It may be a few days too late, but this is the time of year when we take a moment to remember those whose lives have been sacrificed in defending our liberty. When we see the political correctness and similar nonsense going on around us today, it does us good to be reminded that our forebears held free speech and freedom of political and religious opinions to be of paramount importance.

When we look at the fragile situation we now live in with Islam making a take over bid for all the freedom and democracy that we once held so fundamental to our lives particularly in Europe and the USA, people like Geert Wilders in the Netherlands show that they are willing to make a stand and warn us about the dangers of what we may lose. We may not agree with what he says 100%, but the writing is on the wall. He has had to sacrifice his freedom in order to stand up and state some truths which our politicians do not want to hear. He has to live in safe houses and be surrounded by police in huge numbers whenever he ventures out in public.

To our shame and my personal disgust, as British 'freedom' lovers, our previous socialist regime even banned him from coming to Britain last February to give a scheduled speech and presentation in the House of Lords! . On entering Britain he was held in a detention centre (which they don't even do to illegal immigrants!) and sent back to The Netherlands on the next flight. So much for free speech, but then I suppose it's not usually permissible under Communism.

Anyway, now I've unseated myself from my high horse, I want to feature a poem which many of you may have read, "In Flander's Fields" by John McCrae.

In Flanders Fields

by John McCrae, May 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Inspiration for the poem — In Flanders Fields

During the Second Battle of Ypres a Canadian artillery officer, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, was killed on 2 May, 1915 by an exploding shell. He was a friend of the Canadian military doctor Major John McCrae.

John was asked to conduct the burial service owing to the chaplain being called away on duty elsewhere. It is believed that later that evening John began the draft for his famous poem 'In Flanders Fields'.

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The second poem I want to feature is by Bob Dylan which has Christian lyrics, basically saying that we each have the choice in life to serve either God or the Devil. In these days of relativistic thinking, where our morals and ethics are seen in shades of grey, the lyrics of this song paint things in black and white, which is how the Ten Commandments and God's laws are presented in the Bible. This is not a very popular idea. Owing to the fallen nature of man we all fall short of God's standard, which is perfection, but there is forgiveness available through faith in Jesus and accepting His bearing the punishment for our sin (wrongdoing). In 1 John 1:9 it says "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

Gotta Serve Somebody by Bob Dylan

You may be an ambassador to England or France
You may like to gamble, you might like to dance
You may be the heavyweight champion of the world
You may be a socialite with a long string of pearls