LET'S RECLAIM OUR FLAG
British sports fans must grab back patriotism from BNP hijackers
Crack down on prima donna yobs | Let's mic up refs to expose footballers' shameful behaviour
Let's mic up refs to expose footballers' shameful behaviour
- Andy Murray will stay strong | James Blake tips British No.1 to cope with Wimbledon pressure
- TIGER WOODS NEEDS A LESSON IN MANNERS
- Why John Terry should go | Move would be great for football
- CRISTIANO RONALDO HAS NO HONESTY
- Blues are expensive timepiece on Rom wrist
- WHY SHOULD I ADMIRE CHELSEA?
- WAYNE ROONEY MUST BE UNLEASHED
ONE of the many problems I have with Nick Griffin and his BNP chums is that they have hijacked patriotism for their own vile purposes.
They have commandeered the Cross of St George and stolen the Union Jack to suit their evil message. It was the National Front before them.
The outrage sparked by the election of two BNP members to the European Parliament was heartening. But the depressing downside is that, as a nation, we have become scared to love our country. Or at least scared to show it.
Walk down a street in Anytown, USA, and you will see the stars and stripes fluttering outside a dozen houses. When you see one of those flags, you think patriot. At worst, redneck.
See a British flag billowing outside a private residence and you think thug. At worst, racist.
Attend any baseball game in the States - and considering each team plays 162 times in the regular season, there are quite a few to choose from - and the national anthem will be belted out before each one. Caps placed across the chest, no exceptions.
Imagine if God Save the Queen was given an airing before every Premier League game. The players mumble awkwardly through it even before a World Cup game, for goodness sake.
When I landed in South Africa the other day, the first thing you notice is the pride in their nation. No sinister undertones - just unadulterated affection for their land. And considering that, until relatively recently, the majority of the population was classed as dirt, it's something to behold. It's joyous.
Maybe it's in our genes. Reserved, stiff upper lip and all that. But there appears to be a genuine reluctance to give pure partisan support to our sporting stars.
Sure, most people want Andy Murray to win Wimbledon. But many are waiting for him to fall. There's a general air of indifference surrounding Jenson Button's serene cruise to a world title. I'd like to think that's because he is a tax exile. But it's probably not. We just fear jingoism.
England's cricket team are preparing for the Ashes but compare the patriotic fever generated by Paul Collingwood's team during the Twenty20 World Cup with that generated by Pakistan or even India.
It's at home where we have issues. Support away from home never ceases to amaze me. In Kazakhstan, I met fans who had travelled the 3,500 miles by train to Almaty ... from Sunderland.
Here in Durban, I've shared a beer with punters who have sold cars and houses to fund the trip and be among the 30,000 - yes, 30,000 - Lions supporters in South Africa.
And we all know about the Barmy Army. In sport, British teams are the golden ticket.
People spoke blithely about the home nations not being missed at Euro 2008. It would be a more peaceful, incident-free tournament, they said. Rot.
British supporters are the most welcomed because they come in the most numbers, create the most electric atmosphere and spend the most money. Yet there is still nervousness, still a reluctance, about being too overt in our backing of home sportsmen and women.
Take the debate over the amount of foreign players in the Premier League. Anyone who dares suggest it should be restricted is dismissed as little Englander when all they are basing their argument on is a desire to have a better, deeper pool of players for the national side.
We should love our country because of its wonderful cultural diversity. Because of the fact that we welcome the world. We don't discriminate. We are the epitome of what a civilised 21st century nation should be.
We loathe the BNP. But we shouldn't be afraid to love our Britishness. There are golden times ahead. In sport, Britain's got talent.
Murray can win Wimbledon, Button will be world champion, England have got a chance in the Ashes, John Terry honestly believes that he can lead his side to World Cup triumph, there are more cyclists in Buckingham Palace than corgis.
So now would be a good time to cast aside those understandable inhibitions. To support and celebrate British sport. To reclaim the flag.
Now get the News of World print edition for more from Andy Dunn
This article has 13 comments
i think you r 100% right i think this colum is 100% spot on the bnp think that we should be a white state why should we be a white state at the end of the day we was born is this amazing country purely by chance you dont exacly press a botton in ur mothers womb that u can choose to be a white british male/female can yoou and you should be proud that others want to live in are land it shows wat a great country we are. and as for the bnp just think on the sports men and women we wud miss out of from lewis hamalton(eng) to DAME KELLY HOMES(engg) try and telly me these people arnt english?? well infact they dont just reprecent england do they wen u see there flaf next to there name on the telly wen there making you proud of ur country by lifting yet another trouphy or medal the flag is infacy the union jack they do it for great brition and so do the same of andy murrey(scot) and i hear somepeople complaining about british africans shouldnt be wearing are flag its toshh it really is u dont complain about kevin peiterson playing for england cricket team do you and the bloke is indeed from south africa for god sake and still has the accent to prove it so dnt complain about one just cus there name " does not sound english" because when they win or represent are country are great nation and the great nations or the uk you can see there proud to do it to make ares and there coutry look great! im proud to be english and proud to be part of the uk so dunn great read as always
By gavin edden. Posted August 16 2009 at 3:24 PM.
rubbish talk its britain when it suits,some english people think the union jack is the english flag, if you ask the celtic nation the same question they would put their flag first the union flag is pointless we english are suppressed by a scottish government.
