Wilberforce or Bonaparte?

As Rebecca mentioned, we had some time to reflect on our values while away at Paris. One of my reflections was outside of Napoleon's tomb. “Here kids – sit on the cannon's used for killing people and smile for the camera!” And then we saw Napoleon's statue, with his iconic pose, hiding one hand inside his shirt. I thought to myself, is this the type of man that deserves a statue? Yes, there was the Napoleonic code, and certainly the French Revolution that he was part of was seeking to obtain a more just society. But when you come right down to it, he is remembered for his military conquests. Did those conquests take courage and intelligence? Of course. But what if he had focused more on social justice than conquest? Now contrast his life with his contemporary William Wilberforce. Wilberforce was born 10 years prior to Napoleon, and spent years in the British House of Commons fighting for the abolition of the slave trade. The movie 'Amazing Grace' was based on his life, and in it there was a quote from Lord Charles Fox that sums up my thoughts: “When people speak of great men, they think of men like Napoleon - men of violence. Rarely do they think of peaceful men. But contrast the reception they will receive when they return home from their battles. Napoleon will arrive in pomp and in power, a man who's achieved the very summit of earthly ambition. And yet his dreams will be haunted by the oppressions of war. William Wilberforce, however, will return to his family, lay his head on his pillow and remember: the slave trade is no more.” Wilberforce happened to be motivated by his Christian faith to fight for abolition, but in my opinion – justice need not be motivated by faith. We may disagree on matters of spirituality, but as fellow humans, we can agree on matters of justice. I believe that if we spent more of our collective time, energy, creativity, intelligence and courage on matters of equity and justice, then the world would be a better place. Do I know exactly how to do this? Not really. What are the issues similar to the slave trade that in hind-sight will seem like obvious atrocities? And Wilberforce did not fight his fight alone. What part will we play in this fight? I'm not sure, but it is something to ponder for a time, and something to act on soon.