The way I see Liberia

The vehement language sprouting out of some of our country men’s writings, demonstrate that if there was a division or a pseudo division that existed or exists today in our society, it seems to be perpetrated more than ever before; even, after all of the changing of the guards, it did not prove to mend the division, a far cry from what we had expected.

The dark past we experienced as a people has not proved to be a lesson learnt and apparently we would love to see any authority of the day fall flat on its face to the ground as we sit on the side line and criticize without providing any sound alternative to whatever grievances, concerns, knowledge and solution to the crisis, problems or state of affairs.

There are a few intriguing questions that should be asked and be answered honestly by all. Are we one people of a common destiny or a common cause? Are we a divided people without a cause or a destiny? Should this hate that we endure for one another continue to eat up the country and shred us as a people without a vision and devour each other because of the sins of past? What have we learnt as a nation from history, from our own history, past and present and history of other nations with similar dark pasts? Are we a doomed society? What are we leaving behind for our children and our children's children?

From where I sit and when I read some of the hatred filled and war toned writings and reflect on the past half century I have survived on this planet we call home, I can say without any fear or favor that some of my countrymen are flirting at the edge on the other side of preservation. Are we not satisfied with the destruction of our happy land? Let us preserve what we have. Liberia is the only country we have. We who traveled to other parts during the mass migration of the war years, we experienced first hand what a glorious land of liberty we left behind. Some of the places we landed did not welcome us as we were accustomed to welcoming strangers within our shores and we were treated inhumanely. We must learn to live with one another and stay away from all of the vices of inhumanity; hence, disagreeing with one another but respecting each other.

Let us put aside our bitter differences and not put Daniel Bashiel Warner (1813 - 1880) to shame. We need to listen to the words he wrote that we have sung over and over as a people. Maybe it is time we really read and understand the words and make them personal. All hail, Liberia, hail! All hail, Liberia, hail! This glorious land of liberty shall long be ours. Though new her name, green be her fame, and mighty be her powers. In joy and gladness with our hearts united, we'll shout the freedom of a race benighted. In union strong success is sure we cannot fail! With God above our rights to prove we will o'er all prevail, with heart and hand our country's cause defending we'll meet the foe with valour unpretending. Long live Liberia, happy land! A home of glorious liberty, by God's command! A home of glorious liberty, by God's command!