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AIBU?

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AIBU to think my colleague's anti England comment was rude?

346 replies

ProudBlackMomma · 18/07/2026 21:52

What would you make of this? A colleague declared in front of the whole team in the office the other day that she’d never ever support England in any sport due to their history colonialism. Personally I think it’s rude and fails to read the room. Most people had been enjoying cheering on England in the World Cup so to hear this felt a bit like raining on the parade. This woman is African but living in England and reaping all the benefits that come with that. I’m Black too but proud to say I’m English and happy to cheer on the players, who include plenty of black men who I assume also cheer on England!!

OP posts:
JHound · 19/07/2026 18:31

Isinglass20 · 19/07/2026 18:28

Colonialism is current. Today’s paper reports that Caribbean countries want as compensation for slavery that all remaining Caribbean islands should no longer belong to the UK.

Are there any Caribbean islands that belong to the UK?

Oh I checked - there are 5 British territories in the Caribbean. If they’re fine with the status quo I don’t see what the issue is.

Isinglass20 · 19/07/2026 18:28

Colonialism is current. Today’s paper reports that Caribbean countries want as compensation for slavery that all remaining Caribbean islands should no longer belong to the UK.

JHound · 19/07/2026 18:27

CoffeeCantata · 19/07/2026 17:49

Quite.

OP’s question wasn’t about whether she should support England. It was about whether her comments were rude.

Of course she can support any team she likes - it wouldn’t bother me in the slightest. It’s the deliberate insult she added to her English colleagues which was really rude and unnecessary. They’re her colleagues, after all - what a weird thing to do!

Where was the insult though?

Lovely13 · 19/07/2026 18:20

England was colonised by the Romans. Also by the Vikings and the Normans. Spain did its level best, but failed. It’s history, baby.

CoffeeCantata · 19/07/2026 17:49

Frazzled89 · 19/07/2026 17:45

She's entitled to her opinion, she must have had difficulties in picking any team to support. England, Scotland, USA, Spain, France, Portugal, Belgium, Argentina... not many in the world cup that weren't involved in colonialism or slavery.

Quite.

OP’s question wasn’t about whether she should support England. It was about whether her comments were rude.

Of course she can support any team she likes - it wouldn’t bother me in the slightest. It’s the deliberate insult she added to her English colleagues which was really rude and unnecessary. They’re her colleagues, after all - what a weird thing to do!

Frazzled89 · 19/07/2026 17:45

She's entitled to her opinion, she must have had difficulties in picking any team to support. England, Scotland, USA, Spain, France, Portugal, Belgium, Argentina... not many in the world cup that weren't involved in colonialism or slavery.

CoffeeCantata · 19/07/2026 17:24

JHound · 19/07/2026 17:03

If she exists, I imagine fairly easily. Like many Irish “ABE” people who do similar.

People like OP’s colleague are doubly irritating because they say something which is meant as an insult (in this case very half-baked too) AND think themselves morally superior for saying it, when what they deserve is a firm telling off!

JHound · 19/07/2026 17:03

CoffeeCantata · 19/07/2026 16:55

The fact that she’s black and from Africa is relevant only up to a point. Anyone who said that to English colleagues (even if they themselves were English) would come over as a self-righteous twit…unless they made it clear they didn’t support any European coloniser teams…and had researched the full history of every participating country to check their record was unblemished. Good luck with that.

is it OK for me to mention my dislike for any German team or individual because my friend’s family were killed by the Nazis? To be clear: I am not an idiot and have no negative feelings towards modern Germans.

The African aspect just makes her seem rude and a bit stupid. Presumably she wasn’t forced to come here so she needs to ask herself how she squares her moral pomposity with choosing to live and work.here.

If she exists, I imagine fairly easily. Like many Irish “ABE” people who do similar.

JHound · 19/07/2026 17:01

Differentforgirls · 19/07/2026 16:52

That’s a “new” account and probably isn’t a black woman.

Aha! I did wonder but don’t have access to see that. The name was a little “on the nose” too! 😄😄. As was the “I’m black too” about a random woman’s comment!

CoffeeCantata · 19/07/2026 16:55

The fact that she’s black and from Africa is relevant only up to a point. Anyone who said that to English colleagues (even if they themselves were English) would come over as a self-righteous twit…unless they made it clear they didn’t support any European coloniser teams…and had researched the full history of every participating country to check their record was unblemished. Good luck with that.

is it OK for me to mention my dislike for any German team or individual because my friend’s family were killed by the Nazis? To be clear: I am not an idiot and have no negative feelings towards modern Germans.

The African aspect just makes her seem rude and a bit stupid. Presumably she wasn’t forced to come here so she needs to ask herself how she squares her moral pomposity with choosing to live and work.here.

Differentforgirls · 19/07/2026 16:52

JHound · 19/07/2026 16:41

She didn’t say she was speaking for all black people so why have you decided to take it that way?

