Beckham

[ionnsaigh]

If my Father was the son of two English actors and my Mother Irish, I have no Scottish ancestry. OK I may have been born in the land of Irn Bru and Haggis, however I lived for most of my time in England, then how Scottish does that make me ?
The young Zulu prince was born in London, he lived there a couple of years, he claims to be English - aye. Yes he can claim English citizenship, and be part of the English population, however genetically he is as much English as a square sliced sausage.

[Govangirl]

Ionns, you are BRILLIANT at twisting the facts to suit your own agenda, aren't you? If I had been born in Scotland, if my father's parents had him adopted as a tiny baby into the family of a Glasgow shipyard worker, a father that grew up and was educated in Govan, if after my parents had returned from working out of the country (yes dear, some folk actually HAVE to go out to work to earn their crust!) and I was partly educated in Scotland then yes, I believe I am a Scot, no matter how much he tries to hide the fact. So sorry but he is Scotland's shame as much as he is England's.

[ionnsaigh]

You can take a Daffodil seed, place it with Rose seeds - leave for a thousand years, plant the seeds and you will have a bed of Roses with a Daffodil, call it a Rose if you must, however at the end of the day it's inherently a Daffodil.

(yes dear, some folk actually HAVE to go out to work to earn their crust!)

Yes however, unlike yourself and David, not all are economic migrants. Would you say that all foreign troops in Afghanistan come under the category of economic itinerant ? ( promotion prospects )
Come to think of it, Beckham could be described as a economic mercenary, selling your soul to the highest bidder, brings into question personal loyalty ( a what team do you support, question)
When he is in Afghanistan of course he is a true Brit, he flies the flag - singing proudly - God Save The Queen and Rule Britannia.
Then he happily goes to a foreign place - that he chose - to make his home, where the flag is a different colour, and the songs another tune, sang in a place unfettered by archaic Monarchy. As another poster pointed out the difference in wages between Davie Boy and Private Tommy is vast - yet both are deemed hero's and patriots. Words cost nothing, at the end of the day - they don't pay your rent - that's the reason - that so many Ex-service people are on the streets and homeless. If the purpose of his visit was morale boosting - then the question begs for attention - why the need ?
How long is a tour of duty, you will have to forgive me, as I'm not quite sure is it Six Months ? If that is the case then let us the people who pay for the war - agree that all serving in Afghanistan, should receive the equivalent of Beckham's weekly wage. After all they are all true patriots and hero's - aren't they ?
I would argue that this gesture would improve morale - wouldn't you say. I would even suggest that they would win this war. Thereby saving tax payers as my self - the heavy moral weight of funding more killing - regardless of nationality
and religion. Beckham is being used as part of the British war propaganda machine - like it or lump it - that is a fact of the untwisted variety.
Another fact that is sometimes missed is that Afghanistan, is a tremendously wealthy, in terms of natural resources -
Opium - ask any pharmaceutical company.