Thursday, September 27, 2007

That's so gay

Among the long and growing list of things I like about Britain is that in this country, the term "gay", while sadly hardly ever used in its original OED sense, is almost exclusively used as a derogatory.

I am glad, in general, that my experiences thus far have bolstered my theory that the great majority of people here are not on with the Labour/BBC/Guardian political orthodoxies. That "gay marriage" is just as scare-quoted in ordinary conversation as it is in certain online publications. (In fact, I was very happy to note that the Daily Telegraph also uses the quotes. Good on 'em.) That the only people not willing to openly admit that it is mass immigration from cultures wholly alien to ours that is causing most of this country's problems, are the members of government (and their media toadies) who have allowed it. That nearly everyone thinks the "political correctness" thing has gone to absolutely intolerable lengths of absurdity (though no one seems willing just to thumb their noses at it...yet).

Happy to report that the Ordinary British Subject (that I have met so far) is, while not the intolerant xenophobe so gleefully depicted in the self-hating screeds of Jeremy Paxman, every bit as old-fashioned and sensible, honest and normal as one could hope.

Today I realized something very important about the difference between Britain and That-Country-North-of-the-US. In TCNOTUS, there is no market for a paper like the Telegraph. There could not possibly exist anything like a backlash party like the BNP. It seems clear that the average Canuckistani is totally incapable of thinking outside the box of Officially Approved doctrine, a gift that, TBTG, still exists here. (Of course, the question is now, how to get the polite Brits to move from "Oh isn't it dreadful, they've banned Bonfire Night, conkers and fox hunting," to the pitchforks and torches phase.)

In contrast, the Canuckistanis are, in a word, Goodthinkful. To a man.

10 comments:

Curmudgeon said...

Oh, there you are. God help you. Canada's and Europe are both hell, but to think that somehow Britain is a higher circle just seems crazy.

I occasionally have business in Toronto. I had intended to perhaps meet you for tea sometime. I guess that would be inconvenient for you.

Anonymous said...

"Of course, the question is now, how to get the polite Brits to move from "Oh isn't it dreadful, they've banned Bonfire Night, conkers and fox hunting," to the pitchforks and torches phase."

It's getting closer, but not yet close enough. A blogger called Dangerously Subversive Dad posted something a while back ending with the sentence 'black up, and start a riot'. Despite the fact that no riots have happened (yet) it's still a good piece, which I recommend googling.

Pitchforks, though, what a great idea!

Anonymous said...

These men are at the pitchforks and torches stage:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/manchester/7014552.stm

I think the most important factor keeping the oppressed majority in the UK from unified action is the removal of men from the family. Normally, men would fight to defend their families and their women would support them because this would be in everyone's interest, but when the state encourages the women to kick the men out and steasl all their money, it's not so much.

- Karen (I can't sign in for some reason)

John said...

"The Englishman is a patient creature, but at present his temper is a little inflamed and it would be as well not to try him too far."
Mr Sherlock Holmes, quoted in "His Last Bow"

Anonymous said...

You do realise the BNP are nutters, yes? Sure they strike a lot of chords, but fundamentally (and for the sake of fairness, I peered at their website as well as recalling stuff heard in the media) they share the usual problem of secularism: not facing up to the fact that our big problem is called sin, and the only answer involves grace. They might claim to be keen on 'traditional Westernised Christianity', but their policies do not seem to be based on any sound Christian (or even barely theist) philosophy - see, e.g., their claim that the British political tradition is partly genetically determined, and that different ethnicities are bound to end up at war. (This is in their 2005 manifesto.) Their leaders seem to be politically pretty clever, but fundamentally miss the point as much as most other current politicians.

Yes, their success is in the form of a backlash; that doesn't make them a good or right backlash. You probably weren't implying as much, but this lot really don't seem to deserve anything approaching a good press!

Helena

Anonymous said...

Helena,

Out of interest, where exactly in their manifesto do they 'claim that the British political tradition is partly genetically determined'?

Hilary Jane Margaret White said...

I'm going to issue this warning, before any further discussion goes forward.

At the first sign of anyone picking a fight, or getting shirty or unpleasant, I'm removing the comments.

We keep civil in my realm, or we get sent to the corner.

Anonymous said...

I didn't intend that to be picking a fight, sorry if it seemed such - I didn't think my language was remotely out of proportion to what was on the BNP site. This sort of thing is genuinely worth pondering, no?

If further discussion of the particulars of the matter is agreeable to your realm...

Mr Smith: On the BNP website, go to 'Policies', then 'manifestoes', then the bit on 'Abolishing multiculturalism, preserving identity.' It does not read like the work of someone with a sound philosophy; and this in turn, I think, invites suspicion of their other references to tradition and Britishness and so forth.

It is a matter of grave concern if certain things (like the idea of Britain; like tradition; like the identification of Christianity as an essential element of British heritage; like, indeed, reaction to some of the hideous modern developments in British politics and society) become associated with false philosophies. (Compare, perhaps, the business with Action Francaise earlier in the 20th century?)

Pax vobis!

Helena

Anonymous said...

Not picking a fight, just wanted to know where the info was. Thanks for the directions, Helena, greatly appreciated.

Think I'll go do some research.

Red Squirrel said...

Hi there,
What an excellent article! I could't help but compare it with a book by Bill Bryson that I am reading "Notes from a Small Island". Except that we in the UK facing far worse problems than depicted in his humerous outlook.
All petty differences on our planet are as nothing compared to the Evil of Islam!
We Brits are waking up, I have felt this for some time now, I am encouraged by some of my neigbours 'awakening'.
The muliculturalists are so naive, inviting Muhammed's cult-followers in to alter our Heritage, and our laws, destry our Civilisation just to bring about the marxist 'End of History'!
I know there is more to all this but I am still learning.
This has awakened the sleeping Dragon in me anyway!
Good Luck to all in Canada!