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1、BritainSeeksItsEssence,andFindsPunchLinesTobeseenattheracesatAscotisundeniablyaBritishtradition.Summingupnationalvalues,though,appearsdebatable.BySARAHLYALLPublished:January26,2008LONDON—Itwasaloftyidea:formulateaBritish“statementofvalues”definingwhatitmeanstobeBritish,muchthewayadocu
2、mentliketheDeclarationofIndependencesetsouttheidealsthathelpexplainwhatitmeanstobeAmerican.TobeseenattheracesatAscotisundeniablyaBritishtradition.Summingupnationalvalues,though,appearsdebatable.Becauseofthepeculiaritiesofitslonghistory,Britainhasinmoderntimesneverfelttheneedforsuchast
3、atement.Butinaneraofdecentralizedgovernmentandcitizenswhotendtodefinethemselveslessbytheir9similaritiesthanbydifferencesofregion,ethnicityorreligion,thegovernmentfeltthatthetimewasripeforone.Theproposal,partofapackageofBritish-pride-bolsteringmeasuresannouncedbyPrimeMinisterGordonBrow
4、n’snewgovernmentoverthesummer,raisedahostoftrickyquestions.WhatdoesitmeantobeBritish?Howdoyouexpressitinacountrythatbelievesself-promotiontobeembarrassing?Andhowdoyoudealwithadefiningtraitofthepeopleyouaretryingtodefine:theirhabitofmakingfunofworthygovernmentproposals?Detractorsspread
5、therumorthatthegovernmentwaslookingnotforaconsideredstatement,butforasnappy,pithy“liberté,égalité,fraternité”-stylesloganthatitcouldplasteracrossgovernmentbuildingsinakindofbrandingexercise.NordidithelpwhenTheTimesofLondoncynicallysponsoredaBritishmotto-writingcontestforitsreaders.The
6、readers’suggestionsincluded“Dipso,Fatso,Bingo,Asbo,Tesco”(Asbostandsfor“anti-socialbehaviororder,”alaw-enforcementtool,whileTescoisaubiquitoussupermarketchain);“OnceMightyEmpire,SlightlyUsed”;“AtLeastWe’reNotFrench”;and“WeApologizefortheInconvenience.”Thewinner,favoredby20.9percentoft
7、hereaders,was“NoMottoPlease,We’reBritish.”“ThepointIwasmakingis,thisideaofastatementofBritishness;IcannotthinkofanythinglessBritishthanthat,”said25-year-oldDavidBishop,authorofthewinningmotto.IntheHouseofLords,therewasasurrealdebateonthenonmotto,evenafterLordHuntofKingsHeath,anofficia
8、linth
