In the blog British Nationalist Watch, Nicholas Morgan proposes that the flag of Wales be flown 365 days a year at every public building in Wales, and that no Union flags should be flown there.
Every true nationalist, and indeed Welsh man or woman, would agree with his suggestion.
It is not appropriate to follow Gordon Brown's wish that the Union flag be flown at every public building in the UK, particularly as Wales is not represented on the Union flag. The countries represented include only England, Scotland and Ireland. Therefore, to fly the Union flag in Wales is to remind people of the domination of the London-based government over Welsh Affairs. We do not need to be reminded of this fact which has no basis in our view of reality. The reality is that there are four nations in the British isles, and some would say five if Cornwall is included. If that is so, how can there be such a thing as a "British" nation? Britain is but a grouping of interdependent nations. Even the term "The British Isles" is suspect, as one of the nations comprising Ireland is not British. As I said in a previous post, to my knowledge there is not one Union flag being flown in the Irish Republic today.
So let us examine and reflect on this spurious term "Britishness", which has been coined to mean the indentification of some with the unethical union of British nations in these islands. There is an idea of Britishness but it means little to the loyal people of Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Cornwall. Nevertheless, we must face the fact that it means a great deal to those who cling to the past, to the glories of the Empire, and support the policies of politicians who send out men and women to fight in vain foreign wars a la Thatcher and a la Blair/Bush. These ill-conceived adventures should not concern the people of Wales and Scotland, for they have no interest in imposing democracy on other sovereign nations and otherwise interfering in their affairs. Wales and Scotland seek their place in Europe, in the European Union, which is the real arena for discussion, on decisions to be made and actions to be implemented. We must all consider exactly where our loyalties lie, and to whom we give our allegiance, to Wales or to Britain - it cannot be to both. If one gives allegiance to Britain one is rejecting the fact of Welsh nationhood and paying fealty and homage to the British establishment and all its ramifications. Yet if one claims to be an English nationalist and rejects the term "British" one follows an authentic course. More and more we see the flag of St George being flown in England, and good luck to them, I say. Let us reclaim our inheritance. The Welsh are the true British.
"The Nineteenth century saw a great Springtime of Nations as the revolutions of 1848 saw new countries created the length and breadth of Europe. In our world today we are now seeing our own Spring Awakening with people and cultures that have long been dormant and subdued asserting their right to exist, their right to dream." Adam Price MP
"Senior Scottish Nationalist Alex Neil claimed the Saltire represented the future while the Union flag represented the past.
ReplyDeleteHe said: "If you had a referendum, most people would want the Saltire rather than the Union Jack."
Source
http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=1119422007
Enoch Powell used to talk about the test of war - when you have a war then the true national feeling of a people comes to the surface. Take the two world wars, the Welsh and the Scots rallied to the British cause, the Irish didn't. I guess your as old as me Alan and can remember just how strong Britishness was in Wales in the 1950s in the aftermath of war.
ReplyDeleteIn the years ahead we are going to face a new war of sorts - the Islamofascists, who are the enemies of us all, are bound to get lucky and cause thousands of deaths on the streets of Britain. the task of Welsh patriots is to be on the right side of that war while guarding against the inevitable rush towards Britishness of three nations under attack from a common enemy.
The fanatic Islamists (Wahabis and Jihadists)have no quarrel with Wales and the Welsh. Their hatred is directed at Britain, and Britain's relationship with America and the provocative policies of George W.Bush.
ReplyDeleteI am very disturbed that anonymus cannot see further than the stretch of water separating this island from Belgium. The threat from Islamo Nazism, should it exist, is directed at teh whole of the west from the Urals to the Atlantic and beyond to north America and Australia. One small and damp island is insufficient to stand up to this and to claim or pretend any different is sheer self deluding nonsense. In this context, the concept of Britishness or solidarity with the other 'home' nations is a dangerous irrelevance. Our solidarity must be with the EU, with NATO (including Turkey) and with every other group or nation on this planet which holds the same values as us.
ReplyDelete