An English Identity

Goodness me! Billothewisp has to rub his eyes in disbelief.

We have here an article in the Guardian about Englishness.

I really said that. Yes. The Guardian.

See Here "Englishness:The forbidden Identity."

The article has some good points but starts off by indulging in some ritual hysteria about far right conspiracies. It hangs its hat on this purported far right agenda by detailing Nick Griffins attachment to English Folk music.

But the article does acknowledge the rising tide of a fair minded English identity. It ends with an appeal to our Great, Good and Benificient leaders to stop regarding Englishness as a forbidden Identity.

At least that is a step forward.

But the article clearly comes from someone who wishes to remain on the outside. Someone who has no real wish to identify themselves as English. The article is very much worded as an “us and them” document. With the English as the “them” and the “us” being the cognoscenti at the Guardian and their peers.

The most corrosive aspect of this article though, is the implied and unfair insinuation throughout that an English identity is easily manipulated into being a prop for the far right.

Perhaps our friends at the Guardian, should consider why and how Ugly politics gets a grip in any society. I would hazard to suggest that it usually comes down to a lack of representation. No votes. No parliament. A running sore of cultural and fiscal injustice. A sneering disregard from the political elite.

When people get ignored and marginalised within their own land, they are by definition more likely to listen to anyone who says they have a solution. It is to the eternal credit of the English (and even the Guardian article recognises this) that this non-country of ours is arguably the most inclusive and compassionate country in the world.

May I suggest that the defenders of the truth at the Guardian should perhaps run an article or two on the rising tide of English identity. Perhaps this time they could stay away from the boringly hysterical diatribes about a far right conspiracies and focus on the just grievances of the fair minded English people.