By phil. Posted July 5 2009 at 10:03 AM.
Oh Andy, what have you done? I normally really enjoy your column but today was a load of ill informed dross. You are obviously pandering to the lily liberal lefties that have destroyed our country.
Do you really think we can be proud of what England has become? It is now an overcrowded cess pit full of individuals who no one else wanted; even in their own countries. Personally, I live in a disgusting part of North London which is teeming with eastern europeans who have soaked up all the available housing (my family and I have been waiting 7 years for a permanant council property despite being a hard working local man).
It is because people are sick of England as it is now, that we look for alternative political parties. BNP are the last bastion of defence for our shores and the only ones with any metal to stand up and speak honestly. Do you really believe that the majority are proud of what we have become? Yes, we welcome the world: literally. But that is not a good thing. We are not the epitome of what a civilised nation should be. What planet do you possibly live on? Why don't you come back down to earth and walk a day in my shoes; shoes which are covered in spit, vomit, blood and excrement.
It is you, and not the BNP, who are a disgrace to the nation.
By Karl Kessler. Posted June 21 2009 at 8:22 PM.
i don't see anyone else trying to put the G back in britain do you Gorden brown. YOU and your so called government should be held accountable for turning britain into a muslim state.
By terry. Posted June 21 2009 at 3:44 PM.
Excellent article, though don't agree with some of your respondents.
Your 'friend' from Dunfirmline really takes the biscuit. Oh yes Scotland is a hub of multi culturism. Not!!!! I've been to old firm games.
We should be proud of what we have achieved as a nation, it appears to me that certain people go out of their way to be offended by our flag. Funny how they are not offended enough to take their dole money.
By Rod. Posted June 21 2009 at 3:28 PM.
I have the cross of St George hanging from my house already in defiance. If everyone did the same (with whichever flag means the most to them) then there wouldn't be a problem.
Good article - it really needed addressing.
By Bren J. Posted June 21 2009 at 2:19 PM.
"We should love our country because of its wonderful cultural diversity."
This is precisely the reason we have lost our Britishness. If you hang the Union Flag outside your window, someone from the council will tell you to take it down because it might upset the ethnic community.
Stick to writing about sport, you obviously know nothing about politics.
By Robert Thomson. Posted June 21 2009 at 2:10 PM.
it i about time someone stood up for the ordinary people of this country and started to look after our own people.i know someone who has been waiting for a council house for 2yrs would she still be waiting if came from iraq afghanastan i doubt not.britain for british people.
By philip. Posted June 21 2009 at 12:21 PM.
30 000 fans TRAVELLED FROM UK??? Come off it mate! You forgot to mention that 99% of that 30 000 are already British immigrants.....sorry, what do you call them 'expats'....yea expats, living in South Africa already.
By Alex. Posted June 21 2009 at 11:59 AM.
Murray wears his national flag, the Saltire Cross on his Tennis caps. Not the Union Jack. Scotland do not want to be associated with the London Olympic 'British' football team, hence the team will be full of English players. Scotland has no BNP councillors. We also have a left-centre government in the Scottish National Party who celebrate and promote a multi-cultural Scotland.
Do not tar us with your tawdry brush.
By Dunfermline Scot. Posted June 21 2009 at 11:51 AM.
well done dunny, i see your column has brought a few idiots onto the comments page, you are spot on with your views, i reguarly read your column and watch you on sunday supplement and although i dont always agree with what you write or say a lot of it is on the money, keep up the good work and dont let the bigotted minority shout you down.
By brendan teehan. Posted June 21 2009 at 8:56 AM.
are you sure its dunn not dunce.
what a load of tosh you talk.
when you say we hate the BNP do you mean yourself because surely everyone cant hate them otherwise they would not have got any votes.
If someone hangs the flag of saint george outside his house someone would be round asking him to take it down becuse someone may be offended.
By bahrain wolves. Posted June 21 2009 at 7:57 AM.
The BNP have not hijacked the flag, in fact we should give thanks to them for saving it. If it was up to Labour with their determination to destroy the British identity our flag would be long gone.
Remember the BNP were the only party campaigning for St Georges day!
By Janice Livings. Posted June 21 2009 at 3:07 AM.