This weekend Sir Sean Connery has publicly announced that he thinks Scotland will become an independent country within his lifetime. Well they’d best get on with it as he is 77 years old. Sir Sean Connery lives in the Bahamas as he has sworn not to live in Scotland until it is independent. Why accept the knighthood from the Queen then Sean?
A lot of his wealth and success has been granted by playing a character that works for the BRITISH government, James Bond. So is he an ungrateful old git or is he simply eeking out an existence and sticking to his principles?
I’m really not sure what the Scots think they want to obtain by this move, they already have a strong sense of identity and their own parliament (and still vote on laws affecting England yet we don’t vote on laws affecting Scotland). Personally I keep my identity wherever I am and whatever I’m doing, its not defined by my country.
For the wider issue why do so many people want their own tiny little country and are so unhappy with their lot in life, does it really matter?
It’s interesting that he chooses the Bahama’s and not a cold, wet miserable country similar to Scotland. I’ve no problem with the Scots having their own country – we’ve already raped them of most of the oil.
I’m proud that i’m English although i can’t say i’m impressed with what England has become hence the reason i and my family live abroad. I try to keep my personal identity but it will always be affected by my roots, background and to an extent where i’m living. Life’s for living so get on with it.
So:
Ungrateful Jockroach git
PS The photo of the Crankies is very scary
Bo sent the Krankies picture to me with the headline Kevin Keegan introduces Denis Wise to Newcastle. I almost fell off my chair onto my office floor in laughter.
I would imagine Mr Connery lives in the Bahamas because of tax reasons?
If he was skint I’d bet he would be back in Scotland.
I think identity issues are coming to the fore nowadays because of increasing mixed culture societies. Some people don’t like change and want to hold on to what they know. It’s like a dog peeing against a tree.
What’s wrong then with the Isle of man, where my enormous wad of cash is stashed – a little too cold for a pensioner stinking of p*ss methinks
Yeah I imagine it was a heart wrenching choice for him, Nassau or Douglas
Its tough being rich isn’t it.
Ps I love you
do not ever be swayed by such lame and useless comment, trust me when I declare I am incapable of such timid gimp talk. I will speak my mind when called upon to do so, or I wont feel obligated to
THIS IS AN IMPOTSRE WOT HAS ROTE THE LAME COMENT ABOVE.
NUTHINK BUT ATWAT CULD AV WROT SOMTINK SO CARPO AN AV THORT WOT E WOD AV GOT ERWWER VIV ERT,
I RITE PRPR STUFF NURT SHURT LRK DRT.
NRR FRRK ORRF U IMPRRSTR N DY
See ya,
Love ya aall
Elt (that’s sir Elton you, you feak and weeble imposter.
PS get your own life
Oh! Dammit… I ams missin sum gud stuff.
Listern rite, Parentluy there wers som goddesses of the holi fleurs wit sed we av risigned n aLL
kos george dont like the japs n that. an tthatbs not fare, qoz part from ther sltted iyies, thez most all kinda luke popes, or least semthelves.
blad to be bqack.
i is the rule eltomn am my anty bridgetit will confirm thiws. yooo is is an imopsterrr an sez me tgta younwil svive ubn counter. wot.
eyezz bak
ELTON!! COME TO BED!!
david
Aargh! As if Aunty was not bad enough!
EJ, you speak German too now buddy?
This is a global problem where states are fighting for their independence. I think the root cause is the flawed system of democracy and voting in the prime ministerial system which requires elected representatives to choose a prime minister. Due to this system local politicians win by dividing their vote banks into narrowly focused local issues and communal divisions.
The Presidential systems of the US & France are far superior where the entire country has to come together to vote in a president thus creating tremendous national unity and also rising beyond local issues.
Are you serious?
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/rob_richie_and_ryan_odonnell/2006/06/making_every_vote_count.html
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/agns_poirier/2006/11/the_americanisation_of_french.html
Except for the part where our electoral college gets the final say on who our prez is going to be.
RYK, not sure in what sense you mean creating tremendous national unity. Please?
For a more balanced view than mine
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2071089,00.html
I didn’t say its a good thing. I’m just trying to explain what may be driving it
You did say that the French and US presidential systems are far superior
Great points GIC – we’re with you – the world is getting smaller!
As ex-apts we’d say it doesn’t matter where us flowers are planted and UK is great to fly into and equally great to fly out of – that’s honestly how we feel….same with Dubai – love flying out – love flying in.
We take a pride in telling others where we’re from and most only ask as the standard question to try and gauge us socially. Madness.
The thing that really gets us here with expats are those who constantly moan about ‘ The UK’ (for example) their place of birth and how great everything is here in Dubai.
