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All this b.ollox about Jezza Corbyn, good luck to him. Our national anthem is awful, but even if it was good I don’t think people should be lambasted for not singing it. Do we have to wait until every WW2 vet has died before we can stop singing it? Personally I am very patriotic but I accept it is a very irrational thing, like a tribal thing Better psychologists than me though will tell you that tribalism is some kind of normal human instinct. So long as you don’t go starting wars or being a football hooligan a bit of blind patriotism can be tremendous fun, particularly if you like sport. Being blindly patriotic like being a monarchist is also good in that it gets right up the noses of the self fisting classes like the loony left and aussies and frenchies and that. Luckily, being English, means patriotism doesn’t have to be as blind as it would have to be for other nationalities, because we genuinely are the world leaders in most things like art, tv, cuisine, sport, music and just generally oozing class. Which is nice.
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Could be worse.
We could always have that xenophobic, atonal, illiterate dirge 'Flower Of Scotland' to gee us up. |
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Then raise the scarlet standard high.
Within its shade we'll live and die, Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer, We'll keep the red flag flying here. |
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I can't criticise Corbyn on this. The words of our anthem are ridiculous, I don't sing them either however I will stand with respect as he did at solemn events when it is played.
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Our National anthem is awful, but even if it was good you shouldnt be lambasted for not singing it.
So shall we get Rihanna to record a modern anthem and all the morons can sing along to it. The National anthem is part of our culture, and Corbyn is an @sshole for not singing it. |
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Agreed. To not stand when everyone else is standing to remember what happened at the battle of britain would be a disgraceful lack of respect, almost purposefully making yourself the centre of attention. JC didn't do this. To quietly(well by definition it would be quiet) not sing along to a song that you fundamentally don't agree with is not disrespectful. I respect him for not joining in.
Actually to expand a bit, I don't like all this putting the armed forces up on a pedestal either. Maximum respect going out to the WW2 lot, a proper justified war that and I take my hat off to them. But help for heroes is basically helping people that went to Afghanistan and Iraq. For me the juries out on Afghanistan, but Iraq was a totally unjust war and the people that took part in it in the name of Britain aren't heroes for my money I'm afraid. Sure many of them don't agree with the war themselves but did it simply because it was their job. I don't hate them, sure most of them are good people. But not heroes. |
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The National anthem is part of our culture, and Corbyn is an @sshole for not singing it.
b.ollox. Doing the conga and miming along to YMCA at weddings is part of our culture. If you don't join in then that's up to you. The national anthem makes references to God and the queen and, if you don't agree with those references, it is fair enough not to sing them. It is a bit more important than just being a song. |
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Those that died during war did so that everyone should conform to what authority tells them
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I think that many of those that died in WW2 died defending our country and our way of life.
Those that died in Iraq and Afghanistan is a different matter. As a general rule I am a pacifist, war should be an absolute last resort, but sometimes there is no other option than war. Sadly. 1939 being a case in point. Also the falklands. |
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Land of hope and glory should be our national anthem.
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At least Corbyn is alienating himself from the British voting public - making Labour impossible to vote for.
Tories dont even have to try to win the next election, |
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I would never sing the national anthem for fallen comrades. The anthem is in praise of the queen. It has nothing to do with the people who have fought and fallen in any of our 'wars'. I simply salute at any commemoration service.
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We should adopt Jerusalem as our national anthem,it would nark the arabs and lead to a drop in house prices across London. A win-win decision and our rugby crowds could teach us their words to the song.
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I rather like that idea.
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The National anthem is part of our culture, and Corbyn is an @sshole for not singing it.
Culture?  I haven't sang it since school, and that wasn't yesterday. |
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Labour Party : Just announced that Jeremy will sing National Anthem in future !
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Already kow-towing to media / public agenda.
Bloody wimp! "Go back to your allotments and prepare.....for Brocolli!!" |
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When, if ever, are we going to stop commemorating the War. There are very few alive now who were any age in 14-18 and yesterday's was 75 years of the Battle of Britain. 75 years!!! Getting a bit old hat now. Sorry, all you traditionalists but time marches on. I'm more interested in the now and the future. What's past is past.
I refuse to sing any national anthem. Respectful silence is probably the most polite thing to do, which is what Corbyn did yesterday. He should get rid of the tie. Doesn't suit him at all. |
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He's a Republican and whilst I don't agree with him I respect his view. It would arguably be hypocritical to sign an anthem about a Queen he doesn't think should be there and if he did I would imagine the press would have called him on that.
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How will the pro-Corbyn crew now spin this swift change of mind about the National Anthem? Is it no longer a 'dirge' but the finest piece of writing since the Lennon-McCartney songbook?
