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In my view patriotism is being proud of the country you live in.
Am I proud of being English? In a word, not really. The only thing that's happened in my life time that made be proud to be English was when we beat Germany 5-1 in the football last year.
That's it.
Nothing else in my life, since April 21st 1981, has made me proud to be English.
Lot's of things have made me ashamed to be English. Mainly when English people go abroad and cause trouble, slurring our reputation.
I should be proud to be English. Our country has a great history.
But that's it. History. It's past, not now. Not any more. For how long can we rely on things years past to be proud of? For how long can we say "Yeah, but we had the Empire." Had. Not any more.
What are we good at on a global level? Music? Sport? Athletics? Films? Books? Is there any apsect of life where we are acknowledged as being the best?
Perhaps one. The ceremony for the Queen Mum. We're good at pagentry (if that's the right word for it), we're good at pomp and ceremony.
Why is this? Why are we crap at most sports, and face it, we are.
Ok, we're getting better at football, and we're ok-ish at rugby. But that's it. In the US athletes have sponsorship. They don't have to work, they can spend time training.
Over here? Redgrave and Pinsent had to work full time while training for the olympics the other year. This is wrong. Why were they not given sponsorship to help them achieve their best?
Why do we not have academies and things for young people who have an obvious talent, to help them get the most out of that talent?
Not just in sport, but in other things. Music, films, books, art... all the creative things.
I keep mentioning sport but it happens in all aspects of life. Even in politics, we're seen as being America's lapdog.
We do what Europe tells us to do, even on THE most ridiculous things.
Why? We're our own country. We should do what we want to do. Why listen to people in Brussels, who we haven't voted in, to tell us what to do? That's not democracy. Being told what to do by unelected people is not democracy at all. It's a farce.
Result:
I'm am NOT proud to be English at all. Being English sucks.
I want to see our national teams do well, I want to see us do our own thing.
Yes, being in Europe would be good for some things. And we should embrace those things, but we should ignore the crap that seems to come with it.
What's the saying? When in Rome do as the Romans? How about this one: "When in England do as the English"?
The other year Birmingham City Council decided to re-name Christmas to "Winter Festival" or some crap name like that. Why?
To accomodate racial minorities in the city who don't celebrate christmas. They don't celebrate christmas, that's fine with me. But we bloody well do. Why should we change to accomodate them?
I'm not racist at all. But they CHOSE to come here, we didn't FORCE them to. The celebrate their festivals, we celebrate ours. What's the problem?
Political Correctness gone mad, that's the problem.
Anyway, I've written gibberish long enough. Congratulations if you got to the end without skipping the middle out...
Am I proud of being English? In a word, not really. The only thing that's happened in my life time that made be proud to be English was when we beat Germany 5-1 in the football last year.
That's it.
Nothing else in my life, since April 21st 1981, has made me proud to be English.
Lot's of things have made me ashamed to be English. Mainly when English people go abroad and cause trouble, slurring our reputation.
I should be proud to be English. Our country has a great history.
But that's it. History. It's past, not now. Not any more. For how long can we rely on things years past to be proud of? For how long can we say "Yeah, but we had the Empire." Had. Not any more.
What are we good at on a global level? Music? Sport? Athletics? Films? Books? Is there any apsect of life where we are acknowledged as being the best?
Perhaps one. The ceremony for the Queen Mum. We're good at pagentry (if that's the right word for it), we're good at pomp and ceremony.
Why is this? Why are we crap at most sports, and face it, we are.
Ok, we're getting better at football, and we're ok-ish at rugby. But that's it. In the US athletes have sponsorship. They don't have to work, they can spend time training.
Over here? Redgrave and Pinsent had to work full time while training for the olympics the other year. This is wrong. Why were they not given sponsorship to help them achieve their best?
Why do we not have academies and things for young people who have an obvious talent, to help them get the most out of that talent?
Not just in sport, but in other things. Music, films, books, art... all the creative things.
I keep mentioning sport but it happens in all aspects of life. Even in politics, we're seen as being America's lapdog.
We do what Europe tells us to do, even on THE most ridiculous things.
Why? We're our own country. We should do what we want to do. Why listen to people in Brussels, who we haven't voted in, to tell us what to do? That's not democracy. Being told what to do by unelected people is not democracy at all. It's a farce.
Result:
I'm am NOT proud to be English at all. Being English sucks.
I want to see our national teams do well, I want to see us do our own thing.
Yes, being in Europe would be good for some things. And we should embrace those things, but we should ignore the crap that seems to come with it.
What's the saying? When in Rome do as the Romans? How about this one: "When in England do as the English"?
The other year Birmingham City Council decided to re-name Christmas to "Winter Festival" or some crap name like that. Why?
To accomodate racial minorities in the city who don't celebrate christmas. They don't celebrate christmas, that's fine with me. But we bloody well do. Why should we change to accomodate them?
I'm not racist at all. But they CHOSE to come here, we didn't FORCE them to. The celebrate their festivals, we celebrate ours. What's the problem?
Political Correctness gone mad, that's the problem.
