Big Steve Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 England, my England Goodbye to my England, So long my old friend Your days are numbered, being brought to an end To be Scottish, Irish or Welsh that's fine But don't say you're English, that's way out of line. � The French and the Germans may call themselves such So may Norwegians, the Swedes and the Dutch You can say you are Russian or maybe a Dane But don't say you're English ever again. � At Broadcasting House the word is taboo In Brussels it's scrapped, in Parliament too Even schools are affected. Staff do as they're told They must not teach children about England of old. Writers like Shakespeare, Milton and Shaw The pupils don't learn about them anymore How about Agincourt, Hastings , Arnhem or Mons ? When England lost hosts of her very brave sons. � We are not Europeans, how can we be? Europe is miles away, over the sea We're the English from England, let's all be proud Stand up and be counted - Shout it out loud! � Let's tell our Government and Brussels too We're proud of our heritage and the Red, White and Blue Fly the flag of Saint George or the Union Jack Let the world know - WE WANT OUR ENGLAND BACK !!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cannon Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 Are you alright mate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psyxologos Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 Is this a nursery rhyme? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glensman Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 England, my England Writers like Shakespeare, Milton and Shaw The pupils don't learn about them anymore How about Agincourt, Hastings , Arnhem or Mons ? When England lost hosts of her very brave sons. Shaw was Irish mate... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Steve Posted September 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 Not a nursery rime, just a reaction to the 1150 proposed new laws that the EU are currently discussing and the fact that my local council “West Sussex” are trying to ban the flying of the St. George flag because quote “it has racist undertones”. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glensman Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 Well mate, I can see how that might annoy some people. But I can't fly an Irish flag either, although nor would I nor most people want to... And as I said Shaw was an Irish Nationalist agitator- and his name doesn't even rhythm so you should probably change that bit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Steve Posted September 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 Shaw was Irish mate... Are you sure? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glensman Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 (edited) Born and raised in Dublin, died in England right enough... But a lot of his work was about English imperialist abuse of Ireland. Doesn't fit the context of your poem really! "But Ireland has enough heroes and martyrs already, and if England has not by this time had enough of manufacturing them in fits of temper experience is thrown away on her, and she will continue to be governed, as she is at present to so great an extent unconsciously, by Casement's countrymen." Yours, &c., G. Bernard Shaw. Edited September 2, 2009 by Glensman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexr Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 Sorry mate but I am not sure Hastings counts as an English battle, really it was Anglo Saxons against Normans. Englishness would have been an alien concept to both these peoples. Also you might wish to consider the battle honours of the Black Watch, the Gordons and the Highland light infantry when it comes to Mons. i am not sure my great grandfather who served with the Gordons at Mons would have seen it as an English battle either. same almost certainly goes for Arnhem I'm afraid. However I do and will Fly a Saltier at every opportunity, and the Union Flag as well if it comes to that. I can not see how the flag of St George can be seen as racist. Imperialistic yes, but not racist. It is the symbol of England and you should be proud of your heritage just as the Scots the Irish and the Welsh are. In fact if the English were to develop a coherent identity and a national pride it might reduce the yobbish tendencies shown by many of the youth of today. Before you say anything I will freely admit that this is not something confined to English youth but is seen with the other home nations as well. Unfortunately the other three home nations tend to define themselves in terms of their resistance to the oppressive English, ignoring the Irish Loyalists of both sides of the faith divide that fought at the Boyne, the Scots regiments that fought under Cumberland at Culloden and I am sure there will be a Welsh example as well but I don’t know of one off the top of my head. Stopping this tendency to blame the English for Scottish , Irish and Welsh historical disasters might allow the English to rediscover their achievements and thus the national identity they seem to have misplaced over the last one hundred years. During the last football world cup one of the old men in the street in which I live hung a cross of St George out of his window, must have been ten feet wide. The local council told him to remove it as one of his neighbours had complained. This old chap had served in the western desert and up through Italy. He asked a couple of other (Korean war) veterans in the street to ask around and see who it was so that they could talk. It turned out to be some one four streets away, not some one with an EU passport at that. By this time the whole street had been told so the next time the man from the council came round he was told politely to stop being daft. As it turned out there is no apatite to prosecute some