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Simon Phipps's personal commentary

Candles in the darkness [SocioPolitico]

Before leaving for the Vigil this evening, I checked the web site and saw there were only six people registered to attend. But there were five of us, so at least 11 were guaranteed! We all arrived to find a moderate crowd gathered in the moonlight around Southampton's new Peace Fountain, lighting candles and preparing for the city clock to strike seven. At its peak there were around 150 people present, bearing silent witness to their concern over the prospect of war and each holding a light in the darkness - all the darker as the news of the abduction and murder of a girl my son's age within a street or two is breaking.

At one point a drunk staggered over and asked me what we were doing there. When I told him we were expressing concern at the prospect of war he asked what good it would do, standing in the park with candles. Indeed, we were only a tiny fragment of Southampton's population. But our expression of concern, our visible prayer, was being repeated by massive numbers of people world-wide at the same time - there are 6521 vigils reported as of now.

Thus far, I have supported Tony Blair's actions as I believe he has been a moderating influence on the xenophobic war-mongering of the US president. But I now fear his tactics, of playing along with Bush to moderate his extremity, are nearing the end of their usefulness. Iraq and the US have been playing a dangerous games of bluff-and-call. Sooner or later, just as with a willful child, Bush will feel forced to carry out a threat to prove his resolve. At that point, the fuse of the east-v-west, muslim-v-jew-v-christian, have-v-have-not powder-keg will be lit and it will be too late to change tactics. And that's why I was there tonight, joining millions of candles of faith praying for a solution to the dilemma.

posted at 9:44 PM (UK) | |