I can only hope that this catches on - and after Brexit, campaigners everywhere across the globe for freedom, democracy and justice will adopt our national flag as an enduring symbol of those fundamental rights.
That's all.
Saturday, 15 June 2019
Britain - the world's champion of freedom and democracy
Today I offer only an observation, but one that stirs within me the embers of pride and a certain feeling of rightness. It is this. Despite having endured decades here at home of historical revisionism in which our nation's history is mis-portrayed as a uninterrupted reign of oppression and conquest, the freedom and democracy protesters in Hong Kong are unified behind a single symbol of freedom - the British flag.
I can only hope that this catches on - and after Brexit, campaigners everywhere across the globe for freedom, democracy and justice will adopt our national flag as an enduring symbol of those fundamental rights.
That's all.
I can only hope that this catches on - and after Brexit, campaigners everywhere across the globe for freedom, democracy and justice will adopt our national flag as an enduring symbol of those fundamental rights.
That's all.
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17 comments:
How touching their faith in Freedom and Democracy, even as ours lies crumpled and beaten on the floor by the verminous filth that infest our Parliament, Civil Service, Institutions, and MSM. And so in Hong Kong, a former colony, no less, they are still strongly attached to those values we gave them. If the Empire never achieved anything else, then its enduring legacy is Freedom, Democracy and the rule of Law.
Despite your best efforts, this country has not yet withered back to mob rule and the Ducking Stool, Rap.
Ironic that Hong Kong Chinese consider our flag to be a symbol of liberty and democracy when the treacherous parasites in Parliament have been doing their level best to trash it for the past 3 years.
What is ironic, is that there are not similar protests here, about the UK's Vassal State relationship with the US, as illustrated perfectly by is extradition arrangements with its own overlords.
The Hong Kong people have at least succeeded in getting their proposed law postponed indefinitely. They could teach those here something then.
Raedwald,
I fear you are looking through rose-tinted specs; I lived in HK for over 20 years and there is not much love for the British. I suggest this is the locals saying 'where are you Britain, why are you not trying to enforce the terms of the Joint Declaration'. We are, as usual, wringing our hands and turning our backs.
You feel a stirring in the loins - yep, I can understand that.
Uhm, the thorax rather than the abdomen, James, but you've got the idea ;)
Anon - it's been many years since I was in HK - I used to fly back for the long hol as an unaccompanied minor with BAOC to give you an idea how long ago. You may have experienced yourself what I have heard elsewhere - that the Brits in HK were not quite the cream of our island race - as one HK chinese wrote
"that ... the worst Brits were in Hong Kong for some reasons. The most scientific reason being my theory that some/many of these Brits were spoiled by the way they were honored and ‘worshiped’ … I actually witness how some very nice Brits turned/changed characters after arriving Hong Kong. Well, hate to bring this up, but it’s true and this little detour does add something to my answer/point"
Those who have had no personal experience of the alleged UK arseholes there back in the day - the young - hold us in much higher regard, as I'm reading from multiple sources
But yes, this is where an effective PM and an effective foreign secretary are most needed and we have neither at the moment.
I love seeing the Union Flag and there are still dozens of countries, states and regions that include it.
Does anyone know why Maggie decided to include HK island and Kowloon south of Boundary Road when the lease ended? They were ceded to Great Britain and never part of the lease of the New Territories. I reckon had negotitions taken place in 1988-89 instead of 1984 things may have ben different.
Any colony, ex colony or area of influence would have experienced the good, the bad and the ugly of the British.
Span Ows,
Given the population that HK island had accumulated and its geographical extent, that degree of occupation was unsustainable. The reservoirs, for example, that provided potable water were all in the New Territories, which had to be returned under the 99 year lease provisions. HK island was only viable stand-alone if it only had a small trading establishment.
Incidentally, the demand for potable water was already reduced significantly by using salt water - of which a small island has an abundant supply - for sanitation (toilet flushing).
I suppose such considerations are less important in HK, but the flag is upside down in the bottom picture.
What might have been...
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/how-britain-lost-chance-to-keep-its-last-major-colony-1258861.html
I agree that there was little outward affection for the average expat posted to or - worse - working there on local terms.
The who were fluent in Cantonese were treated slightly differently, though seldom got past a drink with a colleague after work.
They know perfectly well that we're only for a short period and our housing and benefits were way, miles ahead of what a local could aspire to.
On the other hand, if you bought things, they'd bust a gut. Very materialistic, with judgements made on everything from suit material, watches, housing, car and so on.
I was there when Maggie came off the plane and watched the stock market, property market, as well as currency collapse. I bought stocks and made a pretty packet, much to the irritation of my colleagues.
There was a strong feeling of betrayal, however as one said here, there was no possibility of going it alone. Water yes, but also fresh produce that came by train several times a day, as well by sea.
On the flip, the police and judicial system was independent. People were treated fairly by the authorities. And it was okay to be a christian and there was real upward mobility.
Hard work was rewarded, risk taking applauded and civil society was pretty well left alone. For sure the Brits knew who the bad guys were, but they were your usual embezzelers and so on.
Crimes against the State and political prisoners were not a feature when it was a colony.
All that has changed. Now it's best to be close to invisible, though sadly in government departments it's really not a meritocracy, rather a case of who you know that gets the job.
Step out of line and yes the authorities will watch you, not very covertly. And the system itself is basically corrupted. You cannot be certain of a fair, impartial trial.
So the Union Jack isn't so much a hankering for the good old days of colonialism, rather a wish for fair treatment as well as freedom of speech and expression.
Or perhaps the flag wavers just wanted to piss-off the puppet government and Beijing!
Historical revisionism. Yes indeed.
"What have the Romans ever done for us?"
Well apart from roads, schools, hospitals, vaccines and global telecommunications...
I think Hongkong's freedom and prosperity has more to do with John Cowperthwaite than the Union flag.
@Anon 09:55 and Smoking Scot, thanks and logiacl move I guess...
@Ed 09:55, good spot!, worse than the usual holding it the wrong way as it is 'on a pole'
@Anon 12:38, never mind the Romans, what have the Jocks ever done for us? ;-)
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