Bad day, by George!

This day has died. When it comes to celebrating their national day, the English are diffident, reticent, sheepish. Hardly surprising. For what are/were they celebrating? Empire? Better keep that one quiet, then. Victory? Can you picture another country in which the peace was so overwhelmingly lost? Slaying the dragon? Well, the Welsh fire was put out in the fourteenth century (and don’t my genes know it!). At present, then, April 23rd seems like a day of death. According to Isaac Newton, Christ died this very day, in 34. Of course, the day is named for George, after the beheading of the English patron saint in 303. As a day for death, April 23rd has certainly accounted for a few other English stalwarts over the centuries. From Ethelred I in 871 to William Shakespeare in 1616. From poet William Wordsworth in 1850 to first Dr Who, William Hartnell, in 1975. Racing driver, Stirling Moss, went early in 1962. Film actor, John Mills, went late, in 2005. Today is actually the 25th anniversary of the day the dreaded AIDS virus was first identified, something which knows no national boundaries. Actually, with the recent death of Ian Tomlinson, shortly after being pushed by a policeman in the recent G20 demonstrations, it’s more pertinent for this country to remember the death of New Zealander, Blair Peach, who died at the hands of the infamous Special Patrol Group of the Metropolitan Police when attending an Anti-Nazi League demo, 30 years ago today. As some people in this country quietly celebrate a mythical, sword-wielding knight in armour, it would be timely to remember that it’s best to encourage history not to repeat itself. So, it would be great if the English could find it in their withered souls to rebadge their national day as a day of life rather than death. The government professes multiculturalism and I support them in that. Why not recreate it as a day for peace? Now, given the history passed down to us, that would be very un-English – and the Eton Rifles wouldn’t wear it - but a nice surprise. And we need more nice surprises.

Mark Griffiths www.idealconsulting.co.uk