In this Olympic year and the Athletics being the flagship event in the games, how refreshing it was to see Team GB claim 3 medals at the world indoor championships yesterday. Yamile Aldama who won gold in the triple jump at the young age of....39, a woman who has already reperesented Cuba and The Sudan at international level and only became a British Citizen in 2010. Tiffany Porter who collected a silver medal in the 60m hurdles.....a woman of USA origin who represented America as a teenager and only switched to GB nationality in 2010 and who has admited she doesnt know the words to our national anthem so they make her team captain too for good measure. Dwain Chambers a convicted Drugs cheat who despite cheating in the past and being banned wins the bronze in the 60m. Roll on London 2012, oh dear me
She didnt, quite the opposite - she said she does know all the words. She refused to say them for a vvanker journalist who behaved disgustingly because she isnt a peforming seal.
And to be fair I don't see what's so British about a song asking for a fictional character to rescue from some unidentified threat a member of a German family who's been born into a position of guaranteed privelage.
They ruined it when they deleted the original 2nd verse... O Lord our God arise, Scatter her enemies And make them fall; Confound their politics, Frustrate their knavish tricks, On Thee our hopes we fix, God save us all! We were good at frustrating the knavish, we should have carried on with that project, we'd all have holiday homes in Florida and Sydney by now.
Another victory for the Daily Mail - they harangue someone, write a biased article and watch their readers put 2 and 2 together and come up with 5. Meanwhile, the facts lie in a corner, ignored by all.
As I've said on another thread, I don't believe they should be selected. However, I also believe the Mail's treatment of Porter and the other has been disgraceful.
I'd resisted the urge to point that out myself! Also, Aldama has lived in the UK since 2001 and was married to a Sweaty Sock, so she has a stronger case for selection than the others.
Every other country do exactly the same and most much worse. I remember reading that the Australian parliament passed laws which allow elite athletes to have their citizenship applications fast tracked. If they call Australia home for 2 years, but only actually live in Australia for 6 months, they are Australian. Porter has a British mother, so can't see a problem there. Aldama wanted to represent Britain at the 2004 olympics, but as she had lived in the country less than 3 years we wouldn't allow it. She then got offers from Spain, Italy, Czech Republic and Sudan to represent them at the olympics.
verse 6 needs reviving, just to keep billy connolly's take on it going Lord grant that Marshal Wade May by thy mighty aid Victory bring May he sedition hush And like a torrent rush Rebellious Scots to crush God save the King "oh, do you bloody think so?"
The people's flag is deepest red, It shrouded oft our martyred dead, And ere their limbs grew stiff and cold, Their hearts' blood dyed its every fold. Then raise the scarlet standard high. (chorus) Within its shade we live and die, Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer, We'll keep the red flag flying here. Look round, the Frenchman loves its blaze, The sturdy German chants its praise, In Moscow's vaults its hymns were sung Chicago swells the surging throng. (chorus) It waved above our infant might, When all ahead seemed dark as night; It witnessed many a deed and vow, We must not change its colour now. (chorus) It well recalls the triumphs past, It gives the hope of peace at last; The banner bright, the symbol plain, Of human right and human gain. (chorus) It suits today the weak and base, Whose minds are fixed on pelf and place To cringe before the rich man's frown, And haul the sacred emblem down. (chorus) With head uncovered swear we all To bear it onward till we fall; Come dungeons dark or gallows grim, This song shall be our parting hymn.
So being born here doesn't make her British? Quite an interesting position to take. As for privilege, there isn't enough money in this Country to pay me enough to endure the life they're forced in to.
Maybe this is more relevant? [video=youtube;dtUH2YSFlVU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtUH2YSFlVU[/video]
It was introduced during the reign of George II, he was born in Germany. The fact it's been retained for British born monarchs doesn't change that the song was written for that purpose. If it was so terrible they'd give it up.
So the Queen's British again. YAY. Giving it up wouldn't make a jot of difference (apart from costing us an absolute fortune) they'd still have less freedom to live a normal life than Peter Sutcliffe The monarchy is the institution, the individuals involved and their heredity simply represent it.
