chrisd
Major Champion
Sorry, I want England, UK and GB to win at everything. Even it it was Underwater Scrabble I'd want us to win!
I'm proud of my country!
I'm proud of my country!
Should we be more...............
- Thread starter bobmac
- Start date
Dellboy
Challenge Tour Pro
I'm proud to be English, happy to fly the flag ( flag of St George ) and if people take it the wrong way, then that's there problem.
When England are playing any sport I will always want them to win, as to Scotland, Wales or Ireland, don't care if they win or lose, as with any other country.
When England are playing any sport I will always want them to win, as to Scotland, Wales or Ireland, don't care if they win or lose, as with any other country.
User20205
Money List Winner
But why? Take tiddlywinks. Why should you care if the English team (if there is one) beats the Aussies for example.
You've no interest in the sport, no connection to the players, why would you care about one team more just because they share the same geography?
It's a bit of a clumsy social construct to me.
Doh
Journeyman Pro
I agree they have got us to the stage where we are afraid to be proud of our heritage.We should not be ashamed to say we love our country in case it upsets someone else.
.
MegaSteve
Tour Winner
Because beating the Aussies at anything is happy days :thup:...
Largely because beating 'us' is all to them...
Recent Davis Cup match being a prime example...
Defeating other nations less so...
Slab
Occasional Tour Caddy
Is it fair to say that some folks idea of being patriotic is about beating someone else rather than winning
Not sure I'm saying that right, i.e getting more satisfaction beating someone rather than just winning so that its the 'ragging' at their loss which takes precedent in the celebration of winning
Not sure I'm saying that right, i.e getting more satisfaction beating someone rather than just winning so that its the 'ragging' at their loss which takes precedent in the celebration of winning
User20205
Money List Winner
Ok stay with me, there's a few 'ifs' in this.
My lad has just started mini rugby. If he gets good, grows up and plays for England, I'll obvious support them. If he gets good, grows up, emigrates to Australia, and plays for the wallabies, I'd support them. Patriotism is a badge of convenience.
Take the Welsh, maybe they won on Saturday because they really care more. Nationality defines them, it doesn't define me.
Paul77
Challenge Tour Pro
I find it odd in the UK. We have some who celebrate britishness by waving union flags etc etc. Then there's the individual countries who have their patriots who flag wave at events etc etc for Scotland, England and Wales. The US tends to be a united front as it's one country. Being a Scot you tend to live with disappointment in sporting events, and in anything else it's not really something I bother with.
For instance on the day of the independence referendum last year, those who were flying the saltire got their heads kicked in by a bunch of hooligans all bearing union flags in Georges Square. For me Patriotism in the UK is pointless, as it's just an excuse for creating battles. My team beat your team, my country is better than yours etc etc. Playground rubbish. When a young 15 year old girl gets her head bashed in for carrying a Scotland flag by union flag bearing oafs, that's when it goes right out the window for me.
For instance on the day of the independence referendum last year, those who were flying the saltire got their heads kicked in by a bunch of hooligans all bearing union flags in Georges Square. For me Patriotism in the UK is pointless, as it's just an excuse for creating battles. My team beat your team, my country is better than yours etc etc. Playground rubbish. When a young 15 year old girl gets her head bashed in for carrying a Scotland flag by union flag bearing oafs, that's when it goes right out the window for me.
MegaSteve
Tour Winner
I'd like to think the blokes in white cared about the result equally...
I do appreciate there's quite a difference between being proud of your fellow countryman's achievements and 'bragging rights'...
Setting the sporting scenario to one side... My biggest gripe remains, that here in my own country, that should I wish to demonstrate my pride in being English I run the high risk of being labelled a racist/bigot... Fine for everybody else and their mate to do so but not the English...
For the record I've never flown a flag from my house/car nor ever likely to... And, never donned an England shirt when attending a match to support them... Just not my style of doing things... It's the principle of having the choice of doing so should I wish it...
Crazyface
Tour Winner
HELL YES. It's fantastic to be there when they ALL stand and sing it. They also support their Armed Forces, which is also fantastic to see. We could learn a lot from them, yet fail to do so.
garyinderry
Ryder Cup Winner
Quite unbelievable that the English don't get St Georges day off work. heathens I tell you.
davidy233
Tour Rookie
I don't really get patriotism - I'm not proud of being British or Scottish - Where you are born is an accident.
I grew up in army quarters - my dad was in the forces all through my younger childhood, my brother was in the paras from the early 80s until the start of the 2000s and both my grandads fought in the war - I'd never have joined the forces - not seen a conflict that we needed to be involved in in my lifetime.
Doesn't stop me having respect for those who have been killed in battle - I took part in a minutes silence for thousands of them on Saturday and will have some of my photographs of events I've shot in the last week displayed in their regimental museum - They are a hundreds of years old regiment and I'm proud they asked me for them.
Having said that I do support Scotland - they're my local national football team - and I like England to get beaten because they're our historical local rivals - just as I support my local club team and want our nearest rivals to get beaten - rivalry is good - hatred is bad
I grew up in army quarters - my dad was in the forces all through my younger childhood, my brother was in the paras from the early 80s until the start of the 2000s and both my grandads fought in the war - I'd never have joined the forces - not seen a conflict that we needed to be involved in in my lifetime.
Doesn't stop me having respect for those who have been killed in battle - I took part in a minutes silence for thousands of them on Saturday and will have some of my photographs of events I've shot in the last week displayed in their regimental museum - They are a hundreds of years old regiment and I'm proud they asked me for them.
