Dear Editor,
Maybe the fire in Notre Dame has been a gift. I don’t know anyone, myself included, who hasn’t been awed by this architectural wonder. The outpourings of sadness from across the globe prove that this is more than just a relic of an arcane religion, it is a major piece of humanity’s patrimony. Because we all love it so, maybe we should encourage our politicians to help France by donating a piece of the national foreign aid budget so the cathedral can be restored. Call it a gift for all the things France has given us. Before you social warriors get on your high horse about this being a symbol of Catholic degradation and criminality, put your swords and shields away and finally do something true and worthwhile with your pent up rage. Take a lead in raising funds for this marvellous piece of our universal culture. As old JC is reported to have said, “… the poor will always be with us.” Forget your indignation and join hands with atheists like me to help restore Notre Dame for future generations. Share this message with your friends and relatives. More importantly, share it with your politicians and demand that countries, like Canada, United States, Britain, Germany and those in the rest of the world who believe they are civilized, contribute to the restoration so, globally, we can finally have something we all feel good about. After all it is the common heritage of humanity – might as well start behaving like we want that.
Bruce Kemp,
Kemptville
