July 10, 2008
Better "a second of freedom...than an eternity of slavery."
French philosopher André Glucksmann writes an eloquent tribute to Ingrid Betancourt...
....From the outset, Betancourt has congratulated the Colombian army and President Álvaro Uribe for the military operation that saved her. She praised not only its impeccable success but also—as she deliberately pointed out—its daring, for any military operation risked going awry for some unforeseen reason and leading to the execution of the hostages, as has sometimes happened in earlier attempts. Unlike her family members—who, she is careful to emphasize, have always so feared losing her that they distrusted and criticized Uribe’s adventurism and militarism—Betancourt congratulates the Colombian president. To be sure, Operation Checkmate could well have ended in bloodshed; but Betancourt had long wished for it, ready to face death if necessary. This had become a matter of principle for her. Better, she said, “a second of freedom,” even deadly freedom, than an eternity of slavery. She had attempted five escapes, and in retribution the guerilla fighters had chained her up by the neck. “I always avoided imagining my wife’s living conditions,” her husband said. “Now I know she lived like a dog.”
Betancourt’s choice, which she has proclaimed loud and clear since her first breaths of free air, is the result of mature reflection: rather the possibility of a bloody outcome than the life of a dog. She does not tell us that anything is better than death; she says rather that freedom is worth any price....
('course he doesn't mention that she considers her release a miracle of the Virgin Mary... but hey, he's a Philosophe. His perspective is a bit limited.)
Posted by John Weidner at July 10, 2008 09:40 PMWow - great find. If anyone hasn't done so yet pleae read the whole thing. It is full of powerful ideas, and while I've never heard of André Glucksmann, I can only assume he's someone that may actually get read by left leaning types. Can't resist quoting from the piece one more time:
Hence her unshakable choice, which she opposes to the pacifism that she professed before her descent into the abyss: yes to liberation by military means, with its risks and perils; yes to the president who courageously confronts the possibility of a failure that would bring down upon him worldwide condemnation and the definitive anathema of right-thinking people everywhere.
Like I said - Wow!
this is good too, on "soft power" and Bettancourt's rescue.
The Euros have been making "gestures of solidarity" for 6 years, which have been about as useful as a "Free Tibet" bumper sticker...
Posted by: John Weidner at July 11, 2008 08:46 AMMaybe. There is this report as well —
while praising President Alvaro Uribe's work towards her release, she [Betancourt] said it was time to end "extremist" language towards the Farc.Posted by: Annoying Old Guy at July 11, 2008 10:31 AM[...]
In a separate interview for French radio, she said: "I think we have reached a point where we must change this radical, extremist vocabulary of hate of very strong words that intimately wound the human being."
Ms Betancourt is urging the government to take a more conciliatory tone towards the Farc to achieve further hostage releases, says BBC Americas analyst Warren Bull.
Well, that's depressing.
And just think, by calling them 'terrorists" I didn't even know I was "intimately wounding them as human beings!"
Jeez, what an horrid person I am. It's no wonder the slimy bastards turn to terror and murder and kidnapping. All my fault. And "the West" of course; we're always hateful.
Posted by: John Weidner at July 11, 2008 12:32 PM
