Posted on 03/22/2009 2:06:23 AM PDT by Stoat
The move follows a series of incidents in recent years in which people have been banned from displaying the English flag on the grounds that it is racist and could offend Muslims because of St George’s association with the Crusades.
But Mr Johnson believes such arguments are unjustified and plans a series of events around St George’s Day on April 23 to honour the historical achievements of England and the English.
Waving the flag: The Mayor will raise the Cross of St George over his London headquarters
(edit)
Mr Johnson told The Mail on Sunday: ‘St George’s Day has been ignored in London for too long but I’m truly pleased to announce some fantastic events to mark this occasion. We have much to be proud of in this great country. England has given so much to the world, politically, socially and artistically.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
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A related item that may be of interest:
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St George and the Dragon: Use of the cross has not been considered particularly PC due to its association with the Crusades
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FR threads from 2008:
(U.K.)Cancelled on police advice St George's Day parade through the Bradford race-riot zone
Beijing Olympics Flags showing Cross of St George, Saltire or Welsh dragon banned
FR thread from 2005
Great Britain Navy bans St.George flags (Flag said to upset Turks; reminder of Crusades)
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"Saint George is the patron saint of England. He's popularly identified with England and English ideals of honour, bravery and gallantry..."
BBC - Religion & Ethics - Saint George Introduction
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St. George - England's Patron Saint
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CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA St. George
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Someone please tell me the last time a Muslim country stopped doing something because it offended us.
this guy sounds better than the commie who was London’s mayor
original version as designed by Pierre
"Red Ken" Livingstone....may the fleas of a thousand camels infest his armpits.
A (very) few choice FR threads to remind us of how bad things USED to be:
April, 2008
Ken's adviser is linked to terror group (Red Ken, Mayor of London)
August, 2007
UK Livingstone breaks down in tears at slave trade memorial (Red Ken, Jesse Jackson update)
June 2007
London mayor defends Muslims as bomb plot foiled
February 2007
London mayor signs oil deal with Chavez
November 2006
London mayor blasts US during Cuba trip ('Red Ken' Livingstone Update)
There are literally hundreds more....
Here’s to pissing off the PC crowd. Even as a Protestant I’d observe the day if I lived in England.
This is terrific news.
We don’t need anyone’s permission to celebrate St George’s day, nor to wave our English flags on any day of the year. We - the English and the British alike - have great achievements to celebrate, and mercifully little to apologize for.
But it is heartening indeed to find a member of the Government speaking with our voice. It doesn’t happen often, does it?
Honor to St. George!
Three cheers for the mayor!
Did you see?
Saint George predates all schisms from the Church. As a member of the court of Roman Emporer Diocletian, he refused an Imperial order to arrest all Christian soldiers and demand that they convert to Paganism. He confronted the Emporer about this order in open court and refused to convert.
Diocletian reluctantly had him tortured and executed. Due to his faith and willingness to suffer torture and death for the name of Jesus Christ, many in the court of Diocletian converted to Christianity, including Diocletian’s wife Alexandra and Diocletian’s own pagan priest Athanasius.
George was half Turkish and half Palestinian, so he is heavily venerated by Christians in those areas. He was a soldier before a tribune and his martyrdom is due to protecting soldiers, so he has a special place in soldiers’ hearts.
With that kind of history and broad appeal, I think it’s ok for any Christian to remember Saint George fondly.
Rather reminds me of the conflabs over the Stars and Bars in the southern US states.
Good for the Mayor. [Wonder how many death threats he gets from members of TROP?]
I would love to see the Brits grow a pair and tell the muzzies to get the hell out and go back to the dung hole they popped out of.
You know it never occurred to me that muslim countries would ban their own flags, because I, as a Christian, might be offended by them. Ah yes.. only in the west are we that insane. Well at least we still have the stars and stripes.
No I had not heard about it but it sounds like Boris who loves to court controvesy whether it be in his political or personal life.
On the whole his politics are too left of centre with the Conservative Party for me but I will take him any day over Ken.
On the subject of St George’s though in recent years we seem to hear more about it than when I was a child. Local pubs and shops seem to have jumped on it commercially with red and white flags everywhere and special English fayre served and all kinds of gifts, from teddy bears to mugs with the St George’s flag on them.
Although this may be for similar muslim / Turkish reasons as St . George being occasionally regarded as being politically-incorrect in England in recent years, there is also this:
St George is the country's patron saint, an position he shares with England, Portugal, Moscow and Catalonia. His feast day is celebrated on November 23 in Georgia, the day of the same day as the “Velvet Revolution” that ousted Eduard Shevardnadze.
(The link above is to a FR thread from 2003. The original article from the UK Times has since disappeared from their site; a reminder of the value of Free Republic as a reference source independent of the Press)
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