“The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.”
–Chesterton
Ten to one odds, the old man in the bar was Millwall too…the older person that Mr. Larner, the ‘Lion of London Bridge,’ mentioned in his interview.
That was part of his reasoning for braving three knife wielding men alone with his bare hands. He said, “I didn’t think of my safety at the time…I can handle myself. But I was out with an older person and it was out of order.”
Sadly, I don’t think our popular culture understands the profundity of what he did or why he did it. But it warrants some thought.
Why does a man take such a risk?
I think GK is right, Love motivates the true soldier. And that is precisely what Mr. Larner acted like. He laid down his life for a friend.
And he went at it with a battle cry… “I’m Millwall.”
I don’t want to belittle his courage in any way, but why Millwall?
It’s a second rate soccer team.
Human motivation can be quirky. But I cannot help but wonder if it doesn’t have something to do with the modern denigration of everything traditional. Have men of action like Mr. Larner been stripped of practically every symbol and tie that could motivate self sacrificing action.
The internationalists have denigrated their nation.
The intellectuals have denied their God.
So, “God save the Queen” is out.
All that remains…the tribe.
“I’m Millwall.”
“No one likes us. We don’t care.”
Puddleglum Contra Mundum 