The green, green grass of home….
October 28th, 2006 at 3:25 am . by nuke
Here in the Welsh valleys there is a saying, “if you can’t see the hills it is raining, if you can see the hills, it’ll be raining soon”. Such is the price we pay for living on a west facing coastal belt. The up side is that the green hues of the South Wales countryside in spring and summer are lush and saturated beyond expectation. At such times it takes the breath away to stand on this hinterland to the Brecon Beacons and view the fields and forests below with the mountainous wilderness rising to heights in the middle distance. The vista seen bathed in sunlight is otherworldly. At other times the lower levels are covered with rolling mists. It looks like a mythical floating world.
This is the land where the merlin flies, a small swift raptor that graces us in the winter. Its darting low-level flight is as exciting to humans as it is deadly to the small prey it targets. Here is the home of the peregrine, red kite and kestrel.
It is hard to stand on these rugged escarpments, consider the magnificent view, and have a political thought. Why come down from these glorious heights? Yet it’s here the realities of today will cut deepest tomorrow.
This week on Fox News Mark Steyn simply shrugged Europe away as lost to Islam. He may well be right, he so often is. Remember, it’s the demography stupid. Islam is on the rise and we are on the wane. We are enfeebled by a combination of low birth rates and unrealistic expectations of the role of rationality in the human condition. We continue in the collective delusion that if only we could properly educate the world we would not have to be defended by the gun and warship. It’s the millennium equivalent to buying the world a coke and teaching it to sing in love and harmony.
That’s why Europe distrusts the USA. America has the nerve to look reality in the face and call it by its name. In truth we have been defended by American might for too long. America pays the bills; your good soldiers pay in blood for our defences. Meanwhile we can enjoy the comfort and luxury of the café culture ‘peace dividend’ and curse the yanks for their ‘gung ho’ attitude to world dictators. What stupid president would talk of an ‘axis of evil’? What foolish country would visit Islamic extremism on our heads by invading Afghanistan and Iraq?
God help us if we cannot see who our friends are in these troubled times.
Standing here on these ancient hills these thoughts seems so remote. But one day if Steyn is right my children or (by God’s grace) grandchildren will no longer be able to stand here in freedom. Unless we wake up from the fool’s paradise we now inhabit and get the backbone to defend the freedoms we blithely take for granted, the future is under a crescent moon. This land will go through a dark night of fascist oppression or at best a baptism of blood.
Have we got the nerve, have we got the resolve to take the steps to prove Mark Steyn wrong? The Jury is still out on that one and it won’t be making up its mind any time soon. Anyway aren’t we locked into a conundrum in Europe? Isn’t what we seek to preserve the very decedent culture that is killing us slowly with its charmed song of eternal peace and prosperity?
But well heck- just look at that! Too late!
You really should have seen that merlin take a linnet in mid flight….
Comment posted by vimto
at 10/29/2006 2:52:10 PM
Ah THAT John E. Carey…sorry slow on the uptake there. Why on earth would FR want such a distinuished man off their roll? Please let us know if you find the answer.
Comment posted by vimto
at 10/29/2006 10:10:15 AM
John E. Carey…
I don’t know the chap and I don’t know what is going on but I had a mail this morning on the Creation ping. Seems there has been a falling out with Jim Rob and many have decided to hang their hats elswhere - anything to do with that? Your e-mailis very fair minded. Hope they take note.
Comment posted by nuke
at 10/29/2006 2:57:46 AM
It was great.
Yeah, I’m up late.
I just sent an email to Free Republic. Our pal, John E. Carey has been zotted.
Here is the text of the email:
Date: Sun 29 Oct 2006 02:21:30 AM EST
From: nukegingrich@myway.com
[ Add to Address Book | Block Address | Report as Spam ]
To: webmaster@freerepublic.com
Subject: John E. Carey posting priveleges
Gentlemen:
I am writing to ask that the posting privileges for John E. Carey be restored at Free Republic.
I cannot imagine what would have given you cause for the actions you have taken. John’s entries are some of the best and most professional original material that is posted at Free Republic.
Unlike most internet writers including myself, John uses his own name at your forum as well as at several blogs that he hosts. His by-line has appeared in many leading publications including the conservative flagship, The Washington Times. His style is mostly hard news and opinion, but has lately included original essays on life, culture, and current events, as well as advocacy for international justice.
But, you would know all of this if you had read his work. Therefore, I can only conclude that a mistake has been made. Fortunately, it is a mistake that can, and should be promptly corrected.
Please give this matter your immediate attention. Thanking you in advance, I am
Sincerely,
http://nukegingrich.wordpress.com
Nuke Gingrich — aka Grandpa Jones @ Free Republic
——-
/going to bed now.
see ya’
Comment posted by vimto
at 10/29/2006 2:49:33 AM
“Your avatar looks very herbie-like.”
Want I should bop you with my lollipop?
I intend to change it to the real Herbie soon,. the best comic ever published IMHO.
Hope you enjoyed seeing your daughter in the ‘King and I’, great Musical.
Comment posted by Bloggers Blog Digest - The green, green grass of home….
at 10/28/2006 8:58:10 PM
[…] “>The green, green grass of home…. This article impressed me very much and i want to share it with my readers.Here in the Welsh valleys there is a saying, “if you can’t see the hills it is raining, if you can see the hills, it’ll be raining soon”. Such is the price we pay for living on a west facing coastal belt. The up side is that the green hues of the South Wales countryside in spring and summer are lush and saturated beyond expectation. At such times it takes the breath away to stand on this hinterland to the Brecon Beacons and view the fields and forests below with the mountainous wilderness rising to heights in the middle distance. The vista seen bathed in sunlight is otherworldly. At other … I think it’s good. what about you?Link to original article […]
Comment posted by no2liberals
at 10/28/2006 3:07:28 PM
Oh…Siam I Am, eh?
Henh…have a good’un.
Comment posted by nuke
at 10/28/2006 2:44:18 PM
We’re headed out of town to see “The King and I”, production at Mississippi College. Daughter has a part. Ought to be fun.
Later
Comment posted by nuke
at 10/28/2006 2:38:59 PM
/avatar envy
Comment posted by no2liberals
at 10/28/2006 2:35:27 PM
Uhh…nuke, getting kind of personal, talking about a man’s avatar like that. Bad form!
/henh
Comment posted by nuke
at 10/28/2006 1:15:02 PM
vimto: Your avatar looks very herbie-like.
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