Sunday, January 4, 2009

Dying for a Cause

We think we have "drama" in our lives. Real drama is depicted in the movie "Valkyre," a movie in the theatres now.

In an attempt to retake Germany from fascism, Claus von Stauffenberg and a host of others commit treason by planning to assassinate Hitler and Himmler. Their plot fails and almost all of the plotters are killed; some by firing squad, some commit suicide and many by the slow painful death of being hanged with piano wire. Baron Philip von Boeselager, the lone survivor, died at age 90 last May. He helps to tell the real-life story on a DVD, "Operation Valkyrie", that's due to be released January 26th.

After the plot failed and so many were murdered by Hitler's SS, 90 days later Berlin fell to the Allies and Hitler committed suicide.

How many of those plotters might have survived the allied invasion and been reunited with their families had they not tried to kill Hitler? How many might have still been tried for being Nazis? We have no way of knowing.

When I see people running around dissing this country, I wonder what they would do if they had to make the hard choice von Stauffenberg and his fellow "freedom-fighters" made? Could I make the same choices they did to protect my freedom? Could you?

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