Contrast

One thing I've been meaning to post for a couple of days is about a song I've recently found that I really like. Song in question is The Clash - This Is England. It's a really impressive disillusioned song with the England of the 1980s. The sort of song that makes you think of words like 'poignant'. I recently got the albums I talked about back in June, Essential Clash and The Who - Then And Now. Both are superb. Anyway, do listen to This Is England if you can, it is a superb song and well worth listening to.

Anyway, the contrast is because yesterday the papers were hysterical with vitriolic patriotic sentiment because we are apparantly on the European continent - I know, who knew? The Sun was particularly impressive with their headline 'We Shall Never Surrender' - original, I know, no idea where they came up with that from. Daily Express possibly trumped it with their comically crazy headline 'Mr Bean Signs Away Our Freedom'. I just find the whole thing laughable, and almost borderline hysterical. The fits of rage that the tabloids get into when you mention anything foreign, let alone agreeing with foreigners is bizarre.

Sometimes I really wish we weren't on an island and could stop this ludicrous cherade continued by the papers and the more neanderthal of the population that we are somehow not part of Europe and our own little special part of the world. When you see things like the headlines like yesterday, words like 'special' seem particularly apt descriptors.