Flag fanaticism first seen in Belfast / Patriotic to pay taxes - Irish Post

The sight of St George and Union flags appearing across Britain has caused alarm. There is more than a resemblance to the streets of Loyalist parts of Belfast, with the flags and union jack kerbstones. When coupled with the 100,000 plus protesters out on Tommy Robinson's march a few weeks ago, there is a real intimidatory feel to the whole thing. A major focus is the small boats coming across the channel. The way in which this issue has been used to whip up racism is incredible The number of people taking this hazardous route to refuge in this green and pleasant land is relatively small. Some 35,000 this year (a medium sized football ground). Less than 2% of migrants coming to these shores. Yet a combination of Nigel Farage's Reform, Robinson and the rabid supporting cast, amongst Britain's right wing media, have presented the boats as some sort of threatening invasion force. Using the flag symbolism plugs into the 'we will fight them on the beaches' mentality of Second World War fame. Fortunately, it does seem like the Labour government is at last beginning to stand up and defend the values of a pluralist, inclusive, multicultural society. The Prime Minister Keir Starmer did well recently in calling out Farage and Reform for their racism. However, for the Irish community, especially of Belfast, this whole issue must have an eerie feel. There have ofcourse also been ethnic tensions in the north with minorities being targeted. Some 3.4% of the population of the North come from ethnic minority backgrounds, compared to 18% in England and Wales. But whilst historically the background causes of the divisions in Ireland are different, the hardening of attitudes and physical division of communities seen in the North could provide a glimpse of the future in Britain. A land of segregation. Instead of pluralism, the communities shrink into their religious or ethnic groups. Tensions rise. The trend over the years of seeing developments in the North, later extend to the rest of Britain, is well known. Methods of policing, military actions and laws have all come home as it were. Not usually for the common good. Will the latest manifestation be any different? So how things go over the next few years in Britain will be interesting to see. Certainly the continual rise of the racist right will see an exodus from Britain to places like Ireland, which today appears, for the most part, a country must more at ease with itself, inside Europe, despite other tensions. Patriotic to pay taxes No one wants to pay more tax. But why is that? It is actually a patriotic thing to do. Pay your dues, contribute to the common good. Part of the problem is the perceived unfairness of the tax system, with those who have most seemingly contributing least. The billionaires who prosper, while millions go to food banks. The big multinational companies that use the local population, who have been educated and nurtured at tax payers expense, exploiting that resource, while paying next to no tax themselves. Rich individuals who store their wealth off shore in areas, where they can be assured of paying the least tax. Yet, if we want decent public services they have to be paid for. In Britain and Ireland there has been a myth sold that there can be low taxes and top grade public services. There can't - one thing is used to pay for the other. The idea of the common good is drawn from Catholic social teaching. It really should be the guiding principle as to how a society is run. Not bottom line economics. Everyone pulling together for the common good. Love thy neighbour rather than rip off they neighbour for your own advancement. Those with the broadest shoulders have to carry the heaviest burden. And some are prepared to do so. Groups like Patriotic Millionaires say they want to pay more tax. If more tax was paid there would be less reliance on outside factors like borrowing via the bond markets. What could be more patriotic? But the system does need to be fair and just for all. So let's adopt the common good as the mantra that governs society, not the law of the jungle