Saturday, March 03, 2007
The devil rides again
With so much to do before the Assembly elections and so little time to do it in, I have skipped the Party Conference in Harrogate this year and will be spending the weekend out and about delivering leaflets and meeting constituents. As it is I will be fully occupied next week with the Welsh Liberal Democrat Conference in Swansea. I could not afford two successive weekends of conferencing.
If I had gone up north of course I might have missed this gem in today's Western Mail in which the Welsh Christian Party claims that having a red dragon - an animal it believes symbolises the devil - on the national flag is at odds with Wales' position as a Christian nation.
Admittedly, the cross of St. David flag is appearing more and more at sporting events and is even showing up on the occasional flagpole, but does that make the dragon demonic? Welsh historian, John Davies, says that the dragon pre-dates christianity and was widely used by the Romans. It was flown at the Battle of Bosworth by Henry Tudor to stress his Welsh roots.
I have a vague recollection of some Arthurian or other legend about a red and white dragon being locked in eternal combat in the bowls of the earth, symbolising the conflict between Wales and England. I am sure I have got that wrong but no doubt somebody will be along soon to correct me. Still at least the Western Mail has found a bishop who is prepared to defend Y Ddraig Goch.
This just leaves one final point: The Welsh Assembly Government uses a dragon as its trademark, as does the non-executive side of the Assembly. Does that mean that we are also displaying symbols of the devil? If so, what does that say about us? And would the Wales Christian Party really want to stand for election to such a body?
If I had gone up north of course I might have missed this gem in today's Western Mail in which the Welsh Christian Party claims that having a red dragon - an animal it believes symbolises the devil - on the national flag is at odds with Wales' position as a Christian nation.
Admittedly, the cross of St. David flag is appearing more and more at sporting events and is even showing up on the occasional flagpole, but does that make the dragon demonic? Welsh historian, John Davies, says that the dragon pre-dates christianity and was widely used by the Romans. It was flown at the Battle of Bosworth by Henry Tudor to stress his Welsh roots.
I have a vague recollection of some Arthurian or other legend about a red and white dragon being locked in eternal combat in the bowls of the earth, symbolising the conflict between Wales and England. I am sure I have got that wrong but no doubt somebody will be along soon to correct me. Still at least the Western Mail has found a bishop who is prepared to defend Y Ddraig Goch.
This just leaves one final point: The Welsh Assembly Government uses a dragon as its trademark, as does the non-executive side of the Assembly. Does that mean that we are also displaying symbols of the devil? If so, what does that say about us? And would the Wales Christian Party really want to stand for election to such a body?
Comments:
<< Home
… and the vast majority of Welsh people say
Don't like the Red Dragon oh no
WE love her
Don't like the Red Dragon oh no
WE love her - oh yeah
Mutated from 10cc’s Dreadlock Holiday
Don't like the Red Dragon oh no
WE love her
Don't like the Red Dragon oh no
WE love her - oh yeah
Mutated from 10cc’s Dreadlock Holiday
# posted by 
: 2:35 PM
: 2:35 PM
Y Ddraig Goch is probably the coolest national flag in the world. It is THE most distinctive and widely recognised brand we possess.
It evokes a semi-mythical arthurian dark age past where Britain's original celtic tribes were forced to the fringes of the island and a specifically Welsh culture was born.
It evokes a semi-mythical arthurian dark age past where Britain's original celtic tribes were forced to the fringes of the island and a specifically Welsh culture was born.
Peter what is happening on the Council. It seems that Rob Speht who was your candidate in the assembly by election in Swansea East has now left the Lib Dems. His comments regarding lack of inclusivity were hardly flattering about the new style of politics you promised to bring to Swansea.
# posted by : 5:37 PM
: 5:37 PM
No Rob Speht remains a member of the Liberal Democrats and an officer of the local party. He is sitting as a Welsh Liberal Democrat. What has happened is that he has left the Administration group after a disagreement over the timing of group elections and some other matters.
Post a Comment
<< Home
