Proud to be British

[boomer]

This post is blatently political and I offer no apology.

The Blair administration has made it abundently clear that they despise anything that smacks of celebrating our history and heritage and are clearly intent on destroying our culture, values and everything that made this country great. Given the public reaction to the passing of HMQM and the events of the last week or so, I sincerely hope that some temors of concern are at last beginning to be felt in the corridors of Millbank Tower and Downing Street.

I have dual nationality and am unbelievably proud, and grateful, to acknowledge my British connections.

 

[Guest]

I can't see the relationship between the Blair administration and the passing of HMQM, and about the public reaction... what public reaction?... the public reaction before or after that the traditional media blamed against newsreaders in TV without blackties and nobody in the queues. This is one of the best examples of the power of the media.

 

[numenius]

eh? nm

eh?

http://members.lycos.co.uk/boaty1965/index.htm

 

[byron]

I too have dual nationality as does (I think) Tomo and Stefan. It is at times like this that people such as us become more British than the 100% Brits.

ô¿ô

 

[zefender]

Not sure this forum is the right place for the post....

Also not sure the public reaction was quite as the media reported it. For example one million people watched the procession? Really? One in fifty of the population of GB were standing somewhere between Westminster Abbey and Windsor. Don't think so somehow. I work about 400 yds from the abbey and was amazed at the lack of crowds.
Also, I'm not sure all the coverage was either representative of most people in the country or entirely healthy. But no insult intended.
Finally, I'm not sure why the death of a member of the royal family should provoke such hostility towards the Prime Minister. At least he has a clear mandate for his job.

 

[BarryD]

Disagree - the comment on the PM was towards the policy of being so weak and ineffective that it becomes illegal or an insult to fly the national flag incase you upset the neighbours who are from France or something like that. Pride in the country, it's history and it's future is treated as something "horrible" by the current government.

Did a million people watch the funeral? It was not that busy in central London or on the trains but there was certainly a heck of a lot of bodies around.

Barry D.

IMHO & FWIW, NWGOI.

 

[zefender]

Think the point was wider than just the flag - "celebrating our history and heritage and are clearly intent on destroying our culture, values and everything that made this country great"

Genuine pride in our country and its history is all very well - as long as it is balanced by sincere shame on some of the truly dreadful things it has done historically too.

I don't want to give the impression of being a Blair toady but many of his speeches on such 'state' occasions have been decidedly patriotic in nature and surprised quite a few observers with their traditionalist tones.

IMHO, oh dear...flames this way please!

 

[boomer]

What he does and what he says are two entirely different things. Our Tone used to be very adept at playing to the crowd but now his performance is no more than a sick joke, a con that any thinking person sees thro' immediately (all IMHO of course). And if you want a very recent example of something that this country should be thoroughly ashamed of, take this Governments abandonment of British citizens in Zimbabwe, whilst President Blair still finds the time to sort out the rest of the worlds problems.

I have taken enough liberties with this Forum and will now let the matter rest. Thank you for your indulgence. At least its smoked out a couple of Guardian readers and as such they are more to pitied than reviled. And it suggests that PCMBOT's raging cynicism is probably just a reflection of the line he and his fellow chatterers have been fed.

 

[zefender]

Wasn't aware that Guardian readers need to be smoked out but I'm not entirely sure what you've been smoking! Hmm let me see... I wonder what newspaper you (struggle to) read...

 

[paulineb]

That was a very childish and obviously inaccurate piece of rudeness. If you can't have an adult discussion without resorting to petty insults, then say nothing. BTW and FWIW I totally agree with Dr Boomer.

Pxx

 

[zefender]

Yep - I tried not to rise to the bait given the rant and, until the last response I succeeded. I'm sorry.

I'm sure plenty agree with the good doctor B but I'm not convinced so many would say so with such fury.

 

[claymore]

Oh good - now its got rude and personal I'll join in. - Nah, maybe not - I'm not sure what its all about and I only read the Guardian on Tuesdays because thats Education day...will this affect my pension?
Anyway nice to be back here, shame about HRH but we all die sometime - amazing how people being sad can rally the nation and spark a bit of Royalist fervour. Whatever happened to Willie Hamilton?
regards
John S


What care we - tho' white the Minch is,
What care we boys, for wind or weather?

 

[Buck]

Boomer, there is one glaring error in your post, you assume that Tony Blair sees himself as the Prime Minister of Britain, where in fact he wants to be George Bush's prison bitch.

Buck

The thing about men and fish is one is always trying to eat the other.

 

[paulineb]

Trust you to join in when it gets down and dirty - are you back to work now after another of your ludicrously long breaks.

Pxx

 

[claymore]

Hello petal
yes back at the grindstone. Mildly upset that yesterday wasn't a national holiday so apart from bank holidays I'm here right through until June - seems ages, don't know how I'll cope
Trust you are in rudest of health?
regards
Jsx

What care we - tho' white the Minch is,
What care we boys, for wind or weather?

 

[paulineb]

Yes Thanks JS, couldn't be ruder ;-)

Pxx

 

[KevB]

Yes I must agree, it's almost become anti social to be Proud of our heritage. Yes in the past 'we' may have done some things which we can't rightly say 'we are proud of' but all things taken into consideration we as a nation have been beyond reproach.


And yes I am Proud to be British (well English actually)

All IMHO of course.

 

[Guest]

There wasn't raging cynicism in my post, I haven't fellow chatterers and politics don't fed me. There were only facts in my post.

After HMQM die there weren't public reaction, and, for example, newsreaders in TV were without blackties (you can read about in UK and abroad newspapers). Traditional media criticized this with for example a photo of a empty queue (there are articles in abroad newspapers as well). After this the media and the public reaction changed or the media gave us this impression.

 

[oldgit]

Now who was it said\"Patriotism is the last\"etc etc

NM

Service with a snarl.

 

[ToMo]

You could, you could!.....and we are all waiting with our tongues loling out to see how much.....!