With the political assassination of Charlie Kirk still leaving every decent person stunned, I feel compelled to give this not-very gentle nudge to our British cousins.
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.” ― Ronald Reagan
It’s long been understood that a generation is 20-years. After reading the above quote, I just couldn’t help but think that time is damn-near over for the United Kingdom.
If you’d note the first video below, it was Britain’s “Night at the Proms” with Dame Sarah Connelly busting out Rule Brittania from back in 2009 (a mere 16-years ago). Indigenous to the British Isles, she knew the entire song by heart. Not just live at London’s Royal Albert Hall, but also by live satellite feed to Salford, the North of England; Glasgow, Scotland; County Down, No. Ireland; Swansea, Wales and Hyde Park, England. Easily over 100,000 watched the performance.
The second video is from 2024. The featured soloist is Angel Blue, whose lineage is recently of the Los Angeles, California area. A bit further back to Equitorial West Africa. She doesn’t know Rule Brittania by heart, instead relying on sheet music. Try as I may, but I couldn’t find anything of the performance being simulcast to, well… anywhere. Looks like Royal Albert Hall was it, period.
In case you missed it the first go ’round;
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.” ― Ronald Reagan