Liberians have been inspiringly challenged to keep on the path of the ‘we consciousness’ as they seriously weather the storm, despite the odds that seem to be rocking the nation, the peace must, with the collective spirit of oneness always prevail;
According to the simmering dissatisfactions troubling the social, political and economic dimensions of the country; and in spite of the tons of hints, allegations and accusations being meted out; Liberians have been urged to maintain a level head and not to let the cardinal hard earned peace coupled with the spirit of oneness be thrown in the dust bin of intolerance.
In the same vein, this year’s 175th August 24, Flag Day Orator former Information Minister, Dr. Laurence K. Bropleh indicated that as Liberians, a people united by a singular goal of seeking to live as a free and independent people from the humiliating bondage of slavery, torture and abuse,” we can only remind ourselves that it’s only through unity, patriotism, love and co-existence that we can keep the light of freedom shining on the African continent”.
According to Cllr. Bropleh, for this was the true essence of the enormous sacrifices that our forefathers and mothers made when they risked their lives through the Atlantic and daringly chose a path of return to their ancestral homeland in Africa.
He pointed out that they chose to find a place- free of slavery and inhumane bondage – now called the Republic of Liberia, where after many years of work, they would raise the Red, White and Blue Flag with a white star in its canton (filed), representing the first independent state in Africa after suffering hundreds of years of slavery in the Americas.
Dr. Bropleh, who is deeply involved with a radio program: ‘Changing Mind And Changing Attitude’, designed to rework the mental concept of Liberians for positivism, also noted that the returnees and the indigenous, after uniting and inhabiting this land for over 200 years as one people, and one nation, must not be seen again in this 21st century, tearing each other apart, and fighting against each other in a way that only sets the stage to bring our country down on the basis of our political differences.
“If we allow our political decisions, our religious differences, and other disagreements to continue to pull us apart rather than unite us, the consequences will be a broken society”, Dr. Bropleh intoned.
Cllr, Bropleh continues, “if we allow disunity to put us against each other, rather than embrace one another, the consequences would be the lack of development, economic growth, education, quality healthcare, and prosperity for ourselves and our posterity”.
“All of us, no matter our tribe, our religion, political party, age, education and class, we belong to one nation and we pay allegiance to one Flag, the Red, White and Blue national ensign”, he noted.
Emphasizing the need to obtain a rooted-significance in defending unity, love and peace in the country, the Flag Day Orator made it vividly clear that “we are in this together, no one is more Liberian than the other, so when we find ourselves awakened to the dawn of a new day, let us strive to peaceably move our nation forward and not backward, upward and not downward by the things we do and say about our nation and each other”.
He said there should be no iota of ambiguity in the expression of the love we must exhibit for our Flag, for it represents our sense of belonging as a people to our nation Liberia.
Literally, he said, on a daily basis, we pledge allegiance to one Flag and to the nation for which it stands and we cannot do this just for formality. When we do it, let’s reflect deeply on how far we have come and where we ought to be as Africa’s first independent country. See it as symbolistic and symbiotic, for we must feed positively of each other, not for ourselves, but for our ONE Flag and ONE nation, Liberia.
Touching on the worth of the Fag, Dr. Bropleh observes that the true thrust of our flag is symbolistic and symbiotic – mutualism, commensalism, understanding that as a national symbol, we find a sense of belonging, inextricably tied together in order to meet the foe, with valor unpretending, for what affects Grand Gedeh, affects Grand Bassa; what affects Cape Mount affects the people of Cape Palmas; what affects Nimba, affects Lofa; what affects River Gee affects Rivercess; what affects Gbarpolu affects Sinoe; what affects Bomi affects Bong; what affects Margibi affects Grand Kru, and what affects all 14 counties, deeply impacts Montserrado County.
“Let us handle our Flag with great respect, for when we do that, we will handle Liberians with respect and our Nation as well. We must at all times seek the oneness of our nation”, said the Orator.
According to him, “let not our quest for political power lead us down meandering roads of destructive engagements whose outcomes would be inimical to the survival of the ONE nation our Flag stands for”.
We can’t afford to reverse the gains we have made since the end of our two civil wars that only brought prolonged suffering, increased the level of illiteracy, poverty and disease in the society and caused thousands of lives and properties worth millions of dollars to be destroyed, and in some cases, looted and vandalized, Dr. Bropleh added.
As Liberians, our Flag stands as a Lighthouse, steering and guiding each of us to calm shores where our school going children will be taught in their civic classes the value of the Flag, how it stands for respect and not disrespect, dignity and not inhumanity, love and not hate, reconciliation and peaceful co-existence as a people, that symbiotic guidance that invigorates us to seek the ‘We consciousness’.
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