Poll: Proud to be British

[AcrylicHero]

and to put it another way, you dont talk to a Brit about how the Colonies (with French aid, credit where credit is due), beat the world's biggest and strongest empire.

But that's exactly how it works. You take the jab, you jab back, it's all in good spirit.
Whenever I'm ripping with my mates (which includes quite a few non-brits and a yank), this topic always comes up. Always without fail.
Still good on you for standing for the culture that pretty much defines you. I may not agree with some of your points about brits, since I am not gonna be biased about it, but good on you.
I've not got a single shred of european blood in me, instead got all sorts of far eastern ones. When I identify of myself it's always Brit first, korean second.

How can you be proud of being born somewhere? It's really something you have no control over. It's just a roll of the dice really.

I wholeheartedly disagree. I wasn't born here, I was born on the other side of the continent in fact.
I came here near the end of primary school. I chose to stay here. I chose to get my british citizenship.
I'm proud of being British. As I said in this before, I'm quite saddened by the sights of people choosing the abandon the country. I despair to think of the day when all the good people throw down the union jack, st george's, st andrews, the welsh or the irish flag. I'm not going to throw my country and home to the dogs and let them have their way.

 

[alliedlama]

snip

Actually the majority of the previous Government's top members were Scottish.
It's not that they're sidelined so much as thy get their own TV, it's not until you watch regional BBC that you realise it.

The majority were scottish? huh didn't know that. Still, it does feel to me as if there is no room for the other nations of Britain within the idea of Britain as a united kingdom- the Languages of Wales and Scotland have been repressed for years by the much more dominant English Language- again I don't mean to offend any English people, but this is just how it seems to be from my perspective.
Also- regional telly is all very good and it is nice for us to hear about local events rather than ones that don't affect us, but don't you think it would be nice to see more programmes on national telly that weren't so England (and South East England specifically) centered?

Finally- How about all this snow eh?

 

[Nickolai77]

The majority were scottish? huh didn't know that.

Britain was also run my Scotsmen from 1997-2010.

Still, it does feel to me as if there is no room for the other nations of Britain within the idea of Britain as a united kingdom- the Languages of Wales and Scotland have been repressed for years by the much more dominant English Language- again I don't mean to offend any English people, but this is just how it seems to be from my perspective.
Also- regional telly is all very good and it is nice for us to hear about local events rather than ones that don't affect us, but don't you think it would be nice to see more programmes on national telly that weren't so England (and South East England specifically) centered?

Finally- How about all this snow eh?

I live near the Welsh border and so often frequent the country, and there are a lot of Welsh government led initiatives to preserve the Welsh language, much of this from subsides from the UK and EU. The Scot's seem less into their native language, but if the Scottish government wants to kick some life back into the language then that's up to them.


On Topic: Yeah i'm happy to have been born in Britain. I don't think there is anything wrong with some reasonable national pride, everyone has identities of sorts it's only natural.

 

[Manbro]

Again, look into the trade policies you had with the Confederate States of america at the time and how ready you were to defend your cotton supply obtained from slave labor.

Also, you started the colonies and the process. France didnt take that approach and they had just as much stake in the country. So you started the ball to get it rolling.

Yes, European countries started the process of colonisation, but they stuck to the uninhabited coastal regions. It wasn't until the US got independence, and needed to expand, that it started moving west and clashed with the locals. Britain had alliances with the Natives during the war of 1812 and even sought policies to benefit them during the peace talks, but the US ignored them.

The problem with people criticising the Empire is that it wasn't doing any 'wrong' by the standards and morals of the time (I'm sure in several hundred years time we'll be looked down upon because of various reasons). Slavery, colonisation etc were all justified under 'our divine right', which every other country in the world was also doing as well (Remember African slaves were originally captured and taken as slaves by other African tribes. Even Native Americans dealt with slaves). The one big thing that the empire did was to go against the rest of the world and put an end to things like the slave trade and colonisation by supporting stuff like the Monroe doctrine and attacking other nation's ships to free slaves. The might of the empire ended these. Yes there are a lot of bad marks on the empire (like any country), but people tend to see the word Empire and just look at it from a very superficial level.

Am I proud to be British? Proud is a bit strong of a word, I'm glad I'm British because there are a lot of worse places to be from than Britain, despite all the whining people do.

Thats great to say you odnt practice it, but it looks rather foolish when your main trading partner is a country that still finds slavery "right" and when you were ready to go to war with them against a country that was fighting against slavery so you could protect cotton.

