First, I apologize for a long-winded post away from the main thread, one which might not interest many.
I've long had a liking for George Orwell's writings on patriotism; my own feelings coincide with his and I've mentioned him in previous posts above. See parts of his essays The Lion and the Unicorn, Politics & the English Language and Notes on Nationalism, all written during the Second World War. Simplifying, he described patriotism as "good" and nationalism as "bad", with the former encompassing a love of the English countryside, literature, pubs, cricket and possibly sheepdogs (though I'm making that up) and the latter as xenophobic and aggressive. And I've taken this sentiment as gospel over the years. But just this morning I found something that questioned this comfortable view of patriotic virtue and nationalistic vice. It's an essay (2022) by someone called David Robjant "The patriotic prejudice of George Orwell." Too long and in places a bit too much for my ageing brain to summarize, but it argues that while for some English people the 2nd W.W. was a war against Fascism, thus allowing those of a liberal conscience also to celebrate their patriotism, for others (most others?) it was a war against foreigners, and thus a nationalist thing. It goes on to say that Orwell's celebration of Englishness wouldn't have sat well with the Irish, Scots, or people of India. And it includes a gently satirical refrain from the old Flanders and Swann comedy duo: "The English are moral, the English are good, And clever and modest and misunderstood." (The whole song is worth a listen if you like that sort of thing.) Anyway, if anyone fancies delving deeper into this patriot v. nationalist argument, go look up Robjant's article.
Meanwhile I hope the streets of England are kept clear of the neanderthals in the coming days and the families in Southport get some peace and privacy.