PING!
Posted on 01/08/2007 10:30:49 AM PST by GMMAC
"It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honors that we are fighting,
but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself."
as drafted by William "Braveheart" Wallace's comrades-in-arms and political heirs but a few short years after his Martyrdom in Freedom's name and addressed to and subsequently accepted by The Holy Catholic Church to behold the true genesis of both the immortal rallying cry of first generation Scottish-American patriot Patrick Henry: "Give me liberty or give me death" and The U.S. Declaration of Independence itself.
According to the first U.S. census conducted in 1790, although those of Scots descent or born in Scotland comprised less than 7% of the overall white population, this one small demographic group accounted for at least 21 of the 56 bold signatories to America's Declaration of Independence, her first President, his entire Cabinet, and near half of her Revolutionary War Generals!*
* Source: "The Mark of the Scots" - Duncan A. Bruce, Citadel Press, 1996, 1998
Also see my FR home page for still more Scots-American facts.
PING!
He was born in Edinburgh, but his father is English, his mother is Irish and he was raised in Australia and England.
With the EU increasingly taking more control, even tinier countries are allowed to spring up since they are protected under the EU banner.
Err. I do believe this already happened some time back. See Irish Free State.
More accurate to say "further breakup of the U.K." But I guess that's a nit.
How'd you beat a posting at 10:38:28 (comment 3) with a posting at 10:38:29 (Pacific time)?
Scots Labour voters are essentially a guaranteed 5-6% for Labour every election.
Without that buffer, it would get much tougher for Labour. If Wales goes too, the jig is up.
Scotland is not part of the UK because it was "conquered & occupied by a larger neighbour". The King of Scotland became King of England as well, uniting the kingdoms. Hence the term "United Kingdom".
I welcome Scotland leaving the UK, if they really want to go. It'ld be great. I'ld save 8p a pound on income tax, and England would have a solid Conservative majority. Devolution can't happen fast enough for me.
--brings to mind the retort of the Duke of Wellington, when someone accused him of being Irish because he had been born in Dublin--"being born in Ireland no more makes one Irish than being born in a stable makes one a horse"--
Who is the true Jedi Master, youngling?
Will Wales try to secede next. Then it would be only England and Northern Ireland for the "home nations." Odd considering Northern Ireland has been rather violent since 1917 (on and off).
What force or guile could ne'er subdue
Through many warlike ages
Is wrought now by a coward few
For hireling traitor's wages
The English steel we could disdain
Secure in valour's station
But English gold has been oor bane
Such a parcel of rogues in a nation!
Oh would or ere I saw the day
That treason thus could sell us
My auld grey heid was laid in clay
Wi' Bruce and loyal Wallace
But pith an' power tae my last hour
I'll mak' this declaration
We're bought and sold for English gold
Such a parcel of rogues in a nation!
ping
In 1601 the King of Scotland became King of England by inheritance and in 1707 the Scottish Parliament voted to join England in the United Kingdom.
The existing Union between Scotland and England is voluntary and has nothing to do with conquest.
And the Scots today bear little resemblance to William Wallace, since the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish National Party are aggressively socialist and believe in coercively disarming the people.
And the Senedd only has a fraction of the power that the Scots Parliament has.
As far as Northern ireland is concerned, the smartest thing the Protestants of NI could do would be to unite with the Republic of Ireland.
But they won't.
The only good thing to come out of England is the road to Scotland.
Nemo me impune lacessit
To much bad blood that has little to do with religion.
Then, once they've separated from England, the Lowlands can liberate themselves from the Highlands, right? Or vice versa. And then each clan can claim independence, right?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.