
In 1978, the great Russian writer Alexander Solzenitsyn delivered a famous speech at Harvard University. "A decline in courage may be the most striking feature which an outside observer notices in the West in our days", the author of "Gulag Archipelago" said at the time. "The Western world has lost its civil courage, both as a whole and separately, in each country, each government, each political party, and, of course, in the United Nations. Such a decline in courage is particularly noticeable among the ruling groups and the intellectual elite, causing an impression of loss of courage by the entire society. Of course, there are many courageous individuals, but they have no determining influence on public life".
Solzenitsyn uttered these important words at a time when the West still had some courage against Communism. What would he have said today seeing Europe's reaction in front of Islamic terrorism? and North Korea/
"No tinc por", I'm not afraid, is the slogan of anti-terrorism march in Spain. Time Magazine called them "Peace Marchers". Peace? After 15 people have been butchered by a cell of the Islamic State? Why not announce instead a Spanish battalion to join the international coalition busy in freeing Raqqa, the de facto capital of Isis in Syria?
Our candor in front of all our dead murdered by terrorists, a mix of nihilism and phony optimism, is amazing. It is as if the West agreed to pay this price to radical Islam.
They are afraid, despite what they claim. They protect public buildings, schools, a, shopping malls and public places like military targets. In France, half of the military personnel is busy in protecting the home front. On London Bridge, concrete barriers appeared after the terror attacks as the way to protect the citizens.
Being afraid is a natural response in this situation, but fear cannot become the main word of a rally against Jihadism. And not that kind of "fear". What about freedom? And Western culture? We have been paralyzed in our own fear.
We have our homegrown Jihadists, their handlers in North Africa and the Middle East, Iran and North Korea - all out to destroy the West. They don't hide their intentions. We are the ones who hide.
"Close your eyes, have no fear," says a song by John Lennon, the wretched soundtrack of a West which has definitely lost military, political and cultural courage. After the Paris terror attacks, many people were inspired by John Lennon's songs. It was a clear message to Jihadists: you can continue to butcher us, we don't care