Anyway, I've written gibberish long enough. Congratulations if you got to the end without skipping the middle out...
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I can see you were getting quite a lot off your chest their and i would have to say i agree with what you were saying, if people who come to stay here dont celebrate christmas then there is not need to ban it for everyone else, as far as i see it, if they want to stay here then they play by our rules and respect our customs, or god forbid i may keep my trainers on when i walk in your mosque.
going back to a point NH made, he hit the nail bang on the head when he said the reason England is rubbish at sports is because of the *it's the taking part that counts* attitude that's going round now. Sorry but to me that's a total load of cr@p. When i play a sport i ain't taking part just for the simple reason oh i don't mind if i win or lose as long as i'm playing. I'm playing to do my best, score as many goals/points as i can and for my team to WIN. For me if you're not playing to win then get off the playing field now because you don't deserve to be on it.
This is one reason why America are so good at sports apart from all the usual loads of money and all that. It's because they have the never say die attitude and always play to win. I love that expression *winning isn't everything, it's the only thing* used by so many american sports coaches and players. You ask a american sportsman if he'll be happy with a draw he'll look at you if you just killed his brother, *draw* is something the americans don't associate with anything, hence the overtime they use in their sports. However you ask Erikkson for his views about Englands chances when they face Argentina what's the betting he'll say *well we'd like the win but i'd be happy with a draw*
This whole attitude has come about because of all those politically correct IDIOTS (and i use that word for a reason) who say you can't encourage competition between kids or adults as that's a bad thing. These are the same idiots who go along with the fact that Brussels, situated in a country no one could give a damn about (unless they like chocolate alot) can dictate to us what weight our fruit and veg go in and what we can measure distances in. I must have missed that day when we handed control of our country over to some non-elected fat cats in a big silver tower somewhere.
All this because god forbid we should actually say no to someone. I remember reading in november Luton council thinking of banning christmas because it may offend other religions. I think i speak for every Catholic person here when i say SO WHAT IF IT BLOODY OFFENDS THEM. They get to celebrate all their occasions (usually by setting off fireworks which scares old people and animals and before anyone questions me on that i've often had to spend time with my gran when duvali (i think it is) is being celebrated)
Everything like that we can't say anything about otherwise we'd be branded racist. The minorities can shout about anything they like about our customs or anything but we can't even think about saying anything back. This is what political correctness is about. Same goes for sexism in my opinion now the most sexist people are women. However i can't say that otherwise i'm a chauvanist pig, but what's the differnece between a male chauvanist who makes jokes about women or a feminist who every chance she gets makes a degrading comment about men. The difference is women get away with it while men have to bow down to political correctness. It's all stupid and if anyone is in the bracket of being a political correct person like this then please on behalf of all of us with a brain can you all please just go in a hole and annoy the hell out of each other there instead of making us ordinary people cringe every time they see in the paper something like *bananas ordered to be straight so they don't offend some uzbekistan gypsy widow living in a camper van*
phew quite a rant there
This is one reason why America are so good at sports apart from all the usual loads of money and all that. It's because they have the never say die attitude and always play to win. I love that expression *winning isn't everything, it's the only thing* used by so many american sports coaches and players. You ask a american sportsman if he'll be happy with a draw he'll look at you if you just killed his brother, *draw* is something the americans don't associate with anything, hence the overtime they use in their sports. However you ask Erikkson for his views about Englands chances when they face Argentina what's the betting he'll say *well we'd like the win but i'd be happy with a draw*
This whole attitude has come about because of all those politically correct IDIOTS (and i use that word for a reason) who say you can't encourage competition between kids or adults as that's a bad thing. These are the same idiots who go along with the fact that Brussels, situated in a country no one could give a damn about (unless they like chocolate alot) can dictate to us what weight our fruit and veg go in and what we can measure distances in. I must have missed that day when we handed control of our country over to some non-elected fat cats in a big silver tower somewhere.
All this because god forbid we should actually say no to someone. I remember reading in november Luton council thinking of banning christmas because it may offend other religions. I think i speak for every Catholic person here when i say SO WHAT IF IT BLOODY OFFENDS THEM. They get to celebrate all their occasions (usually by setting off fireworks which scares old people and animals and before anyone questions me on that i've often had to spend time with my gran when duvali (i think it is) is being celebrated)
Everything like that we can't say anything about otherwise we'd be branded racist. The minorities can shout about anything they like about our customs or anything but we can't even think about saying anything back. This is what political correctness is about. Same goes for sexism in my opinion now the most sexist people are women. However i can't say that otherwise i'm a chauvanist pig, but what's the differnece between a male chauvanist who makes jokes about women or a feminist who every chance she gets makes a degrading comment about men. The difference is women get away with it while men have to bow down to political correctness. It's all stupid and if anyone is in the bracket of being a political correct person like this then please on behalf of all of us with a brain can you all please just go in a hole and annoy the hell out of each other there instead of making us ordinary people cringe every time they see in the paper something like *bananas ordered to be straight so they don't offend some uzbekistan gypsy widow living in a camper van*
phew quite a rant there
Ultimatly we are doomed to become part of a European super-state within the next 50-100 years, either that or a nationalist revolution. People who move to the U.S. have to pledge alliegence to the U.S. I'm not sure but I also think you have to learn the national anthem.