I'm not saying colonialism is wrong, but look how the French did it. Sure I dont know if it would have continued, but at least they had healthy respect for the Natives of the land.

Sorry mate, I've got to disagree with you there. There's a lot of North Africans and Asians that would disagree with your "The French had a healthy respect for natives theory". A lot of Algerians in particular.

 

[Duskwaith]

Im irish and i dont like Britain or British things.

The country i live in spent the last 30 years fighting the British forces for "freedom" that cost 3000 peoples lives with atrocities being carried out by the British Army and Loyalist paramilitary forces. Mind you the PIRA were not much better but you expect higher standards from a supposedly great nations combat force especially when it comes to the shooting dead of innocent civilians then trying to cover it up/collusion etc.

Plus when it comes to a sporting event it seems that the 1966 world cup was yesterday and therefore must be referenced at least once per sentance by the commentators as they completely forget about the other side and talk about how great the English team is in any given sport. I flat out refuse to watch english commentary

I do enjoy tea though

 

[lee1287]

Meh, we have An Eaton twat in power, who only helps out the rich and fucks the poor / lower middle class over.

Our kids are getting pregnant.

We let illegal immigrants stay in this country even though they Commit crimes OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

Our police force can't handle the simplest of tasks and manage to royally fuck most of there "operations" up

Our judicial system is one of the worst in the modern world.

Whats too like?

I do love living here, but this stuff annoys me.

 

[James Thory]

I'm very proud to be British, more so English :3

Sure we could do with some more hot weather, but be patient and global warming will kick in XD (I say whilst watching 11th hour .... IRONYYYYY!)

Global warming will shut down the Gulf stream and make the UK colder, not hotter

 

[Hman121]

I do love the Brit's SAS and the comedy, but I hail from Mexico.

 

[Srdjan]

Fuck no, because I'm not one.

And England never did anything good, for anybody, ask any American, Scottish, Irish, Chinese, Japanese, African, Arab or Indian people you tried to enslave, also ask any Serbs you left for the Turks and later destroyed their country, several times, or ask Turks you betrayed later, or Russians to whom you did the same. Ask French whose country you occupied for hundereds of years, and later left for Germans to destroy it, or ask German, from who you snatched all colonies from and whose unification you opossed several times, also Italy's.

Everyone hates you and who says they love you do that just because thay can use you at the moment.

Erm, Hang on a sec...

Just to let you know, Slavery was not a British invention, Almost EVERY "CIVILISED" country (or country with a long history)on the earth has had a slave system, the Ancient Greeks, the Romans, ancient China, all the way through to the United States. The earliest records of slavery can be traced to the Code of Hammurabi (ca. 1760 BC), and the Bible refers to it as an established institution.
Furthermore, Barbary Pirates had been at it since the 8th and 9th centuries. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_slave_trade and read this http://www.amazon.co.uk/White-Gold-Extraordinary-Africas-European/dp/0340794704. About the BRITISH stopping the arabian slave trade...

In regards to India. About 15% of the population were slaves. Slavery was abolished in both Hindu and Muslim India by the Indian Slavery Act V. of 1843, a British law in India...to STOP slavery. India already had a Caste system before Britain and France, and before them Portugal arrived there... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caste_system_in_India#British_rule
Yes, the Indians didn't like the British coming in and messing with their centuries old system (honestly I believe Britain had no right to do so) but at least we tried to implement a form of equal opportunity (to the extent that equal opportunity was in the 18th century)

The First Europeans to start a "Slave Trade" was Portugal, in Lagos ... was the first slave market created in Portugal for the sale of imported African slaves ? the Mercado de Escravos, opened in 1444. . .

I'm not saying Britian wasn't guilty of slavery, but they were guilty of STOPPING it!

The trade of slaves in England was made illegal in 1102...and Britain abolished the slave trade in 1833...

Occupied france? I'm guessing you are referring to the hundred year's war, which stemmed from the fact that the Normans (part viking FRENCH people) had conquered England and still claimed land in France, the monarchy, and therefore leaders of the country at that time were of FRENCH descent... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100_years_war... the English kings were from ANJOU and NORMANDY in FRANCE... NOT ENGLAND and by extention BRITAIN, even though there wasn't yet a BRITAIN...

