Editorial

Brothers In Arms

When I was about 10 years old I became aware of the band Dire Straits and its brilliant lead guitarist Mark Knopfler, mostly due to the influence of my older brother.  The band’s fifth album released in 1985, Brothers in Arms and its title song, are among the band’s best known works.

The song was written during the Falklands war between Britain and Argentina but is considered a commentary on conflict generally, reflecting on its horror but also its reality.

Like many in recent weeks I have been left a little sombre by conflicts of various types both local and abroad.  In Australia last weekend we witnessed the 45th referendum considering the content of our constitution since federation.  As we know, our nation emphatically voted no to an indigenous voice to the parliament, being the 37th time Australians have rejected a proposed change to our founding document. 

Whichever side of this complex argument you were on, I think most can agree we feel sadness for our indigenous brothers and sisters who feel impacted by what has in many ways been a divisive debate.

On the other side of the world, just a week prior to our referendum and on the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur war, tensions erupted in the Middle East, resulting in the worst outbreak of conflict in that region for many years.

While I have taken comfort in listening to one of my favourite childhood songs, we can all look forward to a day, perhaps accelerated by current prophetic events, when the deep divisions of conflict of this world are passed.

I don’t know about you, but I reckon the first verse of Knopfler’s classic has a touch of Isaiah 2:4 about it. 

“And He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.”  -    Isaiah 2:4

“These mist covered mountains

Are a home now for me

But my home is the lowlands

And always will be

Someday you'll return to

Your valleys and your farms

And you'll no longer burn to be

Brothers in arms”

Peter Bain

Business Manager