Sheku Kanneh-Mason calls for Rule Britannia to be dropped from Proms

[Nearly Sane]

When the culture wars become cultural

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/entertainment/other/cellist-who-performed-at-prince-harry-and-meghan-markle-s-wedding-calls-for-flag-waving-anthem-rule-britannia-to-be-dropped-from-last-night-of-the-proms/ar-BB1h0xgI

[SteveH]

No. The whole thing is ironic and self-deprecatory, ad no-one with a vestige of a sense of humour takes it seriously. Maybe some people claim to be offended by it - well, tough shit. There is no natural or God-given right not to be offended.

[Nearly Sane]

No. The whole thing is ironic and self-deprecatory, ad no-one with a vestige of a sense of humour takes it seriously. Maybe some people claim to be offended by it - well, tough shit. There is no natural or God-given right not to be offended.

A defence that I saw given for the Black and White Minstrel Show. The problem is surely that not everyone does have a 'sense of humour', and many who will get offended by Kanneh-Mason's comments are amongst them, and use similar sentiments in politics?

[Harrowby Hall]

We have been here before. I recall a similar argument being made - perhaps 30 years ago.

If I recall correctly, the defenders of the Proms tradition asked people to actually study the text of the song - it is actually a plea for action:

                                 Rule Britannia
                                 Britannia rule the waves
                                 Britons never shall be slaves

It is a plea for British values to be used as an exemplar for others. (Though whether the values of the time at it was written are worth imposing is another matter.)

[Nearly Sane]

We have been here before. I recall a similar argument being made - perhaps 30 years ago.

If I recall correctly, the defenders of the Proms tradition asked people to actually study the text of the song - it is actually a plea for action:

                                 Rule Britannia
                                 Britannia rule the waves
                                 Britons never shall be slaves

It is a plea for British values to be used as an exemplar for others. (Though whether the values of the time at it was written are worth imposing is another matter.)

I think it's 3 years since a stushie about Land of Hooe and Glory. I suspect Kanneh-Mason might feel that the implication is that while Britons never never never should be slaves, it's ok for some of those who aren't Britons to be slaves some of the time.

I'm not sure that the UK is sufficiently at ease with its past for the sort of jingoirony that Steve's mentioned to work fully.

[jeremyp]

A defence that I saw given for the Black and White Minstrel Show. The problem is surely that not everyone does have a 'sense of humour', and many who will get offended by Kanneh-Mason's comments are amongst them, and use similar sentiments in politics?

Why can't we have a bit of flag waving every now and then. It's just a song. If you don't like it, don't watch.

[Nearly Sane]

Why can't we have a bit of flag waving every now and then. It's just a song. If you don't like it, don't watch.

So it doesn't matter what the content of the song might be as long as it is a 'bit of flag waving'?