Burns supper speach 2015

For my first post  I want to share with you a speach I gave on January 24th to the British Chamber of Commerce Burns Supper here in Riga. If you heard the speach or not please let me know what you think.

Speech for Burns Supper: January 24^th 2015

Ladies and Gentlemen;

I am incredibly proud and humbled to once again be asked by the British Chamber of Commerce to give the toast to the Immortal Memory of Robert Burns.

I have been reliably informed that no one has ever delivered this speech two years running. This means that I am feeling an extra special warm feeling all over.

I have to admit that last year I had a similar warm feeling just before I got up to speak, but I am sure that had nothing to do with my pride.

For those of you that were here last year you may recall, if you weren’t too drunk that is, that I spent a good chunk of the speech talking about Robert Burns, the Man.

This year however, I have decided to change the usual format slightly by not reflecting on the man but on his country and his world and how he would view our society in 2015.

The last 12 months since I last stood here have been tumultuous for the world and Scotland for a myriad of different reasons. When I sat down to plan out this speech I tried to imagine what Burns would have made of these events and link his timeless poetry to the events that shape our world today.

I will look at the world and Scotland by reflecting on Burns’ own political and social leanings, his philosophy and morals.

Two events dominated the news agenda in Scotland during 2014. The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Independence Referendum. These two events, I am absolutely sure would have inspired Burns to verse.

I shall also look at some of the more obscure stories to come out of Scotland in the last 12 months; stories I am sure most people in the room will be unaware of.

It is also my intention to reflect on the international stories that have shaped the world and how Burns, a fervent believer in Internationalism, would have viewed the changes that have happened in 2014.

Scotland though, as it should on this particular night, comes first.

The Commonwealth games in Glasgow saw the eyes of the world turn on Scotland for a major sporting event for the first time for a long time. Some people were skeptical as to whether the games would match the spectacle of the London 2012 Olympics.

I actually don’t think the organizers wanted it to; and I believe rightly so.

While London’s opening ceremony was bold, big and breathtaking, Glasgow’s was fun-filled and Scottish. London had the queen parachuting from a helicopter, Glasgow had dancing tea cakes.

The sport itself was intense, friendly and fair. We saw athletic endeavor to high international standard. The crowds were huge for all of the events and in Glasgow itself there was a genuine sense of togetherness and joy amongst the population.

Burns himself wasn’t really a sporty kind of man, unless you count chasing girls as a sport, but I am sure the happy faces and sense of optimism in his country would have had him planning a poem or two.

The sense of international cooperation and the emotional outpouring that unite the Commonwealth and the Friendly games as they are called could have inspired him to write these words;

“Then let us pray and come what may

As comes it will for that

That sense and worth all over the earth

Shall bear the greed and all that

For all that and all that

That man to man the world over

Shall brothers be for all that.”

A little over six weeks after the world had left Scotland, the other major Scottish event of 2014 occurred.

I could not vote in the Independence Referendum, I live here in Riga, but like a lot of people around the world, I became caught up in the political intrigue that was causing ripples throughout the United Kingdom, Europe and beyond.

As a proud Scot, I felt sad that I was unable to visit my homeland this year to experience the excitement and emotion for myself.

As the weeks ticked by as the 18^th September approached and opinion polls predicted narrow victories for both sides, I became very caught up in the genuine fervor that surrounded the referendum.

Burns as I mentioned last year was a strong believer in Scottish nationalism. I also suggested that he was a proud socialist who held strong democratic and internationally minded views,

Around the world in 2014, there have been many examples of People Power. People power means that ordinary people through force of will and sometimes at great risk to their liberty and safety have risen up and toppled tyrants, started revolutions and shouted with one united voice a resounding “No” to corruption, government complacency and increased political control from more authoritarian leaders.

In Mexico, Hong Kong, Burkina Faso, Nigeria and Brazil we saw movements that called for change. Closer to home the people of Ukraine and Russia looked for greater justice, democracy and accountability from their political leaders. These are all basic human rights that Burns passionately believed in and the referendum was a chance, to see once and for all, that Scots of the 21^st century could be passionate, brave and committed to governing their own country. Burns’ voice would have been at the forefront of the debate, encouraging and empowering the ordinary people to vote with their heads and their hearts.

How Burns would have voted himself is not really up for question, but how he would have viewed the political maneuvering, grandiose speeches and impassioned debate would have surely led him to raise his own weapon, his pen.

