sham.69er Posted April 23, 2009 Share Posted April 23, 2009 But it must be remembered that no Englishman....calls himself a Briton without a sneaking sense of the ludicrous, or hears himself referred to as a Britisher without squirming. How should an Englishman utter the words Great Britain with the glow of emotion that goes for him with England? His sovereign may be Her Britanic Majesty to outsiders, but to him is the Queen of England: he talks the English language;he has been taught English history as one continuous tale from Alfred to his own day; he has heard of the word of an Englishman and aspires to be an English gentleman; and he knows that England expects everyman to do his duty...In the word England, not in Britain all these things are implicit. It is unreasonable to ask forty millions of people to refrain from the use of the only names that are in tune with patriotic emotion, or to make them stop and think whether they mean their country in a narrower or wider sense each time they name it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kel83 Posted April 23, 2009 Share Posted April 23, 2009 Happy St George's Day to you all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelwing Posted April 23, 2009 Share Posted April 23, 2009 you too kel83 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beakerzoid Posted April 23, 2009 Share Posted April 23, 2009 Threads merged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Amis Posted April 23, 2009 Share Posted April 23, 2009 All a bit forced innit, this St George's Day resurgence. Very un-English, ironically. Altogether now; We are the Village Green Preservation Society. God save Donald Duck, vaudeville and variety. We are the Desperate Dan Apreciation Society. God save strawberry jam and all the different varieties. Preserving the old ways from being abused. Protecting the new ways, for me and for you. What more can we do? We are the Draught Beer Preservation Society. God save Mrs. Mopp and good old Mother Riley. We are the Custard Pie Appreciation Consortium. God save the George Cross, and all those who were awarded them. We are the Sherlock Holmes English-speaking Vernacular. God save Fu Manchu, Moriarty and Dracula. We are the Office Block Persecution Affinity. God save little shops, china cups, and virginity. We are the Skyscraper Condemnation Affiliates. God save Tudor houses, antique tables, and billiards. Preserving the old ways from being abused. Protecting the new ways, for me and for you. What more can we do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Amis Posted April 23, 2009 Share Posted April 23, 2009 DON’T SAY YOU ARE ENGLISH Goodbye my England, so long old friend Your days are numbered, being brought to an end. To be Scottish or Irish or Welsh that’s just fine, But don’t say you’re English that’s way out of line! Writers like Shakespeare, Milton or Shaw, Do pupils not learn about them anymore? How about Agincourt, Hastings or Mons? Where England lost hosts of her very brave sons. (Ahem, Shaw was Irish.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FORE Posted April 23, 2009 Share Posted April 23, 2009 Great flag today hung over the 'cliffs' to the right of the 5 arches! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smithster Posted April 23, 2009 Share Posted April 23, 2009 I won't be celebrating St George's Day. I'm all for a celebration of Englishness in some form or another, but I think we need to focus on something more worthy than the memorial day of someone who may or may not have existed, almost certainly didn't slay a dragon, definitely never even visited England, and whom we share as patron saint with numerous other countries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splodgeyAl Posted April 23, 2009 Share Posted April 23, 2009 More of a St Edmund man, myself. Happy Random Day, everyone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gripper Stebson Posted April 23, 2009 Share Posted April 23, 2009 I won't be celebrating St George's Day. I'm all for a celebration of Englishness in some form or another, but I think we need to focus on something more worthy than the memorial day of someone who may or may not have existed, almost certainly didn't slay a dragon, definitely never even visited England, and whom we share as patron saint with numerous other countries. Do you feel the same about Christmas and Santa too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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