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1. What is the point in being patriotic, it's mainly used as a tool to gain cannon fodder?
2. The National Anthem is an American song anyway. 3. The press are leaping on anything and everything in a bid to discredit Corbyn, hence the mere thought of the National Anthem. |
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I agree with that but if he now sings it he will be giving them another stick to beat them with. He should stick to his principles.
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he's known he was winning this election on the bridle for about 2 months yet it seems he's given no thought or preparation as to what he was going to do when he won. the first few days have been an utter shambles
doesn't really matter whether you agree with the words of the national anthem or not if you're auditioning to be the leader of the country you have to behave like it |
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I agree with that but if he now sings it he will be giving them another stick to beat them with. He should stick to his principles.
Agreed. I think he will have to make compromises along the way, but strangely I don't think this should be one of them. Why sing the actual words "God save the queen" if you don't believe it. He should compromise on Trident but not on this. Or nationalisation. Or taxing the rich. etc. |
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I definitely think that sport is the place for blind patriotism. I love supporting a team just because they're wearing white shirts.
Actually believing that your country is superior, on the other hand, gets problematic very quickly. Even if you can ignore key historical turning points and the chaotic (Chaos Theory wise) nature of history, you can't really get around the fact that it's total luck which country you're born in. Actually, I've long suspected a negative correlation between patriotism in things like sport and belief that foreigners/other races are inferior. During the Olympics, for example, forumites like Roger the Butler and Rob Dylan were much more likely to get behind GB than Winkle and co. Maybe you need to express your tribalism somehow and it's better to do it in a relatively harmless way. |
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Eeternaloptimist • September 16, 2015 1:45 PM BST
He's a Republican and whilst I don't agree with him I respect his view. It would arguably be hypocritical to sign an anthem about a Queen he doesn't think should be there and if he did I would imagine the press would have called him on that So how does he equate not singing the National Anthem with kneeling in front of the Queen to take the oath as a Privy Councillor? |
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A well thought out post Patra.
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FKS SAKE no one cares!
Not one of the bunch of tw@ts that comprise our National Football side sings the bloody, bleeding, effing National Anthem before a game bar John Terry and he's tone deaf! Rooney can't remember the words, Hart's busy messing with his hair and when Lampard tried he blew pie crumbs all over his shirt. If they can't be @rsed nor should we. |
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I think we should follow the North Korean example and shoot anyone who doesn't sing the national anthem with enough enthusiasm and volume.
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Important that MPs sing God Save the Queen, to remind themselves that theirs is a temporary job, that they are not Head of State and, if they try to be, they will be out on their ear.
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I don't agree with that screaming.
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No, it'll give you a sore throat.
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Under no circumstances should anyone living in Britain today consider themselves British. Forget and as far as possible withdraw from any obligations regarding paying tax if you can and gather as much money about you as possible. If called upon in any future time of crisis such as war or civil stress do not contribute in any fashion. Forget at all costs that you have any allegiance to this country or the people who live here.
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Fair enough, rob. My thinking is that dictatorships often arise when there's no head of state to block them.
Post WW1 the Allies made Germany a republic, with a president as head of state and a chancellor as head of government. The idea was that if the Germans ever elected, say, a short, dark Austrian with a sense of destiny to be their chancellor, the president would be able to dismiss him if he started to subvert the democratic constitution or the rule of law. Unfortunately the popular president, Hindenburg, died, and the Nazi party lawyers simply never got round to starting the process of appointing a new one, which allowed their man to do what he liked. That's why I support the Queen as Head of State, even though I don't think much of her as a person and even less of her heir. But then, I'm only half-British, which means I only bother half-singing the National Anthem anyway, so what do I know? |
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'God Save Our Graciou…..
I'm out! |
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Land of Hope and Glory, Mother of the Free,
How shall we extol thee, who are born of thee? Wider still and wider shall thy bounds be set; God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet, God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet. I'm out! |
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And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England's mountains green: And was the holy Lamb of God, On England's pleasant pastures seen! I'm out! |
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He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother would be a good one imo.
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I am the Walrus coo coo coochoo coochoo coochoo seems the obvious choice. Seriously would love us to put that on the old gramophone blaring out at twickenham in response to the NZ haka. They wouldn't know what hit them and it would inspire us to a great world cup win.
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So how does he equate not singing the National Anthem with kneeling in front of the Queen to take the oath as a Privy Councillor?
Good question Clerkmore. He either refuses to kneel and creates another furore or he does kneel and creates another furore. Oh to be a Republican. |