The author of this piece says he is English, and advocates some form of English nationalism, though how he can reconcile that notion with the delusion that Linton Kwesi Johnson ("Inglan Is a Bit*h'') is ''English'' is more than I can fathom.
Still, the writer expresses a longing for a feeling of pride in England and a ''guilt-free positive sense of belonging' to his own country. Coming from someone who is evidently very liberal and 'multicultural' by ideology, that is a hopeful sign.
The comments, as always, are worth reading; there are definite strains amongst the commenters, based on whether or not they are English, or whether they have swallowed the multicult kool-aid.
'Rollingstone' writes some good comments, in my opinion.
David Hewson says:
England and the English are fast disappearing thanks to the divisive nonsense that is Multiculturalism, I loved England, but it doesn't really exist any more, in just 13 years labour open the immigration floodgates and destroyed the make up of the nation, wanna know what the future looks like? see the East End of London now, a totally foreign country.''
'King Baratheon' asks:
Do you HAVE to believe in Multiculturalism to be considered an "acceptable patriot"? I believe in a multi ethnic society, not a multicultural society.
However, if you believe in neither of those things, does that mean you have to be lumped together with the skinheads? Can we accept there are SOME decent White English patriots that love English folk music, love English Literature, love the English landscape and all of English culture...but perhaps do not believe in Multiculturalism? Is that form of patriotism utterly unacceptable in certain nations, yet promoted in others?''
The above commenter apparently doesn't see that multiculturalism and 'multiethnic societies' go together, and moreover, that it should not be compulsory for anyone to give assent to 'multiethnic society' in order to be acceptable, either.
Notice that the 'Scottish' commenter tartanse says this:
Scots come in many forms. Have you not seen Hardeep Singh Koli on telly recently? He's been on quite a lot.
[...]
Think Hardeep Singh Koli in a kilt. We both know he's not descended from Scots, but to me he is a Scot.''
This is apparently the SNP's idea of 'Scottish nationalism' ("One Nation, Many Peoples") illustrated for us. Take note.
The following is an illustration of what happens with people of mixed (though related) ancestries:
''I think that the concept of the United Kingdom is helpful in that it makes it easier for those of differing cultural and sometimes racial backgrounds to become part of the whole. I am English of Irish and Scottish descent so it is easier for me to think of myself as British than of the English who were the sometimes cruel conquerors of my ancestors. The term British is all-embracing. If I am English then I have to take on that identity alone, which would not feel comfortable, though I have many of the characteristics of an Englishman. I am sure this is just as true of other British people from the Indian subcontinent, the West Indies, China, Africa etc etc.''
Confusion twice confounded. "British" includes absolutely everybody born on, or inhabiting, the soil of the United Kingdom. English people do not exist, and/or they are a mongrel, multiracial people. Britain has always been multiracial -- so the party line goes. And people now believe this. How can a people who are not a people reconstitute themselves?
We have a parallel situation here, but ours, of course, is worse because we have so much ethnic confusion here, even more than in the UK.
More and more, I believe that 'smaller is better', in terms of ethnic and kin allegiances; it is a mockery of 'nationalism' to try to forge disparate peoples -- even people of close kinship like those of the British Isles -- into one agglomerate of people under a political ''Union.''
We have a similar situation with our North/South divide.
Let each people be distinct. Peoples with historic grievances against each other should not be thrown together and kept together in shotgun 'marriages', as multiethnic societies tend to be.
