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A
Comment From Genelle
I
don't think anyone could be any more disillusioned and disappointed
with the French Government and the general populace of France than
I, but it's come to my attention that many people may be associating
the Statute of Liberty, or Our Lady Liberty, as she's come to be
affectionately called, with the policies of the France we know today.
I found this disturbing so I asked a friend to write a commentary
on the subject. I believe she's expressed what was in my heart and
I know many of us who are freedom loving Americans will be inspired
and encouraged to remember the symbols of our patriotism, keeping
them dear to our hearts, not because of another country or people,
but because they've come to stand for all we hold dear as Free Citizens
of the United States of America.
The Statue of Liberty
by
Marjorie Castleberry
A gift from the French
people in 1886
as a gesture of international friendship.
I can understand how angry
people are at France.
I had not thought of the
link with our Liberty till recently reminded.
The gift was given so
long ago that even who gave it, and why, has
paled in the shining light
of what she stands for in this country now.
To me she stands for the
purity of heart of this nation whereby every
people, no matter who
they are, or from whence they have come,
are given a chance. She
stands for the "heart" of our nation, its
love of freedom and our
desire to see all peoples enjoy freedom.
She stands as a welcome
sign to strangers and a welcome home
sign to
all who have traveled and then return to our shores.
She cannot speak,
but she says volumes about our past and the
appreciation that
has been shown all through the years from various
peoples and
countries. She cannot move, but her loving arms give
a warm embrace
to those coming to our shores and a fond
goodbye to those
who are leaving.
Given with any gift is
a purpose.
If the giver then does
not remain close as a friend, the
purpose
of the gift whether a
gift of encouragement, thanks or
love is not
diminished. It
still stands for the purpose it
was given. The people
of France who
gave the gift then were not like
the people of France
now. They do not have
the chance to come back and educate
the French of today on
the history of our relationship, nor
chastise France today
for its unthankful behavior toward
us.
At the time of the gift,
the people were different and that
gift
stands for some of
the best characteristics America has.
Lady Liberty, as she is
often called,
now has become a symbol
of the heart of America.
Obviously lots of water
has passed under the proverbial bridge
since then. We should
treasure the gifts of the past. We should
be teaching the history
of our nation and imparting the "heart"
of that nation, the love
for it and our God to our children at every
opportunity. Rather than
tossing out the importance of things
that have some kind of
link to some unpleasantness now, let us
link it to yesterday,
which is the true link, using the past to build
a graceful future and
draw from it the nectar of the best of
America for today's patriotic
diet.
Copyright Marjorie 2003
Graciously written by request and submitted by the
author,
Marjorie Castleberry
You may contact her at ... Marjorie's
World
E-Mail ... MotherMarj1@webtv.net
To let her know you appreciate her work.
Learn More About Marjorie - Click
Here
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