'Has England ever been so foul with patriotism?'

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail....mes-Royal-Family.html

Many on this site in the past have slated patriotism and the Royal Family and have also connected the flying of flags with the BNP or the EDL etc.

Do they now agree with Morrissey regarding the show of patriotism at the Olympics?

[ojread2]

As they said on Daybreak this morning, this is so not a news story

Had Morrisey said the opposite it *may have been more worthy of a line or 3

Yawn

[China Doll]

I find it hard to believe that anyone takes what that muppet says seriously. I don't see anything wrong with people supporting their team, whoever that is. And from what I've been seeing/reading, everyone is talking about the atmosphere being awesome at the games so I hardly think it's a problem.

I'm not actually much of a royalist myself, and I've not really noticed that they're hijacking anything. I saw William, Harry and I think Kate watching something and going mental when Britain won. I thought it was very touching actually.

[Mick-Talbot]

I think he is right, I must confess that I have got carried away with my jingoism......I was even hoping we might invade a few countries whilst we are on a roll.

[jno]

it seems to me that in the past when people have seen Olympics staged in other countries they've been shocked by the jingoiism of the local commentators and compared them with the more restrained and even-handed coverage they'd get in Britain. This no longer appears a viable argument. Whether it's a good thing, who can say.

[brionon]

Who IS Morrissey ?

[Brenden]

Possibly a has-been brionon looking for publicity - what an imbecile.

[Prudie]

Morrissey is totally biased though, he needs the nation to be in gloom and despair otherwise he'd have nothing to sing about.

[Mick-Talbot]

Lol @ Prudie

[wolf63]

I don't watch much TV and haven't been watching the Olympics but it is still a nice feeling that 'Team GB' is doing so well.

People are obviously enjoying watching the sport and the people taking part have worked towards this even for a long time.

Just noticed the heading - I'm in Scotland, does that mean we aren't foul?

[ladybirder]

We're unused to such sporting success it's gone to our heads. Our athletes are to be held up as role models and we are justly proud of them. What a miserable git he is, whoever he is.

[Mick-Talbot]

"I Don't Mind If You Forget Me"




Neither do I.

and lay of the pies.

[tamborine]

No sane person can compare sport with ww2 genocide

[Zeuhl]

Morrissey chooses to live in a nice mansion in Beverley Hills.

A region of the world quite keen on flying its own flag at any opportunity.

[jake-the-peg]

I'd agree that patriotism is a rather dubious virtue - it's essentially a call to mindless tribalism

"my country right or wrong"

And there is a degree of "Bread and circuses" about the Olympics diverting attention from the apalling economic mess that's being made of the country.

Yes I can see where he's coming from, I think the 1939 comparison is overstating it because there none of the violence or racism that underlay Nazi Germany.

I'd agree with the sentiment but not with the degree to which he's expressed it.

Always a shame when someone ruins a good point by overstating the case - we see it on here all the time

[dave50]

It is impossible to be too nationalistic or patriotic.

[Kiki-frog]

I do like Morrissey as a singer, but he does make a point of saying outrageous things just to draw attention to himself. I don't feel that his opinions merit an article of this size, though!

[jake-the-peg]

To give a small example

I commented on the skill one particular Judoka demonstrated in a winning throw the other day and way told that I shouldn't be supporting someone who was Korean

That dave is beiong too patriotic!

[Zeuhl]

That's a bit ott dave

I expect we can all think of examples where a population becomes convinced that their nation, their people, their culture is superior to any other and is inherently entitled to do what it likes at the expense of others.

[ladybirder]

Look, we're having a national burying of the head in the clouds for 2 weeks. Let us be. We'll be back the facing the harsh realities when it's all over.

[Kromovaracun]

Morrissey isn't comparing it to genocide - he's comparing it to propaganda.

I don't like the way he has phrased his point (I don't like it when anyone harks back to 1939 for any reason with a few notable exceptions - it's the standard cheap-shot and is only really valid in a few contemporary topics), but I do have some sympathy with it. While I did during my teens, patriotism isn't something I really have any time for any more, and I am a little suspicious of the rather convenient way national fervour is being drummed up, which he's also right to point out is a fairly classic strategy of power in modern history.

As for the olympics generally - I haven't been watching as it doesn't really interest me. But I respect the dedication and skill the various sportsmen display. But they're not winning it for me, and I dislike the idea that they are. They are winning it through and for their own skill and resolve, and they are examples of just what can be achieved with the right levels of willpower. That's beautiful enough - they don't need to have done it for my imagined community or on my behalf somehow.