It's St George's day. Hoorah! Tally ho pip pip etc. Have you dusted down your St George's flag and celebrated your Britishness this morning? No, neither have I cause it's a Christian celebration and has fuck all to do with Britishness.Just as St Patrick didn't actually assuage Ireland from their snake infestation, St George didn't actually slay any dragons. Partly because they're a mythical creature and never existed, but mostly because, like the snake thing, it's an alagorical tale depicting the triumph of Christian values over pagan values.
Now of course, the slaughter of pagan's isn't necessarily a bad thing, I've seen the Wicker Man and those people freak me out, but the fact remains it's still got noffin to do with being British; bowler hats, tea, losing at sports we invented and so on.
So as far as I'm concerned the BNP can keep the flag, I've got no interest in reclaiming it in the name of British tradition and values. I've bought some crayons today and am going to design my own flag to represent me and my values - I suggest you do the same.
3 comments:
Hi Rich!
Don't you get a bit irate about these loony lefties not allowing the English to fly their flag if they want to though? Just in case it upsets some jihadist wanker who wants to give himself the biggest bang he'll ever get.
I'd like to see the training camp,
"right lad's I'll only show you this once" LOL!
Believe it or not, us who do the Queens work like sorting her mail are not allowed to wear a rose or George Cross type badge or anything in case it offends. It seems to have become "Taboo" to have anything to do with the George Cross in England.
I live with the Leek Munchers now and no one thinks anything of flying the Dragon at any time or wearing a daffodil, real or badge like on St Davids day. Nor does anyone bat an eye lid about the fact I wear a shamrock on a necklace and fly the Tricolour from my flagpole.(my Mum is Irish) Though I must admit I do fly it for just the tiniest bit of devilment, but not one comment have I had from any of the neighbours. Incidentally I have the Serbian White Eagle flying at the moment as St George was the Serb patron saint as well (my Dad was a Serb) and I have heard George was actually a Turk(back to Abdul's again). That said, No St Georges day doesn't make me feel any more Brit than at any other time, but I would like the option (if I so wanted) to display a national flag of our fair Isle in our green and pleasant land if I so wished.
Your Mam is Irish and your Dad is a Serb and you live in Wales? So which part of you is English?
I never really understood the fuss over flag flying. Americans lead the world in flag flying and it makes them look rather daft.
I assume people will know I'm English cause I live here and speak English with an English accent and I assume people will believe me to be proud of my nation by the fact that I haven't decided to live somewhere else.
I'm not proud of my nation as it goes. I'm not particularly ashamed of it either. I had no say in being born here and I'm not big on Monarchy's either so I don't consider myself a servant to the Queen, although I like her and her selection of purses.
My loyalties lie with me mostly and my family and friends, but mostly with me. Everything is else has very little to do with me.
National days are fair enough if you want to celebrate English values, but it ought not to be directly connected to religion and too much enthusiasm for them and suddenly people are wearing leather shorts and invading Czechoslovakia.
Well, erm...I was born in England. So in some way I suppose it makes me a bit English. Doesn't it?
My Mrs is half Dutch too. So I suppose that is my kids well and truly messed up LOL!
My Dad was the only true religious one from our family and only on occasions. The Serbs have their particular days (actually they are Eastern Orthodox days)and it was expected of me to be there and do my bit as a kid up till I was about 16(I was too rebellious after that). It comes down to tradition more than true religious belief in my mind & the Serbs love their traditions.
As for my Mam, she gave up her Papist ways long ago. It was partly to do with the RC church wanting nothing to do with marrying her to my Dad without him becoming RC. HELLO! Not very likely seeing as he was an exile who had fought a hard war on 2 fronts against Nazis and Croats who just happen to also be RC's. So they stuck their fingers up and got married in the Orthodox church.
To be honest I'm not really proud to be anything. English, Irish or Serb. All 3 have their dark past and some not so long ago, but like you say I'm not that ashamed either as I had no say or part in any of the aforementioned countries particular pieces of history. Also like you I have no particular interest in the monarchy or Queen B. Except maybe her hats. I work for a company that carries her arms (wonder who lifts hers legs?), but that's as far as it goes.
I also agree with the national days/religion going too far and ending in nationalism. Kinky lot them fascists.
Must admit the septics go a bit far with the nationalism thing. Do they still do the anthem at the cinema before a film and at the start of a school day etc? I think if we did that here we'd all be asleep in 2 secs as the national anthem is so boring. I suppose they could replace it with "Jerusalem" as it is now redundant from churches deemed not religious, but that would upset the tick tock's, taffy's and paddy's all together.
Post a Comment