Your right - political correctness is becoming insane, and can only lead to future conflict. Of course patriotism does lead to conflict as well like some of you said..just look at the French Revolution, the Russian Revolution or events that happened in 1930s and 40s Germany.
Your right - political correctness is becoming insane, and can only lead to future conflict. Of course patriotism does lead to conflict as well like some of you said..just look at the French Revolution, the Russian Revolution or events that happened in 1930s and 40s Germany.
Patritosim is the root of evil
I stopped being proud to be Scottish when I was about ten, and only then because I liked football.
There is nothing to be proud of in my town or country and most things in the world.
I stopped being proud to be Scottish when I was about ten, and only then because I liked football.
There is nothing to be proud of in my town or country and most things in the world.
I once had a blazing row with a black guy outside our local shops, who called me a racist because I was wearing a Union Jack T-shirt.
I pointed out at quite a high volume that I was simply wearing my country's flag, and that if I was a racist, then so was he - because he was wearing a rastafarian hat with the Jamaican colours and flag on it.
The argument was over pretty quickly; he apologised and we actually spoke quite frequently after that.
Our national flags - be it Union Jack or Cross of St. George are NOT a symbol of racism. It's unfortunate that certain groups of people have chosen to use them in a distorted fashion.
I pointed out at quite a high volume that I was simply wearing my country's flag, and that if I was a racist, then so was he - because he was wearing a rastafarian hat with the Jamaican colours and flag on it.
The argument was over pretty quickly; he apologised and we actually spoke quite frequently after that.
Our national flags - be it Union Jack or Cross of St. George are NOT a symbol of racism. It's unfortunate that certain groups of people have chosen to use them in a distorted fashion.
Precisly - If you stick the St George Cross in your front window you will have Anti NF Grafitti emlazoned on your front door. There is too much of this business of associating patriotism with racism.
There is nothing wrong with being Patriotic at all and it should be our leaders that should start to show this instead of all of this politically correct nonsense that keeps coming out of parliament.
There is nothing wrong with being Patriotic at all and it should be our leaders that should start to show this instead of all of this politically correct nonsense that keeps coming out of parliament.
Thing is, if you hang the English flag out your window over here, everyone jumps on you for being racist and you have to take it down so you don't offend other races that CHOSE of their own FREE WILL to come over here to live.
I was lucky enough to go to Florida in November last year and the one thing that truly amazed me there was the amount of stars and stripes that were flying. They were in peoples houses, on buildings and on just about everyones cars. Apparantley there were shortages of flags available after 9.11 because evryone wanted to show their patriotism. What would it take for us to be the same in this country,I am proud to be English and always will be, though I am not proud of what our country is becoming.
Small Frog wrote:
> I can see no reason to be proud of England as a country
> - nationalism is a product created by bigots.
Unfortunately, that's how nationalism is seen these days. You can't be proud of where you're from without being labelled a racist by someone.
But being proud of where you're from makes you neither a racist nor a bigot.
Though I dislike the royals, I'm extremely proud of being English/British. Sure, we have some things in our history to be ashamed of, but we also have much to be proud of.
True, the country today is in decline - but to be honest, I blame much of that on the lack of patriotism that many people have. After all, if you're not proud of where you're from, why should you take care of it.
Try telling an American that they can't fly their flag and they'll tell you where to go. We on the other hand will bow down and accept it. Well - many of us will; I certainly won't. I believe that a strong sense of national pride - channeled correctly - is the basis for a prosperous country. As much as I dislike the US, in general they are more patriotic, and hence more prosperous, and I do admire them for that, if nothing else.
We're in a vicious circle at the moment. I don't think we will get the UK out of the slump until we instil a greater sense of national pride, and we won't get national pride back until we get out of the slump and have something to be proud of.
> I can see no reason to be proud of England as a country
> - nationalism is a product created by bigots.
Unfortunately, that's how nationalism is seen these days. You can't be proud of where you're from without being labelled a racist by someone.
But being proud of where you're from makes you neither a racist nor a bigot.
Though I dislike the royals, I'm extremely proud of being English/British. Sure, we have some things in our history to be ashamed of, but we also have much to be proud of.
True, the country today is in decline - but to be honest, I blame much of that on the lack of patriotism that many people have. After all, if you're not proud of where you're from, why should you take care of it.
Try telling an American that they can't fly their flag and they'll tell you where to go. We on the other hand will bow down and accept it. Well - many of us will; I certainly won't. I believe that a strong sense of national pride - channeled correctly - is the basis for a prosperous country. As much as I dislike the US, in general they are more patriotic, and hence more prosperous, and I do admire them for that, if nothing else.
We're in a vicious circle at the moment. I don't think we will get the UK out of the slump until we instil a greater sense of national pride, and we won't get national pride back until we get out of the slump and have something to be proud of.
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