Nationality

[Precious]

[s]KateBush wrote on 19:15, 10th Mar 2004:
I am Scottish through and through. Other than swearing allegiance to the Queen through the cub scouts when I was too young to know what I was doing, I have never seen myself as one of her subjects or declared loyalty to her. Britannia can sod off. Scotland rules.




Despite having always lived in England, I feel no loyalty to the Queen either.

[hr]
Teeth! Teeth, my preciousss, but we has only six!

[RaphX]

Brottish

[Joesta]

Scottish and British. But first and foremost, an Aberdonian- which is so great[Aberdeen] it should be a republic :p.

[Sebastian]

For Rex Mundi - I'm confused by your statement that people from the Republic of Ireland are British, what are you basing that on?

[Pender Native]

Scottish - on forms and everything else. And despite having taken a module on political philosophy in 1st year I've yet to find a version of the social contract that persuades me that I have to have any loyalty for Britian just because I was born in this quasi-colony (bets I get jumped on for that one!) Interestingly my boyfriend and his sister were both born in England but have lived in Scotland all their lives and he thinks of himself as Scottish but she thinks of herself as English. So I agree that its just a question of which country you identify yourself with.

[Eliot Wilson]

It's not just a question of the country with which you identify. If I identified with Finland, it wouldn't make me Finnish.

And - you asked for this - 'quasi-colony'? In what way, pray? The King of Scots ascended to the English throne in 1603, thereby bringing the two countries under one sovereign. Acts of Parliament in London and Westminster then united England and Scotland administratively in 1707. So where, exactly, was the colonisation?

[hr]Bill and Ted beat the Grim Reaper at Twister

Bill: "You played very well, Death, especially with your totally heavy Death robes."

Death: "Don't patronise me."

[Gatty Scumbelina]

British or English, depending on what the options are on the form to fill in. But I always think of myself as a Yorkshirewoman.

[Paranoid]

100% Scottish, and prefer to call myself Scottish than British as I believe strongly in heritage (also if you say you British to an American, they think your English!)

[Prophet Tenebrae]

I'm hardly a devout nationalist - but you're quite right to say you'll get jumped for your "quasi-colony" statement, Pender, based purely on the grounds of its inherent incorrectness.

I think we're all interested to know what exactly that quasi-colony statement means.

[Manic23]

[s]Prophet Tenebrae wrote on 13:35, 11th Mar 2004:
I'm hardly a devout nationalist - but you're quite right to say you'll get jumped for your "quasi-colony" statement, Pender, based purely on the grounds of its inherent incorrectness.

I think we're all interested to know what exactly that quasi-colony statement means.




see trainspotting, where Renton gives his speech on why he hates being scottish- sums it up I believe

EDITED FOR DUMBASS SPELLING MISTAKES

[Pender Native]

'The King of Scots ascended to the English throne in 1603, thereby bringing the two countries under one sovereign.'

But the Royal family is irrelevant today, at least politically, as you can, and I'm sure will make very valid points about tradition, procedure and tourism. And colonisation doesn't need to be overt. (my very first flaming, how exciting!)

[exnihilo]

[s]Paranoid wrote on 13:26, 11th Mar 2004:
100% Scottish, and prefer to call myself Scottish than British as I believe strongly in heritage (also if you say you British to an American, they think your English!)


No reason why you should get it wrong as well. I find that most Americans, bless their fluffy little heads, can grasp the difference if you simply explain it to them. That they were not taught the difference is unsurprising, that you don't bother to correct them is unforgivable, it just leaves them ignorant. Surely you're doing your Scottishness a disservice by not bothering?

And, Pender, that's nowhere close to a flaming, trust me.

[100% Irish and Proud of it.]

[s]KateBush wrote on 19:15, 10th Mar 2004:
I am Scottish through and through. Other than swearing allegiance to the Queen through the cub scouts when I was too young to know what I was doing, I have never seen myself as one of her subjects or declared loyalty to her. Britannia can sod off. Scotland rules.



well said.

