Bleccchhhh!   What a racist idiot Befuddled is!!!!! (And what an apt pseudonym he chose.) Perhaps he's been kicked in the head too many times by his soccer hooligan buddies.

I want no part of his xenophobia and jingoism. It's exactly that attitude that makes me leary about becoming associated with some modern British folkies.

See my earlier post about the unfortunate connection between the folklore revival and extreme right-wing attitudes in this earlier thread:

Folk Song Politics

In posting my St. George's Day cyber-card, my intent was to point out that George was a multi-faceted figure, whose legend was both influenced by, and celebrated in, MANY countries and cultures, not just England. Seeing George's image used as an emblem of some sort of English 'racial purity' makes me ill.

England has ALWAYS been a genetic and cultural crossroads -- that is what has given her such a vibrant culture! The Celts, the Romans, the Danes, the Saxons, and the Normans all contributed to a glorious mixture. You should rejoice that Asians and Africans are now contributing to that ever-changing mix, and keeping it vital.

After all, you sought these people out to be subjects of your "Empire"!!! How dare you complain that they are now acting on the residual rights of that forcibly imposed citizenship and insisting on being equal members of British society.

Hester ... half English, and fully Canadian, happily living in a society that sees no conflict between cultural diversity and a strong national identity