Tag: Freedom
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Coronations, Vulgar Vandals, and National Heroes
In 1296, King Edward I, an egregiously greedy, vulgar vandal, stole the ancient “stone of destiny”, on which the kilted bums of successive kings had previously rightfully rested, while the crown of Scotland was placed on their heads. He put it in a bag marked “Swag”, and carried it off into England without a by-your-leave.…
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Partners in Crime!
‘From a devil to a devil, who the devil sent them?’ Well who cares, and what does it matter? It should matter to everyone who, between their ears, has a brain that grasps the indispensable value and supreme importance, for the continuing wellbeing of democracy, of trustworthy authenticity and moral integrity. These, of course, can become…
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Lineker, Language and Debate
In writing this, I have to confess that I’m not a fan of Gary Lineker, and have never watched ‘Match of the Day’. Since we’re dealing with today’s instant readiness to ‘take offence’, let me make it clear that this isn’t personal criticism, but a statement of fact and nothing more. As it happens, I’m…
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The Obvious, the Enemy, and the True
Let’s remind ourselves of something we occasionally forget. It’s obvious that the ground on which we stand is not moving. It it were, our sense of safety and security would disappear. We’d be clinging on for dear life, to whatever we could grab hold of, in a disorienting mayhem of scary motion. We aren’t, however,…
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“Everyone Sang” – A Religious Poem?
Siegfried Sassoon had a Jewish father, and an Anglican mother, and was a convert to Roman Catholicism. This rather enigmatic poem was written just after the end of World War II, in which he served with the Royal Welch Fusiliers. Some have therefore understood it as describing an outburst of joy in response to the…
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