Patriotism - what do you think about it ?

Flags, national anthems, saints - what is there to be “proud” of? It’s all a load of made up nonsense like giving people titles and endowing them with largesse. I’m not proud to be British it’s not an achievement - just part of my own identity . I like where I live and my family and neighbours but there are things don’t like - litter, crime, inequality , destruction of nature- I’d hate those things where ever in the world they they were.

When I listen to the Seekers sing I Am Australian I think how wonderful it must be to be so proud of your country and I quite envy them. I love my country but there are things I'm not proud of. Doesn't mean I should leave.

Advance Australia Fair is not liked by all. My Australian son in law hates it.

nadateturbe

When I listen to the Seekers sing I Am Australian I think how wonderful it must be to be so proud of your country and I quite envy them. I love my country but there are things I'm not proud of. Doesn't mean I should leave.

Yes, this would be a better national anthem for Australia.

I have never thought of myself as British, I am Welsh, the Union Jack means nothing to me, it combines England, Scotland and Ireland flags

I wonder if William will change the national anthem when he’s king, he’s more modern and I think it should be more uplifting and not so stuffy and boring

Lesley60

I wonder if William will change the national anthem when he’s king, he’s more modern and I think it should be more uplifting and not so stuffy and boring

It might be a good time to do it but we can’t even get agreement on GN about what it should be instead. Perhaps we should have a competition where English composers write a new one and those who consider themselves English vote on it.

It’s the National anthem not the English anthem

"I still call Australia Home" is another song sung beautifully by the Morriston Orpheus choir, who were on the same flight as myself travelling home from their tour in Australia.
They all kindly sang on the flight when we were delayed at Frankfurt for a couple of hours---it was lovely.

vegansrock

Flags, national anthems, saints - what is there to be “proud” of? It’s all a load of made up nonsense like giving people titles and endowing them with largesse. I’m not proud to be British it’s not an achievement - just part of my own identity . I like where I live and my family and neighbours but there are things don’t like - litter, crime, inequality , destruction of nature- I’d hate those things where ever in the world they they were.

I'm with you, vegansrock.

I find it very sad to read all these negative comments from some posters, all these assertions implying that if we say we are patriotic, proud of our nationality and country, that is somehow wrong, or evidence of xenophobia.

Well I am willing to stand up and be counted. I love being British. I love my country for all its faults, and of course which country has no faults?

I am reasonably widely travelled.
We’ve had some wonderful holidays, where we’ve enjoyed the different cultures, food, history and experiences generally, but would I want to live anywhere else? No.

Interestingly on our travels we have found a huge amount of interest in the UK from various countries. We live near Windsor, so of course the castle and the Royal family is discussed a lot, and I suspect wherever we may have lived here, there would be some discussion about it from folk how had stayed nearby.

People like the familiar so naturally think their own home is best. I’m sure if you asked the same question of a French person most would say the same - they’d say they had the best food, wine, beaches, weather, and maybe they’d be right, but you’d still prefer your own home- that’s fine- but pride implies you feel a superiority to any other nation.

Sadly I think the Bible regards pride as a sin and this has spilled over into other areas. There is if course a puffed up, boastful pride which is despicable, but a quiet, satisfied, even comforting, pride in one's own country should not imply superiority or haughtiness.
If we didn't take pride in our nation, maybe expectations would lower and there wouldn't be much left to aspire to?

So be warned GNs We must never feel proud of our grandchildren, of our achievements, of a cake that’s turned out well, of the fact that your dog has learnt to sit after all your encouragement or of your “because pride implies you feel a superiority”.
I expect you’re proud of that post, vegansrock. Go girl!

vegansrock

So should Gay Pride be forced to change their name?

Oooh ? get in there. ?

We could do with a lot more Patriotism in the UK. I cherished the days when Tv used to finish at night with the National Anthem, and at the end of the film in the cinema. On a visit to Canada quite a few years ago, every business had the Canadian flag outside. We could do with a bit more of that here!

Australia has a lot to be ashamed of
Maybe the ethnic Australians should choose the anthem

Am I patriotic? no I don’t think I am, I m ashamed of many things we have done and still continue to do, then there are other times when for instance a lot of money is made for a disaster or we send aid or people to help, then I feel a tiny bit of pride, but it can never make up for what’s gone before and Scotland, Ireland, Wales and other European countries who were as bad should be equally ashamed
Do I defend it no I cannot forgive colonialism, slavery etc even if other countries did the same it can’t make it right
It’s a sadness to me that I can’t see my very beautiful country in a different light
But Patriotism should come from the heart voluntarily not learned from a baby to stand, salute, sing etc that is brainwashing

I don’t condemn England now for the brutality of english coal mine owners , I wasn’t brainwashed because my grandfather taught me to speak Welsh because it wasn’t taught in school.

I have even forgiven the English for killing the Prince of Wales
- joke before I am put under fire

As long as we learn from the past - different times, different priorities, different standards.

The Guardian view on the Queen’s jubilee: time to face change

This newspaper believes that Britain needs to talk more – and talk more publicly and seriously – about what should come next. As a nation, we are not good at doing this, partly out of deference to the Queen. The family dimension of the Windsors’ lives is endlessly reported and discussed in the media, while television dramas like The Crown generate vast audiences. But the practical constitutional questions about how this monarchy should work in a modern democracy are still treated as almost completely taboo.

A question for modern Britain

The best way for this to start is in Britain’s parliament, through a select committee – possibly specially convened for the purpose – that can take and collect evidence in public, including from members of the royal family and household if necessary, about a large range of issues. These could include the appropriate constitutional, political and military roles of the monarch, including with other nations; the regulation, financing and accountability of the monarchy; the size of the royal household maintained by the state; the laws of succession and the appropriate ceremonies for the inauguration of the new monarch, including their religious dimension, the coronation and the coronation oath.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/dec/27/the-guardian-view-on-the-queens-jubilee-time-to-face-change#comments

In the comments that followed there were many calling for end of monarchy after queen goes.

I consider myself English in the same way the Scottish and Welsh consider themselves. I don’t think British. As a matter of interest, don’t Scotland and Wales have their own anthems at rugby for example?

The Scottish one is a song, not a National Anthem, Forsythia.

The Welsh National Anthem is played not just at sporting events but also national events eg Remembrance Day etc, after the UK National Anthem.

That’s really interesting. Then perhaps we English should also have our own song, in the interests of fairness.

Not a royalist then Grany ??