What Now, Cousins Across the Pond?

Hail, Britannia, what now on the next day?

Now that the war against radical Islamist terror has visited your homeland, your civilians and not just your fine soldiers, will you buckle, folding like Spain after the bombings in Madrid? Will you rally as you historically have to the need of the day?

I’ll seek to inspire you from your own fine history.

This day is called the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say ‘To-morrow is Saint Crispian:’
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.
And say ‘These wounds I had on Crispin’s day.’
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he’ll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day: then shall our names.
Familiar in his mouth as household words
Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remember’d.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember’d;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.

—Henry V

Please realize we stand with you in these dark days.

We stand with you not only because of our heritage but also because of the admirable character, the fighting spirit of your people. This is nothing new and nothing undeserved.

The British people know that, given strong leadership, time and a little bit of hope, the forces of good ultimately rally and triumph over evil. Here among you is the cradle of self-government, the Mother of Parliaments. Here is the enduring greatness of the British contribution to mankind, the great civilized ideas: individual liberty, representative government, and the rule of law under God.

I’ve often wondered about the shyness of some of us in the West about standing for these ideals that have done so much to ease the plight of man and the hardships of our imperfect world. This reluctance to use those vast resources at our command reminds me of the elderly lady whose home was bombed in the Blitz. As the rescuers moved about, they found a bottle of brandy she’d stored behind the staircase, which was all that was left standing. And since she was barely conscious, one of the workers pulled the cork to give her a taste of it. She came around immediately and said, “Here now – there now, put it back. That’s for emergencies.”

—Ronald Reagan, June 8, 1982

What now, Britannia? Here’s hoping enough of the bulldogged stubbornness and courage of Sir Winston still courses through your veins to continue the fight for our civilization. I have confidence in your spirit, in your determination, in your remembrance of your storied past and hope for your glorious future, and for the continued friendship of our great nations.

Nothing unites the English like war. Nothing divides them like Picasso.

—Hugh Mills

Unite, Britannia. This ain’t no Picasso at stake. It’s our future. It’s time for another damned fine hour.