If Northern Ireland hadn't been invaded by the English forces then the troubles and paramilitary activity we experience today would never have happened. Its also laughable that the English are the cause of all this, and yet they leave us to sort it out ourselves with a government based on proportional representation that has no hope of succeeding. For 6 years the "Good Friday" agreement has been drawn out, and for what cause? So politicians can continue to argue over national identity instead of running the country. the DUP say they'll have no part unless "Sinn Fein/IRA" dicommission
their arms, Sinn Fein say they have nothing to do with the IRA, whilst in the backround the SDLP happily continue to sit on the fence, whilst the UUP destroys itself through in-fighting. Yeah, fantastic way to rule a country that is already in political turmoil.

It sickens me that people always look at me funny when I say I'm Irish but I live Northern Ireland. I was born on the Island of Ireland, I am Irish, and no one else has the right to tell me otherwise.
so, to reiterate what Kate Bush said, Brittania can go to hell! I'll die before I swear any alligance to a country that isn't mine.

P.S. to the administrators-whilst I'll not be suprised if this isn't posted, think twice before you discard it: Have I said anything wrong? No, I have merely stated my opinion, and I will happily deal with critism to it without descending into petty squabbling and childish insults.

[Pilmour Boy]

[s]Unregisted User 100% Irish and Proud of it. wrote on 13:41, 11th Mar 2004:
P.S. to the administrators-whilst I'll not be suprised if this isn't posted, think twice before you discard it: Have I said anything wrong? No, I have merely stated my opinion, and I will happily deal with critism to it without descending into petty squabbling and childish insults.


The point of allowing unregistered users to post is so that those who aren't yet at this university can ask questions about life here. If you registered, you'd be able to post whatever you wanted, and it would appear immediately. One of the reasons that not all unregistered users posts get through is that their content becomes the responsibility of the administrators, while the content of posts made by registered users is solely theirs.

Registered users also keep a constant persona, which makes conversation easier and more pleasant for all.

[hr]
Sed quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

[LeopardSkinQueen]

I don't see myself as having any nationality, really.

I have a UK passport. Born and brought up in Belfast. I identify myself as neither British, Irish or Northern Irish.

I've just never understood nationalism of any kind.

[exnihilo]

Ah, but that opens a whole other can of worms. Nationality and Nationalism are very different things.

[LeopardSkinQueen]

[s]exnihilo wrote on 16:03, 11th Mar 2004:
Ah, but that opens a whole other can of worms. Nationality and Nationalism are very different things.


Ok, I'll rephrase that to 'I've never understood feelings of national identity'.

[exnihilo]

LOL. OK then. Sorry - natural, born pedant.

[tintin]

[s]LeopardSkinQueen wrote on 16:05, 11th Mar 2004:
[s]exnihilo wrote on 16:03, 11th Mar 2004:[i]

Ok, I'll rephrase that to 'I've never understood feelings of national identity'.


Interesting point. What is your opinion, therefore, of newly independent countries? They often try to develop a National Language e.g. in the case of Malaysia, Bahasa Melayu, in the case of Tanzania, Swahili, etc. They do this, because they feel that their language is a part of who they are; in order to distinguish themselves from their former colonial masters as well as to maintain some sort of national cohesion - if you speak the same language, etc. Could start a long essay on it, but won't; just wondered how you see new countries' national identity.

[Gatty Scumbelina]

There seems to be a certain amount of anti-English feeling based on historical events. I really dislike this tendency, of any country; if you look hard enough through history you can compile a nice long list of really shitty behaviour by any country (and that certainly includes Scotland). Is this enough justification to hate them now? No. If you want to dislike the actions of the British government for their current actions in Northern Ireland go right ahead - but don't blame them for the actions of Oliver Cromwell.

While I do think of myself as English I also think of myself as a Yorkshirewoman, a European and a human being. Identity is a strange and felixible thing.
[hr][s]Rizzo: What's wrong?
Gonzo: It just feels so weird.
Rizzo: You mean that Mr. Aeral's dead?
Gonzo: Yeah, that... and my pants are filled with starfish.
Rizzo: You and your hobbies!
[/s]