"... never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."
John Donne (1572-1631), Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions, Meditation XVII: Nunc Lento Sonitu Dicunt, Morieris
Leaving aside the tasteless humor promulgated by the less sophisticated, surrounding the unfortunate demise of a filly in yesterday’s Kentucky Derby, one cannot escape the symbolic irony that a win by the stallion "Big Brown" over "Eight Bells" represents.
While it may seem contrived to reference the author of familiar though doubtfully understood phrases such as "For whom the bell tolls..." and "No man is an island...", a cursory study of history uncovers than John Donne, was a lawyer and became an elected politician in the Parliament of Queen Elizabeth I. His credentials therefore seem aptly relevant if perhaps accidentally coincidental to the current discourse over the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination.
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In his thesis, Donne lyrically describes a scenario in which a listener, though hearing the tolling bells, misappropriates their meaning, attributing them solely to a preacher:
"As therefore the bell that rings to a sermon, calls not upon the preacher only, but upon the congregation to come: so this bell calls us all: but how much more me, who am brought so near the door by this sickness."
rather than through self-delusion and arrogance, to themselves:
"Perchance he for whom this bell tolls may be so ill, as that he knows not it tolls for him; and perchance I may think myself so much better than I am, as that they who are about me, and see my state, may have caused it to toll for me, and I know not that."
Instead of gambling our future on a race and threatening the stability of world peace, Hillary would do well to heed Donne’s other famous quote:
"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. "
Threatening to obliterate a foreign nation for short term local political gain is inexcusably irresponsible. We cannot afford an undercurrent of religious discrimination against Muslims. We may or may not agree with their beliefs, but American morals and its constitution are based on religious freedom and the absolute separation of church and state. Racism and religious prejudice of any form should not and must not be tolerated.
A war, even a conceptual war, with Iran is a far more deadly proposition than the invasion of a weakened country led by a notoriously vicious dictator. Opinions may differ, but Iran is nevertheless a democracy; a nation that has existed for over 5000 years and is among the most prominent and influential middle eastern states.
War with Iran could escalate into a war against Islam. Anyone who advocates this notion, however casually, would do well to learn the countless lessons from history. Despite the might of many Empires, a religious war has never ever been won. Though many battles may have been decisive, the ideological differences remain. A delicate peace between ideologies has and can only been maintained through diplomacy and mutual respect.
America has a chance to restore respect for the role it can play in international affairs. For that we need an open minded leader, not driven by commercial interests, but instead, representing a common desire by the majority to leave this world a better place for our descendants.
The bells are tolling...
Time to end this charade.
Time for diplomacy over aggression.
Time for respect over arrogance.
Time for conscience over commercialism.
Time for change we can believe in.