WHEN I was a child in the 1960s, my late father was asked to work for the Washington Embassy and for nearly two years we lived in America.

Among my childhood memories of that time is visiting the Smithsonian Institute in Washington and seeing Charles Lindbergh's plane the Spirit of St Louis. Lindbergh came to fame having on May 20/21, 1927 flown solo across the Atlantic from New York to Paris. Overnight he achieved celebrity status.

Tragically, at a later date, the Lindberghs suffered the kidnap and murder of their son.

This high-profile case became the inspiration for the Agatha Christie novel Murder on the Orient Express.

Perhaps less well known were Lindbergh's political views.

He, along with several students later to become famous in American legal and national life such as President Gerald Ford, supported an isolationist policy as Europe became engulfed in war.

In 1940 they formed the America First Committee.

In 1941, in what was then a highly controversial speech, Lindbergh used the phrase 'America First' to encourage ordinary citizens to distance themselves from the European troubles.

That speech had racist overtones and was widely condemned as reprehensible. Lindbergh's reputation never recovered.

The America First Committee came to an end when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour. Underlying much of their thinking was the view that those other than themselves were threats to national life and to be feared; protectionism was the way to prosperity.

The now President of America Donald Trump has again brought the phrase to the fore.

While both he and Lindbergh have known celebrity status there are profound differences.

Lindbergh never sought high office and was in many ways a private character.

In making comparisons or drawing conclusions, it is important to note that no two points in history are ever identical nor the challenges or use of words necessarily equivalent.

Nevertheless the question; What should we put first? is as relevant now as ever. In an ever more globalised world identifying who is my neighbour and how can we best serve each other become more relevant not less.

The answers we give and the actions we take have profound consequences.