That’s a “new” account and probably isn’t a black woman.

JHound · 19/07/2026 16:41

ProudBlackMomma · 19/07/2026 12:32

Because I thought it was rude? Because she certainly doesn’t speak for all Black people? Because I found it embarrassing? Because I think that you should have respect for where you live? All of the above.

She didn’t say she was speaking for all black people so why have you decided to take it that way?

JHound · 19/07/2026 16:39

ProudBlackMomma · 18/07/2026 21:52

What would you make of this? A colleague declared in front of the whole team in the office the other day that she’d never ever support England in any sport due to their history colonialism. Personally I think it’s rude and fails to read the room. Most people had been enjoying cheering on England in the World Cup so to hear this felt a bit like raining on the parade. This woman is African but living in England and reaping all the benefits that come with that. I’m Black too but proud to say I’m English and happy to cheer on the players, who include plenty of black men who I assume also cheer on England!!

I also don’t see the relevance of skin colour. Black people are not monolithic.

JHound · 19/07/2026 16:30

I think that’s fine.

Anybody can refuse to support any team for any reason. I would expect consistency though. So if was fine supporting France, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, USA, Australia, Scotland etc then I would ask why she was loudly embarassing herself with how deeply ignorant she is of world history. I don’t really see why her background or her choice to live in England has anything to do with it tbh. All my Irish colleagues were ABE.

BillieWiper · 19/07/2026 16:11

I see nothing wrong with that.

I wouldn't call myself English despite being born in London. Everyone is different.

Just because she's got the same colour skin as you doesn't mean she has to feel the same way about England and it's personal meaning to her identity.

Differentforgirls · 19/07/2026 16:10

EmeraldShamrock000 · 19/07/2026 16:04

Are you assuming that posters are the same person?

I know they are unless there are two senior nurses who had to leave Aberdeen because no one liked them and who have mixed up their replies to me on two threads.

Differentforgirls · 19/07/2026 16:07

.

EmeraldShamrock000 · 19/07/2026 16:04

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Are you assuming that posters are the same person?

FourSevenFour · 19/07/2026 15:59

ParsleySageToiletDuckAndBinBags · 19/07/2026 15:50

I'm not interested in football itself, so I'm not supporting any team... because I don't care about football and I don't care who wins.

That's completely different from saying that I wouldn't support any country's team because I think they are still guilty of what their distant ancestors may have done.

It doesn't even have to have anything to do with actual countries per se. Did you ever meet/know your own great-grandparents? Your great-great-grandparents? What if one of them happened to have been a murderer or even a serial killer? Am I justified in saying that I will never like YOU because you/your lot are evil killers? That's how stupid it is.

I see a difference between an individual and country whose wealth and position is directly connected to it's history.

And I don't even share her opinion 100%, I just find funny how buthurt the OP was.

Differentforgirls · 19/07/2026 15:51

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

ParsleySageToiletDuckAndBinBags · 19/07/2026 15:50

FourSevenFour · 19/07/2026 15:28

What does that have to do with anything?

I'm not saying anything about Africa.

I just find football annoying.

I'm not interested in football itself, so I'm not supporting any team... because I don't care about football and I don't care who wins.

That's completely different from saying that I wouldn't support any country's team because I think they are still guilty of what their distant ancestors may have done.

It doesn't even have to have anything to do with actual countries per se. Did you ever meet/know your own great-grandparents? Your great-great-grandparents? What if one of them happened to have been a murderer or even a serial killer? Am I justified in saying that I will never like YOU because you/your lot are evil killers? That's how stupid it is.

aliceyyyy2654 · 19/07/2026 15:48

countrylife00 · 19/07/2026 15:45

She is African.
i have lived in many African countries and I am assuming this is the case.
But its the same in most African countries and the corruption that causes misery on most Africans.
Op has not denied she isn’t Nigerian.
its as bad today as it was all those years ago

Again, how do you know she is from Nigeria? Or do you just want an excuse to express your obvious hatred for Nigeria

Differentforgirls · 19/07/2026 15:47

aliceyyyy2654 · 19/07/2026 15:38

How do you know she is Nigerian?

Sorry, it's MANY African countries now plus Scotland.

countrylife00 · 19/07/2026 15:45

aliceyyyy2654 · 19/07/2026 15:38

How do you know she is Nigerian?

She is African.
i have lived in many African countries and I am assuming this is the case.
But its the same in most African countries and the corruption that causes misery on most Africans.
Op has not denied she isn’t Nigerian.
its as bad today as it was all those years ago

Differentforgirls · 19/07/2026 15:44

aliceyyyy2654 · 19/07/2026 15:38

How do you know she is Nigerian?

"Having lived in Nigeria and been asked hundreds of times a day to help them get a visa to go to England, I can 100% say this comment would be made by a Nigerian."

She has also lived in Scotland apparently and on her two accounts has posted that she was hated in Aberdeen for being English.

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