Did she say it, or was it a remark as she climbed the guillotine? She did not exceed forty years of age. Her remark is what made the imaginations of writers depict that famous sentence that became the title of many events: “O, freedom, how many crimes are committed in your name?” Madame Laurent ( Madame Roland) was a French political activist who supported the French Revolution, which lasted from 1789 to 1799. During that revolution, she disagreed with some of the leaders and was punished in November 1793.

Laurent was gone, but her sentence remained the title of many events that followed. Today, we need to repeat this sentence every day, but how much of the patriotism shouted today by those around us is just a slogan? There are thousands of guillotine makers living among us, and in the name of the homeland and social issues, they push reformers to the guillotine.

I know some liberals who only talk about freedom and patriotism while fighting the constituents of our nation, its language, and its religion. Crimes are committed in the name of patriotism. I know some minorities who only talk about equality and justice, while some manage their affairs and extend their helping hands abroad to strangers to fight for justice and equality. How many crimes are committed in the name of justice and equality?

In Gaza, where the Western world does not see its people, countries that talk about democracy and human rights do not mind expelling the people of Gaza from their homeland. In Syria today, thousands of voices on social media platforms are crying out against the new regime - but in what name? In the name of freedom, equality and rejection of sectarianism.

There are voices that have been silent on all kinds of destruction, tyranny, killings, and displacement for decades. A beautiful country in our Arab world has been lost. Unfortunately, some of its people have committed countless crimes, assassinations, destruction, smuggling and drug trafficking, all in the name of resistance. How many crimes have been committed in your name of resistance? The real enemies of our homelands are those who dress in values to kill values. We know them by the tone of their speeches and by their actions. May Allah protect us from their evil.

local@kuwaittimes.com