National identity

[Reg Smeeton]

  I always put English on forms.

[SwindonTartanArmy]

I'm no hun, but I can't change the nationality of my mum!!  I'm not a union jack waver though, or a gstq singer, puck that loyalist shite.  

Luckily my mum's got Irish blood in her, so that's where I get my Catholicism from!!  God save the Pope as Artur Borac would say (on his t-shirt).

[Simon Pieman]

I always put English on my forms as that's the country I was born in. If someone wants to label me as British then that's fine, that I am.

I don't like Gordon Brown but he lives in this country so I think it's ok he runs it. My dislike is not due to his country of birth.

Apart from direct competition (e.g. football) I can't see why this national superiority debate takes place. If one country is better than the other then go and live there. I know you can't change the country you were born in, but is there a need to state over and over how it's the best? Quite frankly I couldn't give a shit if one place is better than the other, I was born and raised in England, I still live in England and it suits me fine.

People who moan about how shit Swindon is also get on my nerves. If it's so bad you can change where you live. Moaning doesn't get you out of the place, moving does.

[janaage]

Apart from direct competition (e.g. football) I can't see why this national superiority debate takes place. If one country is better than the other then go and live there. I know you can't change the country you were born in, but is there a need to state over and over how it's the best? Quite frankly I couldn't give a shit if one place is better than the other, I was born and raised in England, I still live in England and it suits me fine.

Well said Si, absolutely spot on.  Weighing up all factors it's better for me to live down here at present, job, my family, my mrs family etc.

To be honest with you it's only as far as sport that I have this Scot v eng rivalry really.  That's the bit other people don;t understand.  The amount of times during a footie debate someone's said to me "if you don't like it down here fuck off back up there" etc (words to that effect), but in truth I don't dislike england as a country, it's a nice place to live.

Some people seem to be unable to note the difference between a sporting rivalry and a national hatred.

[Lumps]

I'm with Ben on this. I'm Welsh but I was brought up in England. Other than me supporting Wales in Rugby and Football I don't think it's made any sodding difference to my life. Do I feel ties to over 2million people just because they happened to be born within a couple of hundred miles of where I was born, on one side of a line drawn in a fairly arbitary way on a map? Not really no.

[janaage]

I'm with Ben on this. I'm Welsh but I was brought up in England. Other than me supporting Wales in Rugby and Football I don't think it's made any sodding difference to my life. Do I feel ties to over 2million people just because they happened to be born within a couple of hundred miles of where I was born, on one side of a line drawn in a fairly arbitary way on a map? Not really no.

Depends how you wer brought up though Lumps, each to their own and all that.  If you had a passionate welsh father (maybe you did) who you grew up admiring and respecting I don't see why people should have a problem with you following your father's heritage and supporting that country (well in your case principality).

Like I say each to their own, if I want to support Scotland I will, end off, you could hardly say I'm doing it for the glory!!

[Dazzza]

Manx and official resident of the British Isles.  Because we're so rare I do take pride in my identity although I would never call myself English it has been just as much of a home and a place I have a strong affinity for.

Just not the taxes.

[janaage]

Were you born over there Dazzza?  If so how come you're a townie?  (Apologies if you've covered this before)

[Ardiles]

British and English.  My wife is Scottish and British.  Our son is all three.

None of which, I think, is as relevant today as it used to be.  Nationalism as a concept seems increasingly outdated to me in the global society we live in (unless you're fighting wars or playing football matches.)

[Lumps]

Depends how you wer brought up though Lumps, each to their own and all that.  If you had a passionate welsh father (maybe you did) who you grew up admiring and respecting I don't see why people should have a problem with you following your father's heritage and supporting that country (well in your case principality).

Like I say each to their own, if I want to support Scotland I will, end off, you could hardly say I'm doing it for the glory!!

Hey believe me when it comes to sporting events I'm in no doubt of my national identity, I was nearly hospitalised as a result of that goal by San Marino. But sport is not life it's just a distraction from it.

I've just never bought into this whole concept of "loyalty" or whatever to people who happen to have been born or live near you.

There's about 60m people in Britain, most of whom I'm never likely to meet. I sort of resent being grouped together with those people and expected to show some sort of affiliation to them just because we happen to all live on this island. People talk about being proud to be British and I think "How the hell can you be proud of something you have no control over, and have done nothing to acheive. You were born, and by chance born here, wow go you, well done mate!"

Dickheads, of which there are many, will reply that Britain's a great country blah blah blah empire, two world wars, Shakespeare, Churchill, Brunel, etc, etc, as if they can in some way lay claim to the achievements of others just by geographical proximity of birth.

[Colin Todd]

I personally won 2 world wars you welsh cunt. fuck off back to the valleys

[herthab]

Well I for one am glad to be English.

All other people talk funny and smell.

FACT.

[Barry Scott]

I don't care whether i'm labeled British or English, I was born in England to a Welsh Father and a English Mother. I was named after a famous Welsh Rugbyist and my Mum's parents were French. If i had American in me, i could cover all areas for being full of shit blood.

I don't dislike Gordon Brown because he's a sweaty, i dislike him because he's got nothing within his personality (or lack of), which warms me or i find endearing. The measure of a person for me is whether or not you could imagine yourself sitting down for a beer with them and having a laugh. I think Brown would make you stab him or yourself.

[Phil_S]

I wonder if age has anything to do with it ? I was bought up with mates whose fathers were killed in the second world war. When you hated the germans, & were proud to be British/ English.
I still have that pride, but it has been eroded over the years by the politicians who have turned the country into a laughing stock in many areas. I've also realised that other countries do have there plus points too.
I do however have very srong feelings about those who choose to live here, but run the country down. I guess the best example is the british citizens who ended up in Guantamano bay. As far as I am concerned they should have been left there to rot or bought back & tried for treason. FFS, they were in  Afganistan shooting at out guys. They certainly weren't tourists.
As for Brown, he is the mainreason for the state this countries in. Brilliant Chancellor my arse, all he's done is tax & spend, mostly without any positive effect. His nationality has nothing to do with it, but if it weren't for the Scots votes he (Labour) would not be in power today.

[herthab]

Yeah, it's all Browns fault. Before him Blair, Major, Thatcher, Heath, Wilson, Chamberlain, etc, etc (I know I left some of the twats out)
You get the government you deserve and, because we are all spineless, quivering, apathetic examples of humanity we get the same sorry shit, time after time.............