God Save The Queen

Well, i'm back. The last few days have been interesting. The caravan was situated in a perfect location with the beach to one side and huge hills to the other. It's the first time I had to been to that part of Wales and I must say it is stunning and my time there certainly relieved some stress. It's hard to be too tense when your surroundings are so relaxing. I wanted to spend some of the time there thinking about making some changes to my life and I did that.There are some people I need to make an effort to keep in my life and there are a few I need to evict from my life. I've already started to do this. One person is gone and there are a couple more to follow. So hopefully things will start looking up without the added stress of the few losers that get right on my nerves.
Anyway, enough of that. On wednesday the 33 men trapped down a mine in Chile for 69 days were finally brought to safety. Astonishing news. It seems they are all physically well and some have been allowed home already with the rest expected to go home the end of today. They have been promised six months of aftercare which I think is vital. They may well be physically fit enough to get back to normal life but mentally this may not be the case. Let's all hope that psychological problems will be minimal.
The scenes above ground when all 33 men reached the surface was incredible. The pride among the people of Chile is inspiring. When was the last time England came together in that way? Okay, we all mourned Princess Diana and there was a sense of unity among us but when have we celebrated anything together as a nation? The only thing that springs to my mind is the end of World War Two. Britain was united under the same flag and celebrations spilled out of peoples homes onto the streets. 65 years later our country is a mess. We are worried about being branded as racist or hooligans if we have any pride. In june of this year a 7 year old little boy was attacked by a grown man in Scotland for wearing an England shirt. In march, our troops returned home from duty in Iraq and paraded in Watford. They were faced with a group of protesters holding placards branding these men 'Butchers of Basra' and that was only one incident. It was happening all over the country. If we fly the St George's Cross we're accused of racism. I for one fly my flag because i'm proud to be English. That includes our customs, history, heritage and patriotism. That doesn't mean I hate anyone who is from a different country. I think we should all be proud of who we are and where we come from and fly our flags whenever we want to, not just to show support to our nation's sporting teams.
It shocks me that many English people don't even know the first verse to our national anthem. Shouldn't we be teaching this to our children? Shouldn't they be learning it at school? Yet, at primary school, young british children are taught about other nations and even songs in their languages. I know our national anthem is long with it's 6 verses but couldn't we at least teach them the first and most commonly used verse? I've heard kids singing Star Spangled Banner. How do they know the USA's but not ours? It's time we start taking things into our own hands and teach our children that this is their country and nothing should ever make them feel ashamed of who they are.
And for any of you that wants to know, here are the 6 verses.

1. God save our gracious Queen
Long live our noble Queen
God save the Queen
Send her victorious
Happy and glorious
Long to reign over us
God save the Queen



2. O Lord our God arise

Scatter her enemies
And make them fall
Confound their politics
Frustrate their knavish tricks
On Thee our hopes we fix
God save us all

 

3. Thy choicest gifts in store
On her be pleased to pour
Long may she reign
May she defend our laws
And ever give us cause
To sing with heart and voice
God save the Queen

4. Not in this land alone
But be God's mercies known
From shore to shore
Lord make the nations see
That men should brothers be
And form one family
The wide world over

5. From every latent foe
From the assassins blow
God save the Queen
O'er her thine arm extend
For Britain's sake defend
Our mother, prince, and friend
God save the Queen

6. Lord grant that Marshal Wade
May by thy mighty aid
Victory bring
May he sedition hush
And like a torrent rush
Rebellious Scots to crush
God save the King