Why so anti-English?

[anotheoldgit]

I am a regular contributor to the News Topics, and what I have noticed is how many of the other contributors seem to be so anti-English, and yet support other nationalities to the hilt. My question is why?

So come on all you criticisers of our good old Mother Land, nail your colours to the mast, and explain yourselves.

Of course it would also be interesting to read some threads on how great it is to be English, from fellow patriots.

This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle,
This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
This other Eden, demi-paradise,
This fortress built by Nature for herself
Against infection and the hand of war,
This happy breed of men, this little world,
This precious stone set in the silver sea,
Which serves it in the office of a wall
Or as a moat defensive to a house,
Against the envy of less happier lands,�
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England.
Shakespeare's `Richard II`.

[jno]

maybe because not everyone here is English?

[Catso]

But I would venture to say that it is generally only the English that bash England.

[anotheoldgit]

Maybe I should have made it clearer, those who reside in England.

[45703]

Yes your right anotheoldgit and most of the offenders are Scottish! and reside in England.

[pixie_woo]

I'm not anti-British but I don't like some of minority bashing that has been taking place on AB recently. I'm not so naive to expect everyone to hold hands and get along but I think that some ABers are a little quick to jump to conclusions.
Some days on here seem like a tabloid editors' wet-dream!
To answer your q, I think that some ABers may come across as anti-British because they are trying to stand up for those people who aren't well represented on AB.

[jake-the-peg]

Certainly for me it is because I identify patriotism with the sentiment - "My country right or wrong".

This for me is utter stupidity and dangerous. It is a abdication of each individuals responsibility to make moral judgements on specific issues.

If a man joins his country's armed forces at a time of crisis and fights he has made that judgement - you may disagree with him but he knows what he is fighting for.

If a man joins in peace time he is joining to fight what? He doesn't know so we have to invent some notion of Nation to give him purpose otherwise he's just a mercenary

In reality what is that nation - fields and hedges? Pretty scenery? No we have to have a notion of a people a race called the British.

But it doesn't exist. It's a fiction. We all have ancestral roots from all over the place - I speak the same language as someone from the other end of the country but other than that we've little in common.

It's not a question of putting down the English it's a question of putting down the patriots.

Because when somebody appeals to your patriotism he's trying to get you to stop thinking for yourself

[sp1814]

For the life of me, I can't remember a single question or posted response where the poster has singled out the English and given them a bashing.

Okay, some of the Scots may have made humourous digs, but if you compare some of the anti-Islamic posts, these are trivial.

[sp1814]

'pixie_woo' is the best username on the whole of AB.

[libertie]

Well I'm Scottish and I have nothing against the English...could'nt eat a whole one though!! :o)

[Miss Inquiry]

I'm half English half Polish & don't like anyone bashing any country. We are all unique, makes the world such an interesting place. And we all have our own unique views which makes this category of AB so interesting to read at times.

[pixie_woo]

Thanks sp1814. Its my nickname and part of my surname.

Jake, my hubby serves in the forces. He didn't join up cos he was buoyed by patriotism, he joined cos he didn't do too well in exams and knew that the forces would give him a decent wage and good training.

[jake-the-peg]

well I suppose that too has always been an historical reason to join.

Problem is when you join up in those circumstances you are very likely signing up to go and kill anybody you're told to, whether you think the cause is just or not.

"My country right or wrong"

[jake-the-peg]

By the way was anybody else amused by the Irony in anotheoldgit's choice of quote?

This Royal Throne of Kings....

Richard II?

Now whatever happened to him? Oh yes he was overthrown and the "happy breed of men" pelted him with rubbish before he staved to death.

Still better luck than his great grandfather Edward the second who was allegedly murdered with a hot poker up the rear.

Amazing what makes this breed of men happy isn't it?

[pixie_woo]

Ha ha ha! I wish hubby could read that, he's in the middle east at the moment. He's surprisingly humanitarian and is not one to blindly take orders (and this has got him into hot water before). I think that is an over-generalisation.
He was saying how anti-American his base is; grafitti everywhere cursing the U.S forces. He's not a happy bunny and trying to distance himself from the hate. Strange thing is that its a U.S base and the facitlities are so much better than those offered by Brit government.

[Lonnie]

Like <b.sp1814, I haven't noticed any anti- English A/Bers,

If your looking for Anti-English, look no further than this goverment, which, admittedly is mainly Scottish, but has also some Welsh and English among them.

[jonnythebosh]

Wow, three posts from jake and not a sniff of leftie stats for us all to look at, couldn't you find any ?
I bet you looked though didn't you?
It must be wonderful to be such a free spirit and not fall for the delusions that mere mortals have to engage in by being proud of their country. Which of your qualities allow you to be so superior to the herd? Is it your capacity for lucid, independent thinking? Maybe it's your refusal to bow to the concept of nationalism and pride in the country you hail from?
On second thoughts it's probably because your a pretentious lefty who is full of sh*t and can't stop yourself, sounds about right.
Just because you are patriotic doesn't mean that you have to agree with everything that your countryb has done or did.
I aren't proud to English i'm afraid, not because i'm not patriotic but because of the mess that we're in. And i can't see any light at the end of the tunnel.

[matt66]

Anti-English........., have you read any history and the grand larceny that this nation has committed in other lands for the past 200 years, one as recent as 3 years ago. And you want people to feel patriotic just because they live here.

Anything but England...does that not ring true in almost every sporting contest all over the world.

[dummkopf]

The fact that you anti English brigade are HERE is down to patriotic men who fought to keep this countryu free. When somebody appeals to my patriotism he IS NOT stopping me from thinking for myself.. Are you all leftie studentys ? apart from anotherold git and me of course??

[NH]

Sorry. But has anyone got a Union Flag and a lighter....anyone?  [edited by ABED]

[THECORBYLOON]

dummkopf I hadn�t realised that the millions who fought and died in the wars did so only for England and the English.