Earlier this week it was announced that after 2020 every member of the European Union, without exception, will have to adopt the euro. Thus, unless we get our promised referendum and vote to leave the EU we have only six more years to enjoy the pound and the last vestiges of sovereignty and independence.
Since today is a very big day across the pond it occurred to me (and not for the first time either) that if the pro-Europeans are right (they are not) and we really cannot survive alone then let’s throw our lot in with a federation with whom we have something in common. Let the wheel turn full circle and instead of becoming a puppet state of Europe let’s rejoin our Atlantic cousins and become the 51st state of America. Here are 10 reasons why we should –
1. They speak English (sort of!)
2. No queues when flying into New York.
3. Holidays in Hawaii complete with loud, sorry, colourful shirts.
4. Free fireworks every 4th of July (it doesn’t matter what the celebrations are for)
5. A decent national football (soccer) team that we can all be proud of (for a change!).
6. Mardi Gras every February.
7. Thanksgiving. So that’s two turkey dinners each winter instead of just the one.
8. Micro-breweries in every city.
9. Four proper seasons.
10. The Clintons. Oh, actually …………………………..on second thoughts!
With or without the fireworks – Have a Very Happy 4th of July!
Author Archives: johnengland55
Football Unmuzzled
Evidently the grandmother of Luis Suarez, the disgraced Uruguayan footballer expelled from the world cup for biting an opponent for the third time in his career, complained that her grandson had been thrown out “like a dog”.
Her comment is perfectly apposite; if her grandson behaves like a dog he can have no complaints if he is then treated like one.
Short of muzzling Suarez, or forcing him to wear one of those lampshade things that dogs wear to prevent them from self-harming, the football authorities had no choice but to throw him out of the competition.
That said, I’m in the camp of those who feel sorry for the guy; sorry that his supreme talent is blemished by what is clearly some sort of psychological problem. I hope he receives the help he needs.
Lamenting the Past
I read a newspaper article earlier this week describing the “shame” and “dark past” of certain English cities (primarily Bristol and Liverpool) for their role in the slave trade and describing how their success and wealth was built on the back of that odious trade.
I don’t doubt for a minute that every decent minded person in the country feels nothing but revulsion at what happened two hundred years ago and beyond but it seems to me that we British do have an almost unique tendency to self-flagellate.
The fact of the matter is that Great Britain, the USA, the French, Spanish, Portuguese and every other nation boasting an empire participated in the slave trade and yes, of course, it is something to be ashamed of.
However, it would be nice if those critics of our country’s history would present a more balanced argument and celebrate the fact that Great Britain, through the efforts of Englishmen such as Granville Sharp and William Wilberforce, became, in 1807, the first western nation to abolish the slave trade and then in 1833 to abolish slavery completely. Can credit not be given for the fact that Great Britain then devoted much time and effort in ensuring that nations like the USA, France and Portugal eventually followed suit?
Whatever is said about our past, the sad fact remains that slavery is alive and well and is still openly practiced in many parts of the world. Would it not be more useful if the country’s detractors, instead of lamenting the past, devoted their efforts in trying to ensure that this affront to human dignity is removed from our planet once and for all?
Not Good Enough
So another world cup has ended prematurely for England but, never mind, it’s not as if we weren’t expecting it. Unfortunately, the finger pointing has started again and the press, as ever looking for a scapegoat, are questioning the abilities of the manager and the so-called key players. They are wasting their time since the only logical explanation for the team’s latest demise is that they were simply not good enough.
Still, at least we Englishmen and women who love football for the wonderful game that it is can now enjoy the tournament as excited neutrals free of the gut-wrenching and emotional roller-coaster of watching our national team. Football at its best is unlike any other game on earth and the joy of watching the best players in the world on the highest stage in the world is more than adequate consolation for a nation disappointed once more by its own failings.
For those unable to lift their heads from the trough of despair, fear not. Rugby union’s world cup takes place next year and the big difference between rugby and football (two games, incidentally, invented by the English) is that we actually have a rugby team capable of competing with the very best. There, that feels better. Sort of!
Bitter Irony
As Iraq erupts into a bloody civil war between Shia and Sunni Muslims the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, stated that he would not rule out working with Iran to help resolve the conflict.
How ironic, that after the US-led invasion of Iraq and subsequent removal of dictator, Sadam Hussein (who at least held the country together), the USA is even considering working with its former sworn enemy and member of the so-called “Axis of Evil”.
What a mess and what a tragedy for the people of Iraq, the majority of whom, I’m sure, want nothing more than to be left alone and allowed to live in peace.
Falklands Republic
Last week Argentina’s football team posed for a photograph in front of a huge professionally prepared banner stating in Spanish that the Falkland Islands (or Las Malvinas as Argentina refers to them) are Argentine property.
Legally and factually this is incorrect since the islands, through the democratic decision of the occupants, remain British territory. In spite of this the fact remains that Argentina’s age old claim to the south Atlantic islands is alive and well.
In 1982 Argentina seized the Falklands by force and were then swiftly defeated and removed by a British task force. Since then the islanders have reaffirmed their desire to remain with the UK. This clearly doesn’t impress Argentina and the danger remains that some hot-headed dictator in a desperate bid to gain popularity might try to invade the islands just as General Galtieri did in 1982.
Since 1982 the UK’s military power has been dramatically reduced and it would be a lot harder to win back the islands by force as we did back then. Perhaps more significantly I doubt whether there would be the political or public will to take any action at all. So, assuming that this is true what is to be done to avert possible catastrophe?
