A Difference between Scots and Brits

There are so many things to chose from as an example of our differences. For instance I could compare our sense of humour, outlook towards the world, attitudes to those less fortunate than ourselves but I would be here all day and you would quickly fall asleep. So after careful thought I have decided to use national anthems to show a fairly major difference in our nationalities. You may think that it is a poor choice however these two songs have been chosen by Brits and Scots to represent our nations in sport, politics and international affairs so no one can in any seriousness argue that they are not a key expression of nationality.

First let’s talk about “God save the Queen” or “King” depending on the current monarch but I shall stick with the current version. It’s a song about a person, an elite individual that stands above all others and must be served. “…long to reign over us…” Life long servitude comes to my mind when I recite that. This song does not convey nationhood, it does not convey pride in the people of the United Kingdom. It calls for Godly protection for one person and it is to be sung by a people on their knees in submissive glorification of this individual. It stirs no sense of history or pride in the deeds of those Brits who have come before and calls for no Brit to take on new deeds to make the United kindom an even better place for future generations. It is a song written in a time when the state wanted Brits to lose themselves in the pomp and pageantry of royalty while the streets were literaly lined with excrement.

Then there is “Flower of Scotland” I can already hear the unionists moan about it not being a “real” national anthem but the majority of Scots disagree with you. It is a song of hope, a song literally asking “When will we see your likes again?” Asking for a return to the proud nation that stood against a larger aggressor and sent them homeward to think again. Some might say it is anti-English, calling for a return to violence against those south of the border but those are the people who ignore that the lyrics “Those days are gone now and in the past they must remain” are sung as proudly by us Scots as any other line. This song harks back to a time of great fear, when Scotland stood as a nation and over came a grave threat. It calls for that spirit to come back to Scots to help Scotland become a great nation again for our future and that of our children. It does not speak of any one person being more important than another, it does not ask for Godly intervention to protect the elite. It inspires those Scots that hear it and that is a national anthems purpose.

These two songs that are at the heart of both nationalities could hardly be more different just like the mentality of the nations who have adopted them. With such differing views how can anyone believe that Scotland could ever be run more effectively from Westminster than by Scots in Scotland?