Nationalist graffiti

[Marhak]

Basically, yes. It's what they do. They never seem to get the message that we aren't going away.

[shaz]

On a slightly different note, Morrisons are selling Cornish new potatoes in a box lined with English flags, also noticed English flags on display of Cornish new potatoes Stokes in Newquay a while back.

[Captain Black]

Just passed the overrated 'Heartlands' project on the fence is a notice from the regeneration people stating that the project is ''in England''. Is this English nationalist graffiti.

[Marhak]

Yes.

[saxonscum]

nick00 - no intention to brand you, or any hard-working Cornishman, as a yob, and no offence taken, I hope. I was just questioning the method of making your feelings clear.

Spraying day-glo messages all over the Duchy is just as unaesthetic as using Tudor Roses, in my view.

[saxonscum]

'A more civilised country and society. (For reference, try Diodorus Siculus C1 AD, quoting from Pytheas of Massalia c. 325 BC).'

Oh come on, Marhak, even a pro-Celt like me isn't going to swallow that. The Celts were some of the most warlike people in history and they gloried in it. Take, for example, the Celtic sacking of Rome in the days of the Republic, or in Britain, where the tribes fought each other incessantly for the control of territory. Or Hannibal's Carth\aginian army, which used Celts because of their ferocity. Or the Cornish warriors who joined in the Viking raid which resulted in the battle of Hingston Down.

Or the level of slavery in Cornwall at the time of the Norman conquest, which was said to be 25 per cent, a quarter of the population, as opposed to an average of 10 per cent in the rest of Britain.

If that figure is correct, or even anywhere near correct, then that hardly points to a more civilised country and society.

I will be accused of Cornwall-bashing, I'm sure, but to me it is important to recognise that times were different, on both sides of the Tamar, and things were done, as I've said elsewhere, that does not bear modern examination.

It will be interesting to see how future historians view our society in 1,000 years time.

[Marhak]

We weren't any more warlike than anyone else, but we were good at it until the Roman war-machine came along. There are very few items of evidence of war prior to 1000 BC (Carn Brea being a notable exception).

[TeamKernow]

It will be interesting to see how future historians view our society in 1,000 years time.

Chances are they won't be very impressed...

BBC Radio Cornwar's Laurence 'Spanker' Reed - 'What? Glorifying weapons of mass destruction? Who, me?

[Marhak]

No parachute. Quick, pilot, whiz him up, and eject the bugger!

[saxonscum]

Better still, eject him while he's upside down.

[saxonscum]

'We weren't any more warlike than anyone else, but we were good at it until the Roman war-machine came along. There are very few items of evidence of war prior to 1000 BC (Carn Brea being a notable exception).'

I'd argue that Celts were pretty handy in warfare even after the advent of the Roman war machine. The Romans themselves made use of Celtic units, even during the invasion of Britain in AD 43. In later times, the heroism of Welsh, Scottish and Irish units was legendary, whether in the service of France during the 16th century, at Rorke's drift during the Zulu Wars, or in the defence of St Valery to cover the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940.

[Marhak]

Oh, yes, we were still pretty handy after the Roman withdrawal, and learned a bit from it, too. Battle of Mount Baddon, for example. What I meant was that we were decent, if disorganised, fighters beforehand but couldn't cope with the discipline and tactics of the Roman Army any more than the Gaulish Celts could.