Germany, yes we took their colonies off them, because they invaded France and declared war on Britain and her allies (France and Russia)... in WW1 and at the start of WW2 they didn't have an empire, as you said, we took it off them for being naughty. And yes, we didn't think the unification of a power hungry, european power would be a good thing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_unification
Germany was desperate for an Empire...like those of France, Britain, Austria-Hungary and Russia... there was no land left, so it was going to have to attack an existing empire, I'm pretty sure all the other countries I just listed were opposed to it on a status quo basis, as in they are the one's in power and don't want to lose it.

Don't know about Italian reunification to be honest, so you may be right.

Not sure what you mean about the betrayal of Russia, Turkey or Serbia...

I am perfectly aware of everything you said, but if I said that, it wouldn't be as nearly as dramatic wouldn't it?

For various foreign politic course changes (well I quit with dramatic, but that is still betreyal) see anything from Crimean war, Berlin congress, WWI.

 

[Kheld]

The British Empire was the greatest force for good in human history. If it wasnt for Britain Parliamentary Democracy wouldnt exist. Look at the civilised countries in the world right now, the UK, America, Canada, Austrailia, India, notice a pattern?

Europe itself OWES its FREEDOM to the British Empire, TWICE.

The reason why there ISNT a British Empire anymore is because it bankrupted itself fighting German militarism. Borrowing money from the Yankee capitalists who profited very nicely from the world wars thankyou very much.

The British Empire sacrificed itself to give the World freedom, and in thanks we get insults and sneers.

As to the minor geographical areas which make up Britain - grow up you ungrateful buzzards. Ditch the chips off your shoulders and be proud of what your ancestors helped achieve.

 

[emeraldrafael]

Snip

Like I said, cant speak for their actions elsewhere, just in the North American region. I realize the French where sadistic bastards to other countries just like the British were to their colonies (you cant argue it, I provided multiple examples beyond just the Native Americans of North America), you only had to look at Vietnam to see that if you want to be "recent."

 

[Willwillwritehiswill]

Fornicating in cold weather is all we're good for.

 

[Redingold]

What percentage of the population it is isn't really important, it just means that you're one sixteenth Cherokee. That is, just one of your great-great-grandparents was Cherokee, or two of your great-great-great grandparents or something. It's not noteworthy and completely irrelevant here.

Well, thats pleasant. Thank you for saying I'm unwanted child, but its still not the worse I've heard. Also, no, my British % is lower because it depends how full-blooded your ancestors are. Its been so diluted by my other ancestors being more Cherokee, Polish/Pollack, German, Italian, and the 4% thats a combination of almost all the other countries in Europe combined. really, with the only 1% being British I dont usually count it as separate, but since i needed to show my British blood, thats how much of it I am.

Also, how can you say I've "immersed" my self and not inherited when pretty much all my mom taught me was Cherokee customs. I didnt just choose it and say, "thats neat, I'll call myself that." Its what I've grown up with all my life through one of my parents teachings.

And its clearly been admitted by multiple people multiple times that the British humour is to take a joking jab at you, So after the Brits I met saw I was riled most decided to keep at it to bother me.

You sure you're quoting the right person there? I never mentioned you being an unwanted child, or even used the word immersed. Nor did I mention what percentage of British blood you might have.

 

[Karilas]

Snip

...The "knocking up" would be to the fault of you and your people....

Well, speaking as a an Englishman born in the 1980's I personally apologise for my assumed role in knocking up your great great great great grandma. Or whatever.

I bit you still don't realise how ridiculously xenophobic your statement was.

 

[thylasos]

I have an intangible fondness for certain behaviours and things which are supposedly prevalent and/or have been culturally produced by Britain, certainly.

 

[Wadders]

Fuck no, because I'm not one.

And England never did anything good, for anybody, ask any American, Scottish, Irish, Chinese, Japanese, African, Arab or Indian people you tried to enslave, also ask any Serbs you left for the Turks and later destroyed their country, several times, or ask Turks you betrayed later, or Russians to whom you did the same. Ask French whose country you occupied for hundereds of years, and later left for Germans to destroy it, or ask German, from who you snatched all colonies from and whose unification you opossed several times, also Italy's.

Everyone hates you and who says they love you do that just because thay can use you at the moment.

Aww did big nasty England pick on your country?

Get the fuck over it, every country has done bad things.

 

[Stonert]

Wow, nationalistic pride still exists? I feel..weirded out somehow. Is that something typically Dutch? If so, I'm proud to be Dutch because of that, ..no, wait..Umm..Eh. Never mind.