Finlay_A wrote:PeterDow wrote:O ar, Jim lad, pieces of eight. (How am I doing so far?)
Poorly.
Shiver me timbers!
Finlay_A wrote:Why is the movie "Braveheart" ... less acceptable in poliitcs [sic] than a pirate film, say "Pirates of the Caribbean"
LOLWUT?! I don't think we have ever used "Pirates of the Carribean" as propaganda for reforming copyright laws.
So you didn't read this?
PeterDow wrote:which someone might think of when they read of "the Pirate Party", though to be fair, I don't see anything quite so graphic in this website.
But if the Pirate Party had used this image
or that of any other familiar pirate image as part of a party logo, would that be unacceptable? No, I would say that a striking image of a pirate would be acceptable and appropriate.
If the Pirate Party did use this image then you might find that one or two people were wondering if the Pirate Party supported Jonny Depp's political views, but such confusion could be cleared up soon enough.
Finlay_A wrote:If you think "Braveheart" is anything but
The point is many of us think something about this famous movie. Images from the movie have recognition value and my use of Braveheart images as part of the forums design theme helps to facilitate communication of the For Freedom Forums being "Inspired by Scots, open to all".
Finlay_A wrote: a revisionist,
Braveheart is a Holywood movie. As an end product, its role is to entertain, sell tickets and make money. If you want historical accuracy, fine, then don't watch movies. Read history books instead.
I don't need Braveheart to be historically accurate for the images I use in my forums design theme to serve my purposes.
Finlay_A wrote:homophobic, childish excuse to hate the English
I disagree that Braveheart is any of that. Let Wikipedia present a balanced view of the movie
Wikipedia: BraveheartFinlay_A wrote: from a bigotted anti-semitic sexist fundie disgraced wash-up of an actor, then you sir are a fool.
No, a fool would not distance himself, William Wallace, Braveheart, Scottish freedom fighting and the For Freedom Forums from Mel Gibson's personal views and misbehaviour.
I am not a fool because I have distanced myself etc. from Gibson, to quote from a page in my website.
William Wallace, Guardian of ScotlandMel Gibson - From hero to zeroOh dear! I am so disappointed in having to give this political lesson but it is unavoidable. Mel Gibson, as the star of Braveheart, is associated with this entertaining version of the William Wallace story and we Scots owe Mel our thanks for that. Now the bad news.
I must disassociate myself, the Scottish National Standard Bearer website and the Braveheart movie from what appears to be the perverse anti-Semitic abuse said by Mel Gibson while being arrested for drunk driving early Friday 28th July 2006, as was reported by CBS and Sky News TV (View video).
Now to give Mel his due, he has apologised for his abusive barrage but, as was pointed out in the Jon Stewart video clip (right), Gibson has made it possible for NBC and others to take licence and sully the reputation of Braveheart.
So for the record, I'm identifying the William Wallace story and Braveheart as part of the centuries-long struggle AGAINST anti-Semitism.
Obviously, "Freedom!" means the freedom to be a Jew or not, according to your preference.
In addition, the enemy of William Wallace and the Scots was King Edward I "Longshanks" who was an infamous anti-Semite - as bad in his time as Hitler was in his.
So the Scots have long fought against bigotry of all kinds. We Scots are proud of that, proud of William Wallace and proud of Braveheart - an invaluable source of inspiration for a Scottish patriot.
We'd like to be proud of Mel Gibson too but he really needs to get his politics and his alcoholism sorted out first.
Gibson may lose his licence to drive in court but anyway I would say he has lost any licence to speak for Braveheart the movie or its fans in future.
Get some help Mel - and make friends with some Jews!
Meantime, if we are needing a spokesperson for "Braveheart", I'd nominate the movie's writer - Randall Wallace.
Finlay_A wrote:I consider myslef to be a republican,
Excellent!
Finlay_A wrote:and I am embarrassed by the things you are trying to pass off as "politics".
Be more specific.
Finlay_A wrote:There is a respectable movement
Respected by the kingdom? I wonder why?
Finlay_A wrote: that seeks to inform and educate the public about the possibility of a secular, constitutional republic with an elected head of state. It's called
Republic,
It is an uphill task to educate the public when the kingdom's broadcasters support the royal family so much.
Finlay_A wrote:and is supported by many MPs, MSPs,
Who swear oaths of allegiance to the Queen.
Finlay_A wrote: academics
Whose universities have royal charters and who are eager to seek funding from HM ministers and who delight in welcoming and celebrating members of the UK royal family.
Finlay_A wrote:and celebrities.
I do hope they have remembered to return their OBEs, CBEs and the like.
Finlay_A wrote: Don't ruin it for them.
Democracy holds that one democratic political approach does not ruin another democratic political approach. Truly democratic political approaches can operate in parallel without one ruining the other, but all contributing to a vibrant democracy.
The kingdom and its lack of political freedoms is what ruins any non-royalist, non-loyalist political approach.
It is a typical for royalists or indeed fascists to say "there can be only one approach to politics". It would be wrong to replace swearing allegiance to the Queen with swearing allegiance to republic.co.uk.
Let many (democratic) flowers bloom.
Finlay_A wrote:Oh, by the way Republic don't use the
Royal Standard of Scotland to to represent their cause. That's becasue they know it always has been and always will be a symbol of royalty in Scotland. Anyone taking a casual glance (i.e. not reading your sign) at you walking down the street would be forgiven for mistaking you for a royalist nutter, wearing a 'uniform' covered in royal insignia.
I defend a republican claim to use of the Lion Rampant as a suitable republican state standard or flag in one of my web-pages.
The functions and duties of a Scottish National Standard Bearer 
ComplaintTherefore Queen Elizabeth, with her limited abilities and tendency to betray any trust in her, has no business misusing the Lion Rampant by incorporating it as part of her royal standard.
Scots should not accept this misuse of our standard.
Instead, we should endeavour to reclaim the Lion Rampant for use by the nation's true leaders.
Nowadays, Scottish republicans have a better claim to the Lion Rampant than any royalist.
Admittedly, in ancient times, Scotland's actual leaders may well have been the Scottish Kings and Queens. However, times have changed, and for the better.
Nowadays, the Scottish nation's true leaders are the best politicians and campaigners whose democratic principles and intelligence lead them to demand the election of a President as the head of state for Scotland.
Now, Scotland's best leaders are REPUBLICANS, NOT ROYALISTS!
If the Lion Rampant is to be a Scottish national leadership symbol - and I believe that it should - then Scottish Republicans should claim ownership of this flag.
In non-political and non-military circumstances, such as at sporting events, fans bearing the Lion Rampant should merely be of exemplary behaviour, so as not to disgrace the Scottish nation.
The Lion Rampant truly belongs to those leaders who can really defend the interests of the Scottish people.
The Lion Rampant, in a modern political context, is NOT, repeat NOT, for those who merely claim, as Elizabeth does, "I am Queen of Scots" or, as Charles wants to, "I am King of Scots".
None of the Windsors have the leadership abilities that would entitle them to use the Lion Rampant.
Additionally, it would be an error and an omission on the part of a novice Scottish republican who allowed the royalists unchallenged use of an important national symbol like the Lion Rampant flag.
True Scottish republicans, like myself, are the true Scottish patriots, after all. Therefore, it is we Scottish republicans who are entitled to use all Scottish patriotic symbols.
On the other hand, royalists now seem doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past and so forever to betray Scotland. Therefore it is time for these modern-day traitors to Scotland to relinquish the Lion Rampant to their political betters.
)