They then move on to criticise the local UAE nationals here, the Indian workers who make it happen as these moaners wear their England / Scotland etc football tops and shout at the telly like their life is dependant on the country they turned their back on winning the game or not…..
Then watch more football supporting teams (say Everton) that relate to where they’re from with football players from around the world – it would be like supporting a club with the most players who were born near Everton, for example – madness, Everton is Everton,, whoever plays for them…right?
We love the variety in the world, as travelling UK folk with purple passports….
Yesh Mish moneypenny – veryshelfih we thinksh messshter bond – Sean is off his rocker.
did you just say Purple?????? lol
lets just be sure this isn’t a “he’s a rich person and i’m not issue’ rather than a national identity one.
ALways struck me as a OK Bloke – does a lot for charity hence the ‘sir’ i suspect – heard a story that when he did Diamonds are Forever, he said he’d do it for a million dollars.
Cubby and co were so desperate to have him back that they agreed. He apparently donated the whole lot to scottish orphans!
There’s nothing wrong with national identity – i myself am proud of my english heritage – the monarchy etc but i think national identity is used too much as an excuse for violence and that’s when it becomes a bad thing.
You Go Sir Sean – you’ve got one fan here at least.
Oh and I do a great Misshhhh Moneypenneee impersonation too.
jonathan (aka purple13)
Good on Sir Sean if thats what he beleives, however there is no real reason for Scotland to proclaim her independance from England is there really… not much would change…. and it is more than likely the tax benefits he enjoys more than the political stance he is appearing to take…
I get so annoyed with people who move to Austalia, because it is a great country and then go about trying to change it into what they left… if it is so great where you came from then go back there otherwise why come in the first place….
When I get the chance to go abroad having never left this country… never been on a Plane or anything yep true… I will proudly say I am Australian…. a mixture of cultures, beliefs and races which has formed a great place…
WE have in this town, because of the large Indian Population, Hindu, christian and Australian Holidays.. Fireworks and BBQ’s etc for the Hindu and other Indian festivals we join them and them with us to learn and experience and this brings the community together… one funny thing is the other day I taught my Indian friend how to make a cake and she taught me that flat bread… it is wonderful….we discuss Hindi culture and Aussie life …
I really dont care where you are from, what religion you are, what colour your skin is, etc …. I couldnt give a rats arse to tell the truth.. its what you do, your actions that speak far more than your ethnicity…..
understanding cultural differences and learning to accept them is only part of it….
However it is more than the land you born into that gives you your identity, it is the community around you, the cultures you are surrounded by, and a deep sense of knowing where in the world you are from…..
My Roots are in England and Scotland, and have always felt a strong kinship with the UK, but I will always be Australian no matter where in the world I am … but you are who are… …
Instead of being english, american, french, indian or what ever and dare I say Australian how about we become flowers of the world united and tell folks we are one giant garden. A bouquet from all over the world come together to form a new community called
The flower smellers…..
They are claiming independence from Britain, not England.
AC… I second your idea of being a flower of the world united… beautifully put.
As for Sir Sean Connery… he’s the only James Bond for me and if he doesn’t want to return to Scotland until she is independent, well that’s his choice. The world is certainly becoming smaller and smaller.
Thanks Ange…
I hoped someone would see that in the comment…..
I like the idea and I think it can be acheived….
I think its healthy to be proud of your country and its fine to desire certain things however it begins to get unhealthy when it defines you.
Surely that, taken to extremes, is where groups like Eta, sons of Glyndwr and PIRA originate (although PIRA was a touch different).
Personally I don’t blame some of them given the state of our ‘democracy’. I am filled with dismay more and more at the state of the UK politics. We seem to pay just for a bunch of kids to stand up and argue about nothing at all, if you look recently any good ideas are argued to have already been suggested (so freaking what) and any bad ones are suggested to have been dismissed by the opposition and then everyone gets wise after the event. If our politicians ever got together and worked together surely we could achieve great things, but our system isn’t geared to cooperation and the greater good.
However it doesn’t happen and it comes down to snipes and snide remarks given under the veil of democracy and the democratic process. They spend 2 years doing whats right for the country (even if it hurts short term) but then spend the next 2 years doing anything they can to win our votes back.
In the US they have similar issues but maybe not so bad for childish arguing as the UK but there you can only get power if you have money/donations and are part of the big 2.
In light of this I guess its easy to see that some people will get pissed off and decide they can do better on their own.
Well thats my two peneth.
nicely put…..
Since our change in governance in November Rudd has been pushing on the important issues a Bi-partisan argreement… eg aboriginal housing and health….
Since then the defeated party has been doing everything possible to be seen to be agreeing and then undermind what the new government is doing… it is sad that when even the hand of working together for a greater course than politics it is so easily slapped by those whose agenda is power ….