Nana told me the stories as I grew up--how her father died, young, in a mining accident. How her mother survived on a widow's pension during the Great Depression, supplementing her income as a seamstress. What nana's job was like in a mixed-gender anti-aircraft battery. What it was like the night Coventry got bombed.
Nana made sure I knew that the history of England was long and proud. She made sure I understood the importance.
She called every baby "His Majesty" or "Her Majesty", and I think she actually meant it.
I've often said that my heart is American, but my soul is British. When I've been in England, I've felt home.
The more I hear about England today, though, with its accommodationist multicultural death wish and stories like this, maybe I wouldn't recognize it at all.
Britons are losing their grip on reality, according to a poll which shows nearly a quarter think Winston Churchill was a myth, while the majority reckon Sherlock Holmes was real.
I truly want to believe it's a bad joke.
11 comments:
Like I said, an accommodationist multicultural deathwish.
I wouldnt take this seriously. It strikes me as being a classic PR style "survey" that is designed to say "people need to watch our TV channel". Recent examples have included a scientific study showing someone had the sexiest walk, and that such and such a day was the best to book a holiday. Not that there arent issues with education in the UK, but this is just another nonsense story..
Let us hope.
Pseudotsoga,
C'mon now! Don't lump every Muslim together with extreme fanatics of the faith. That's like saying the KKK is what all Christians are like. I live down the street from a Muslim family, who are kind and loving and proud Americans.
I grant you that the British are going too far with the allowances, but the entire religion shouldn't be disparaged.
If the UK culture is being destroyed, perhaps you could point to an aspect of that? What cultural activity/behaviour can't British people take part in any longer?
Jeez Dr. Pezz, can't you wait until someone lumps every Muslim together with the extreme fanatics of the faith before tut-tutting in disapproval?
The mention of Muslims was made in the comments and wasn't disparaging by any means. It's hardly disparaging to be critical of the assumption that your religious law trumps local law.
If you don't like the local proscription against polygamy then don't emigrate.
If you do emigrate don't be too surprised if the law is applied uniformly and your polygamy is treated as a crime.
As for the blog posting, it doesn't surprise me in the least that British kids are no longer being taught Britain's history. The trend's been in full swing here in the states, starting in California no doubt, for a decade or two. As we all know, fads sweep from west to east starting in California.
I figure by about 2015 Russian kids will think "Stalin" is an energy drink. Heck, by 2015 they might be right.
Criticizing Muslims, for starters.
Doing anything regarding pigs (such as telling stories about 3 little ones) that doesn't involve actually eating the pig.
Those are 2 off the top of my head.
Don't be so touchy, Donalbain. If you think things are just ducky in cheery old England, have at it. I view from a distance, and I don't like what I see. England has gone soft on its own culture, and is giving it away to people who will supplant it with Islam.
I hope you all get a backbone before it's too late. I want my soul to *stay* English.
I would beg to differ with the innocuous image of the publicly assimilated Muslims. We have many Muslim families, and frankly, only the more educated ones fully participate and communicate with teachers. Sadly, in our area, a seemingly "normal" Muslim family suffered a horrible tragedy when the father killed his two teenage daughters for the unforgiveable sin of dating American boys. The backstory is that many Muslims emigrate to nations that will give them amenities such as an education, health care and such, but they have little intention of allowing their culture to adapt. So we have twelfth century morality waring with twenty-first century behavior. any sociologist will tell you that it is a recipe for war-and that if nations don't set some limits, they are liable to be subjugated by the manipulation of their own legal system.
I love the Brits. I was born there Im proud of that for no particular reason. I spoke the queens english for the first five years of my life before moving to the USA had an english nanny who was awesome. My parents speak of our time in England quite highly and I refuse to believe the 3000 surveyed were in their right mind.
Allen,
This, "people who want to kill you if you anger them," lumps violence with Muslims. There's no separation there.
As to the post I do think religious people of minority faiths or opinions often expect--mistakenly so, in my opinion--that exceptions should be made just for them. This would be one of those. Without adapting to the new culture (as ellen said), tensions will mount until an escalation occurs.
Here's another example:
http://www.samizdata.net/blog/archives/2008/02/the_archbishop.html
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