Britishness Scheme Really 'Bugs' Me
So the government want schoolchildren to swear ... their allegiance to the Queen as part of radical new shake-up to increase our sense of Britishness, the media reports.
You'll find plenty of swearing in schools across our nation, but I can't quite see this type taking off. Neither can I see this being tremendously popular with us grown folk, including some of the asylum seekers and refugees who've come to the UK without their manners and common decency.
Once again, the ruling classes are flouting their responsibilities to the nation; this time believing that we'll all feel better under a painted-on, pseudo-hippy ideology that we are all one big happy country.
May I suggest that before ex-Attorney General Lord Goldsmith, the man who reportedly put this 'thought' forward, goes any further, perhaps he could suggest an idea which will make Britain a place that folks genuinely want to pledge allegiance to?
Where crime is punished adequately, opportunities for improvement exist for anyone who wants to study and work toward them and consumers are not scammed because they have the audacity to use gas and electricity in their homes and fill their motor vehicles with fuel.
Lord Goldsmith, you get zero out of ten for originality.
I'm sure many of us would pledge allegiance to Bugs Bunny, if he could help make this country a fairer place.
Am I wrong?
That's all folks!
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Veron Graham - telling it like it is.
Short, sweet and correct.
You're dead right Veron. I'm not even sure about whether I want my (white) child doing this. But first generation immigrants and folk whose cousins have recently bee raided by police may well say 'stuff the allegience promise'!
Many thanks for all your positive comments recently from the issue of Britishness to the importance of supporting a Black presedential candidate... Your thoughts are welcomed and inspiring.
I also wanted to ask for an oportunity to discuss the isses of Gun & Gang culture and its on going effect on comunities across the UK - Birmingham in particular.
I have spent the last four years of my career as a Youth & Community worker in Birmingham in an attempt to improve the way both: Statutory and Voluntary & Community agencies / organisations work to address the increasing social problem of gang & gun culture.
Having been a key person working this agenda it is alarming, to say the least ( given its been alomost 8 years since the tragic loss of charlene & Latisha) - to see how poorly Birmingham's key stakeholders INVOLVED IN THE the deliery of services to Children & Young People are actually working to encourage and support partnership activities with the Black & Minority Ethnic (BME) Voluntary Sector on this agenda.
My key point is that the absense of Black people at decision making tables - where the future Birmingham's services for young people - including Black young people are forged, is still a significant issue, to this day, no grassroots BLACK presence is present at strategic tables. i.e children's trust, Children & Young People's services etc... articulate the needs or concerns of BME ccommunities.
Surely a more inclusive and supportive approach to responding to the effects of Gun & Gang crime on our communities must be developed. Only this week we have seen signs & evidence that the issue of gun culture is still a real threat to the well - being and safety of young people across Birmingham. The Westmidlands Police and other key stakeholders across the city keep trying to convince us we don't have a real gang or gun problem yet!! Are they blind! don't they see just how young people are beginig to emulate the behaviour of their peers... Violence has become an integral element in the development of young people living in inner - ctiy areas.
Its about time that more was done to secure the safe, inclusive, and meaningful development of all young people in Birmingham.
Every Child Really Should Matter!