This year has witnessed more important national anniversaries than most. Among those already celebrated have been the sixtieth anniversary of Britain’s defeat of Nazism and the two hundredth anniversary of Nelson’s decisive naval victory at Trafalgar.
Next week marks the four hundredth anniversary of no less important an event in this country’s epic march towards freedom. This was, of course the uncovering of the plot by a group of disgruntled Catholics to blow up James 1, together with his family and senior advisers, at the state opening of Parliament, as prelude to their effecting a re-Catholicising of the country.
Although still celebrated annually, in our secular deracinated society, Guy Fawkes has long gone the same way of other still more important religious anniversaries, such as Christmas and Easter, not to speak of Sunday -- originally introduced in weekly commemoration of the rest taken by the Divine Creator upon completing his handiwork as well opportunity for ordinary folk to enjoy the same leisure as their betters in which to recall and celebrate the fact they had one.
Ah well! Just like Halloween, these days fire-work night, as it has all too often become known, has become just another excuse for a drink as the days grow short, only this one augmented by fire-works. A sign of just how detached this celebration has become from the event it was supposed to celebrate is for how extended a period these days fireworks are lit at this time of year. Around my way, firework night would be more accurately described as firework month.
For how much longer will the uncovering of this plot be able to be celebrated, given the government’s intention to introduce legislation prohibiting incitement to religious hatred? Despite strenuously proclaiming it wants only to outlaw incitement to hatred of people on account of their religion not incitement to hatred of their religions, and despite the proposed law being primarily intended to protect Muslims rather than any other faith group, how long after its enactment will it be before some bright spark (forgive the pun!) calls for the annual ritual of bomb-fire night to be banned on grounds it incits hatred of Roman Catholics?
Should that sorry day not happen because the government decides to drop its bill or so severely amend it as to remove the risk it will be used to curb genuine freedom of expression, the country may well want to add last Tuesday to the calendar of dates worthy of celebrating. For this was the day, as has been widely reported, on which the House of Lords overwhelmingly defeated the bill -- albeit only temporarily.
If, on the other hand, the Government decides not to use this opportunity its defeat has provided it to amend the bill radically, the House of Lords might soon find itself joining Guy Fawkes night on a list of proscribed national institutions created by the bill. For that venerable institution has placed on its web-site a marvellously informative and well-illustrated account of the significance of Guy Fawkes, highly recommended to all who enjoy celebrating this country’s traditions and especially those connected with it pioneering role in advancing the cause of liberty.
Let us still celebrate the up-coming anniversary while we still may!
Comments (1)
There is a lot of anti-Catholic bigotry in this country - we are the only religious group excluded by statute from becoming head of state forinstance.
Some suggest my namesake was set-up to give an excuse for an anti-Catholic purge.
Enjoy the fireworks.
Britain signed the Treaty of Rome, so in a sense, you are now ruled by Rome...
Posted by Guido fawkes | October 29, 2005 6:23 PM
Posted on October 29, 2005 18:23