As always, great shots in the Vegas thread and I'm shortly going to be reproducing one of Paul's shots without the kind permission of the owner, so thanks for that in advance Paul.
But why are we afraid to be be similarly proud? Even the word 'pride' has got more gay connotations nowadays (no - I'm not homophobic in any way, but if I was, get over it), than with being chuffed about ourselves as a nation, and proud of what we're about. It seems that despite the bullsh#t media message that we've got a lot to be proud about, we have to do it by numbers. We're just sinking into a sea of androgynous, apathetic and bland mulch. I love the fact that we're diverse, I love the idea that I can walk down lots of High Streets and hear lots of voices; as a nation we have
so much to be proud about - we have offered refuge for centuries to people fleeing from persecution, we have been attractive to people to aspire to what we stand for, and we have provided refuge for sailors and Peterborough still, is littered with French names as Bonaparte PWs settled here.
I'll never forget an old Serb, surrounded by squalor, tugging at the small minging Union Flag on my smock sleeve, and saying over and over again.. 'Jimmy, Jimmy'. The interpreter told me that he sailed convoys out from Glasgow during
the war and when I cut the patch off, and handed it to him, he burst into tears and actually kissed it - our flag meant that much to him. It meant more to him than it does to many of us nowadays.
My point is this (yes, I'm getting there, stick with it). I just wish that for once, we put aside pragmatism and British reserve, and painted
our seasonal display jets in a similarly proud manner (with the Union Flag though, before anyone asks). I'm sure that there's some dusty Reg somewhere not allowing it, or that the money is allocated on equality training for left handed, short, lesbian, overweight illegal immigrants or there'll be some practical reason why the aeroplane is allocated to war reserve and it just wouldn't do to go to war in bright colours, but have we
ever been so demonstrably proud as to do this?
This is where someone tells me that we already do this, and that I should get out to more air shows, at which point I shall hold my head in shame. But if we
don't, please.. if you're the bod who can make this decision, for gods sake - just do it. Don't think about it - just
do it will you? And if anyone has a go at you, give me their contact details and I'll gladly remind them who pays their salary and who employs them. Or is your name is Torpy and you're reading this, pick up the phone and 'make it happen' will you? Thanks.
