Lest We Forget . . .

The Spanish Civil War began eighty years ago today. The photograph on the front page of El Periódico newspaper shows a body lying in Barcelona's central square the day after the uprising began. It was a bloody war which set families against each other as well as the country. Some estimate over 200,000 died, many executed on both sides as power and revenge games were played out in cities, towns and villages. Franco was a dictator conforming to all the terrible characteristics of that role-type of person with a complete disregard for any of the values most of us cherish in a civilised and just society. It took thirty-six long years for his iron-fisted rule to end and the country has still not fully recovered in the fifty-one years since his death. The picture is surprisingly unshocking, I think, because we see scenes resulting from similar uprisings everyday on our own front pages. Let's all strive to be on the side of the good and stand in our own way for the survival of all we cherish. I will walk across Plaza Catalunya, shown, later today and think of the good fortune the city enjoys presently . . . it is a most fragile good fortune though, lest we forget.