Leave the George Cross alone

In my opinion the George Cross on the Maltese flag is appropriate. The eight pointed "Maltese Cross" of the Order of St John is not an adequate replacement. Since the Order's rule in Malta was a form of "apartheid" and tyrannical, the same arguments being used in favour of removing the George Cross from our flag would also be sufficient to reject the "Maltese Cross". Also, since Malta is not yet a fully fledged banana republic, though many seem to be hell bent on turning it into one, we ought to resist any temptation of changing the shape of our flag frequently.

Like many Maltese I am proud that although our parents were not completely free during World War II, the absolute majority of them made the right choice to resist fascism and nazism. I do not give equal weighting to the lack of freedom under British rule and what could have been the case had fascism triumphed. We should harbour no illusions that had fascism won, the Maltese would have fared worse, perhaps even risked annihilation.

It is unpatriotic to my mind to berate Malta's role in World War II or to overlook the war's significance for Europe and Malta. Though sadly at the end of the war a significant part of mankind fell under the tyranny of communism behind the so called "iron curtain", democracy flourished in Western Europe, as did the market economy and the welfare state. The UN was established, a Universal Declaration of human rights promulgated and the global economic institutions were set up, giving the world economy a more stable environment in which to flourish.

Above all, a decolonisation process was set in motion, making it possible for Malta to gain independence less than two decades from the end of the war. Most probably none of this would have happened had nazism-fascism triumphed. Malta's security and welfare have been enhanced by the fact that the defeat of fascism saw democracy restored and firmly established in neighbouring Italy.

I do not see why fellow-Maltese citizens wish to belittle these events and Malta's role in them. This was our war as well. The Maltese chose wisely, to endure the lesser evil of colonialism and to resist the worse evil of fascism. They should not be ridiculed or belittled for what they endured bravely, namely the extreme hardships of fear, hunger, uncertainty, displacement, death and deprivation.

We should also show more sensitivity towards those Maltese in the armed forces who fought and died to defend this country hand in hand with other nationals who gave up their lives for us. They were the real heroes not those who connived to deliver these islands to the enemy or who wish to remove the reminder of that sacrifice from our flag.

It is somewhat paradoxical that countries whose war record is mixed make such an effort to honour those who fought fascism - note how the partisans are honoured in France and Italy, among other countries, with justified pomp, and how Victory Day is celebrated in both countries - while some Maltese are always ready to belittle the island's war record despite the fact that our conduct then is comparably unblemished and heroic.

I suspect that behind the promotion of this proposal to remove the George Cross from the flag is a not so latent anti-British sentiment that is not shared by everyone in Malta. In similar vein proposals were made and went unheeded in the past to demand an apology from the Queen for what was done during the colonial era. Some years ago someone proposed the removal of Queen Victoria's statue from its place in Valletta.

I sympathise slightly with those who wish to re-write or obliterate history, who would want us to accept that World War II was not "our war" or to see Carmelo Borg Pisani canonised. One could help them achieve their aims by recourse to some extensive public works and projects.

We could destroy the megalithic temples, the fruit of a pagan culture, Maltese could be replaced by Esperanto and Mdina flattened to remove all traces of our Arab past, the red and white in our flag, given to us by a Norman robber and adventurer called Count Roger (according to tradition), could be changed, the Inquisitor's palaces demolished because of the injustices performed in them in the past and the bastions surrounding Valletta and the three cities brought down in order not to offend the Turks who might be joining the EU in a few years time. A sane and acceptable solution, agreed? Then the George Cross can go as well.