It is also funny how one thought sets of another train of thought and on and on.
This week I was shocked to learn that a post I had re-shared about Muslims in Britain, quite innocently, had originated from a neo -nazi organisation that seems to manipulate these videos for maximum fear. Using hate tactics and firing people up with their distortions. I quickly removed it, and felt sickened when I researched their organisation.
One of the sites that has been "exposing" them, has a logo showing a large lion and a slogan that says "Be part of the Pride - Not the Prejudice"! I love it! I know it has been used by others, Gay pride and even a video game, but how I read it was more about my country, where Jane Austin was born, and where there is a tendency at the moment to moan about our lot!
Now I can't lay claim to being "Proud" of what is great about Britain, that would imply that I had anything to do with it! It is, after all accident of birth!Nor would I disagree that there are times in our history that we shouldn't be too proud of! Nor do I not see there are things still that we need to protest and change!
But I have to say it did make me think about my environment, and how fortunate I am to live in a country which (despite it's shit weather ) is relatively moderate, with free speech, freedom of movement, great history, rich diversity, lots of tea shops, no gun laws, no identity cards etc.
I would be a liar if I said I wasn't proud of the 20,000 people who turned out in 2010 to protest against the pope's visit! I cannot either say I wasn't proud and honoured to speak to begin that march and to hear it dedicated to all the victims of catholic clergy abuse!I have never seen anything quite like that anywhere! On that day I was VERY proud to be British!
And as I am on my grateful train of thought, I think about where I actually live.In five minutes I can be in the woods or up on the hills, being able to see five counties.
In 15 minutes I can be in Stratford on Avon, walking blindly past Shakespeare's birthplace on my way to Mark's and Spencer's! In ten minutes I can be at Warwick castle, the finest of medieval castles. In 40 minutes I can be in the centre of Oxford, with it's dreaming spires, wonderful colleges where so many amazing people have studied, and of course Morse! In twenty minutes I can be in the middle of the Cotswolds, with it's pretty villages and streams, in one hour I can be in London, my favourite city in the whole world, and in one hour I can even be in Downton! So today I am grateful for my environment and that today I don't expect to be arrested, or flogged, or jailed or slaughtered, and I am thinking so much about people who are not as fortunate, and who maybe I can support in some small way. I hope too that I remember to stop whinging!
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