AIBU to feel uncomfortable about anti-English vibes from family?

I am not talking about the contested. I am talking about your comment that the brief period of contested ownership by Argentina was “before the British”.

It wasn’t.

Urgh – again, I say contested, brief and tenuous.

If British claim was uncontested, then it wouldn't be in disputed today by the UN – it is. The islands were claimed, settled, abandoned, and reoccupied by several European powers during the 18th century: France established the first permanent settlement in 1764, Britain established another settlement in 1765, Spain objected and expelled the British in 1770, then allowed them to return, Britain withdrew four years later and Spain settled again and withdrew in 1811.

The historical record is unusually messy and because international law doesn't contain a single rule that automatically resolves disputes like this.

But that’s not before the British. The British were the first to lay claim to and inhabit the Falklands.

Even you note “before the British returned”.

Hence me clearly saying it's contested, brief and tenuous. Though Britain did not renounce sovereignty in 1774, they did withdraw, and Spain was in effective and long-term control of the islands. Argentina did establish a settlement before the British returned. The UN class the FI as a disputed territory.

To pedantic 1820s to 1830s is not “before the British”.

While, by and large, I agree with you – Argentina's claim to the Falklands isn't baseless, and it's just based on proximity. Argentina were supposed to inherited Spain's territories when they were liberated – the Falklands. They also had a (yes contested, brief and tenuous) authority over the islands before the British in 1820-30s.

Overall, I believe in the free and independent vote of the current islanders, but still – it's not all clear cut.

@pikkumyy77 What are you on about. The FI have had British settlers since 1700s. It has never been Argentinian, never, so what 40 years has got to do with it really is beyond me.

SquashedSquashess · Today 09:18
Anti-English sentiment being seen as acceptable, even trendy, is contributing to the rise of far-right political movements.

I think it's the major factor in why parties like Reform have grown up.

I never understand why politicians of any party give the impression they don't have pride in their country and its people, while still being respectful of other nations.

You see it on MN all the time - pps falling over each other to make out that the UK is worst place in the world. These people are either very sheltered, ignorant about the world, or being wilfully malicious.

(Not a Reform voter - but someone who hates trendy anti-English or anti-British attitudes.)

Whut? Is this sarcasm?

Ok that is your perspective but its clearly not Argentinas.

Latin American people are rarely one ethnicity. I’m not from the US, I live here, but I know that being raised in a country with no recognition of people who share your culture, can mess you up. Your argument is very ‘nothing to see here’

Thank you @SpottyPyjama

@Notcominhomenow I am a bit surprised that you are shocked by the intensity of the feeling. I think a lot of British people don't spend enough time thinking about how colonialism so badly and adversely affected certain countries. British people keep saying "oh that was ages ago" - well no it really wasn't in many cases.

Just for example, Zimbabwe only gained independence in 1980 as an example. In my lifetime. It really was not long ago and the consequences run so deep - many countries are still so badly affected by some of the things that took place.

I am sorry your family members were insensitive but perhaps discussing it might help you understand the intensity of the feelings.

Even if you compare the number of Argentinians who died in that war which was only in 1982 or so - that in itself would have felt like an injustice, for them. Those would have been the grandfathers / potentially fathers of some of these youngsters creating these memes.

Family conversations in a country damaged by interactions with the British empire will be entirely different to the perspective of English families discussing these matters.

The hurt runs very deep and may still be very recent for some of them. Similar in former colonies.

Still no reason to politicise a football match against a group of individuals who were not alive in 1833 nor 1982.

Such a shame isn't it. Margaret Thatcher needed a bit of a boost to her career and decided to go and invade The Falklands which no-one in England knew where it was. Some thought it was in Scotland. Your relatives could show some consideration to you but people lose all reason over football. Sorry, I'm not much help.

To be fair, the Falklamds should be Argentinian. We can’t expect recent history to be completely ignored just because the reality of British colonialism makes some people uncomfortable.

England doesn’t get to treat the rest of the world as if it owns them and then complain when they are disliked.

Let's not create problems that dont exist. My child is not mixed ethnicity. I said further up thread DH background is entirely white European so DS is white and blond. As for 'half coloniser, half colonised', not sure how that applies when DH is not descended from any indigenous tribes in Argentina. I'm guessing you're from the USA with a comment like this.

Still no reason to politicise a football match against a group of individuals who were not alive in 1833 nor 1982.