Liam Kinnon

“People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.” – George Orwell

Darryl Dash posted that quote on Twitter and it set me to thinking. I am writing this post half a world away from Canada, on a vacation. Right now, another world away, there are Canadians, my age and younger, in a conflict. They are serving their country, for reasons unapparent at times to both them and us. Yet, they are doing us proud.

As I thought about these rough men and strong women I realized something. Their sacrifices, and the sacrifices of their predecessors have allowed an entire generation in the West to grow up not knowing war. I have suffered no privation; I have had no violence seared into my psyche. I am a member of a privileged society. Our privilege is the result of the action of those veterans of wars past, and is maintained by the soldiers of today.

May I never forget what I need not remember; I am no witness to nation against nation, because others carry the sword on my behalf.

A succinct analysis of how we got into this mess.

This is a loaded question.  I spent an entire class last semester discussing this question and I still have yet to come to a conclusion.  I had one professor, who was rather nihilistic, describe it as useless, but fun.  Sometimes I have a hard time disagreeing.  I think Churchill said something along the lines of, “Those who fail to study history are doomed to repeat it”  The more I look at the world the more I think that history repeats itself, whether we know it or not.

Sounds like something out of the future, doesn’t it?  What is incredible is that they were developed in the 1920s and 30s.  The U.S. Navy used Zeppelins to launch and retrieve airplanes for reconaissance purposes.  Even more fascinating is seeing the pictures.  Even though Zeppelins had a spectacular failure rate (all but one crashed) it is incredible to see how these flying giants were used in the days before satellites.

Now back to studying.