Will we remember, remember the 5th of November?

I am fascinated by The Gunpowder Plot of 1605 and love the Alan Moore comic and movie that followed, “V for Vendetta”.

Remember, remember!
The fifth of November,
The Gunpowder treason and plot;
I know of no reason
Why the Gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot!
Guy Fawkes and his companions
Did the scheme contrive,
To blow the King and Parliament
All up alive.
Threescore barrels, laid below,
To prove old England’s overthrow.
But, by God’s providence, him they catch,
With a dark lantern, lighting a match!
A stick and a stake
For King James’s sake!
If you won’t give me one,
I’ll take two,
The better for me,
And the worse for you.
A rope, a rope, to hang the Pope,
A penn’orth of cheese to choke him,
A pint of beer to wash it down,
And a jolly good fire to burn him.
Holloa, boys! holloa, boys! make the bells ring!
Holloa, boys! holloa boys! God save the King!
Hip, hip, hooor-r-r-ray!

Now with our Election Day being today (Nov. 5) I’m sure there will be some who will attempt to make my observation as some sort of support for anarchy or terrorism.

I said fascinated, not support.

I post the Guy Fawkes mask every year on this date, so there is no additional meaning behind my annual post this year. Fawkes, along with Robert Catesby and others, were fighting years of being oppressed Catholics by the Church of England. Not being allowed to practice their religion freely, in other words (See the “hang the Pope” line in the above poem).

We are blessed to be able to practice ours in America (or at least we’re supposed to be allowed to do so).

I have friends in England, William and Julie Orr, who lived here for a few years when Will worked for Harris. We would attend a party at their house on Guy Fawkes Day (Nov. 5) where they would burn a dummy.

It’s how England celebrates the day.

I have joked with Will for years that I was only there to support my Catholic brother, Guy, who was a martyr for his God. We would drink imported beer, laugh and enjoy the evening.

You know, back when you could laugh at things that happened 400 years ago and not get triggered.

But today, in our political climate, sometimes it feels like we have spun back years. Maybe not 400, but we are in a time when those who don’t vote the way we do are the enemy and not the loyal opposition. Reaching across the aisle makes you a “RINO” or not supporting your candidate (not party) makes you a traitor.

We’re also in a time where our political candidates and their supporters can sometimes make it feel like it’s 1605.

It’s enough to make me pause before I change my profile picture, like I have done on this date for many years. Because that’s the place we’re in.

Go vote. Go support your candidate. If your candidate is the candidate of peace, prosperity and hope for America’s future, I hope they win.

America prevails.*

(*That was not meant to equate “England prevails” from “V” LITERALLY. It’s just a great line to tie the whole thing together, end a column on and that’s truly how I feel. The Republic will endure.)