Being British...

I’m not British I’m English.

 

Lock you up and throw you in prison.

 

Not so sure the Scots and welsh. Don't want to be British. They have their own identity as do we. The biggest issue is governance. especially with tory rule. I reckon our Scottish and Welsh friends on here will put me right if I'm right or wrong.
There is so much to be proud about being British given our history.
A few shameful incidents. Seem to override the great achievements. But surely that applies to most, if not every nation.

 

Tarn
Yorkshire
European
British

In that order for me

 

A " few" shameful incidents?

 

i'm a yorkshireman and no finer gift can a God bestow on a man and/or woman

 

I find God Save the Queen embarrassing. It's our anthem but there's nothing about the people, or the country itself. Just willing a deity to make sure that the woman who arbitrarily rules the country is kept safe and happy, as if that's the number one priority. Proper bootlicking stuff and completely out of place in a modern country which should be a meritocratic democracy with separation of church and state.

I never sing it and these days I don't even bother standing for it, it doesn't speak to me at all and just makes me cringe.

 

I don’t see myself as English, British or European. I’m a Yorkshireman.

 

With respect what makes you proud to be european. Given its atrocities past and present.
And I voted to stay btw.

 

A unified Europe is more aligned with my feelings and beliefs than what this country has become over the past 10-15 years

 

It’s all about British values. These use to be touted as stuff like fair play, common decency, justice, honour.

HM Government would agree with all that while at the same time embodying and encouraging intolerance, cheating, lying, ignorance, bigotry, xenophobia, and racism.

 

Probably the wrong word. But our achievements and compassion for others outweigh the negatives for me. Be they inventions. NHS. The people.
One thing we are without a doubt best at, is the ability of being our own worst enemy in knocking ourselves. It's definitely British.

 

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On our current trajectory I reckon we're about 5 years away from a serious discussion about the reintroduction of capital punishment.

At that point I'm off.

 

For me the problem is when patriotism crosses the line into nationalism.

It’s good to be proud of your country and this country has a lot to be proud of. When that pride comes at the expense of other countries and seeing them as inferior, then history is full of lessons of where that leads.

The former can be a positive unifying force whereas the latter is often destructive. Nationalistic pride is probably more a sign of insecurity than a true reflection of a country’s actual strength. Well balanced, happy, secure people don’t need to pull others down to feel good about themselves.

With regards to the current ‘ruling classes’, it’s starting to feels like we’re going back to self entitled Norman lords thinking they have a right to rule over the Anglo-Saxon serfs however the see fit.

 

One thing that does the rounds is sometimes the behaviour abroad. Especially hooliganism. Which brings shame on us as a country. I sort of get the feeling ashamed bit. But it's not confined to us. Other countries called it the english disease as it erupted around the 70s.
But when I go abroad the vast majority of people are respectful.( in comparison to some of our european neighbours.) And are welcomed.

 

Behave, European, lol.

 

I never used to feel patriotic and I guess I’m still not but I spent a lot of time travelling in countries with gave me a better idea of how lucky I am.

I met some fantastic people in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Smarter than me. Full of skills I could never have. Multi lingual. They lived in abject poverty which for reasons connected to their birth would never change. They had no opportunities to escape their birth. They were trapped in poverty with no escape.

I a brightish bloke from a Barnsley Council estate had opportunities. I didn’t have to work down the pit in horrible conditions. I have travelled. I live a comfortable life. I work an intellectually taxing but physically undermanning job. I can use Hospitals for free if I get sick. My children will be educated and will have opportunities

It made me feel lucky that and accident of birth had given me all those things. It made me appreciate what I have and the opportunities that gave me.

So while I’m not patriotic in the flag shagging sense I appreciate how lucky I am. I love my country for that.

As for the monarchy. It’s an outdated embarrassment. We have a Queen that lives in a country of exploding poverty and we spend money on that. Sickens me.

 

In my mind that applies to mostly those in the European union of which I agree. Not Europe. But I do get your point.