The sad goings-on in Ramzi's home country, Lebanon, has got me thinking.
British, particularly the English are meant to be patriotic, but to me, thuggish, yob mentality is NOT patriotic. Racism and bigotry is not what patriotism is about. When I read about people coming together, uniting for a cause, joined by their opinions with saddened, angry feelings, it makes me wonder if the same happened in this country... what would people do? Obviously, we haven't had civil wars, none of the troubles as other countries have suffered/are suffering, but if a former prime minister got killed here... would we care? We'd be unnerved, but for how long? It sadly makes me realise we never love, look up to or respect the people who run our country. They don't deserve our adoration for how useless they are, but it's still quite sad. Do we really have to go through the horrors of wars and struggles for freedom, issues on a mega scale in order to look up to our leaders? These are the times we need them most, for sure, but what else does it take to merely be proud of your country and our leaders. These so called figure heads will never speak up for us enough to earn our admiration; they'll never listen to us enough to earn the popularity they crave. But, do we have any to give? Our news today reported as the main headline, that the Queen wouldn't be attending her son's wedding. Fair do's, it's news I suppose.. but is that really more important than the other headlines, which included that dodgy food dye getting into school and hospital food, the Iraqi prisoner abuse trial and such like? The media is far too concerned with Beckhams new baby, celebrity scandals and dull newsbites about the goings on behind the royal closed doors, to focus on the real news.
Though I don't envy the tough times and the troubles, I envy the solidarity and unity that the people of lebanon have shown.
On a totally different and completely superficial note... I'm looking at some image hosting sites to set up an online photo album... anyone have any recommendations?
5 comments:
Slink.
You have raised some valid points. I just feel I should stir the air here.
Some of our leaders do deserve a little respect: Can you imagine the size of the crater that would sit where Iraq is if Blair had not been the voice of reason in Bush's ear? No-one knows for sure if he did actually talk his finger away from the button, but I personally think that the Iraq conflict would have been a much messier affair without Blair.
And don't get me started on the royals!!!
If they want to be respected and revered, then they have to operate in a way that makes them 'not normal public'. Thay made a mistake in becoming more 'normal' in the last twenty years, and it has harmed them. Now they are questionable by - and answerable to the public.
Now, to answer the title of your post:
I LOVE England. No, I'm not a football fan, can't stand the sport.
This country has some things that you just don't find in many other places in the world. One of these that I believe to be great is multi-ethnicity.
Visit any major city in England and you will find whites, blacks, chinese, japanese, indian-asians and just about every other race, colour and creed living shoulder to shoulder and getting along just fine. I have been to smaller cities before, even lived in Carlisle for 5 years, and they bug me. Why? They are too 'white'. These are places where you are considered an outsider if you don't have the latest seasons football shirt and neck 13 pints of carling premier a night.
The vast majority of blacks, indian-asians and oriental-asians I know back in London are proud to be able to call themselves British and English. The minority just flat out don't understand the concept.
So, sorry for dragging on, but I really do feel that should events take a nose-dive in this country, there would without a doubt be a standing together by the people. I am truly sorry that it takes matters of indescribable nastiness in other places around the world to make us think about things like this, and I mean really think, as you obviously have, but in short - most folk know how much they have in being part of this fine nation.
People are, for the most part, nice.
No I agree with you. Of course leaders deserve a little respect, hell knows as much as everyone thinks they could run a country, it's obviously a job that takes alot out of an individual, and not many could deal with it.
I too love england, and once in a while you come across some truly friendly people who make it seem like the best place on earth. Unfortunatly in my experience they're few and far between... but then I'm only 21... got alot of people to meet yet!
Thanks anyways flakester and sorry for the miserable post!
X_Sook_X :
The major English Civil War (there were smaller skirmish type ones)was from 1642-1651.
And thank you very much for reminding me of the fact that folk in football shirts built the country. *hahahahahahahahahaha*
My ribs hurt now.
Fred Dibnah is a personal hero of mine: The man on the street built this country, I've done my time labouring and steel fitting on sites. And enjoyed most of it too.
Travel to Bristol for the weekend. Go out in the city center for a few jars with some friends on a saturday evening. Make sure that at least three of your friends are easily identifiable as Chinese.
If possible, make one of your Chinese friends 6'2". And see how your view of the general public gets distorted, with some help - from the general public.
As for looking down on people¿?
None are above me, none are below me.
in response to X_Sook_X ... I don't look down on people wearing football shirts and if you read my post you'd see that I mentioned football thugs not you're everyday fan. I believe YOU are tarring them with the same brush, not me.
oh yeah. :P
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