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No doubt you will have found time in your schedules this week
to watch the Opening Ceremony of the Commonwealth Games, beamed live to you
from the Mean City to the north of the Wall of Hadrian, they call Glasgow.
You will no doubt have your own opinions on the entertainment
value of this spectacle but one item in particular irked Cicero and induced
splenetic rage as he watched.
Why did they have to sing the National Anthem to serenade
Betty when she arrived in the stadium with Chookie?
Totally inappropriate, Cicero spluttered.
It is not that he is anti-royalist, Cicero is after all
strictly apolitical as you will know.
But this was an event held in Glasgow, Scotland. Scotland was
the host nation. It was the history and culture of Scotland that was the centre
piece of the Ceremony. And in case anyone was in any doubt where the games
were, the biggest cheer of the evening was reserved for the Scots as they
entered the stadium under the Cross of St Andrews.
So why was Betty not serenaded with ‘Flower of Scotland’?
If these games had been held in Canada, New Zealand or Australia,
do you think ‘God save the Queen’ would be sung? Of course not. We would have what
passes for their National Anthems. So why did anyone think it right that the
Celts and Picts should be denied their cultural inheritance and be forced to
listen to and to sing an anti Scots song (listen to third verse for proof of
this). This is cultural imperialism.
What will be sung when Scotland win their Gold Medals? ‘Flower
of Scotland’ of course. So it must be the National Anthem of the Celts and
Picts.
At the London Olympics North Korea were mightily offended
and went on strike when the South Korea flag appeared next to their country’s
name. This is a diplomatic offence of the same order and will no doubt garner a
few more yes for the Big Vote.
Surely someone should have spotted this before the faux pas
was committed. Heads should roll.
We should however be grateful that Betty’s Serenade was not
drowned out with the sound-turned-up volley of jeers, boos and cat calls that
usually greet the Serenade when sung North of the Wall of Hadrian. That would
have been embarrassing for all concerned
.
So thank God for the good grace and sense of the people of
Glasgow. We should of course expect not anything less from such a friendly,
hospital and personable tribe.
As they themselves said and sang out loud in front of our
own very eyes,
‘Come in, come in, it’s nice to
see you,
How’s yoursel’ you’re looking
grand,
Tak’ a seat and ha’e a drammie,
Man, you’re welcome here’s my
hand.
Even Betty and Chookie.
Have a great day.
Sis felix. Et sis fortunatus.
2 comments:
Dearest Cicero; Scotland is, unfortunately, still part of Great Britain and as such, should consider itself honoured to be allowed to lean upon a vast plethora of advantages we afford them such as free education and the sharing of our national anthem. Come the revolution though, English people will be happy to wash our hands of the Scots and spend our hard earned taxes in more valuable avenues than sharing it with a nation of men in skirts and bagpipe players!
The commonwealth games were historically known as The British Empire Games so I'm not at all sure why Scotland is getting all up itself and feeling possessive and precious about them. There's no historic link with Scotland so there's no reason to be singing Billy Connelly's Shanties instead of the publically recognised and applauded national anthem of the UK.
I can't for the life of me think why Scotland is host to any sort of sporting event anyway. Don't they just eat chips, drink whiskey, eat chips, get drunk, eat chips and eat chips? It's hardly the pinnacle of sociological fitness is it?
I think the only reason why the Commonwealth Games have been so well received up there is because everyone is way too drunk to notice!
Couple of things Cicero - God Save The Queen was actually played in Melbourne in 2006, although it was agreed it wouldn't be sung. This was the first time this had happened, 1998 in Kuala Lumpur being another example.
It was not played in Delhi in 2010 as the Queen was not in attendance. It is also the anthem for the Commonwealth, although not the games themselves.
I suggest that after gaining independence (something that as a passionate English Parlimentarian I fully hope happens) you then push for leaving the Commonwealth.
Quickly followed by enforced repatriation back to your motherland. You are, after all, a Scots man living in the UK are you not (and for some time I might add)
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