al Zawahiri soon from banging our heads against the wall.
I've found that's the great thing about IBA. Besides encouragement from the others we all seem to have each others back. Someone needs to back off for awhile (whether they state it ir not) everyone else is picking it up for them whether they realize it or not.
Part of the reason I started putting up; the nightly tunes, besides being a hopeless tuneaholic, is to hopefully give everyone who stops by a break, no matter how brief. From the madness you're about to read. Same with some of the really stupid late night stuff I post.
I always liked the unto the breach quote. I think it fits us here perfectly.
THIS seems quite positive.
Of course, it hasn't and may never effect any political change.
MR,
Pastorius did a great thing in establishing IBA.
Indeed he did, AoW, no question about it. Regardless of how much heartburn we give him ;>)
AoW -
Ramble Alert - Sorry, this is a bit long and rambling.
You and the rest of the folks here are now on my permanent prayer list (along with the JW crowd, the Sultan, Yid with Lid, Wilders, Hirsi Ali and Atlas).
You are suffering from natural battle fatigue - and make no frickin' mistake - this, even now, is a BATTLE. But, there is also a very, very dark spritual component. I almost did not write this, but then saw the "Gunslinger" post above and knew I had to say something. It is true. This is mainly a spiritual battle, and when those dark thoughts come, I just say to that old Liar - "tough - I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees" (although I actually DO spend a bit of time on my knees, but you get the point! Ha!)
I do not want to offend, and I apologize if I do, but I believe your dark thoughts are at least partially the lies of the existential Evil we are facing.
This is, among other things, a personal battle with the Evil One. I cannot blame those who do not want to face it. Denial, at certain times and in appropriate doses, is, I believe, a valid coping mechanism. Unfortunately for me, I was not born with that coping mechanism!!
Also, unfortunately, if it is an organism's ONLY or PRIMARY coping mechanism, it will result in an untimely death.
So, I believe you all (and me, now, too, I guess) are part of the spiritual "limbic" system of the body politic. The "reptilian" part that senses danger before the "higher" functioning part of the brain (busy with arguing about whether this deficit is better than GWB's because it isn't all about a phony war, for instance).
But I am starting to see that sinister nature of this coming danger IS penetrating in some surprising places. Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly, LOU DOBBS (?)
Chris Hitchens, for instance. I know, I know - they do not quite "get" it yet, but they are starting to get alarmed. This is good. With every threat to our sovereignty from the OIC/UN/US Socialist crowd, more and more "mainstreamers" start to feel it too.
The Tea Party crowd feels it. They are just not aware of the root causes yet either.
Even the Hollywood crowd - why are these dhimmi's FLYING TO IRAN, for god's sake, unless it is because at some very deep level, they sense, if not understand, the danger.
I find it interesting that there seems to be a spiritual "tuning fork" in every human being, whether they believe in a God, gods or no gods.
For instance, did you SEE Chris Hitchen's face while he was talking about the "defamation" threat? He was a man who'd looked into the abyss, in my opinion. I have seen him interviewed a bunch, but there is something "resonating" in him. He is definitely "getting" it.
On a Christian website, one person who had never seen him speak before asked if there was something physically wrong with him!
So, from one old broad to another, know that this is not in vain. If you need some time away from the intensity, (which I totally understand - I cannot even look at the opening vignette on IBA without sobbing, so that's how useful I am) - take it.
Every soldier needs R & R. You are a soldier and I salute your service.
Remember - you know you are making headway when your position is taking heavy fire! You have been taking heavy fire for a while now.
I am not a huge Mother Teresa fan, but when someone asked her how she felt that she hadn't gotten more "results" in the slums, she answered "God did not call me to get "results" - he called me to be faithful."
You are a faithful warrior.
You are in my prayers.
All blessings,
Ro
Wow. Ro -- so much I could say in agreement but I'm going to leave it at Thank You for that, and God Bless.
Ok. I do have to say just one thing Ro (yeah, I know, big surprise). You said "I cannot even look at the opening vignette on IBA without sobbing"
And I think there's the crux of the problem. When I or AoW look at that vignette or anything like it we feel NOTHING. And that bothers the shit out of me and, apparently, her too.
All I can do is keep in the war/battle analogy. You guys have been in the trenches for a long time and have taken lots and lots and lots of hits.
And all you can see over the ridge are more Orcs. And no more reinforcements from your side, apparently. How the hell does a sane person keep on in that situation?
Either you go numb and keep fighting, or you
allow yourselves to feel the despair and hopelessness and abandon the field.
You are in combat, no matter how mundane sitting at a computer may seem.
Read the piece on Col. Jack Jessup on NRO (by Mark Corallo). Unbe-frickin-lievable. And your battle is no less intense, except it is in the spiritual realm now, rather than in the physical (and God willing will never be).
And the only other thing that comes to mind is that His strength is made perfect in your weakness.
Ro
Ro,
Thank you.
So many points in your comment that I won't attempt to address all of them, merely what is below.
I believe your dark thoughts are at least partially the lies of the existential Evil we are facing.
This is, among other things, a personal battle with the Evil One.
I know this, though I don't much talk about it openly. I do feel that my soul gets tainted because of what I've learned in my research. And this inurement I feel is unacceptable! I must not allow it to lead to apathy! That's one of the battles I'm having right now, personally.
Actually, some of my friends warned me a few years ago that I could reach the point I'm finding myself in right now. Therefore, I've been on the lookout for this point, though I didn't immediately recognize it for what it is.
Also, I note that some of my "supporters" have distanced themselves. In some cases, I know why, in others I have not idea as to why.
But I'm naturally the loner type, so I can get past the anger I feel regarding the abandonment and move on. Not easy, but I can -- and will -- do it.
In a few months, the literature class I teach will be reading C.S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters. Every time I read it, I find personal application to the situation that I'm in at the time. The book is all about different kinds of spiritual warfare.
Yes, this is a battle.
Your prayers are appreciated and NEEDED.
When I or AoW look at that vignette or anything like it we feel NOTHING. And that bothers the shit out of me and, apparently, her too.
Yes.
Ro,
I did see Hitchens's face and took note. I even posted the video at my site.
I am starting to see that sinister nature of this coming danger IS penetrating in some surprising places. Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly, LOU DOBBS (?)
Chris Hitchens, for instance. I know, I know - they do not quite "get" it yet, but they are starting to get alarmed. This is good.
Yes, I've noticed. But it will take some really horrific events to get them to "get it."
Meanwhile, the Moslem pr groups are mounting a pretty good defense.
Most people just do not want to accept that a religion can promote evil. GWB certainly didn't have enough realization of that fact.
Thanks for praying for us, Ro. This is hard content to look at everyday. But, we have a lot to rejoice in in life. The Word even says that we should rejoice in our sufferings because we know we are being tested.
This is difficult.
I just pray that God will give myself and my family a sense of His Presence everyday, and the strength to follow Him, and to bless each other with the fruits of the Spirit.
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