I'm English

[Riverman]

I'm also half Welsh and half Portuguese. I was born in England and have an English great grand father. Sadly this evening I was told to fark off because I was with a Portuguese friend.

This kinda racism makes me ashamed to be English to be honest. I'm not that offended, I have a very Southern English accent but I'm more ashamed of the impression these people gave my friends. They are no ambassadors for this country, frankly I think they're probably quite stupid. My understanding of history is bad (and certainly improved during genealogy research) but these people probably have no idea of the history of these islands.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Yes I cringe every time I hear anti - English sentiment from my fellow Scots these days.

I did it as a kid because it was 'the done thing', the whole 'Us and Them' attitude (what makes it more ironic is that my Mum was born in England but has lived in Scotland all her life).

But, then I grew up.

Unfortunately a lot of people never do.

 

[Riverman]

I'm not totally against Scottish independence, I tend to be quite impartial on it but then I don't have much experience of the Scottish people. Sad to hear some of them are being a bit racist themselves. Given the proximity to each other, I think a lot of them probably have quite a lot of English heritage anyway. The majority of Scots are good people I imagine, they've just developed a bad image because of alcohol and their proximity to their colonial 'masters'.. :P

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I'm not totally against Scottish independence, I tend to be quite impartial on it but then I don't have much experience of the Scottish people. Sad to hear some of them are being a bit racist themselves. Given the proximity to each other, I think a lot of them probably have quite a lot of English heritage anyway. The majority of Scots are good people I imagine, they've just developed a bad image because of alcohol.

In History at School, we are taught all about how you evil Englanders took over our country and the likes of The Battle Of Banockburn and Stirling Bridge was the best thing ever in the history of the universe bar none, or something to that effect anyway.

It is hardly surprising I guess, but, still, it makes me want to give the anti - English person a bloody good slap - it was several hundred years ago now and no English person living was personally responsible for crying out loud!

I suspect that with the calls for independence, all the very worst of the bile has yet to emerge, and I am for independence too by the way.

 

[Ashtrayhead]

I'm also half Welsh and half Portuguese. I was born in England and have an English great grand father. Sadly this evening I was told to **** off because I was with a Portuguese friend.

This kinda racism makes me ashamed to be English to be honest. I'm not that offended, I have a very Southern English accent but I'm more ashamed of the impression these people gave my friends. They are no ambassadors for this country, frankly I think they're probably quite stupid. My understanding of history is bad (and certainly improved during genealogy research) but these people probably have no idea of the history of these islands.

This is quite a sad tale because Portugal is one of our oldest and staunchest allies. The trouble is that the people who insulted you and your friends are too thick to know that. I hope that your friends are still your friends after this episode and that they realise that those people aren't typical. There's twats in all walks of life and unfortunately you came across one tonight.

Here's a nice site for English history:-



http://www.wilcuma.co.uk/index.asp

 

[vernon]

Seek solace from the fact that the racists are in the minority and are usually inferior to you in every aspect of their lives.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Oh well, just think ourselves lucky that we aren't living somewhere where you still do get real racial discrimination.

 

[PBancroft]

I've been told to **** off because I'm English, refused service because I'm English, and in a tiny welsh post office completely ignored by the lady behind the counter who spoke in Welsh with her friend in the shop up until the moment I got fed up and started to leave, at which point they carried on the conversation in English. Do I fault the countries as a whole? Of course not - idiot individuals in every case.

In comparison, I have been accused of racism for asking a very noisy Asian lad to leave the silent study part of a library. Hopefully this was not a poor reflection of the English.

I think that people (as a whole, not necessarily as individuals) always have some kind of ingrained fear/hatred of (or feeling of entitlement over) the other; the people over the wall, across the water, with the different coloured skin, the odd customs - they're the ones who wronged us and need putting in their place.

Of course, as you rightly say, when you grow up you realise that's complete bollocks in our society, but then not everyone grows up.

 

[asterix]

In History at School, we are taught all about how you evil Englanders took over our country and the likes of The Battle Of Banockburn and Stirling Bridge was the best thing ever in the history of the universe bar none, or something to that effect anyway.

It is hardly surprising I guess, but, still, it makes me want to give the anti - English person a bloody good slap - it was several hundred years ago now and no English person living was personally responsible for crying out loud!

I suspect that with the calls for independence, all the very worst of the bile has yet to emerge, and I am for independence too by the way.

In reality it seems to have been more of a rich vs poor issue rather a racial divide. There's no doubt that in England certain classes of people were just as badly treated.

A short while ago I arrived in Dun Laoghaire and on going into a shop was asked by a customer where I was from. On hearing I'd just got off the ferry he said 'Ah you're English. We haven't forgotten you know!'. Having been born in Africa of Scottish parents (my father was a friend and active supporter of SNP's Winnie Ewing.) perhaps I might have debated the issue (presumably the famine, mainly) but hadn't the time or inclination. Ireland was also divided more by wealth and religion rather than race and I have found such an attitude to visitors very rare in Ireland.

 

[YahudaMoon]

I'm also half Welsh and half Portuguese. I was born in England and have an English great grand father. Sadly this evening I was told to **** off because I was with a Portuguese friend.

This kinda racism makes me ashamed .......

Apart from what sounds like the guy/girl being a ass, how does this come under racism ?

 

[Night Train]

The only blatant bit of verbal I have had as an adult was when I was in Glasgow with my English/Scots wife one night back in 1993. Some yobs shouted from the far side of a wide road "Leave our ****ing women alone you ***ker!".

Everyone else was lovely!

 

[mcshroom]

Living where I do I find myself crossing the border into Scotland quite frequently. First let me say that I really enjoy cycling in Scotland, and 99% of the people I've ever met or have had dealings with in lots of different places north of the border have been great. I really like the country.

What I do notice though is that there seems to be an ingrained anti-Englishness that is slightly grating. For example, although in Carlisle you will get English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, etc. stuff in shops, including nationalistic stuff; go a few miles north to Gretna and anything marked as English seems to disappear.

I'm also very wary of wearing things like my Audax England jersey for Scottish Audaxes, in a way that I couldn't imagine would come up the other way round. That may be just in my head although I've seen stories over the years (mostly of areas of Glasgow I admit) where being identifiably English has engendered aggression.

As someone who doesn't really have any strong views on nationality, I find petty and unwelcoming.

 

[biggs682]

racism should have no place in a modern world

 

[martint235]

Apart from what sounds like the guy/girl being a ass, how does this come under racism ?

I kind of agree. The words "race" and "racism" are now used widely out of context. I worked with a guy for many years who kept playing the "race card" at work. He was very upset when, finally after a few beers, I asked at exactly what point did Greek become a race?

These are nationality issues (or in the case of Wales Principality issues) and I accept they shouldn't happen and are largely based on stereotypical views of the recipient's nationality.

 

[Paul J]

If you are half Welsh, half Portugese how does that make you English? At best it makes you British. I am British as I have English, Irish and Scottish in my family tree with some French thrown in from way back. I cannot call myself truly English though.

Before someone wants to throw out what I have said and start throwing racism cards or comments think about this "If a cat is born in a stable does it make it a horse?"