Well yes, it certainly has parallels with today . The Celtic Britons were pushed out further west, to Wales, Cornwall and beyond.
Legend has it that @Barry Haynes lead the Saxons across the Severn and landed at the shoreline now named Barry Island, the name descends from it's original name of Barry's Island. Locals are often seen on the promenade calling out 'tidy' whilst doing the Lambeth Walk..... The Severn Bridge was constructed in honour of Barry, so travellers could avoid going 'the long way around' via Gloucester and the A40.....
Example, we celebrate Saint-Nicolas on the 6th december, it is our Santa Claus. Saint Nicolas helper is a soot covered chimney sweeper, who clean chimney before Saint Nicolas passage and scold naughty children. He's called "père fouettard" ( google translation is bogeyman?). We no more are allowed to have representation of him as it is offensive for black people. Everybody known he is not black, it makes a big debat, but it was stated we no more can have père Fouettard. His history come from XVI century. We also have some of the best cartoons writters and designers, Franquin, Cauvin, Uderzo, Hergé and the like. It is big part of Belgian culture, but now, it is offensive for some to have copy of Tintin au Congo or Tintin en Amérique. Those are classics 1930's cartoons. It is like we will no more be allowed to drive our Beetle due to his history. We had to change the name of Christmas Holydays to winter holyday, Easter Holydays to spring holydays. I will not write a book about, but all those "little things" really are upsetting people.
@Jean-François , I can find nothing that says Christmas and Easter are no longer called Christmas and Easter in Belgium. Do you have a link? In the Uk we get similar outcries where it is alleged Christmas or other Christian festivals are banned because it offends, well usually they say it’s because it offends Muslims….. utter nonsense of course. The Muslim kids at my daughters primary school took part in the Nativity play, attended church for Harvest Festival. There are loads of Muslims in West Yorkshire, plenty who celebrate Christmas and are not offended by it. Didn’t Mo Salah of Liverpool post a pic on Instagram of him and his kids in front of the family Christmas tree? Blacking up is a trickier one though. There are folk traditions in parts of the UK where people will Black Up. But then you just get die hards on both sides of the argument who say Black face is offensive always, and on the other side who say it’s not offensive, it’s tradition. What those people should be doing is talking to each other rather than shouting each other down, which seems to be what has replaced debate and reasoned argument these days.
I think there's a problem with some areas of life where the reality is nobody really gives a hoot but someone somewhere thinks they ought to and goes on a crusade to change a whole population's attitude, which then becomes a full time job looking for trouble where there isn't any and publicising/shaming anyone who doesn't tow the line as a tactic to force change. Having said that, some good does come of this in the end, but to get change to happen quickly enough to suit some the tactics have to be OTT. Which is a pity - sometimes change can only happen as people die of old age and are replaced by people born into the new altered world - trying to force those changes to happen more quickly does cause resentment, nobody likes to be told they are thinking "wrong".
Exactly Steve. I mean hopefully attitudes have changed for the better, and are still changing because of #metoo.
I suspect those part of the Muslim community that have integrated its nothing of a problem. I know from my small involvement here with the village church that there are initiatives regarding "understanding and respecting different faiths" this includes meetings and discussions with all faiths, the muslim community included. The bigger problem is probably the woke folk in left wing run councils who seek out offence and then use it as a means to cause division.
True but the other side of the coin is those who shout that things like Christmas has been banned! And then you get a cohort of morons who will believe this without checking whether there are any facts that support that.
Ban religion, or belief in sky fairies. …. Well, no, I don't think so really. But if it is within your religion to be tolerant of others then it works. If not then it doesn't really does it. Religion is deeply ingrained into our traditions and culture so its difficult for others to come into it with their own religion or culture and integration doesn't happens unless the local culture is adopted. When the incoming culture is strong and dare I say invasive then this of course leads to division. Those coming into the community may experience prejudice and seek each other out for support and create their own support groups or communities which leads to further division and ghettoization. The culture and community becomes established, it grows and sucks further migrants and becomes powerful. It has a say. It wants to change the the incumbent culture to the benefit of its own community! The natives culture is to be accepting... to be welcoming... to be understanding of the differences. They see their own culture and belief system diminished and become resentful! They are perceived as weak. The invasive culture thrives and becomes dominant.... Rivers of blood speech. lol. load of old arse really. I hate those from any culture who would seek to diminish the rights of others to their own benefit. Goes for all races and religions. Your a long time dead and sorry but there aren't any fairies in the sky or a promised land. This is it... make the most of it. (great till some brainwashed nutcase decides to end it for you)
@Jack Tatty Holydays names get already changed for a while. They also changed the name of "Christmas Market" ( don't know how to translate "Marché de Noël"? Those are outside markets where you can buy presents, gifts and enjoy good times sharing a glass of gluhwein, hot chocolate etc) by "winter pleasures". I don't want to blame any religions or communities as they don't seem to care, but more woke hard core progressists associations that want a neutral everywhere way of living, causing people to get mad at each others.
Most reasonable people are tolerant of others and prepared to compromise on matters ... as you say it's those that are not with ingrained views that cause the issue. The opening song on Black & White was Tank wasn't that another of your threads about the demise of the British armoured force (or whatever you army types call it), sort of apt given the build up of more conventional land forces on either side of the Ukraine borders, also reminds me I'm off to see the Stranglers in a fortnight's time.
Almost prophetic eh!! Jealous of stranglers ticket I missed the boat after being refunded for the last two gigs that were cancelled! Sweden is certainly an apt track!
Yes off to see them at the same place as I first saw them almost 40 years to the day. Last time I saw them Jet B had just been retired on health grounds. This is supposed to be the last tour, JJ is 70 next month. This is one of my favourite photos of recent years with JJ and the others in their sensible winter/waterproof coats when they were campaigning to keep the live music pub in Guildford open. We all hopefully have the opportunity to grow old.
Enjoy the stranglers gig one of my favourite bands I’ve never seen live, @crossy2112 wants me to go with him to see the S Club 7 reunion gig he’s a big fan
Some villages in parts of Spain celebrate when the Spanish drove the Moors out of what we know now as Southern Spain, Andalusia, Valencia etc. The local Spanish dress up as both sides and re-enact the battle, including face paint, outfits etc. I don't know how the local Moroccans feel about this tradition, but even COVID hasn't completely stopped it.
The western world seems to have turned into an embarrassing shambles. Convincing themselves an invasion is imminent whilst competing with each other to go and sit with the big man in Moscow. Meanwhile life goes on in Ukraine, shops open, buses running. They are asking that perhaps we could calm our panic a bit............
