David Haines RIP
David Haines had once served his country in the RAF, but he did not go to Syria to fight anyone or to hurt anyone.
Nor did he go to promote or oppose any religious view.
For the last fifteen years he had dedicated his life to working to help and protect the victims of war. In that time he had worked with refugees in the former Yugoslavia, disabled people in Libya and ceasefire monitors in South Sudan.
He went to Syria as a humanitarian, to give aid and comfort to vulnerable, innocent people who had been harmed by the fighting, to help set up refegee camps for them.
His murder leaves two children fatherless - the younger of those children is four years old.
The people who carried out this sickening crime must have known all these things, but they did not care. They claimed to act for a religion which is called by a name which means "Peace" and on behalf of a God whose followers describe him as "The Compassionate, the Merciful." Their actions prove that they have no idea what the concepts of Peace, Compassion, or Mercy actually mean.
I am certain that the last thing David Haines would want would be for Britain to over-react and harm the innocent as well as the guilty in seeking revenge for his death.
Nevertheless, the people who took his life were testing the resolve of the West, and the worst thing we could possibly do is give the least sign that that resolve will falter. These people rule by fear, and the more they are allowed to establish that rule the harder they will be to defeat and the more damage they will do.
David Haines was described as a "fantastic man and father." He knew he was going into danger when he went to Syria, but he took that risk, and gave his life to protect the vulnerable and those who needed help.
"Greater Love hath no man that this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
Rest in Peace.
Nor did he go to promote or oppose any religious view.
For the last fifteen years he had dedicated his life to working to help and protect the victims of war. In that time he had worked with refugees in the former Yugoslavia, disabled people in Libya and ceasefire monitors in South Sudan.
He went to Syria as a humanitarian, to give aid and comfort to vulnerable, innocent people who had been harmed by the fighting, to help set up refegee camps for them.
His murder leaves two children fatherless - the younger of those children is four years old.
The people who carried out this sickening crime must have known all these things, but they did not care. They claimed to act for a religion which is called by a name which means "Peace" and on behalf of a God whose followers describe him as "The Compassionate, the Merciful." Their actions prove that they have no idea what the concepts of Peace, Compassion, or Mercy actually mean.
I am certain that the last thing David Haines would want would be for Britain to over-react and harm the innocent as well as the guilty in seeking revenge for his death.
Nevertheless, the people who took his life were testing the resolve of the West, and the worst thing we could possibly do is give the least sign that that resolve will falter. These people rule by fear, and the more they are allowed to establish that rule the harder they will be to defeat and the more damage they will do.
David Haines was described as a "fantastic man and father." He knew he was going into danger when he went to Syria, but he took that risk, and gave his life to protect the vulnerable and those who needed help.
"Greater Love hath no man that this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
Rest in Peace.
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