Reclaiming our National Symbol
St. George’s Day has definitely to be celebrated as England’s national day for many valid reasons. I am sure every community in the UK, and definitely the harmonious communities of Bexley and England in general will agree with me in, not only celebrating, but demanding the political masters, locally and nationally, that St. George’s day be declared a national holiday in England.
As the legend indicates that George, though being a Senior Officer of the Mighty Roman Army has suffered torture for admitting to being a Christian. This shows his indisputable commitment to his faith in Christianity, and in leading a life of true Christian values; of patience and tolerating immense pain without resisting or reacting in anger-as most of us do today.
Another tale of St. George is that, he fought and killed a dragon, which has eaten many of the Libyan citizens and was about to consume the City’s Princess. This tale highlights what a courageous human being George was, just like the Commonwealth forces who served the British military.
Being understood, that St. George was adopted as England’s patron saint in 1415 shows that the English, even at that period of time acknowledged, appreciated, accepted and embraced, as their own, a person of immense courage, faith and who placed his own life to save and help others irrespective of their race, religion, nationality, cast or creed, as a saviour of their own country (a Patron Saint), even though he was obviously and widely known as a foreigner born in Turkey and never step foot in England.
This is just the right example of Englishness, applicable, especially today, at a very crucial point in time where England, and the UK itself, is undergoing a drastic period of uncertainty over National Security and Narrow Nationalism, where the far right is determined to enter mainstream politics and demand legitimacy.
St. George’s day also reflects the acknowledgement, appreciation and veneration of the contributions of the Ethnic Minority Communities, to the development in every walk of life of every citizen of the UK, and specifically the English, not just now, but from, even the period of the 1st and 2nd World Wars and beyond, where the contributions, sacrifices and commitments of the Commonwealth citizens (so-called foreigners), without whom victory in the wars could never have been achieved; reconstruction would have been impossible, immense wealth could never have been accumulated, and re-invigoration of quality life of every citizen today would have been a practical illusion, irrespective of their deeper understanding of the fact.
St. George is the symbol of Equality, Courage and Human Rights. Hence, I suggest, (I am sure no one who really work for unity among all the communities will object) on behalf of all the harmonious communities of Bexley, what ever ethnic, religious, cultural or value based as we are, that St. George’s Day be proclaimed the National Day of England, and be declared a national holiday, because it reflects the contributions, sacrifices and the lives of all the communities to the Englishness as we are today, celebrating the richness of our diversity which we enjoy in every walk of Bexley’s life, and be the model of the Englishness and Britishness as we are today. Further and above all, the flag-St. George’s Cross- is a flag belonging to all of us in England, and not the domain of a particular group of narrow nationalists. When
we understand who we are, we all will realise who we really are in our realistic expression of our patriotic commitments.
G.A.Lux.Anandarajah
Director