End of an era

The picture above is of Spanish Republicans shooting at a statue of Christ during the Spanish Civil War. I'm prompted to write on this subject as the death is announced of Thomas Watters, at 99, the last Scottish volunteer from the International Brigade. I suppose, at some stage of my life I instinctively felt some allegiance to such a cause. And, I would imagine if I were born into a Spanish family at such a time when my life chances were diminished by a stultifying church and state I would have become more hardened. Who is to say? But the sheer violence and inhumanity of that conflict , on both sides, jars. The thousands of clergy murdered by Republicans and , more brutally, their family members, as guilt by association is testament to a view that a healthy studied indifference to solutions to problems by war and violence is wise.
In Glasgow there is a statue to Dolores Ibárruri, a leader of the Republicans who, until her death remained a staunch supporter of the old Soviet regime. Perhaps someone should paint her hands red in protest.
It may be a counsel of despair that I cannot fully mourn, without reservation,  someone who gave up so much to fight in a war he saw as advancing the cause of humanity, especially with our myopic culture making such a statement now incredible but there you go perhaps indifference has its value.