Who is English?

[mids2019]

I see reform have started a debate about the meaning of being English which has stirred a few feathers. To my mind anyone who is born in the country is English..

I would say moving to a country does not necessarily make you a national of a country e.g. if I moved the South of Spain as a retired I don't know if could reasonably call my self Spanish but children of English people definitely could.

One thing that is worth debate is how you frame heritage and is this important? For instance would 2nd.generation immigrants from India would want to be referred as English but if Indian oriigin? Is there an actual desire for people of foreign heritage to maintain a part of their identity connected to their country of family origin for cultural reason?

No, I very much doubt there is. I’m sure there are plenty of Germans who’d say they’d never worn a lederhosen.

But it’s the right who are telling us that our culture is being eroded. When people ask what they mean by that statement they’ll reel off a list of historic customs that are no longer relevant. “We don’t have the annual Penny Farthing race at Michaelmas” anymore, and declare that it’s evidence of a Muslim invasion. Rather than it being because bikes have evolved and nobody has ridden a Penny Farthing since 1890.

No it’s the left doing themselves no favours by telling a large chunk of the population that normal traditions such a beer at a countryside pub with a lab doesn’t exist.

When obviously it does.

It's not so much where you are from, perhaps, but where you feel you belong? That is where you will assimilate and identify (maybe?).

Mate, before you pipe in get your facts straight. The post was offensive becase she used the term milky white not just white.

I assume you didn’t realise that??! You’re welcome.

I have no idea of what your point is.

I was responding to a post that stated that the French population is mainly made of people who came from neighbouring, Western countries.

My point was that it is not the case as France had many colonies and still has overseas territories and its current population reflects that. They are French too.

The harassment that people might experience in other countries also has nothing whatsoever to do with people who live in France and have origins that can be traced to Morocco, Tunis or Algeria.

So they live in France but their ethnicity and ancestry doesn't trace from France itself?

This smacks of intolerance.
if people practising their religion are using a particular building for their meetings leave them alone especially as generally their particular religion or organisation own these buildings.
Im very happy to allow people to believe what they want providing they are not committing a crime! And Im happy to recognise that their beliefs as long as they don’t expect me to believe them. Im not sure what you mean by “not normalise” their beliefs. I believe the 21st century more people say they have no religion than say they do. In Scotland where I live 51% identified as have no religion in their he last census it was 37% in 2011. Churches and chapels are being sold off hand over fist. The church in my village is lucky to get 10 people at the fortnightly service and not 1 is under 70. In 5 years there will be no one going and the church will be another sold off although the market for these buildings isn’t always that great, conversion to residential accommodation is often difficult expensive and doesn’t always work well.
Although we obviously don’t have sole claim I hope live and let live is an identifier of British and I guess “English culture”

This is getting tiring.

I didn't get a lot of that. Yes, I am intolerant of intolerance and of having to tolerate fantasies. We're all intolerant of things, the question is whether it's justified for the good of society.

You listed a lot of reasons why this country is ready to ban religion from public life anyway(!)

My late husband considered himself Irish because his dad was Irish and his mum.although born in England also had Irish parents, husband also born and bought up in England, he had an Irish passport and my sons also qualify to have an Irish passport, and embrace their Irish heritage more than English

My point was that it is not the case as France had many colonies and still has overseas territories and its current population reflects that. They are French too.

We still have overseas territories, too.

People who live in England with full British citizenship and people who originate from English families for as long back as they can trace, for generations and now live elswhere. Those who honour English culture and the laws. Those who embrace the government system and who respect The King and Christianity. ( while also respecting the right to practice other religions).

Personally I identify as Irish 60%/English 40%. Though I am a fifth generation Australian citizen every drop of my blood comes from the British Isles for at least 800 years.

I used to feel Australian but I am not indigenous so I am regularly welcomed to my own country (my land of birth where my ancestors shaped the govermment, the agriculture, the laws, education, language, wealth, architecture etc.) in ceremonies acknowledging the indigenous history only.

So I rationalise that I must be indigenous to Ireland and England. That is where my DNA, culture, my advancements, education and roots stem from. It is fair that I can claim British identity and hopefully recognition in the form of reciprocal rights, passports etc.one day if Australia becomes hostile to me.

Most English of all are the non human aspects. The English plants, birds, insects and native creatures and habitats.

The flora and fauna of all countries deserve to be protected. Human movement by guests and citizens alike, should always sustain the environmental identity of the place and the health of the waterways.