It seems to me that Lord Goldsmith’s idea about an oath of allegiance for school leavers summons up the spirit of the age as ushered in by New Labour. Namely, cheap talk and empty promises.
I ….. swear by Almighty God that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, her heirs and successors, according to law. So help me God.
I’m making sure my kids believe in neither God nor Monarchy, so on a strictly rhetorical basis and if I’m honest, I’d have no problem with them making a pledge like this. You might as well ask them to swear by Mumm-ra the Ever-living to be faithful to Queen Galadriel of Lothlorien.
Come the day, they’ll gabble the words and be back outside bumming fags and consorting with unsuitable boys before the echo of their hollow vow has died away. And I doubt they’ll be the only ones.
Still, like rolling out ID cards to students, this will be a useful pilot scheme. We can then roll it out to the rest of the population. It’ll make for easy identification of dissidents and the politically-challenged in need of correction. Don’t want an ID card? You’re a trouble-maker. Don’t want to swear allegiance to the head of a family of pampered chancers? You’re a traitor.
I’ve been giving some thought as to what gives us a sense of belonging in Britain today (’patriotism’ doesn’t seem to have been mentioned in the course of this debate). Or, rather England and Wales, with Northern Ireland and Scotland being exempt from Goldsmith’s kite-flying. If you freeze Britain in a second of time, what catches the eye in that snapshot?
Is it our sanguine acceptance of war criminals as our leaders, their corruption and contempt? Is it our willingness to be banged roughly from behind by businessmen and not even expect to be paid for the pleasure? Is it our worship of topless models, lip-syncers and wife-beaters over writers, artists and scientists?
Is it out veneration of a ruling family who have earned their position via no more effort than the fortunate convergence of sperm and ovum? Is it our refusal to take care of the sick, the elderly and the disabled properly?
You see, I’ve nothing really against patriots as such. I just don’t like seeing them anywhere near the levers of power. It’s just that, if they love their country so much, why are they happy (or at least acquiescent) in seeing it languishing as a fifth-rate mediocrity? Us athiests, republicans and so-called fifth-columnists show more love for Britain.
Update: Lord Goldsmith speaks on Radion 4:
There has been a diminution in national pride.
Yes, thanks to the likes of you, you war-rubber-stamping bastard.
And get a hold of this:
John Humphreys: You could see a republican swearing an oath of allegiance to the institution that they want to get rid of?
Lord Goldsmith: Well, I don’t see why you shouldn’t do that.
I mean, what? What? This man is one of Britain’s foremost legal minds, for crying out loud. Another reason to be patriotic, I suppose, allowing verifiable idiots to run our legal system.
Is it any wonder that Iraq is a smoking ruin? Christ, was Lionel Hutz busy or something?