Well, short of threatening to bomb Buenos Aires or sell the islands to Argentina (both extremely unlikely!) it seems to me that the best way forward would be to hand the problem over to the United Nations. This could be done by the Falklands declaring themselves an independent republic (whilst remaining part of the Commonwealth) and then, on the basis of a feared invasion by Argentina, request that the UN sends in a peace-keeping force to protect them. That should make the Argentines think twice!
Islamic Indoctrination
There was outrage this week following revelations that a significant number of schools in Birmingham, run by Islamic extremists, have been teaching children what, in some cases, has been described as bigoted, misogynistic and violently anti-Christian propaganda.
In response the Prime Minister, David Cameron, and the Education Secretary, Michael Gove have, rather lamely, said that all schools should promote British values. Well, of course they should, but I wonder how they intend to ensure that this happens because so far little seems to have been done to prevent Islamic indoctrination in many of our inner city schools throughout the land.
Obviously, the Government has to tread carefully to avoid allegations of racism and prejudice, not least by our own politically correct liberals, but clearly something has to be done because the problem is certainly not going to go away. In fact, it can only get worse.
What is required is a calm, rational response by our Government based on a careful consideration of the facts and an avoidance of any rhetoric that could be deemed inflammatory. As the Prime Minister inferred, people are tired of the erosion of British values after decades of almost unlimited and uncontrolled immigration and the bending over backwards by the authorities to accommodate foreign cultures. Without doubt our tolerance has been abused by some who mistake British decency for weakness.
None of this is to say that immigrants are not welcome; far from it since clearly the majority of immigrants, Muslim or otherwise, are valuable members of society. Even a brief look at how many businesses are run by foreign born businessmen demonstrates how valuable their contribution is and has been to the United Kingdom.
The common sense approach has to be this, all legal immigrants whilst being made to feel welcome must be made aware that the United Kingdom has been built on a system of government, law and Christian principles that are enshrined in our society and as such are not negotiable.
If I were to move to Saudi Arabia I would not expect that country (irrespective of what I may think of its culture) to adapt and change to suit me.
If these principles are enforced firmly and fairly the problem may well diminish. The alternative is to do nothing and let these hate-filled Islamic extremists take advantage of our liberal culture and do whatever they want.
Ultimately, inaction will only force people who would not otherwise do so to seek redress via our own extremists on the far right. If that happens the late Enoch Powell’s prediction of “rivers of blood” back in the 1960’s could become a harsh reality.
Singing the National Anthem
At the end of this week football’s World Cup 2014 gets under way in Brazil. Amidst their preparations the England team have been told by their manager to sing the national anthem at the start of each game.
Some commentators have said the manager is wrong and it should be a matter of choice for the individual player.
Maybe it should, and I’m all for freedom of choice but, I really cannot understand why any proud sportsman selected to play for his country, particularly at the highest level, would not want to bellow out his national anthem until his lungs are fit to burst.
It certainly doesn’t appear to be a problem for most other nations.
Normandy Beaches
Today is June 6th, the anniversary of the D-Day landings when the Allies (principally the British, Americans and Canadians) began the invasion of Normandy which, under a year later, would lead to ultimate victory in Europe and free large parts of the continent from over 5 years of German tyranny.
The price of victory was not cheap, as any visitor to the military cemeteries of Normandy will testify, though but for the meticulous planning of the operation (Operation Overlord) it could have been a lot worse.
This year’s anniversary has a special poignancy since it is exactly 70 years to the day that thousands of young soldiers began their voyage into the unknown by leaving the shores of southern England and crossing the English Channel to land on the beaches of Normandy.
A sizeable group of survivors, all of them now old men in their late 80s and beyond, are meeting today on those same beaches to commemorate the landings and to remember their fallen comrades. We too will remember their sacrifice with respect and gratitude – and thank our lucky stars that we have been fortunate enough to escape anything like the horrors they suffered on our behalf.
Tolerating Equality
Last week a woman in Pakistan was stoned to death for marrying against the wishes of her family. This act of barbarism took place outside the courtroom where the woman, who was three months pregnant, was being tried for the crime of marrying the man she loved rather than the one chosen by her father. What made it even worse is that the murder took place in front of the local police, who made no attempt to intervene and prevent the crime.
Also last week, in neighbouring India, two young girls were gang raped and then hanged with two policeman arrested as prime suspects. In Sudan, last month, a young woman was sentenced to death by a Muslim court for refusing to renounce her Christian beliefs. The sentence was suspended for two years so that she can spend time with her newly born daughter and husband.
And it was only a few weeks ago that nearly three hundred schoolgirls were kidnapped by Muslim thugs in Nigeria because the education of women is against their religious beliefs. They still haven’t been released.
So what can we do about it? Probably very little other than make official protests to the governments of these countries and threaten economic sanctions or the withdrawal of financial aid. Some may wonder why we provide aid in the first place.
What we can do and what we must do is continue to lead by example and show, that in the United Kingdom our laws provide complete equality for all citizens irrespective of sex or religious belief. We should continue to welcome all peoples of the world to our country and give them the full protection of our laws but only on the express condition that they accept and obey those laws.
In spite of what some of our more liberal politicians and church leaders have said to the contrary we must never tolerate any religion that does not share our fundamental belief that all men and women are equal. We are a civilised country and must remain so.
Common Sense 