This is England

This is England? Great film and well needed. The trouble is though, will ALL of those who watch it, understand its irony or will they think that Shane Meadows may be racist? I think this film highlights some really important points today and indeed that have been with us for a long time about racism, patriotism, isolation and loneliness.

And what a apt time to release this film when racism and patriotism are gaining ground again in many areas of the UK. Last night I heard the news about many immigrant Pole workers being subjected to racist attacks. Children are still growing up in areas where racism and patriotism are thriving; children take their parents and peers as role models and thus, may follow the same attitude of their ignorant families or peers.
I was fortunate to have grown up in a family with a non racist Mother and Father. Our neighbours were very different. As a child my parents fostered many children and amongst them some were from the African Carribean community, I remember one day, whilst we walked down the street with our foster brother and sister, my Mum said 'Hello', to a neighbour. She looked at my Mum with disgust and ignored her. This was my first experience of what racism was about - and it upset my Mum profoundly. I grew up with kids who were next generation Asian or Afro Carribean and to see them endure racism and attacks from others, would really upset me..yet this continues today, 30 or so years from the time that I was achild and this mortifies me in many ways..

Thus, This is England, is nostalgic to me in that the comraderie of Woody and his mates, along with their teen house parties and Ska/Punk music reminds me, of part of my teen years. Combo and his rascist bullshit reminds me about men who were around back then and who are still today, who worshipped anything to do with Patriotism and Racism..but really, deep down I feel these men were lost souls, who felt adrift in a changing world and not knowing how to cope with it - Indeed torn between what their parents and peers' views were and struggling to find their way or indeed, go against the grain of how they'd been brought up/what they'd been brought up to believe in. Men who have only known how to react with anger and violence cos that's all they've seen and understandly so, to react as such if that's what the role model throughout their life has been and indeed, as society implies, what a male is 'supposed' to be like. Indeed, when Combo says to little Shaun...

'Real men don't cry'

This puts it all in a nutshell for me. Real men DO cry and should cry..we're all human beings with an emotional capacity that includes the need and indeed, ability to cry to let out our emotions..I guess the words 'Real men don't cry', float around many a man's head still, sadly today.

So This is England? As far as I'm concerned, I feel this film is a masterpiece, it raises ever important issues about ongoing racism that needs to be acknowledged by people and changed, issues that are still present today in society and indeed the continuation of violence to people, just because of the colour of their skin.. It also raises important questions about masculinity and the isolation males feel which I think is an ongoing issue and indeed struggle, for many men.. Viva La Revolution!! It has to be said that Capitalism always seems to continue to didvide people rather than unite people and indeed, makes scapegoats out of people.
Let people live their lives in peace, equality, free from poverty and violence and with fairness..

Hoping that I may get to see A this weekend at some point, would be good to chat with him about this film and indeed, spend time again with him but childcare is limited this weekend..however, older sons do have good uses at times! And bribery works well with my son - not very ethical I guess but teens are SO self-centred I guess, arent they?