When will the BBC be held accountable for their lack of patriotism

I don't think you can say that nationality has no impact on you. If I was in a room with various people of various nationalities I would likely gravitate towards the english person/people. That said blind patriotism is pretty silly and has been used to justify many horrific acts through history.

And what amount of patriotism for each country would be genetically 'felt' by someone an eighth English, Scottish, Norwegian, French, American, German, Hungarian, Russian?

Ad infinitem.

So. If there is a genetic mechanism for patriotism (which there isn't, by the way), there would have to be some evidence for it (which there isn't).

What you mean is you 'want' there to be a genetic explanation for patriotism, because that would be simple and easy.

But there isn't.

So without that biological explanation, what else is there that might explain people's patriotism?

And I also think the BBC make attempts at breaking down prejudice, away from the crap like HIGNFY

'So a - say - quarter English, quarter French, quarter Norwegian, quarter Scottish person would feel patriotic about ALL those countries?'

some people would, others would have lost some of their roots. The links need to be maintained, which is why many children are sent to weekend schools to learn about their cultures in order to maintain the link.

I agree swc. I think it is a constant battle of awareness. Let's face it, people are extremely prejudiced about disabilities in RL.

My best friend said to me a few weeks ago. "it's all very well having inclusion and SN kids at school........just not in my DD'd class"

I have another friend who has a very disabled DD and the prejudice she faces on a daily basis is staggering.

I don't think the BBC are the worst culprits for propagating prejudice against disabled people, yet that is not to say that should not improve.

I fucking hate Jimmy Carr

smallwhitecat, have you lived in England all your life? Do you still visit relatives in Scotland? Have you possibly lost some of your Scottish roots? If you lived abroad and you heard the bagpipes playing Auld lang Syne, I bet it would all come back to you.

Probably not Huddspur, but he certainly wouldn't help matters. As I said, sales people need to have authenticity, he severely lacks this common characteristic. Also, the desperation was causing a stench. Oh and the arrogance.

So a - say - quarter English, quarter French, quarter Norwegian, quarter Scottish person would feel patriotic about ALL those countries?

swc - I agree that they shouldn't be broadcasting jokes about disabilities. I do think they apologised and make some efforts (maybe not enough) to not broadcast such material. The irony is that this is more than you would get from another channel like Channel 4. They would make no apologies.

'So it is genetic to feel patriotic about being English? It is in our blood?

So. A half-English, half-Spanish person...? What do they feel, exactly?'

Yes it is in our blood, just as our family allegiances are also in our blood except in rare cases. A half-English, half-Spanish person would feel patriotic for both countries.

I don't think you can blame David Cameron for us not winning the bid

David Cameron can't schmooze. He survives on personal insults and derogatory comments.

'I don't pay the licence fee. I don't have a TV. Get rid if it's such an issue for you.'

I pay the licence because I like many of the BBC's programmes. But I disagree with the principle of people being forced to pay and threatened with jail, if there is any possible political bias in what they are paying for.

Oblomov, yes we know the bid is all about politics. That's why the BBC did their programme and it was allowed to run despite the phony shrieking that it would hurt our bid. That's why Channel 4 News ran an item about racism among Russian football fans, and the Guardian's headline today was "Inside Putin's mafia state".

My mistake was i overestimated how important we are as a country. We spent the most of any country on the bid and threw the kitchen sink at it, with Prince William, David Beckham, and Cameron there for 5 days. No other country came near. I made the mistake of thinking that with all our highest bigwigs there, that the voters would be schmoozed, particularly as Putin didn't even bother to turn up. But I didn't realise just how unimportant we must really be.

I am now a few pounds lighter and a bit wiser.

I don't think you can blame the BBC for us not getting the world cup. FIFA clearly wanted to take the world cup to countries and regions that have never hosted it before, blaming the BBC would be wrong.
I do think we need to question whether a stute funded broadcaster is necessary in the 21st century.

I've met Abramovich. Talked Russian to him. Highly powerful man. You think peoples pockets weren't lined by him, in all of this ? Wake up and smell the coffee.

claig, I'm just asking you for some clarity about your ideas.

So it is genetic to feel patriotic about being English? It is in our blood?

So. A half-English, half-Spanish person...? What do they feel, exactly?

'Yes Fox News is biased, but it is not run by the state. The public are not forced to pay to be fed the bias of Fox News. They won't be jailed if they refuse to pay for the bias.'

I don't pay the licence fee. I don't have a TV. Get rid if it's such an issue for you.

Have you been to the US with their wall to wall 'World News' that doesn't mention any other country than the US? They get their parochialism for free.

Oh, is that about the BBC ruining the World Cup bid.

I would reckon Cameron's schmoozing did more harm than any documentary showing corruption in the voting on a TV channel. Despite what the tories might really want to believe, Cameron comes across as a lightweight, inexperienced and lacking in any depth. They might have got past the first stage of voting if he hadn't stuck his big forehead in at the eleventh hour and left it to David the Beautiful

Putin had the right idea.

Anyone who has worked in sales knows that desperation is smelt out in the first instance.

Oblomov, I was wrong about the bid. I lost money betting on it as well

I didn't fully understand the situation, but I think I now have a better understanding of how it works. I still think the BBC and the Guardian and Channel 4 were all part of the English bid, and I agreed with Putin all along that they were tricks. The difference is that I thought they would work.

I saw this thread title and knew it was you, LFN.

You're James Murdoch, aren't you? And you do know that the first media organisation to 'out' corruption at FIFA (which I presume is what you mean by 'spoil the 2018 bid') was the Sunday Times, a News International company.

And Kim Jong-il reveres the military (to name but one...). Is he the sort of BBC presenter you had in mind?