There’s a lonely figure…

Posted on January 18, 2008
Filed Under Deep Thought |

…well past their prime, or so it would seem, lying in a bed in a home for the neglected. She twitches occasionally and mumbles protests at the ministrations of the staff around her. Those who loved her and needed her most have forgotten her, packed her off to die in a forgotten corner of their minds.

They have new friends and lovers now who make all the hard decisions for them, tell them what they should be thinking. While the old flame gutters and dies slowly, by small degrees each day, without them caring about her fate. They know she’s still alive, because her self appointed minders tell them so and detail all the measures they are taking to protect her. They even say that they are taking her on holiday to far flung lands so she can make new friends and spread her love around; the truth is she hasn’t left the dingy little room they keep her in for decades.

Her affliction is not old age, nor is it any kind of pathogen, she has been poisoned, smothered and crushed by the very people who say they keep her safe. It started when we were told she’d been attacked, savagely assaulted as she went about her daily business. ‘Oh no,’ we cried, ‘what can be done to keep her safe?’ We called for her attackers to be brought to justice, and our distress echoes around the world to this day. Her self-appointed guardians decided that we couldn’t visit with her as much as we used to, and told us that she would be taken to a place of safety till they were sure the threat had abated. She’s still there and it is there she will die.

There are some who still carry a torch for her, just a she did for our ancestors, but theirs is a forlorn hope, a love never to be requited. Those who hold her will never let her go willingly, and in keeping her imprisoned they tell us that they’re giving us freedom. Freedom from fear, offence, violence and doubt, and we believe them.

You no doubt want to know this poor imprisoned soul’s name, those of you that haven’t figured it out already. The dying woman has gone by many names in the past and has even been disguised as a man in some cases. She has led armies to war (often on both sides) as well as giving hope to those displaced by war. Her name is Liberty, and she is dying, and we don’t seem to care.

(Hat tip: Samizdata.)

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Comments

One Response to “There’s a lonely figure…”

  1. Tom Donald on January 21st, 2008 2:00 pm

    Good god Keith, that is the most appalling sentimental nonsense. It’s the kind of thing that George Bush would read when he goes off to bed with a bisuit at eight-thirty pm…

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