 | | | Subject: St Georges Day needs to be recognised!
Posted Mar 18, 2009 by Crickett
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1
 | | What do you think of the main factors affecting a sense of national identity?
I think national identity stems from a pride about your homeland. That sense of pride may be from coping with adversity, or a colourful history, or beautiful scenery (all of which England has) but there also has to be a movement of people who want to celebrate these things and feel strongly about them (which Ireland and Scotland and Wales have in spades, but the English really don't). National Identity can also be celebrated on a saint's day for example, which again happens in Ireland, Scotland and Wales, but not England. Which is a shame.
Do you feel as if you possess characteristics that might be regarded as 'typical' of the people of your nation?
No, but then again I hate conforming to stereotypes. I do like a decent cup of tea though, and I do tend to get through adverse situations with a stiff upper lip.
Is it necessarily dangerous to have a strong feeling of national identity, or the starting point for self-respect, leading to peaceful co-operation with other nations?
It depends who leads the nationalist cause. If the leaders are total loonies then obviously it could lead to bad things. However, if it a movement from the people in general, then I think it is a good thing. Self respect is good. We need more of it!
Do you feel as if you belong to a larger community, such as the European Community - or do you regard yourself as a citizen of the world?
The EC only effects me when I pay VAT (Grr) and want to do something and then can't (Grr again!). No, I am not a citizen of the world. I am a citizen of the United Kingdom. I am also English. Unfortunately it is politically unacceptable for me to celebrate this. So instead, I have a jolly old time celebrating St Patrick's Day (I am 1/8th Irish) and St Andrew's Day (I am 1/8th Scottish). And on St George's Day I wear red and white. Always.
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| | | Subject: St Georges Day needs to be recognised!
Posted Mar 19, 2009 by richardbees
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6
 | | There is now an insolvable problem because we are now shackled by a huge range of legislation designed to promote 'multiculturalism' and to avoid giving offence to members of ethnic minorities.
If there were a St Georges day event, priority would be given to ensure that new migrants took part and that Sri Lankan folk dancing, Bangladeshi dragon dancing and Peruvian flute bands etc etc were all included.
The England that was represented by St George no longer exists.
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| | | Subject: St Georges Day needs to be recognised!
Posted Mar 20, 2009 by FordsTowel
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7
| | I think it's fine to promote multiculturalism, but that doesn't require that people ignore a nation's heroes who should be honoured on a higher, different level than celebrating individual cultures.
St. George may no longer be as important, but he makes more sense than the UK celebrating... oh, Mao Tse Tung, General Custer, or Steve Irwin. Those individuals may be important to the cultures that spawned them, but they shouldn't be integrated into every nations psyche just because those nations may have Chinese, USA, or Australian citizens.
I would expect a certain acceptance and tolerance for foreign religious holidays being celebrated just about anywhere. But, even if each of us wanted to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, we wouldn't want that celebration legislated, eh?
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| | | Subject: St Georges Day needs to be recognised!
Posted Mar 23, 2009 by richardbees
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10
| | I think Englishness is expressed by a collection of events like the Remembrance Day ceremony at the Cenotaph, "last night at the proms", the Oxford / Cambridge boat race, a carriage procession from the palace to the city for a visiting head of state....etc
So what on earth could we have on St Georges Day? Massed Morris dancing...heaven forbid
But I agree with the sentiment which has been caused by unrestricted immigration - and a feeling that we have lost our identity and been denied our birthright.
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