What a tease this Referendum is. On the one hand, surely it is good to repudiate Henry Tudor's assertion that the Kingdom of England is an Empire; videlicet exempt from external jurisdiction of any kind. And I've always liked the European Flag, with its overt Marian allusions. Surely, much nicer than the Union Flag which has so many echoes of our imperialist past, before we wisely handed over to the US of A the burden of maintaining a world-wide empire.
But on the other hand, does not the current European Union somewhat promote the secularist agenda of the Enlightenment? Surely, Napoleon is its Godfather? Is this not the Union which declined to allow mention of the Christian centuries in a preamble to its Constitution? Is it really through the machinations of Frau Merkel and the small but perfectly formed Monsieur Hollande that our Lady's Immaculate Heart is to prevail?
To speculate further: on the one hand: could it be that Poland and Hungary represent the first dawn of a newer yet older Europe, a Europe which remembers its 'Christendom' past? Surely, this would be a Europe worth cosying up to?
But on the other hand, might the participation in the counsels of Europe of our own, British, relativist and violently anti-Catholic political and cultural classes hinder rather than help such a welcome reditus ad fontes?
On the one hand, one Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster and an emeritus ditto, and one Archbishop of Canterbury and an emeritus ditto, are unanimously Europhile. These are all, of course, immensely wise men whose lead I would, needless to say, follow on absolutely anything whatsoever except, I rather think, for Doctrine, Liturgy, Sex, Money, or other such-like trivia.
On the other hand, an Archbishop emeritus of Canterbury and Primate of All England (who was once, back in the 1980s, rude about me personally in the correspondence columns of the Tablet) is Europhobe.
I just don't know what to think. Do you?
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On the other hand, Pope Francis was awarded the EU's prestigious "Charlemagne Prize" only this past May 2016. He was recognized by the European Union for "...the most valuable contribution in the services of Western European understanding and work for the community, and in the services of humanity and world peace."
Francis joined a distinguished list of past Charlemagne Prize winners: Tony Blair (1999); Bill Clinton (2000); The Euro (2002); Jean-Claude Junker (2006); Javier Solana (2007); Angela Merkel (2008); Donald Tusk (2010); Herman Van Rompuy (2014). Hail hail the gang's all there. Reassuring.
All the lamps for Lampadusa lit and honoured.
Well, I both love and abominate this country enough to have voted OUT of the EU. So will a good many other peasants who, unlike the rich people who benefit from cheap nannies, cheap waitresses and cheap labour that the principle of free movement of people provides them, and can then go home to their mansions in the country where they don't have to live around the said cheap foreign, unskilled peasantry that we British peasants have to live alongside, are on the rough end of EU membership. This is essentially another class issue. Except that to-day it's against a political and business class who have an ideology and are not as clear cut as peers, dukes and earls with servants living in the basement of their houses. At least that old class (which has largely disappeared thanks to Anthony Bliar's pestilential constitutional reforms) was nominally Christian. This is a class of secularists who are only genuine in their hatred for what I think.
I want OUT of Europe for a constitutional crisis and revolution. I'd even dare to hope for a public gallows in Trafalgar Square...
Yes, I do know what to think. Religion aside, it is in the UK's best interest to leave the EU. Why? The U.K. would not have these oppressive regulations imposed by Germany. Furthermore, the EU could then team up with the USA to become an economic powerhouse against China.
By the way, I actually met Lord Carey about 3 years ago during a visit of his to Houston. I asked him if he is considering becoming Catholic, given the ability to do with the new Orcinariates. He said that he was perfectly happy being an Anglican and some issues with the Catholic Church's humane vitae.
If a Cabal in Brussels (or anywhere else that used to be Holy Roman E.) want to enforce any ideological hegemony over that sceptered isle, seat of Mars, green and pleasant garden fortress which the Sea doth surround as a moat... they can jolly well do it the old-fashioned way and put themselves in bodily peril, rather than trying to blackmail and bribe it out of you, I think. But I'm just a colonial here in soon to be the land of no-laws-only-force, More Strong than Free.
Well, perhaps we could avoid using terms such as 'Europhile' and 'Europhobe'. I’ve just bought rather a lot of Euros as I’m about to spend about a month in Euroland so I have to use their currency whether I like it or hate it. But, seriously, a person who wants to be free of rule by unelected bureaucrats in Brussels is neither a Europhobe nor a Europhile. The terms appear to refer to Europe rather than the institution known as the European Union. I like visiting continental Europe and I’m quite happy for the UK Government to co-operate with the governments of that area. However, I happen to think that the elected government of the UK is quite capable of deciding what kind of vacuum cleaners we can buy and that we don’t need Junkers and Co to tell us what to do. So call me an EUphobe but, please, not a Europhobe.
I admit to having an emotional rather than a well formed knowledge-based opinion of what you Brits ought to do, but I find myself praying that you will vote to exit the EU. Show the West and particularly the US what a stiff spine looks like, because our elected and Church leaders seem to have misplaced theirs and don't know how to find them.
Monsieur Hollande reminds me of Samgrass in "Brideshead Re-visited" and Frau Merkel of Ma Mayfield?
I do enjoy the theatre of a referendum, but I wonder precisely how a sovereign nation extricates itself from something that is neither democratic nor republican but is rather more in keeping with the goals of the Madrid Circular crafted by those surviving members of the international coven of National Socialists of the Third Reich.
As I recall, it was David Cameron and his Conservative Party that introduced same-sex marriage in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. I don't think anyone from Brussels held a gun against his head...
@ Victor
In related news, Sinead O'Connor--currently in hiding somewhere in/near my own fair city--has phoned in and threatened to jump off a bridge.
As I recall, it was David Cameron and his Conservative Party that introduced same-sex marriage in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. I don't think anyone from Brussels held a gun against his head...
And now Cameron is history, too. Which I think was at least part of what this referendum was about: 1) Do you trust the men in Brussels? 2) Do you trust the men in Whitehall to keep working for your interests with the men in Brussels? 3) Do you trust the London-based elite that back the aforementioned two groups of men?*
So yes, in a way, this referendum wasn't just about Brussels or Frankfurt. It was about London, too.
(*Apologies to the women. It's just more poetic this way.)
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