Controversial Thread

[-Talbot-]

A tweet I have just read prompted this thread.

''I'm not African because I was born in Africa, I'm African because Africa was born in me''


We often here cries of (I can only assume as some sort of misguided defence)

'He was born here in Britain'

But does being born here make you British?

[Old_Geezer]

As stated, one can register to change the nationality one claims to be, but if adopting another nationality, it doesn't change who you really are nor where you really came from.

[Prudie]

I guess there is a legal definition, being born here entitles you to a British passport but does it make you British - not in my opinion, it's more linked to parentage/heritage. If I went to live in Antigua and had a baby (neither of which are possible) my child would not be Caribbean in my eyes.

[Old_Geezer]

Parental influence has zero influence on one's nationality. But of course that is obvious. Sorry to have pointed it out.

[Baldric]

I was born here, I prefer to think of myself as English, British is too broad a classification imo.

[Khandro]

You can take the man out of Tunbridge Wells, but you can't take Tunbridge Wells out of the man.

[naomi24]

No. Being in possession of a piece of an official paper does not make you British. I agree with those here who say that many ‘British’ people cleave to the country and culture of their ethnicity.

[choux]

Talbot, how do you answer your own question?

[-Talbot-]

By typing some words and posting them

[choux]

That is one cop-out. Pathetic.

[-Talbot-]

choux, if you were at all observant you would know I don't cop-out of any question.


Simply being born here does not make you British.
You can be born overseas and move here and become British (as many have done very successfully)

You can come here from overseas ... let's say Libya
have children here and bring them up as Libyan ... hence they never become truly British.

[naomi24]

divebuddy, don't forget the 'home grown' ones. In their case even those whose British families go back generations aren't 'British'. As I said, there's more to being British than being in possession of a piece of paper.

[choux]

Talbot, I observed your fatuous comment at 12.01. Hard to take anything you write as serious now.

[naomi24]

choux, try.

[choux]

No thank you :)

[-Talbot-]

My comment @ 12:01 is what we British call humour, choux.

[sandyRoe]

Didn't Norman Tebbit (Thatcher's Rottweiler) once say people from the West Indies, India, or Pakistan, who supported cricket teams from their countries of origin rather than the English side weren't fully integrated?
Maybe so, but in my opinion, a touch of nostalgia for the motherland doesn't make someone born here any less British.

[jackthehat]

The cries of 'He was born here in Britain' are raised in response to the 'Let's stop all (muslim) immigration' as a cure-all against 'importing terrorists'.......... or 'send him/them back to where they came from'.

If you are born in these islands, you can either choose to accept your Britishness or reject it in favour of something more reasonably appealling.
To my mind, if you come to these shores and wish to completely assimilate and adopt Britishness......you can achieve Britishness.

[ichkeria]

Two different things are being confused here are they not?
The nationality you "feel", and the one you actually are or have a right to be.
A problem arises when people start trying to impose absolute definitions of nationality, regardless of laws or rights. I think that is what is happening here.

[-Talbot-]

jackthehat
The cries of 'He was born here in Britain' are raised in response to the 'Let's stop all (muslim) immigration' as a cure-all against 'importing terrorists'.......... or 'send him/them back to where they came from'.


Not true, jack, although I am sure those poster who I have asked for an answer to what they mean by it will now adopt it.