johncocker Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 I am British. At least, I think I'm British. I was born there but Ive been away for 40 years. Next week I'm officially becoming an Australian Citizen. Does that mean I'm not British anymore? :suspect: does it hurt? no don't worry mate you're half way there already, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eater Sundae Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 I think it was only Noel Coward or Oscar Wilde or some of the English upper upper classes that ever managed it. Most ordinary people don't have either the vocabulary, brains or capacity for it. We're just not mean enough anyway. Other countries are constantly being calculatedly rude to us all the time, you just don't notice it. What is British anyway? Ask anyone what (nationality) they are and they'll nearly all say they're Scots, or Welsh, or English. It's insulting to be called a 'Brit'. It's frowned on for us to call other nationalities by nicknames, so why are we supposed to accept it? Meh, just smile weakly and let them carry on, I suppose? Being the jolly good sports that we are, pffft! Re BIB. Is it? I was born in England, to English parents in the early 50s and have lived here all my life. On that basis I am English. However I think of myself first and foremost as British. Am I a rarity for thinking this way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melthebell Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Re BIB. Is it? I was born in England, to English parents in the early 50s and have lived here all my life. On that basis I am English. However I think of myself first and foremost as British. Am I a rarity for thinking this way? i class myself as a sheffielder first, then english, then british Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melthebell Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Being British used to be something that someone was proud to call themselves but then again after watching the Queens Diamond Jubilee celebrations I would say a hell of a lot of people still are. All the flags to be seen were the Union Jack, not a Scots or Welsh flag among the lot. If a feeling of identity based on small minded regionalism has appeared in recent years it's not something shared by the majority. Petty regionalists just make more noise, that's all a neighbours house had the union flag, st georges cross AND a welsh flag outside as they met online a while back, hes welsh and moved in with her, was quite a novelty to see the welsh flag in the midst of a sea of st georges cross flags tho Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teddybare Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 a neighbours house had the union flag, st georges cross AND a welsh flag outside as they met online a while back, hes welsh and moved in with her, was quite a novelty to see the welsh flag in the midst of a sea of st georges cross flags tho Did you know "welsh" means foreigner? If they ever get independence I wonder how long it'll be before it becomes punishable as a hate crime to say it and we have to refer to them as CYMRULLKLAKKLAKLLHIANS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harleyman Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 How would you know? You haven't lived here for years and even use a US passport, at the same time as proclaiming yourself as dual nationality. You're a Yank through and through! But, when you were a resident of these islands, before you became an immigrant, what did you actually call yourself, English or British? And be truthful! I'm not that much younger than you, and I can't ever remember until recent years people calling themselves British. We aren't talking about regions, a region would be The North, The Midlands, The South. England, Scotland, Wales - these are countries. The Flag of Union is a different matter, we are diverse countries that came together 400 years ago, but always maintained our unique identities, the flag is what unites us on special occasions, such as the recent Jubilee and the Olympics, etc. For football, patron saint's days, we use our country's own flags. And what do you call us now? I bet you call us 'Brits' and in a disparaging tone of voice, too! I've bandied words with you before lady. You know as much about me as you claimed to know about the USA which as I remember was Zilch. Where's the diversity you talk of? London, Leeds, Edinburgh? Been to all three many a time. Different speech, some variants in expression but not much to mark any difference in culture overall. You've all intermarried anyway to a very large extent. Scratch the surface of any Englishman and you'll find a Scottish, Welsh or Irish ancestor not very far down the family lineage. Supporting different football teams does not amount to cultural identity but thanks for making me laugh. You dont know what diversity is. I dont see anything offensive in calling a person from the British Isles a Brit. You're quite happy to call me a yank. I take no offence to that so climb off your high horse. I would however hesitate to call someone from the Irish Republic a Brit. They might take exception to that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harleyman Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 a neighbours house had the union flag, st georges cross AND a welsh flag outside as they met online a while back, hes welsh and moved in with her, was quite a novelty to see the welsh flag in the midst of a sea of st georges cross flags tho Every State in the US has it's own fllag. The State flag is always displayed on any State government building. If it is flown with the US stars and stripes the US flag must always be flown at the top of the pole with the State flag underneath it. I fly the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team flag on my front porch during the whole season. I fly the US flag on 4th July. My wife, a graduate of University of Southern California flies the USC flag whenever their football team, the Trojans are playing and my son flies the US Air Force flag on Memorial and Veterans days, being a veteran himself. I also fly the US Marine Corps flag on those days. If I had a Sheffield Wednesday flag I'd fly that too when the team won Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melthebell Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Every State in the US has it's own fllag. The State flag is always displayed on any State government building. If it is flown with the US stars and stripes the US flag must always be flown at the top of the pole with the State flag underneath it. I fly the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team flag on my front porch during the whole season. I fly the US flag on 4th July. My wife, a graduate of University of Southern California flies the USC flag whenever their football team, the Trojans are playing and my son flies the US Air Force flag on Memorial and Veterans days, being a veteran himself. I also fly the US Marine Corps flag on those days. If I had a Sheffield Wednesday flag I'd fly that too when the team won blimey no wonder the porch dunt take off with with all them flags, good job us owls dont win all that often lol, one more flag might over do it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balpin Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 What is the business with all these flags anyway? We never used to bother with them. It was always assumed that England was the the best, so we didn't need flags, We just know we are the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny128 Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Too many of my friends it is to not work/work minimum hours to get maximum out of system, Have as many kids as they can so the bigger the house they get and more £££ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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