Pitiable in Puslinch

 

Vincent J. Curtis

23 Feb 21

RE: Ground control to Captain Tom.  Hamilton Spectator 20 Feb 21

Towards the end of her Saturday column, which ruminated, in passing, about the life of Captain Sir Tom Moore, our favorite self-pitying professor of culture studies and communications is reduced to asking, “Was Moore celebrated in part because of his connection a to white Nationalistic nostalgia focused on traditional male heroism?  We know that in the U.K….white people are far, far more likely to have been vaccinated than Black people….We know that women are disproportionately more likely to suffer the fallout from the pandemic.”

Actually, we don’t “know” any of that, but never mind.  Moreover, Britain was never a “Nationalistic” country; the sentiments about her are patriotic ones.  “Nationalism”, as in National Socialism, is what she, and Canada, fought against, and defeated.  Britain, over the centuries, has, when needed, produced a hero or two: Drake, Marlborough, Nelson, Wellington, Churchill, and Montgomery come to mind.

But the need of our professor to reduce this to a thing of ugliness is quite unbecoming.  Next time, when she reflects upon traditional white male heroism, she may find these words informative and comforting:

When Britain first, at heaven’s command,

Arose from out the azure main

This was the charter, the charter of the land

And guardian angels sang this strain:

Rule Britannia!  Britannia rule the waves!

Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.

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