george orwell also said that the english people despise a bully. his own sense of decency and international solidarity took him to fight fascism in spain and to oppose every evil little bigotry that still plagues our nation. for me, my own patriotism means loving our countryside, our pubs and the people in them, the music, the art, the radical tradition and the small, fading culture of gardens, parks, libraries and allotments - and less than successful football teams( i was standing by ken loach on saturday watching bath city beat slough town (2-0) before that my oldest friend and i had been in the royal oak for a couple in an overpowering smell of bleach followed by 2 delicious pints of i can't remember what. it's just occurred to me what a lovely, patriotic, life-affirming experience that was)