Is celebrating St Georges Day racist?

[mikem8634]

Copy & paste from wiki=

 

In Islamic cultures

 

Saint George is somewhat of an exception among saints and legends, in that he is known and respected by Muslims, as well as venerated by Christians throughout the Middle East, from Egypt to Asia Minor.[40] His stature in these regions derives from the fact that his figure has become somewhat of a composite character mixing elements from Biblical, Quranic and folkloric sources, at times being partially identified with Al-Khidr.[40] He is said to have killed a dragon near the sea in Beirut and at the beginning of the 20th century Muslim women used to visit his shrine in the area to pray to him.[40]

 

... and furthermore, from A Multicultural Saint by Fiyaz Mughal

 

...This picture of St George is clearly not as simple and straightforward as far-right groups such as the English Defence League (EDL) and its offshoots would like to make out when they march up and down waving the Cross of St George. (Interestingly, the EDL would no doubt denounce our patron saint's Palestinian lineage, whilst dreaming and salivating that if St George were alive today, he may well have been a Golden Dawn supporter).

 

So, as the EDL muster their handful of followers after their crushing humiliation during their second demonstration in Brighton on 21 April, where does this leave an organisation that is so alien to the culture of what modern Britain has become?

 

The St George's flag that the EDL waves represents a historical, social and cultural plurality that the far right simply cannot understand. It leaves them looking and sounding like social dinosaurs. The people of Brighton sent the EDL packing a few months ago and they have been sent packing again, this time from a combination of anti-fascist campaigners, faith communities, LGBT groups and the youth of Brighton.

 

Many communities today seek to reclaim the celebration of St George's Day away from the far right. It is time for St George's Day to reflect the true state of modern Britain - where all communities have a stake in celebrating an occasion which is about shared experiences and values. Within that social space, there is no room for the purveyors of hate or the social dinosaurs who hark on about cultural and racial uniformity.

 

Let us reclaim our collective symbolism through St George, who represents what we are today: a mix of opinions, genes, cultural and social influences and even, dare we say it, religious beliefs. Those who deny this, deny their very existence.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/fiyaz-mughal/st-george-a-multicultural-saint_b_3131050.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cukt1%7Cdl16%7Csec3_lnk2%26pLid%3D174001

[SevenRivers]

... and furthermore, from A Multicultural Saint by Fiyaz Mughal

 

...This picture of St George is clearly not as simple and straightforward as far-right groups such as the English Defence League (EDL) and its offshoots would like to make out when they march up and down waving the Cross of St George. (Interestingly, the EDL would no doubt denounce our patron saint's Palestinian lineage, whilst dreaming and salivating that if St George were alive today, he may well have been a Golden Dawn supporter).

 

So, as the EDL muster their handful of followers after their crushing humiliation during their second demonstration in Brighton on 21 April, where does this leave an organisation that is so alien to the culture of what modern Britain has become?

 

The St George's flag that the EDL waves represents a historical, social and cultural plurality that the far right simply cannot understand. It leaves them looking and sounding like social dinosaurs. The people of Brighton sent the EDL packing a few months ago and they have been sent packing again, this time from a combination of anti-fascist campaigners, faith communities, LGBT groups and the youth of Brighton.

 

Many communities today seek to reclaim the celebration of St George's Day away from the far right. It is time for St George's Day to reflect the true state of modern Britain - where all communities have a stake in celebrating an occasion which is about shared experiences and values. Within that social space, there is no room for the purveyors of hate or the social dinosaurs who hark on about cultural and racial uniformity.

 

Let us reclaim our collective symbolism through St George, who represents what we are today: a mix of opinions, genes, cultural and social influences and even, dare we say it, religious beliefs. Those who deny this, deny their very existence.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/fiyaz-mughal/st-george-a-multicultural-saint_b_3131050.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cukt1%7Cdl16%7Csec3_lnk2%26pLid%3D174001

 

Very ironic that he says we should reclaim it (I don't think it even does need reclaiming which suggests ownership by one particular group) whilst simultaneously reminding us all of it's association with a very tiny minority of extremists, how can it be reclaimed as he puts it whilst people like him won't let us forget it's a symbol of choice for far-right groups. I woudn't expect anything less of the Huff mind.

[mikem8634]

Very ironic that he says we should reclaim it (I don't think it even does need reclaiming which suggests ownership by one particular group) whilst simultaneously reminding us all of it's association with a very tiny minority of extremists, how can it be reclaimed as he puts it whilst people like him won't let us forget it's a symbol of choice for far-right groups. I woudn't expect anything less of the Huff mind.

 

I don't think it needs reclaiming either, but how can he state his case that it should be without pointing out who from?

[Chris_Sleeps]

Very ironic that he says we should reclaim it whilst simultaneously reminding us all of it's association with a very tiny minority of extremists

That's not ironic.

[melthebell]

of course its not racist, thats just foolish

 

HOWEVER

 

it has been grasped in the past 10 years by individuals of a certain ilk as a backlash against a certain religious group and immigrants in general........which isnt good.

 

personally speaking ive said it before and ill keep speaking it

 

I dont need to celebrate..............or announce where i come from, im proud to be human, im proud to be english, im proud to be from yorkshire and none of that will change

neither do i need to use the day as some form of political platform. and i find it laughable, always have, always do that people insist on using somebody to celebrate THIS COUNTRY whos neither english nor celebrated purely by the english, it defies logic

 

HAPPY FREEBORN JOHN DAY everybody

[mikem8634]

of course its not racist, thats just foolish

 

HOWEVER

 

it has been grasped in the past 10 years by individuals of a certain ilk as a backlash against a certain religious group and immigrants in general........which isnt good.

 

personally speaking ive said it before and ill keep speaking it

 

I dont need to celebrate..............or announce where i come from, im proud to be human, im proud to be english, im proud to be from yorkshire and none of that will change

neither do i need to use the day as some form of political platform. and i find it laughable, always have, always do that people insist on using somebody to celebrate THIS COUNTRY whos neither english nor celebrated purely by the english, it defies logic

 

HAPPY FREEBORN JOHN DAY everybody

 

I agree with that, well said. (Apart from the Yorkshire bit)

[retep]

W.S. Gilbert's "Mikado" rightly criticised

"The idiot who praises, with enthusiastic tone,

All centuries but this and every country but his own."

 

To be proud of England is not racist

 

Would have preferred Boadicea or Edmund me sen, but the bold says it all.

[SevenRivers]

That's not ironic.

 

You don't think so? He says we need to reclaim it but he's the one making the connection to the far right.

[SiSiSi]

Since when was any nationality an ethnic race? Surely being born in England makes someone English regardless of ethnic background.

[SevenRivers]

Nice to see CBeebies making shields and paper mache dragons earlier and Google have a doodle.