“Getting a bit narked” or “They’ll never print this in The Herald”
Ok time out. Whats with all the bitching about England and the World Cup? I mean, really. Give it a rest, huh?
Lets see…if they’re not moaning about the UK media coverage of the World Cup (missing the irony that all they are doing is adding to it….), they’re whinging about the apparently scandalous suggestion that since we’re in Britain, and England is part of Britain and also the only part that managed to get a team to qualify, then maybe we should give them a bit of support. Then theres the stustie that came about when someone complained about the frankly childish “any team but England” attitude, which would be considered racist if it were anyone but England…but is somehow supposed to be seen as “banter” because its England.
Gimme a break. Why is that we pride ourselves on being “the best small country in the world”, yet when it comes to our neighbors South of the border we have an attitude thats stuck 400 years in the past? Doesnt anyone else think its ridiculous to blame the England football team for the actions of a bunch of English Kings who’ve been dead for quite a wee while now.
Grrr. It just seems that every time England does anything that its inhabitants think is worth celebrating that we have to put up with weeks of anti-English crap in our media here.
So England got into the World Cup. Whoop-de-doo. Its shouldnt be an excuse for people to let rip with more variations on “We hate England cos we watched Braveheart once.” I’m sick of it. England is full of people who are pretty much like us, when you get down to it, but the way some people act you’d think that they’re all mutant troglodytes or something. And its the ordinary joes who are on the recieving end of all this ire. The ordinary bloke in the pub who gets a pint glass in the face because hes English. The grievences that form the chip on our collective shoulders really has sod all to do with 99% of the English..its with the Governments that have been making the decisions…so why do so many people insist on blaming the whole country for the actions of just a few? Why does Scotland insist on defining itself by the worst parts of its history rather than its best?
This anti-Englishness isn’t banter, its racism. Its not funny, its nasty. And it ill becomes us as a nation. We’re better than this. Its about time we started acting like it.
I knew there was a reason I loved you. I’m not sure whether its the sentiment above, or the fact that it isn’t the least bit surprising that you feel this way that I like more…
Cheers,
Graham
(Before I begin I should state that I haven’t read the source letters which sparked this rant, and I hope that you take what I say in consideration of your knowledge of me… if you don’t me then know this, one of my goals in life is to live in peace with everyone regardless of race, creed, or belief… just to set this in a bit of context before I invariably get shot apart in flames… for I my natural talent of annoying people knows no bounds.)
I agree that the anti-English attitude is too much, it grates on me too. Although I can see why many would feel this way, I can see the anger at being berated by some English supporters at our lack of decent sports stars/teams and how their team/stars are better. Even done in a spirit of friendship and banter this still hurts, no matter who says it and to whom. This is no defence of racist attitudes or ideas, hopefully I am better known than that, but rather an additional reason beyond those stated above. As I am fond of saying a “reason” is NOT an “excuse”. Racism in any form is deplorable and needs to be addressed (I know I have walked the line of racism and occasionally faltered but no one is perfect)
Personally I couldn’t care less about any of the World Cup simply because its football, not because England is the only qualifier. I just don’t like football, it seems to reduce people to their base instincts and turns them into luddites, irrespective of which country they belong to. It also seems to generate unnatural amounts of news converge sparked by national pride but twisted into the hideous beats of sensationalist reporting. The World Cup amplifies these feelings as it becomes something more than a bunch of men kicking a pig skin round a grass field for 90 minutes it becomes a metaphor for old rivalries, wars, and old wounds reopened all for the sake of a hideous gold statue.
However, my feelings are slightly different when it comes to the Rugby world cup, a sport I actually enjoy (that being said I still get annoyed at the over sensationalism of the reporting of this event as well), where I will always support Scotland above any other.
Why is this? Is it because I am a racist who supports his home country in an international event? Apparently so, all because I consider myself Scottish, then British (I know that legally I am British first, but this is a matter of the heart), then European, and so on. Although to be honest I truly consider my self “human” first then the rest, for in the end national borders are transitory and only of this world. I have a great pride and love for my homeland, I always will, it is the place I consider home… England, Wales, even Japan… these places are not my home country, only Scotland is and as such I will support my team when they play… actually my support is usually reflected in a slightly elevated interest in the end result rather than obsessed watching of games, going to matches etc… so its probably not really much support to honest.
Just to be clear I don’t subscribe to the “any team but England” rule because if I had the choice I always prefer to support the UK in sports matches but if that is not the case then I will support Scotland, if they are not in the event then my interest fades. Which leads me to my view which is that one solution to this whole problem is to get rid of the England, Scotland, Wales football, rugby etc teams and only have a UK team for if we are meant to be a united kingdom… then why don’t we have a united sport teams. Why are we so different in this world that as a country (the UK that is) that we need three teams to represent us, surely this amplifies the view that we are in fact separate nations, and not united.
I now await the inevitable slaughter.
(puts on blindfold, lights a cigarette and waits as the aim is taken)