A long time ago Burns wrote;

“There is no such uncertainty as a sure thing.”

It felt a bit like that in the run up to the vote. Both sides were saying they were sure to win and in the three weeks before the referendum, the Yes campaign seemed to be taking a decisive lead.

In his famous poem “Scots Wha Hae”, Burns championed the 14^th century independent zeal of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce with the hope that it would inspire the Scots of the 18^th century. I believe it was also written with one eye firmly fixed on the future, written so that future generations of Scots would learn its lessons and answer his patriotic call.

For those amongst you who are unfamiliar with the poem it glorifies a do or die attitude that tells us it is better to die for freedom that live as a slave.

“Scots who have with Wallace bled

Scots who Bruce has often led

Welcome to your gory bed

Or to victory.

Nows the day and nows the hour

See the front of battle lour

See approach proud Edwards power

Chains and Slavery.

Who will be the traitor knave?

Who can fill a coward’s grave?

Who is so low to be a slave?

Let them turn and flee.

When he wrote those words, Burns was attacking tyrants and authoritarian governments all over Europe and beyond. He was a strong supporter of both the French and American revolutionary movements and proudly believed that his fellow Scots would show the same spirit as his comrades across the seas.

Sadly, distressingly, he was wrong.

On the 18^th September 2014, the majority of Scots turned their backs on Independence and chose to keep the status quo.

David Cameron did not send forth armies to Scotland as Edward had done in the past, but he conquered Scotland all the same.

The UK government, so desperate to win the referendum, promised more and more shiny baubles to tempt the Scottish voters to stay in the Union. Cameron used scare tactics sending his most high powered business cronies north in what seemed to be a conveyor belt of bankers and business leaders saying

“We’re Doomed!!!” in very loud voices.

Shamefully, it worked.

Support for the Yes campaign dwindled in the last few days and the end result was not even close. If Robert Burns had been alive to see it, I genuinely believe he would have despaired.

“What force or guile could not subdue

Through many warlike ages

Is wrought now by a coward few

For hireling traitors wages.

The English steel we could disdain

Secure in valour’s station

But English gold has been our bane

Such a parcel of rogues in a nation.

Oh would that I had seen the day

That treasons thus could sell us

My old grey head had lain in clay

With Bruce and loyal Wallace.

But pith and power, till my last hour

I’ll make this declaration

We are bought and sold for English gold

Such a parcel of rogues in our nation.

I personally do not blame the UK government for using the tactics they did; politicians will do just about anything to retain power and control over us. I am most disappointed with the thousands of armchair socialists who talked and talked about freedom from the English and an independent, prosperous Scotland only to lose their nerve in the voting booth.

It really is a shame to say this but I am glad that Burns was not here to see it.

Ok folks, that’s enough of all the doom and gloom. It’s time to look at those Scottish news stories that you may not have heard about. We have Sex, arguments and misunderstandings all things that Burns was famous for.

I have decided to call this section,

SCOTLAND the WEIRD

In January 2014 a Scot was arrested at a US airport because security thought he had a bomb in his bag.

Turns out it was a 2kg Haggis!!!!

I would like to assure all of you who have had the haggis this evening that it is not explosive…… until you eat it that is.

Good luck tomorrow

Now I have always believed that we Scots abroad are polite, friendly and a pleasure to be around…..most of the time.

In July an elderly Scottish lady was arrested by the Moroccan authorities after attacking an air stewardess with her own artificial leg.

As you can imagine, her court appearance was brief… she didn’t have a leg to stand on.

Good news for all you hopeless romantics out there… it was a Scot who discovered sexual intercourse. A fossil of a fish found in Scotland approximately 385 million years old proves it. Unfortunately because the fish was so ugly, he couldn’t get a girlfriend.

Ladies and Gentlemen, this brings me to the end of my speech and I am sure a few of you are probably happy to hear it. I didn’t stand up here to offend anyone but to offer a genuine insight into how Burns may have viewed the events of 2014.

I am incredibly proud to be Scottish AND British. I am proud that I live in a city as beautiful as Riga and a country like Latvia that has its own proud tradition of People Power.

The revolutionary spirit of Robert Burns is all around us and it is to that spirit and to his Immortal Memory that I dedicate this toast. To Robert Burns. Thank you, and see you Next year.

#burnsnight #commonwealthgames2014 #independence referendum