View of the Week: On Europe, Patriotism & Love

It has been an interesting 24 hours around Europe.   The far right continues to make inroads in Europe with the surprising showing of the far right in Sweden and the continued successes the National Front is having in France.  This is as France awaits the impending return of  Sarkozy in France.   Sarkozy is right is one respect:  Hollande has been an absolute disaster.     

The past 24 hours has also seen the World step up to fight the scourge of the so-called Islamic State.   It was quite disturbing to review reports of Egyptian Soldiers being killed in the lawless Sinai as lives continue to wither away in the killing fields of Syria and Iraq. What is ever so tragic is what the thugs of the Islamic State who claim to be religious seem not to understand what The Dalai Lama reflected upon when he reminded us that, "....The Word God, in one sense, means infinite love.."    He also reminded us that although religion may well be a kind of luxury.  However, without basic human qualities such as love, compassion and kindness, humans cannot survive.   One wonders if the thugs of the Islamic State understand that.   

Such essential human qualities is also ever so critical to understand as policymakers and leaders should embrace this admonition from General de Gaulle that underscores that the people have to be loved first.

When will such men emerge?  

“Patriotism is when
love of your own people comes first;
nationalism, when hate for people
other than your own comes first.”
~ Charles de Gaulle