Malo periculosam, libertatem quam quietam servitutem

... written  by Sarah

I do not know about anyone else and maybe I am alone in this one, but every time there is a terrorist outrage , my first thoughts are for the  victims and those left behind , their friends and families.  They and fellow countrymen need time to grieve. And our thoughts and prayers are with them right now. As is the case with these crises and dreadful events the media will move on and the spotlight will focus elsewhere, but for the people directly affected by Saturday's events , this will take a long , long , long time  and much love, prayer , community support  and counselling to heal , bind and to have a form of normality .

Unfortunately and whether we like it or not , there is the  macro level about how the government should respond to these terrorist outrages: I will admit I couldn't do the job of the politicians who have to use the right mix of compassion  and summary of the national mood and trying to lead the country through it , with our democracy intact. 

 The tension is there between sorrow, anger, fear , loss at the individual level and the  need to formulate a strategy as  to what to do next , because as Theresa May said yesterday "enough is enough " and it is time to be more proactive about this situation.  But precisely what to do about this situation , is beyond doubt complex. Or to put it another way , it is complex for Britain if your starting position is to protect citizens and wish to main a  free democracy , let alone a liberal democracy.  What liberties and freedoms are you willing to sign away ?

It is less complex, but far more frightening, and incidentally not my position ,  if your answer is to turn the UK in a totalitarian police state of mass arrests , presumption of guilt  before a crime has been committed and expulsions of non white , non Christians and in some cases non white  Christians (those who are salivating at this prospect won't stop with one particular religion or race ) . 

This is just to domestic front, let alone the discussion on the external front with multiple  failed states, being  ruled by Islamic state terrorists as a base of operations ... 

 I don't pretend to have a list of answers and those who  do are doubtless reacting in anger and grief, but it is something which needs to be at the forefront of the national conversation , even as we grieve at the latest murders by ISIS.

I will conclude by quoting Thomas Jefferson :

Malo periculosam, libertatem quam quietam servitutem: 

"I prefer the tumult of liberty to the quiet of servitude."