Sean Connery: A new day for independence

Star Tribune ^ | 04/10/2008 | Sean Connery

[Tatze]

Scots, who helped inspire such an ideal in the first place, are debating whether to reach for it again.

There are few more-cherished American ideals than independence. With the recent celebration of Tartan Day, established as April 6 by a U.S. Senate resolution in 1998 to commemorate one of the inspirations for the Declaration of Independence -- Scotland's Declaration of Arbroath -- it is as good a time as any to tell the uniquely Scottish story of independence.

In 1320, Scots penned the Declaration of Arbroath. In lines that would echo through the ages, they wrote, "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."

Many Americans are familiar with that part of the story -- of the patriot William Wallace and the Scots who stood up for independence. What is understandably less familiar is that in 1707 a group of Scottish noblemen sold Scotland's independence and joined with England to become the United Kingdom of Great Britain.

[redstateconfidential]

Indeed Sir, Indeed.

[Jakarta ex-pat]

He reminds me of the "comedians" attacking Christianity with every salvo, but never daring to touch other religions.

Until Mr.Connery decides to acknowledge the huge influx of "immigrants" flooding the shores of Britain, I have no respect.

[Froufrou]

Thanks for the ping! I had no idea; this is nicely written, too, but you know I thought he was Welsh!

[Androcles]

I think the proper phrasing is, "If it's nae Scottish, it's crap."

"I hate being Scottish. We're the lowest of the fucking low, the scum of the earth, the most wretched, servile, miserable, pathetic trash that was ever shat into civilization. Some people hate the English, but I don't. They're just wankers. We, on the other hand, are colonized by wankers. We can't even pick a decent culture to be colonized by. We are ruled by effete arseholes. It's a shite state of affairs and all the fresh air in the world will not make any fucking difference."

Actually, I hope the Scots get their independence (As long as any referendum has a real majority of more than 0.1 per cent) but I couldn't resist this quote...

[sionnsar]

No pipes, but Scottish...

Alba gu brath!

Pipes and Drums of FreeRepublic ping!

This is an ultra-low-volume ping list (typically weeks to months between pings).
FReepmail sionnsar if you want on or off this list.

Going to the Games? Organize a Clan FReeper get-together!

[fr_freak]

“Don’t want to be an American idiot...

You know what's really ironic about those anti-American a-holes? They, like the rest of the lamebrain Left in this country, actually believe that the media is a tool of the right-wing. That is how delusional they are.

[piytar]

Ah, that’s the rub and what’s behind all this: Scottland does not want to be part of the EU.

[SunkenCiv]

Connery: Scots independence close
BBC | 24 February 2008
Posted on 02/24/2008 7:08:31 PM PST by Clintonfatigued
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1975725/posts

[ALPAPilot]

The South did wish independence for Liberty, and to preserve their distinctive culture. It sounds paradoxical in view of the slavery issue, but if you read what Southerners said, and look at their actions, it is evident.

I have read what Southerners wrote. Here are links to two secession authoritative documents:

Declaration of the Immediate Causes Which Induce and Justify the Secession of South Carolina from the Federal Union

http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/csa/scarsec.htm

Georgia Secession

http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/csa/geosec.htm

Both explicitly state that the issues of slavery caused secession.

[ALPAPilot]

Ahmedabad, January 18 Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama calls himself a Marxist monk, because “Marxism is more ethical, unlike capitalism”. At a gathering at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A), he said: “I am a Marxist monk, a Buddhist Marxist. I belong to the Marxist camp, because unlike capitalism, Marxism is more ethical. Marxism, as an ideology, takes care of the welfare of its employees and believes in distribution of wealth among the people of the state.

Posted on FR http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1998352/posts

Tibet was a free and sovereign nation , until overrun by the communist Chinese

That is so far from an accurate description of the political history of Tibet that it is idiotic. Tibet has been occaisianaly sovereign; rarely free. They've been a part of China, Mongolia, Britain, divided, united, theocratic, etc.

My point (or as you call it: Obillary double speak) was that independence wasn't a founding PRINCPLE of our country. It was a means for establishing other principles (life, liberty, pursuit of happiness etc.) Scotland already has those principles established (for the most part) and the leadership of Tibet is attempting to use independence as a means to some other principles (marxism apparently).

It's a tribute to the founding fathers that they made the establishment of a free republic look easy. Had they had an viscous or uneducated population like Iraq or Tibet or China or most of Africa, even they would have admitted it was not prudent to try.

[calex59]

Regardless of the Dali Lama's politics, Tibet does not deserve to be a slave nation to China. They do not want China around their necks like the yolk of an oxen, they want to run their own country. As far as my saying they used to a sovereign country(in the context that China didn't rule them) that is a true statement and no amount of spinning by you, or anyone else, can change it. Yes, other countries have controlled them, but they were an independent nation before China rolled over them. This pertains to many countries that are independent today,but according to you if someone else ruled them in the past they don't need to be independent.

China is in the wrong, so are you and anyone else who thinks it is ok for China to kill these people for protesting China's heavy handed brand of government. Mao was worse than Hitler, worse than Stalin even but you seem to think it is ok for China to be Marxist dictators but not ok for the Dali Lama.

[Spouting Horn]

How can any American President criticize either China or Saudi Arabia, considering the amount of our currency they own?

[Molly T.]

Of course, our nation as a whole has not only forgotten God, that would be bad enough, but we as a nation have gone to great lengths to erase God from any and all facets of our daily lives.

And look at the negative and derisive attitude of the MSM and the elitists toward anyone who is a Christian...it's OK for any other “religion”to have their symbols, holidays etc. but dare we mention God or.....Heavan forbid, the name of Jesus?...That really presses their button and they go to great lengths to shut down any mention of the Christian faith that they can....the same restrictions that apply to Christians sure don't apply to others. I'm particularly thinking of how some communities have sat silently by while their schools scramble to bow down to Islamic, Muslim demands for 5 times a day prayer...and even figure out how to put demanded foot baths in schools....YET, there's a fuss and outrage if a group of Christian kids want to have a Bible Study at noontime OUTSIDE on school grounds.....where's the outrage??

[ALPAPilot]

I've made no attempt to defend Mao or China; although I could defend China in some ways it make no difference to the argument. What I've attacked is Sean Connery's and many American's (especially liberal americans) elevation of political independence as some noble goal. Perhaps you along with Absolute Vodka believe that we should return the Southwest U.S to Mexico because we stole it in 1848. I for one think it would have been better if we got a bigger chunk from the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. It seems that many Mexicans have voted this way with their feet and crossed the Rio Grande.

Montesquieu in his "Spirit of the Laws" (the most widely quoted political work of our founding generation) teaches that a Republic's freedom is dependent on a virtuous and educated citizenry. Iraq, China, Tibet, or most of Africa do not have that preconditions necessary for freedom and self government. In light of the public education system in this country, I, like most on this website, fear for our countries political institutions. When someone like Sean Connery spouts off some nonsensical misunderstanding of America's true political foundations (i.e. the Declaration of Independence) I'm calling him on it.

If I could wave my magic wand and rid Tibet of their Chinese overseers it would matter not. Some erstwhile petit dictator demagogue, a la Dali Lama will have their citizens back on the plantation post haste. Similarly in Iraq, just like Viet Nam, if the U.S. departs a blood bath followed by tyranny will ensue. Not that I'm a huge fan of John McCain, but he's right that it may take 100 years of America in Iraq to get the job done; philosophical victories are much tougher and more important than the military ones that precede them.