One of the greatest leaders in the history of Western Civilization is an inspiring example for all who fight against tyranny.
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
That quote is something we all must keep at the top of our minds today.
After years of peace, and a widespread agreement in regard to the defense of classical liberal democracy, both communism and fascism are attempting to make a resurgence.
Rather than simply leave people alone to create and flourish to the greatest extent possible, governments around the world are becoming more and more authoritarian.
The influence of Communist China remains pervasive, even in many ‘free’ countries.
All of this is a massive insult to the tens of thousands of Canadians who died fighting against the authoritarian movements of the 20th century.
Those who would replace freedom with communism or fascism do a disservice not just to our own history, but to the history of our allies and Western Civilization.
For this reason, it becomes more and more important to honour our past, and to commemorate those leaders who kept the idea of freedom alive when it was most under siege.
Among the greatest of those leaders was Winston Churchill.
At a time when many were advocating for further appeasement and even surrender, Churchill stood firm against the seemingly unbeatable war-machine of fascist Germany.
He refused to accommodate himself to fascist tyranny in Europe, and he helped inspire the British Empire to fight on.
Victory in the Battle of Britain marked the first decisive defeat for Germany in the war, which played a huge psychological role in showing the world that Germany was not invincible.
By standing firm, by inspiring people to fight for freedom, Churchill helped to build the Allies up into a massive and formidable force, particularly by bringing the United States into the war, and recognizing the need for an unseemly, but necessary alliance with the Soviet Union.
As Churchill said, “If Hitler invaded Hell I would make at least a favourable reference to the Devil in the House of Commons.”
Churchill was under no illusions about Stalin, yet he recognized there was something uniquely genocidal about German fascism and that the free world had to do what was necessary and ally with whomever they could find in order to stop.
Indeed, following the war it was Churchill who talked about the ruthless “Iron Curtain” the Soviets had put down upon Eastern Europe, and he was a fierce advocate for the containment of Communism and the defense of Classical Liberal Democracy.
Churchill thus exemplifies the values that Canada and our close allies have built our society upon, and we should honour his legacy at every chance we get.
That’s why it is great to see that a statue of Winston Churchill is going up in Calgary. The project was officially approved on August 24th, and the statue will be complete in 2023.
We will lose our way if we don’t remember how we got here
We live in an era in which many people – including many in the government – want our country to forget our history, and forget the fact that Western Civilization has been unique in building societies that prioritize and defend individual rights and freedoms.
They want us to forget, because that will make it easier for those freedoms to be taken away.
We cannot allow that to happen.
Instead, we must take every opportunity to remember the history of Canada and our Allies, and remember and honour those – like Winston Churchill – who courageously exemplified and defended the values we hold dear.
Spencer Fernando
Photo Source: The Sir Winston Churchill Society of Calgary
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