Time to End the Politics of Division

We have the freedom to express ourselves, to hold our views, to publish books, newspapers, magazine and websites – like KJM Today – because of the sacrifices made 75 years ago by British, American, Canadian and Free French soldiers, sailors and airmen (among others) on the beaches across the channel.

One of the aspects not commented upon by mainstream media this past week is that this very point was made by speakers at the demonstration in London last Tuesday. The same point has been made by everybody else as well, so the essential issue of the time has not been overlooked.

Perhaps if political party leaders spent less time playing to the gallery and more time dealing with the real issues we face today, we might have seen less rancour over this past week.

There is nothing wrong with people wanting to make their voice heard; the demonstration earlier this week was, by and large, peaceful and well-ordered. We all know that a small minority of muddle-headed people behaved badly. It is almost inevitable that somebody, somewhere will in a large crowd. But if people feel they must demonstrate against an American President then let them do so. It doesn’t alter the fact that the United States is one of the closest allies the UK has and its people are, by and large, as warm and friendly as those in Europe. Just as most people are most of the time and almost everywhere.

Perhaps that is what the UK should be; Standing alongside the US and the EU as an equal partner, able to adapt to the needs of both as well as the rest of the world. We have done just that before – 75 years ago.

There is often talk of heroes doing this or that. The plaudits are often well-deserved but the real heroes – and there are fewer and fewer of them with the passage of time – are those who gave us the freedom we have today.