Not In My Name.

It was another gloriously sunny day today. I'm trying to hold on to the beauty that is the English countryside in sunshine and not dwell too much on the awful, depressing, or downright evil things happening in the world.

I'm trying but not quite succeeding.

Things like the fact that a bunch of evil racist bigots burned an Islamic community centre in London, (set up for Somali refugees), to the ground last night. And that those racist scum were probably wankers associated with the bigots who call themselves the English Defence League. Well, I may be half-Irish but I'm 100% English. Totally, completely, sometimes even obnoxiously, English. And those bastards aren't defending me, my beliefs, my way of life, or my Englishness. They are a disgrace to the word "English" never mind the actual state of being English. I love my country. Those pieces of trash don't.

Our old Empire did a lot of nasty things back along, but it also did some pretty good stuff. Some of that good was introducing new cultures, philosophies, beliefs, foods, and people to this little island of ours. We marched into their countries, took them over, told the people that they were all part of the British Empire - told them they were British. Spoke of the UK as "home", as "the Mother Country", so we shouldn't be surprised that they feel British and want to come here. And as far as I'm concerned - if they feel British, want to be British, love this country - then let them come here. We owe them. And they've enriched our society immeasurably.

And it's not as if the English - or Scots - or Irish - or Welsh - weren't originally immigrants to these islands themselves once. We've just been here a bit longer is all.

I love our multicultural society. I love that in the past we've been accepting - welcoming even - of different peoples, different religions, different cultures. I pray that we remain that way.

There'll always be an England,
And England shall be free,
If England means as much to you
As England means to me.

Rant over. Have a good week folks. Stay safe. Goodnight and may your God/s go with you.

Ze

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