Gary's views

Gary's weekly views

Each week an article by Gary has appeared in the Plympton Plymstock and Ivybridge News in South West Devon. The articles are published here

WORLD CUP FEVER

Will you be watching the world cup, or are you leaving the country for the next few weeks? My enthusiastic Westminster intern has patched into my electronic diary every single game starting with Germany v Costa Rica (who cares?) at 5pm on Friday 10th July. I can now bore for Britain on the most irrelevant of fixtures.

I will only watch the England games. Actually, I am supporting two teams in the world cup: England, and any team playing France. (Only joking!) But I know there are people out there who will be watching every match. Sad.

One of the things I will enjoy, apart from the dazzling skills of Rooney (if fit) and Gerrard, are the displays of passion from the partisan supporters. The flag waving, the songs, the painted faces, the improvised musical accompaniment, the anthems, the tears and the cheers - the whole works; I’m really looking forward to it. I actually love patriotism. I love my own country and get very partisan whenever England are playing any sport. But it does not stop there. I love to see others supporting their own countries in just the same way. I believe that patriotism is natural and healthy and should be encouraged and enjoyed.

There are modern thinkers who believe that soon the old-fashioned concept of nationality will become obsolete; that in a globalising world it won’t be long before we all consider ourselves citizens of the world. Garbage, I’m afraid. We define ourselves in part by our nationality, and always have. There is nothing wrong with this. A healthy patriotism, respecting the equal patriotism of others, is surely the antidote to aggressive and unacceptable nationalism that seeks to dominate. If anything in the United Kingdom we should preach greater pride in our country, not less and with it the traditional values of tolerance and respect that have long been British characteristics.

If we are to build a better world, we have to cut with the grain of human nature and not against it. We should not try and squeeze people, as we have in the past, into artificial borders, but allow full expression to national identity.
If I do get around to watching Holland v Ivory Coast at 5pm on June 16th it will not be because any interest in the result. It will be to enjoy the spectacle of thousands of people loving their country just as much as I love mine.

posted by Nigel on Monday, June 12, 2006