Having said that I do support Scotland - they're my local national football team - and I like England to get beaten because they're our historical local rivals - just as I support my local club team and want our nearest rivals to get beaten - rivalry is good - hatred is bad
Last edited:
D
Deleted Member 1156
Guest
So if you moved to England would you support them against Scotland?
davidy233
Tour Rookie
Sadly not I'm not that decent a human being, I lived in England for a couple of decades - and you can change your job, change your wife, change your house - but you can't change your football team
"Should we be...?" I think that is down to personal choice. Some on here think yes, and some no. I would criticise neither for their position nor their fervour. I'm proud to be British, and English. I support them in international sport, and I look to them to do the right thing, whatever that may be, in world politics. Although some of our imperialism in the past is cringe-worthy in the extreme.
And then there's things like St George's Day, St Andrews Day, St Davids Day, St Patrick Day, Rememberance Sunday, VE/VJ Day, Last Night of the Proms, Wimbledon etc etc... love it all. If you don't like it, fine crack on, your choice.
And then there's things like St George's Day, St Andrews Day, St Davids Day, St Patrick Day, Rememberance Sunday, VE/VJ Day, Last Night of the Proms, Wimbledon etc etc... love it all. If you don't like it, fine crack on, your choice.
bluewolf
Money List Winner
There is absolutely nothing wrong with being patriotic. I'm proud to be English, I'm proud to be a Wiganer. Strangely enough, I'm also proud of my German and Irish heritage. I'm not a flag flyer, but I'm also not a replica shirt wearer or a face painter..
However, the problem does not lie in Patriotism. IMHO, the problem lies when people bypass patriotism and head straight for jingoism. I don't believe that my place of birth is the best Town/Country/Continent in the World. It doesn't stop me being patriotic..
However, the problem does not lie in Patriotism. IMHO, the problem lies when people bypass patriotism and head straight for jingoism. I don't believe that my place of birth is the best Town/Country/Continent in the World. It doesn't stop me being patriotic..
Blue in Munich
Crocked Professional Yeti Impersonator
So which event was that then? Because I've been to a few and whilst they all stand and most remember to take their baseball caps off, very few sing. Maybe the Super Bowl, but other than that most of them look quite bored with it, and the stadia are frequently half empty.
Frankly there's a better response to Abide With Me at our Cup Finals than there is to the American National Anthem at the events at which I've been present.
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
I think that most Scots are quite patriotic enough
U
User62651
Guest
Should we be more patriotic? Entirely up to each individual how they feel about the subject but I'm happy as long as people are free to say how they feel about patriotism without fear or reprisal so in that respect this is a good post - thankfully we can largely do that in the UK.
Personally I am not patriotic to UK but I do feel lucky and priveleged to have been born in the UK as opposed to the many poor countries with poor outlooks around the world, so I am respectful without being enthusiastic. For me UK patriotism, symbolised by Union Jack waving is all about Monarchy and the Military and an antiquated class separated society with an unelected undemocratic top tier. Why celebrate that?
Patriotism can easily be insular and xenophobic but I suppose is also not a bad thing if it makes people happy and come together to celebrate. As long as it's not shoved down your throat and overdone i.e. Princess Di's funeral.
The sport angle I find annoying, its like justification for lottery funding and people like Greg Rutherford who turn up every 4 years to jump into a sandpit then wave their union jack about are somehow doing it for all of us, when they get a medal and think its wonderful and they're justified in what they do - I just don't get or celebrate that, pointless patriotism when its sport. I appreciate his individual success or team success but not for reasons of patriotism i.e. I love to watch Barca as with Messi they play the best football, not because they're Catalan.
Personally I am not patriotic to UK but I do feel lucky and priveleged to have been born in the UK as opposed to the many poor countries with poor outlooks around the world, so I am respectful without being enthusiastic. For me UK patriotism, symbolised by Union Jack waving is all about Monarchy and the Military and an antiquated class separated society with an unelected undemocratic top tier. Why celebrate that?
Patriotism can easily be insular and xenophobic but I suppose is also not a bad thing if it makes people happy and come together to celebrate. As long as it's not shoved down your throat and overdone i.e. Princess Di's funeral.
The sport angle I find annoying, its like justification for lottery funding and people like Greg Rutherford who turn up every 4 years to jump into a sandpit then wave their union jack about are somehow doing it for all of us, when they get a medal and think its wonderful and they're justified in what they do - I just don't get or celebrate that, pointless patriotism when its sport. I appreciate his individual success or team success but not for reasons of patriotism i.e. I love to watch Barca as with Messi they play the best football, not because they're Catalan.
Tashyboy
Please don’t ask to see my tatts 👍
Me, I am proud to be a Manc, Lancastrian, English and UK citizen and love anything and everything about Heritage. Whether I am back spending hundred quid on local food from Bury market every three month. Or eating haggis north of the border or proper Cornish pasties and Cornish ice cream with clotted cream on it down south. Anything and everything in between Devon and Scotland I will bust a gut to look for local heritage. It winds me up to high heaven that aside from a local dialect, you would struggle to know what town you are in, most of them look the same. Greggs, car phone warehouse, primark, M@S, wetherspoons, Yates, new look, etc etc.I have been told that a multi cultural society helps society. I am all for being educated re other cultures foods, religions etc. But not at the expense of mine being watered down. The only time I feel encouraged to feel patriotic is when commercialism via world cups, olympics etc kicks in. Buy the shirt, beer, flag etc.Nothing wrong with being patriotic/more patriotic, most other countries people's feel the same way.
