It’s amazing how things can work out at times.
My diary told me that it was my turn to send in an editorial for the next week’s Update. As I had recently completed this, there was no problem – but, unfortunately, there was! I could not find the document on my computer – I searched high and low, and for quite some time, but it would not make an appearance!
However, something had happened in the last few days that might have made this editorial almost out of date! It was entitled “Normal Hostilities on Hold” and reviewed the phenomena of those who might be at odds with others coming together in a time of crisis or national difficulties. Take, for example, the comradeship and togetherness that the UK showed when being attacked in the Second World War. All seemed to come together in a common cause and forgot their political, personal and other differences.
One for all, and all for one is a motto traditionally associated with the heroes of the novel “The Three Musketeers,” written by Alexandre Dumas, first published in 1844. Dictionary.com explains this as saying “all the members of a group support each of the individual members, and the individual members pledge support to the group” – and that’s how it was in the UK during wartime.
I had written the original (now lost) editorial following the aftermath of the London and Manchester terrorist attacks. One reporter made the observations that as things settled down, the cooperation could now get back to normal and we could go back to being rude to one another again. It seemed that, in national tragedy, people did forget their differences and pulled together as one – hence the initial title of this editorial as “Normal Hostilities on Hold”.
But another, most unwelcome facet of national life took hold after the appalling events at the fire in Grenfell Tower in London on Wednesday, 14th June 2017. Apart from the enormous efforts of selfless volunteers to assist in such a tragedy, the blame game started very quickly, by political agitators and others.
The Daily Telegraph reported that “Grief over the Grenfell Tower disaster turned into angry protests on Friday as the official death toll rose to at least 30 and dozens more deaths were feared. Demonstrators stormed the offices of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) over its handling of the crisis amid concerns that earlier renovation work was linked to the dramatic spread of the blaze. Hundreds of protesters also marched on Whitehall, central London, to voice their frustration at the Government’s response to the fire, which ripped through the tower block in north Kensington on Wednesday morning. The crowd later began marching towards Kensington High Street, chanting ‘no justice, no peace.’”
This happened just two days after the fire started. In the past, discussions took place after the event concerned, but not this time.
The Daily Mail commented on Friday, 16th June 2017:
“After the horrific blaze at Grenfell Tower, this should have been a week for the nation to unite in grief for the dead, the bereaved and the relatives of the missing. It should have been a week for politicians to join in demanding how such a catastrophe could happen in a first-world country, and seek immediate ways of averting another. But no. Barely had the body count begun… than [politicians] were spinning a narrative about the fire, blaming divisions of wealth, profiteering…
“Enough! Out of respect for the victims and concern for others at risk, it is imperative to take the politics out of this tragedy and for our leaders, calmly yet urgently, to learn its lessons… Truly, these are chilling times for Britain. Yes, there are devastating questions for officials, contractors, councillors and ministers to answer about Grenfell Tower. But to exploit this tragedy in order to foment division is not only an affront to British democracy but a betrayal of the victims themselves.”
The UK is a divided nation with polarisation in those wanting Brexit and those who don’t, with quite a number of the latter not really accepting the outcome of the referendum. The recent general election seems to have further divided people and it seems that political capital is now being made from this latest tragedy.
No amount of “point scoring” will help but will, quite probably, harden the polarised factions. Based on our understanding of prophecy, the UK is heading for really serious trouble like the USA and Israel, and recent events show us, if we have eyes to see, that that time cannot be too far away!
