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It never fails to surprise me when Twitter and Facebook explode with people stating that they're watching V for Vendetta on the fifth of November, of course quoting the opening to "Remember, Remember." I don't really blame them, the rest of the poem isn't known outside of England, the last verse usually being omitted for being less than friendly towards Catholics.
Which brings me to the cold, hard truth of what Guy Fawkes Night is about. It's not about standing up to the oppressive government, it's about supporting the English crown and the religious intolerance of early Protestant rule. Which is why I find it inherently funny that Anonymous uses Guy Fawkes as their symbol of resistance. Guy is burned in effigy on Bonfire Night to celebrate the power of the English crown and religious intolerance, which is why the United States, unlike other British colonies, doesn't celebrate November Fifth in some form or another. (Though it's worth noting that both Australia and New Zealand seem to be backing down from celebrating Bonfire Night at all. Give it another couple of years and they probably won't celebrate it at all.)
It's important to remember that when Fawkes was captured, he was tortured and broke, revealing the names of his co conspirators. He then committed suicide before he could be hanged by jumping from the scaffolding and breaking his neck. (So that scene in V for Vendetta showing Fawkes being all strong and immovable going to his death and then his feet dangling? Yeah, again Hollywood gets it wrong.) After that his body was mutilated.
Now maybe Anonymous thinks that they're making a point by choosing Fawkes. However Fawkes wasn't really all about bringing down an evil theocracy (in Anonymous's view that would be the Church of Scientology), but rather about installing Catholic rule back in England following the split caused by Henry VIII. Now it's entirely possible that England would have developed a more egalitarian society with religious tolerance, but given the way the Catholic church rolls, that's highly unlikely.
By the way, this is the poem in full.
( Remember, remember the fifth of November... )
I wonder if Anonymous has actually *read* the full poem or even remotely aware of what their "symbol" even means.
Which brings me to the cold, hard truth of what Guy Fawkes Night is about. It's not about standing up to the oppressive government, it's about supporting the English crown and the religious intolerance of early Protestant rule. Which is why I find it inherently funny that Anonymous uses Guy Fawkes as their symbol of resistance. Guy is burned in effigy on Bonfire Night to celebrate the power of the English crown and religious intolerance, which is why the United States, unlike other British colonies, doesn't celebrate November Fifth in some form or another. (Though it's worth noting that both Australia and New Zealand seem to be backing down from celebrating Bonfire Night at all. Give it another couple of years and they probably won't celebrate it at all.)
It's important to remember that when Fawkes was captured, he was tortured and broke, revealing the names of his co conspirators. He then committed suicide before he could be hanged by jumping from the scaffolding and breaking his neck. (So that scene in V for Vendetta showing Fawkes being all strong and immovable going to his death and then his feet dangling? Yeah, again Hollywood gets it wrong.) After that his body was mutilated.
Now maybe Anonymous thinks that they're making a point by choosing Fawkes. However Fawkes wasn't really all about bringing down an evil theocracy (in Anonymous's view that would be the Church of Scientology), but rather about installing Catholic rule back in England following the split caused by Henry VIII. Now it's entirely possible that England would have developed a more egalitarian society with religious tolerance, but given the way the Catholic church rolls, that's highly unlikely.
By the way, this is the poem in full.
( Remember, remember the fifth of November... )
I wonder if Anonymous has actually *read* the full poem or even remotely aware of what their "symbol" even means.
