ChatterBank0 min ago
What Do You Think About This?
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//What Do You Think About This?// I think I’m thoroughly sick and tired of the ‘Woke’ expecting the rest of us to capitulate to their wishes. If they don’t like our history and our traditions - tough. That’s what I think.
07:48 Mon 24th Aug 2020
// It's an integral part of the spectacle. //
except there won't be a spectacle this year. There will be no audience, so there can be no Auld Lang Syne. The usual 100-strong choir won't be there to belt out the chorus of Rule Britannia so there's another non-starter. and the orchestra will be shaved to a 15 piece band, rather limiting their repertoire. the whole event must necessarily be different, so is probably ripe for a makeover.
except there won't be a spectacle this year. There will be no audience, so there can be no Auld Lang Syne. The usual 100-strong choir won't be there to belt out the chorus of Rule Britannia so there's another non-starter. and the orchestra will be shaved to a 15 piece band, rather limiting their repertoire. the whole event must necessarily be different, so is probably ripe for a makeover.
In November 2001, my daughter played the opening fanfare at The Royal Albert Hall for the grand concert of The National Festival of Music For Youth. She played a fanfare called "Victory". This was only a matter of weeks after the attack on the twin towers in New York. There had been plans for the closing music to be Land of Hope and Glory. However, because of the general feeling at the time, concert organisers felt it wouldn't be appropriate to sing the usual words, but replaced them with some garbage about peace and reconciliation. The words were printed in the accompanying program but I never read them and sang the words that we all know. Richard Stilgoe was the host and he sang the new words out quite loud, but I wasn't having it.
A great and memorable evening for our family that wasn't going to be ruined for us because of some stupid political correctness.
A great and memorable evening for our family that wasn't going to be ruined for us because of some stupid political correctness.
pixie - // Actually, andy, I totally disagree that "tradition" is ever an excuse to continue with something irrelevant. However, in this case, it seems totally harmless and certainly sounds better than the God Save the Queen dirge. //
A fair point, and I did not express my point correctly.
I would never wish to dismiss something traditional on the basis that it 'might offend' someone, that is the objection I raised.
But in response to your point, neither would I ever want something carried on simply because it is traditional - on that basis we would still have fox hunting.
I think a case-by-case basis is the way to look at things, and in this case, I think the notion that some nameless group of people 'may be offended' is never an excuse to change anything.
A fair point, and I did not express my point correctly.
I would never wish to dismiss something traditional on the basis that it 'might offend' someone, that is the objection I raised.
But in response to your point, neither would I ever want something carried on simply because it is traditional - on that basis we would still have fox hunting.
I think a case-by-case basis is the way to look at things, and in this case, I think the notion that some nameless group of people 'may be offended' is never an excuse to change anything.
I bet there are not many youngsters (pre teen) these days who would actually look forward to it . My elder sister and I tried not to miss it because we loved the quaint British whacky eccentricity especially when they waved their flags in time with Land of Hope and Glory.
I enjoyed the proms as much for the audience participation as the music. I won't bother if there is no audience this year.
I enjoyed the proms as much for the audience participation as the music. I won't bother if there is no audience this year.
Like all of you who had parents and grandparents who went through the horrors of war, and even now in our time, our brave military who have faced battle in Iraq and Afghanistan, and our outstanding Policemen and emergency service personnel who daily risk life and limb for us, I am of the opinion that the Last Night is inextricably linked to our history and national pride, and it is disgraceful that a foreign conductor with the anti-British BBC, with it's PC agenda, should be allowed to tamper with something so dear to our hearts.
I do hope there is such an outcry that hanging their heads in shame, those responsible should be sacked for their outrage.
I do hope there is such an outcry that hanging their heads in shame, those responsible should be sacked for their outrage.