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Its a Saints day - by very defintion Christian. Or at least Christian in origin.
Where?
This may changed since I was there (88-91) but America was a lot different, the races are far more segregated in most parts, it wasn't the norm for instance to go to a pub/club for instance and find a mixture of races.
In this country we (ethnic minorities) also class ourselves similairly eg Black British, British Asian etc.
Both Christians and Muslims worldwide put their religion over anything else. Immigrants are not necessarily going to class themselves as English or British because they are born overseas, the same way as the British expats living in Spain don't class themselves as Spanish. However most ethnic minorities in this country are born here and we generally see ourselves as British.
Hope this helps.
Yeah but you celebrate christmas.
These days festivals arn't only celebrated by religious types. People love any excuse to celebrate and get drunk. St Georges day should be a chance to celebrate your country, your history and who you are.
It's not a crime to identify yourself with a nation - it doesn't mean you have to distinguis between skin colour or religons. England has many skin coulours and many religions.
A pagan festival.
But I don't feel the need to.
I never said it was a crime. What I'm arguing against is lukesh's and Major Tom's very narrow definitions and views.
Englishness is supporting England in the world cup? Eating fish and chips, kebab and curry? Watching Eastenders? ...
And what, being sarcastic?!
It's true that many Spaniards don't understand the sense humour of the English residents, it's mainly because they don't speak English. If those residents made the effort of learning Spanish maybe the sense of humour would be understood. I'll stop ranting about this.
If you ask in Benidorm many Spanish residents will describe English people as: Drunk foul-mouthed very white people that don't have any manners or sense of decency. That think because they work hard in England to pay for their holidays they can come here and act like savages, drink a few pints of their piss-like beer and sleep on our benches. And also let their fat wives show their pale waist-hight tits to our poor teenagers and expect them to shag the cows. Ah, and they are bad loosers at football... Putos guirufos.
Christmas is by definition a christian festival - with pagan origins.
I think it's good that we have a day where we can (if we want to that is) aprreciate the fact that we're who we are. And I don't see any problem in not wanting to.
I don't like our flag being burned though.
Oh, sorry about that...
Noone apart from Matt Groening and Bill Bryson can match us for our dry sense of humour.
All the best comedies are British.
Did you know, that we and Australia are the only countries to have developed taking the piss into an art form.
Goto a comedy club on a friday night, the difference between ours and the Americans is, ours dont stand there ripping the shit out of people in the audience, they subtlely undermine the people who heckle.
What else, British patience, no other country has developed q-ing the way we have. Many foreign authors have noted that we seem to be the only nation capable of automatically creating a neat line without the need for ropes.
The British army, pride of the nation. The most professional, highly trained force in the world. Equally suited to peacekeeping, policing, firefighting, bridge building and killing insurgents. Why do you think Basra is the only city to remain relatively peaceful? Our troops, and our people as a whole know how best to communicate with people. Yes the war might be shitty, but noone can argue that we made a hash of it, we at least are making efforts to help the Iraqi people build their own country, instead of doing it for them.
The NHS, free healthcare, for the benefit of the all. There may be huge waiting times for some things, but the doctors and nurses carry on with a smile on their faces. They remain professional no matter what, the pay may stink but they never go on strike.
The police, it's still said that in heaven Britain would provide the police. What other nation is able to take on criminals with nothing more than a pair of handcuffs and a large helmet? Yes, it has its problems, but so does every service. Individually police officers are amongst the finest people. They don't do what they do because of the money, they do it because they want to help maintain the peace.
There are many things that make Britain great, but listing them would take ages and it's early.
yes, it's wrong to be a blind patriot, and to ignore the faults of your own country, we only need to look over the pond to people like Thanatos to realise that. But equally to not have a love of your own nation, a race of people you identify with, a place you call home is quite sad IMO.
Not sure about your use of the word race there.
But my point is that things like celebrating St Georges day or flying the flag or whatever are superficial. And culture is not static. It changes.
People who wank on about immigration etc destroying out culture, just don't get it.
We are the British race.
Every country you go to says that it's sense of humour is the best and think it's a "national sense of humour". That is bullshit! Have you heard Faemino y Cansado? Eugenio? Quique San Francisco? All you have described as English humour is what they do. They must be very English then.
British patience? I thought Spanish were the laid back, mañana attitude... People are not patient because they were born here...
The Englishness of the army... Oh, come off it! The English army has slaughtered (sp?) it's enemy since it's creation. Don't compare me with them.
The Seguridad Social in Spain is an extraordinary healthcare system. It was better before 1996, when the neo-fascists came to power, but now that the Socialists are back it can be better than ever before. Already it is one of the best in the world, and it was created by Ernest Lluch... he was Catalán, not English.
I agree with the police thing, they do have some of the best training I've seen and seem quite professional, and have the courage of not carying guns... Oh, I heard that 90% of the Met Police want to carry guns. It must be full of foreigners now...
What makes England great are the working class. But that is not Englishness, as it is like that in every country in the world.
P.S. British Race! Ha ha ha haa!
anyway us english are really celt/germanic/roman/french/scandinavian anyway the really english always used to retreat into wales :P
Source?
I'm looking for an internet source, but I heard that on the news on I don´t know what channel...
I never said it was a fact or the truth, I said I heard. If someone else heard that, please tell me where I did...
Patience Dan, I'll find it...
WHO????
Jethro? Mr Bean (Rowan Atkinson)? Billy Connolly? Benny Hill? Ricky Gervais? Victoria Wood? Kathy Burke? Harry Enfield? Graham Norton? Lenny Henry?
Do you think it is right to lump all british in one boat? I know for a fact trhat when i go away, usually to Lanzarote (spanish language), i like to learn about the local History, i learn the language a particular favorite of mine is traiganos la quenta por favor, i use the manners and politeness i have learnt at home in a rude nation (spaniards) for those who are not aware "traiganos la quenta por favor is bring me the bill please" I also use words such as gracias and por favor, words that even the spanish tend to forget (in my experience) But then i am generalising, not all spanish people are ignorant, just as all british people abroad are not violent, drunkards!
I am proud to be English as i am to be Cornish, Cornish pasties may i add, a super thing to come ourt of Cornwall, so much history and background to be proud of down here!
This is why i am proud to be english :-
Which is exactly my point. Your conception of "Britishness" is not the same as other peoples. So quit whinging about "our way of life" being destroyed by immigration.
Yes, we know, thanks.
I couldnt quite work it out from your post, but if you were trying to say that these two people were english...
Anyway, about the police wanting to carry guns, it must be just the MET because my Dads a copper and he and all the people he works with dont want to carry guns (my dad used to be in the met btw)
Besides, policemen dont need to carry guns, theyre all huge where i come from :crazyeyes
Two Tone
Jungle/Drum&Bass
The Clash
Chicken Tikka Masala
Blur
Pulp
Happy Mondays
Norman Jay
Norman Cook
Norman Wisdom
Northern soul
Acid House
The Streets
Festivals
Carnivals
Bhangra
Carry On Films
John Motson
Les Dawson
Cold cider on a hot day outside
Ken Loach
Ian Wright
The club scene
The Kumars
John King
Meera Syal
UK Garage
Underworld
Beautiful...
P.S. It's "Traiganos la cuenta, por favor."
Um... how does that work then?
Am I proud to be English/British?
I'm greatful for a roof over my head and freedom of speech... but as far as identity is concerned... the only thing I really like about the UK is the countryside and rural culture.