[Closed] Proud to be English?

Yep, Happy St Georges day everyone! 😀

Edit: I'm also proud to be British and UKish.

I'm British rather than English, but have no problem with a bit of patriotism one day a year.

Seems to work for other parts of the UK.

I like being British, I'm only really proud of things I had anything to do with though. My mum and dad ****ed there (JUST THE ONCE) but I can't really take the credit.

I can't say I am, it just happens to be the place where I was born and isn't an accomplishment just a coincidence.

You've won the lottery of life, yet you are still not happy, the youth of today, I don't know.

are you proud to be English*?

Yeah sort of, but it's a weird concept..
Am I proud of our multiculturalism, our racists, our hippies, our chavs, our monarchy, government, countryside, bankers, alcohol problems, sporting achievements, scientists?

None of it was down to my input anyway

Patriotism doesn't make sense

Reasonably. The old place has its issues but a bit like a comfie old armchair

I'm also proud to have had a German mum and experienced another nation's character and outlook.

Proud to be both...Happy St G day!

Pity we cant fly a flag to celebrate although Google are on the case

Yes. Also part Scot, Welsh and Irish.

St George - good to remember a Turkish gent under a flag associated with both the Knights Templar and the Genovese.

Yes, happy St Georges day. It's the dogs 10th birthday and she's called Georgia to celebrate the fact she was born on this day. My daughter put up a very nice picture of her on Instagram today too.

Also FWIW I am very proudly British and celebrate the Union with the Irish, Scots and Welsh who have their own identities

I'm proudly English and British living in Australia. Being English and proud has been taken bu the racists and thugs. It would be nice to celebrate the fact that we can stand together and be proud of being English in a good way.

Yes. Proud to be British and English. We have a long and proud tradition of being inclusionist, with a multi-cultural society that is the envy of many, and I'm proud that I can go out to eat and get a plate of curry, pizza, jerk chicken..... just as easily as i can get a pie or a plate of fish and chips.

I'm not proud of the way that the cross of St george, and St george's day can be subverted by a noisy minority that make it stand against the things that make me proud to be English.

Was it Reginald D Hunter who said patriotism was the unwavering belief that a geographical location was superior by virtue of the fact, through no control of your own, that you were born there.

You've won the lottery of life, yet you are still not happy, the youth of today, I don't know.

I consider myself lucky to be a British citizen but I have played little part in establishing the laws and customs of the country that i enjoy so don't feel that I can take pride in them.

I'm not sure I'm considered the youth of today, maybe the youth of 10-15 years ago.

I pretend to be Welsh (1 grand parent) but I married one and have lived in Wales longer than I've lived in England.

2 world wars and one world cup doo da doo da.

Er, no.

No.

Yes

Yes, 100%

No.

's a bit silly, we're all africans really

Happy St George's day to all my English chums.

Yes very much so.

Never British or UKish

patriotism was the unwavering belief that a geographical location was superior by virtue of the fact, through no control of your own, that you were born there.

but have no problem with a bit of patriotism one day a year.

Patriotism has a completely different spin if your particular country is dominant or dominated, doens't it?

Anyway - I am proud to be British since most (but not all!) of our achievements have been as Britain. Even when it wasn't called that 🙂

None of it was down to my input anyway

Patriotism doesn't make sense

Doesn't matter - patriotism isn't about taking credit, it's simply being happy about your country. And as countries go, this one's pretty good in many ways so overall, I am.

No sadly no - but very Proud to be Welsh and British.

I'm in no way an expert, but I spend a lot of time in England and have many friends East of the Severn - people seem less keen to be proud of their Englishness, it seems to either give an impression of Tea, stiff upper lips and Cricket or the image of a darker time when the Flag of St. George was more likely to be draped around the shoulders of a football hooligan than waved by a sweet faced kid at a party or something.

I wish there was more of a party feel about St. Georges day as their is about St. David's day, most people will wear a daffodil badge or something, anything Welshy on St. Davids day, flags hang from builds and everyone seems to smile a tiny bit more than other days.

Happy St. Georges day England, enjoy it, it's part of what makes you (collectively) you.

You've won the lottery of life, yet you are still not happy,

I'm not English, I'm Northern.......erm, eee by gum.

Being English and proud has been taken bu the racists and thugs.

I quite like UK/england and I'm happy that I was born and live here. Happy "turkish/palestinian bloke who served in the roman army and possibly killed a crocodile day".

while in the UK, no. I see the general population represented by stupid people with an overinflated perception of self worth.

I'd like to see what other nations perception is of what it is to be english, but my view comes straight off the high street.

I'm of non-English ancestry, so I'm somewhat bemused by St George's Day...plus it seems to have been hijacked by the right-wing crowd.

I'd feel better if we celebrated a "Britannia" or "Boudicca" day or something, preferably with the onus on celebrating the rest of the UK and making it inclusive for everyone.

[i]You've won the lottery of life,[/i]

To expand....'To be born an Englishman is to win first prize in the lottery of life!' (Cecil Rhodes 1853-1902)

Looking around the world these days, I think he was right!

Boudicca Day I could get behind. A quick trip to Colchester for a spot of cleansing and big knives on the Nissan. What's not to like?

I think "proud" isn't quite the right word- I'm happy to be Scottish, pleased to be part of this country and the society we have even though I don't do much to contribute to that (other than being, you know, a person). It's not really about where I was born, it's about where I like to live. Civic nationalism rather than ethnic nationalism, if you like.

I don't feel British, really - I used to, and still do in some ways. Hornblower, Inspector Morse, Brunel, Shakespeare - there's a lot there that makes up a shared culture. But it's also always been made clear to me, more and more so in recent years, that as a Scot I'm not really a full part of that. My part in the story of the British Isles is to be the drunk bloke in the kilt, butt of jokes about bad diet and poverty.

theotherjonv has just summed it it much better than I could.

Yes. Proud to be British and English. We have a long and proud tradition of being inclusionist, with a multi-cultural society that is the envy of many, and I'm proud that I can go out to eat and get a plate of curry, pizza, jerk chicken..... just as easily as i can get a pie or a plate of fish and chips.

I'm not proud of the way that the cross of St george, and St george's day can be subverted by a noisy minority that make it stand against the things that make me proud to be English.

Spot on that is.

Yeah, I can agree with that too.

Yup, it is a great pity that the racist idiots have kidnapped your flag.

yes and in a truly English way I express it by being meh about St. George's day and all other jingoistic, nationalistic expressions of patriotism

is why

racist idiots have kidnapped your flag.

So really, the racist idiots being associated with the English flag demonstrates the absolute essence of Englishness which is stiff upper lip and refusing to get too excited about things, in public at least 😉

I think the issue with St George's day is that it's not a tradition, and it's really hard to make a tradition.

The real English (or even British) celebration day is August bank holiday, of course 🙂

the absolute essence of Englishness which is stiff upper lip and refusing to get too excited about things, in public at least

It's not a tradition because England hasn't been under anyone else's rule for a long time. That sort of shit always means that national holidays are more important to people of that nation. That's why we're meh about it and why everyone hates us 😉

I don't think anyone should be made to feel ashamed that they're English, but unless you've put some effort into becoming English (like making your way halfway around the world and discovering the language and culture), then pride would probably be misplaced.

should be Aethelstan Day and celebrate the Battle of Brunanburh

bencooper - Member

Yup, it is a great pity that the racist idiots have kidnapped your flag.

same issue for Scotland, I daily get told that Scots will only buy from Scots by Scots.

never once has that paradigm been reversed for south of the Border