Strike Factory

Just to wish everyone happy St Georges Day. I will be marking it by having a few drinks (not getting drunk like the Irish), wearing my England Rugby top and watching Elizabeth: The Golden Age. St Georges Day is also celebrated by a few other nations as well as scouts nationwide.

It is sad these days it is not celebrated in the same way as the Welsh, the French and Scots celebrate their national days (apart from rural areas of England), it is possibly due to the far right organisations such as BNP and the NF, and also too much negative history taught about England, plus the endless corperate business which is killing off local businesses, and the restrictions of pubs and the fact the St Georges Cross gets too assocaitated with sports. Which seems to be contributing to the waning English culture. Plus that it is possibly to much tied in with Britishness. Plus too many louts who partly due to education smear at English traditions such as Morris Men

I agreed with a article in the local Argus by Adam Triningham today, saying we should be marking St Georges Day to save local business's and great English traditions such as pubs, post offices etc. As well as marking great things about English culture and figures such as Lord Nelson, George Stephenson, Elizabeth I, Alfred The Great, Florence Nightingale, Mary Seacole and William Blake the list is endless. The English have contributed largely in the fields of literature, enginerring (Eg Brunel and Stephenson), and various other areas.

I am not the foriegn hating person that thinks England is perfect, like everywhere around the world England has its up and downs. For better or for worse I am English and England is my home. Anyway I leave you with the great William Blakes Jerusalem.

And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England's mountains green?
And was the holy Lamb of God
On England's pleasant pastures seen?

And did the Countenance Divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among these dark Satanic mills?

Bring me my bow of burning gold!
Bring me my arrows of desire!
Bring me my spear! O clouds unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire!

I will not cease from mental fight,
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand
Till we have built Jerusalem
In England's green and pleasant land.

- William Blake