| Archive for Our Scotland - www.our-scotland.org Scottish Politics Discussion Forum / Messageboard - Dedicated to online discussion about Scottish Politics and an Independent Scotland, as well as Scottish Society today. We also have a section dedicated to Banter, Sport and Recommended Sites. |
| SLG |
St George's Day grows in strengthAnyone celebrating? BBC website's got an article about the growing acceptance of St George's Day and English identity in general (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4877086.stm). I definately notice a huge difference from when I moved to England in 2000, when it never even got a mention, compared with now, when this has become a serious event.
Aparently Angus MacNeil MP for na h-Eileanan Siar if flying couple of St George's Crosses from his constituency offices to represent his English constituents. |
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| Lothian Sky |
I'm not the least bit threatened by English identity, in fact, I rather enjoy many aspects of it. Cider, yorkshire puddings, morris dancing, poncy footballers,the lot.
It's true you see the St.George's cross a lot more in England than you used to. It's a shame they can be proud of their flag, while we still have people (like Peter Dow!) who rally around the union jack, and see the saltire as lower down in the pecking order. Good luck to them. |
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| True Scotsman |
Looks like the English are starting to be proud of their identity again. They have the right to celebrate their own culture just as we Scots have celebrate our own culture or any other country in the World has the same right.
________________________________ FREEDOM FOR SCOTLAND!!!!!!!! |
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| azzuri |
I agree - the English seem to have lost their way for a while but are now starting to reclaim their flag - which seems to coincide with a growing acceptance for English culture - good on them! | ||||||||
| Aventinian |
I think all these quests that people seem to be embarking on to find their culture are just marks of insecurity.
In Britain at the height of our imperial age we had no need to fly flags, select 'icons of England' on websites or any of that pish. We knew we were the best, we didn't need to go around showing it. |
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| SLG |
There may be an element of insecurity, after all national identity is important to a lot of people and the Empire is dead and England as a nation is changing. Mostly, I think it's common when artifical multinational states come to an end that the constituent nations attempt to 'find themselves' and with the overlap between Britain and England unraveling, England is starting this process. |
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| Aventinian |
Excuse me? Artificial multinational states?
If you're talking about the UK then you're as far off the mark as you could be. Certainly far less artificial than most countries... or indeed Scotland. |
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| Firefox |
Dear god SLG, stop telling the truth of you'll send the engerlish posters into some kind of apoplectic fit... | ||||||||
| Aventinian |
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| Rinty |
iI was in catalonia this week where St George is also the national saint. In a deeply religious country a catholic martyr seem to make some sense. What I dont understand is why England celebrate it. There doesn't seem to any regious aspect to the celebrations so why have your national day in honour of a palestinian christian martyr? |
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| Lothian Sky |
You're a haver. When the Empire was at its peak, you couldn't move for union flags at gala days and coronations. Even as early as 30 years ago, the union flag was often seen at Scotland matches. It was everywhere. If you want an example of insecurity Aventinian, it's hiding behind the union flag so we don't need to take responsibility for our own destiny. It's allowing our youth to be dragged into wars because of Bush and Blair. It's watching our relatives, our revenue and our talent flow south and being absolutely incabable of stirring up the guts to do anything about it. It's voting to stay part of the UK. That's insecurity. |
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| SLG |
Are you telling me that the UK of GB and NI is not a multinational state? And that it found itself in existance naturally? And that it is the natural body under which Scotland should be governed?
Well Aventinian isn't English, he's British . And I think it hurts him personally when folk take shots at the Kingdom  .
For the same reason that most folk celebrate the other saint's days. It's meaning has changed. Some churches might try and give a sermon on their saint when their day turns up, but for most folk the meaning of these days is now about national celebration. The 'saint's day' aspect is now pretty much legacy. A bit like Halloween and xmas.
That's right, for a lot of folk it is purely about keeping the status quo because they are feart of change. That's why I'm sure that once we become Independent, almost noone will want to go back to Union. |
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| Rinty |
h
You're probably right but that still confuses me. People in England dont actually celebrate St Georges day and the moves to increase english national identity are largely based around st georges day and the flag. If there is no existing tradition of celebrating why dont they jusy have an england day? I suppose most people don't realise that on Guy fawkes day that they are performing a mock ritual of burning a catholic at the stake, but St Geroges day actually needs promotion to get ot going as an institution, why bother when you could promote another day. It happens to be the same day as the anniversary of Shakespeares death, surely he has done more for English identity than George the Palestinian catholic. |
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| Blackleaf |
I like it when people celebrate St Patrick's Day, even though I never celebrate.
I suppose they are celebrating the life of an Englishman. |
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| azzuri |
yes of course: most people born and bred near Dumbarton are English.
You are an absolute tool - every post of yours today has had glaring factual inaccuracies. |
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| Wolf of Badenoch |
Couldnae hae put it better masel.
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| Leathlaobhair |
Re: i
Yeah I don't get it either. St. George never even stepped on any part of Britain. There's also the fact that he's the patron saint of .. the Netherlands, Canada, Catalonia, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, Palestine, Portugal, syphilis sufferers, lepers, Boy Scouts, butchers, Italy, shepherds .... I've read some English nationalists would rather prefer St. Edmund, as he's more anglo-centric than George. But George seems more anchored in popular conciousness. |
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| Aventinian |
Re: i
I've been neglecting this thread a bit, but I'll get to it eventually. Just wanted to voice my support for St Columba over St Andrew... |
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