New York, New York - The Challenges to Western Civilization
New York, may 21.
- I write these lines sitting among the quietness of Bryant Park, just a few blocks away from Times Square, thinking of the never-ending light rain of the publicity hanging down the walls of its iconic buildings, while on the street thousands of hurried drivers and walkers come and go by these avenues who are amongst the most important in the world.
It's really difficult not to fall in love with this city, not to admire its huge and impressive skyscrapers and its mixture of races that keeps, however, the unique American spirit that gave it birth and has shaped it over the years.
The beauty and spell of New York are simply undeniable: while walking on its streets I feel that I'd like to stay here forever and, when I turn around and see the expression on the other tourist's faces, I confirm that we all think the same way.
New York is the uncontested capital of the world, beholder of a truly unique magic, from the Broadway musicals (with overpriced souvenirs included) and the breathtaking sights from the 102th floor of the Empire State Building, to the peaceful rhythm of the Hudson River, the strong serenity of Lady Liberty, and to the nostalgia that still endures in the so called "ground zero" where the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center once stood, proudly dominating the city's skyline.
Considering all this, turns out quite clear why the Al Qaeda terrorists chose this city as their main objective.
Because here, in a mere few square miles is represented the best & the worst of our western civilization.
The city that never sleeps is the ultimate symbol of everything that we have achieved as a Jew-Christian culture, of all that still needs to be done and the factors that lie behind the crisis in which we live in.
Being here I just can say that New York City is simply awesome, but its beauty may be that of the last rays of light before the night, before the decline of the west.
In our present times, the western civilization and New York, its capital, face their greatest challenge in 5 hundred years.
Since 1571, year in which the armada commanded by Juan de Austria defeated the Muslims in the battle of Lepanto, the west has lead the world, but this period of domination could be reaching to its end, and it's our own fault.
American historian Will Durant once wrote about Rome's fall in these terms: "A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself within.
The essential causes of Rome's decline lay in her people, her morals, her class struggle, her failing trade...
" and this words can be exactly applied to our XXI century.
How to answer before this reality? How to face the external threats when we do nothing to fight our internal vices? How to defend ourselves of the expansion of different cultures when we've lost the values of our own? How to keep our identity when we've forgotten in which it consists? These are the big questions that our generation must face and the shape of the future will depend of the answers we give.
Nearly 500 years ago, the armies of Spain, the Papal States & Venice, under the command of Juan de Austria, had on their hands the defense of our culture, now the responsibility is ours, and so are the consequences.
- I write these lines sitting among the quietness of Bryant Park, just a few blocks away from Times Square, thinking of the never-ending light rain of the publicity hanging down the walls of its iconic buildings, while on the street thousands of hurried drivers and walkers come and go by these avenues who are amongst the most important in the world.
It's really difficult not to fall in love with this city, not to admire its huge and impressive skyscrapers and its mixture of races that keeps, however, the unique American spirit that gave it birth and has shaped it over the years.
The beauty and spell of New York are simply undeniable: while walking on its streets I feel that I'd like to stay here forever and, when I turn around and see the expression on the other tourist's faces, I confirm that we all think the same way.
New York is the uncontested capital of the world, beholder of a truly unique magic, from the Broadway musicals (with overpriced souvenirs included) and the breathtaking sights from the 102th floor of the Empire State Building, to the peaceful rhythm of the Hudson River, the strong serenity of Lady Liberty, and to the nostalgia that still endures in the so called "ground zero" where the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center once stood, proudly dominating the city's skyline.
Considering all this, turns out quite clear why the Al Qaeda terrorists chose this city as their main objective.
Because here, in a mere few square miles is represented the best & the worst of our western civilization.
The city that never sleeps is the ultimate symbol of everything that we have achieved as a Jew-Christian culture, of all that still needs to be done and the factors that lie behind the crisis in which we live in.
Being here I just can say that New York City is simply awesome, but its beauty may be that of the last rays of light before the night, before the decline of the west.
In our present times, the western civilization and New York, its capital, face their greatest challenge in 5 hundred years.
Since 1571, year in which the armada commanded by Juan de Austria defeated the Muslims in the battle of Lepanto, the west has lead the world, but this period of domination could be reaching to its end, and it's our own fault.
American historian Will Durant once wrote about Rome's fall in these terms: "A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself within.
The essential causes of Rome's decline lay in her people, her morals, her class struggle, her failing trade...
" and this words can be exactly applied to our XXI century.
How to answer before this reality? How to face the external threats when we do nothing to fight our internal vices? How to defend ourselves of the expansion of different cultures when we've lost the values of our own? How to keep our identity when we've forgotten in which it consists? These are the big questions that our generation must face and the shape of the future will depend of the answers we give.
Nearly 500 years ago, the armies of Spain, the Papal States & Venice, under the command of Juan de Austria, had on their hands the defense of our culture, now the responsibility is ours, and so are the consequences.
Source...