one for flying the flag. The council saw sense and backed down. I think the back lash from the press would have been to much for them. All the best with you campaign Alex ( A confirmed Scot ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MM Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aled Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 I'm Welsh and proud of it, and i must say i feel that any council in England which is trying to ban flying the cross of St George in England due to "racist undertones" must be mad! Its Englands flag, it should be flown in England. As to a better a song for your campaign, track down a West Country Folk band called Show of Hands and listen to their song "Roots" probably answers your needs better. By the way its a song i enjoy. Tight Lines Aled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charliebrown Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 Not a nursery rime, just a reaction to the 1150 proposed new laws that the EU are currently discussing and the fact that my local council “West Sussex” are trying to ban the flying of the St. George flag because quote “it has racist undertones”. Have you got a linky to any official info on it? Id be quite interested to see their reasoning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 Not a nursery rime, just a reaction to the 1150 proposed new laws that the EU are currently discussing and the fact that my local council “West Sussex” are trying to ban the flying of the St. George flag because quote “it has racist undertones”. Hmmm, can`t find owt about it on `tinterweb. However they do have this in their learning portal St.George ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samw Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 well said big steve lol :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 well said MM :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edward Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 (edited) my local council “West Sussex” are trying to ban the flying of the St. George flag because quote “it has racist undertones”. They can **** right off cant they You dont hear about us going to their country and not likeing there flag :( Edited September 2, 2009 by EdwardtheloneShooter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George1990 Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 How absolutely pathetic that we can't fly our own flag. Tell the people who don't like it to **** off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 They can **** right off cant they You dont hear about us going to their country and not likeing there flag :( Whoa there tiger ! Here`s the quote ..... Not a nursery rime, just a reaction to the 1150 proposed new laws that the EU are currently discussing and the fact that my local council “West Sussex” are trying to ban the flying of the St. George flag because quote “it has racist undertones”. The OP has just given a poem and his view, please go back and re-read the whole topic. Nothing in the local papers except good stuff....... http://www.westsussextoday.co.uk/bognor-ne...ying.5200855.jp I will be back in a min when I have had another look across tinterweb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piebob Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 I've seen that poem before but I can't remember if some of it has been stripped or not. There's a few things wrong with it... As has been pointed out, Shaw was Irish. I don't know much about the various battles, but suspect they were BRITISH troops killed - not just English The Union Jack / red, white & blue is the BRITISH flag (but none of the Welsh flag features in it for some reason). But I agreed, why would some councils not want to allow the flying of the flag of St. George? I don't think it's racist. Madness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 Here`s the West Sussex council web page . I can`t find anything about it, if the OP can give us more info it would be nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egg Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 Bit of a fag-end in the powder-keg this one :( I think Arnhem & Mons had their fair share of Scots, Welsh & Irish catching lead for King & Country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth W Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 I've seen that poem before but I can't remember if some of it has been stripped or not. There's a few things wrong with it... As has been pointed out, Shaw was Irish. I don't know much about the various battles, but suspect they were BRITISH troops killed - not just English The Union Jack / red, white & blue is the BRITISH flag (but none of the Welsh flag features in it for some reason). But I agreed, why would some councils not want to allow the flying of the flag of St. George? I don't think it's racist. Madness. That should actually read Union Flag. It is only called a Union Jack when flown from the Jack Staff of a H.M.Warship which is on the Bows, the White Ensign being on the Stern. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charliebrown Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 Here`s the West Sussex council web page . I can`t find anything about it, if the OP can give us more info it would be nice. Of course you cant find anything, cos its not true. These things very rarely are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 whips up a bit of PW fury though just meed Koz along when he wakes up for some more input :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Fudd Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 so what if they try to ban flying the flag. just stick one up anyway. should see our town at the mo, very colourful, red white and blue fluttering all over the place :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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