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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be embarrassed to be British?

374 replies

ReasonablyIntelligent · 03/07/2019 21:05

I've just seen on the news that the 29 Brexit Party MEPs all turned their backs (quite literally) during the European anthem in yesterday's opening session to the European Parliament.

Regardless of Pro-Brexit / Anti-Brexit debates, this is deeply deeply inappropriate, insanely undiplomatic and will have done nothing other than make the UK look ridiculous, childish and plain rude.

I'm ashamed to be represented by these people and the way things are going, ashamed to be a part of a country that is behaving like this.
Everyone else in Europe must think we are dirt.

To be embarrassed to be British?
OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
Jellykat · 03/07/2019 23:17

Completely appalled by their disrespect.. their behaviour was akin to a spoilt brat screaming 'i'll scream and scream and scream until i'm sick'..
I work in retail, and for the past 3 years i've found myself being extra friendly and apologising to any visiting European customers for Brexit, even though i certainly didn't vote for it!
I am so ashamed to be British.

Artesia · 03/07/2019 23:20

Totally agree that what the Brexit MEPs did was appalling, but suspect most other countries have enough worries of their own to be particularly bothered about us. France have the ongoing Gilet Jaune riots, Germany has struggled to pull together a coalition government, Austria has the rise of the far right and the Ibiza scandal, Italy is on the brink of an economic crisis with potential to pull the whole eurozone into meltdown, Spain had to call a snap general election a few months ago and five of its elected MPs are simultaneously serving MPs and in prison awaiting trial for awaiting trial on rebellion, sedition and embezzlement charges. They were let out of prison just long enough to be sworn into Parliament.

I don’t dispute that the situation in the UK is a mess, but it would be naive to think that other countries don’t have their own to deal with.

BubblesBuddy · 03/07/2019 23:22

The big question is: what are we going to do about this? We are all impotent and this behaviour is being done in our name.

There have been similarities with the Nazis that have been pointed out before but they bear repeating. Not liking foreigners (Jews) taking “our” jobs. Not respecting the views of others. Having a simple message which people can rally around without having to think too deeply. Having a charismatic leader. Having populist and memorable slogans. Not caring about all the population and driving wedges between families and neighbours. NOT IN MY NAME. How do we stop this from happening? We are sleepwalking towards economic disaster and anarchy. I am SO cross. With the ERG and the Conservative members too for entertaining two more lying toads!

HelenaDove · 03/07/2019 23:28

I was coming on here to say they are childish and disrespectful. But after seeing that Nazi picture i will add chilling as well.

The way poorer people and tenants are treated has made me ashamed for years now
This just puts the cherry on a not very nice tasting cake!

Sundancer77 · 03/07/2019 23:30

I live in Europe but not the uk, I have to say we ‘Are’ a laughing stock, I’m constantly having to defend my country and myself for the actions of everything since Brexit..we are being laughed at all the time-very embarrassing.

lakemountain · 03/07/2019 23:30

heres a quote from the german leader of the ational socialist party of germany we christened it "National Socialist.' We said to ourselves that to be 'national' means above everything to act with a boundless and all-embracing love for the people and, if necessary, even to die for it. And similarly to be 'social' means so to build up the state and the community of the people that every individual acts in the interest of the community of the people and must be to such an extent convinced of the goodness, of the honorable straightforwardness of this community of the people as to be ready to die for it. you see hes left wing so no we fought ww2 to not be controlled by the germans which is what the eu is thats the similarity

MustardScreams · 03/07/2019 23:30

The Brexit Party and their supporters could never think of anything smarter to do than turning backs. Although the similarity in the Nazi party photo is chilling.

It’s all bloody shite, I am past caring about it now. Just add BoJo to the mix and the country will be (even more) fucked by the end of the year. And all because of the stupid tories.

IncandescentShadow · 03/07/2019 23:50

I agree OP . I too was ashamed. I work all over Europe and closely with people from EU member countries and I could barely show my face. Such a lack of respect. And I couldn't justify it or explain it. Horrible.

Same here. Its so embarrassing. Makes me want to change nationality. Why is Britain producing such vast numbers of unqualified, misbehaving, crooked politicians? I know that every country has them, but Britain seems to have cornered the market.

Carpediem1 · 03/07/2019 23:52

YANBU.
Inspired by a post on the Westminstenders thread, I have emailed the Brexit Party MEPs for our region, including Ann Widdecombe (there are no words) to say how disgraceful their behaviour was, that they are supposed to be representing their constituents and that I expect confirmation that they would not be taking their salary, expenses or pension. No replies so far....

BubblesBuddy · 03/07/2019 23:55

On yes. I forgot. The Nazis were elected and then wreaked havoc on their fellow countrymen and their nation. We need to sit up and take notice.

GodDammitAmy · 03/07/2019 23:58

Didn't the Brexit Party say their sole purpose was to cause disruption in the EU?

FrancisofAss · 04/07/2019 04:07

@Bubblesbuddy completely agree with this excellent post:

The big question is: what are we going to do about this? We are all impotent and this behaviour is being done in our name.

There have been similarities with the Nazis that have been pointed out before but they bear repeating. Not liking foreigners (Jews) taking “our” jobs. Not respecting the views of others. Having a simple message which people can rally around without having to think too deeply. Having a charismatic leader. Having populist and memorable slogans. Not caring about all the population and driving wedges between families and neighbours. NOT IN MY NAME. How do we stop this from happening? We are sleepwalking towards economic disaster and anarchy. I am SO cross. With the ERG and the Conservative members too for entertaining two more lying toads!

Nothing will change the minds of the ardent leavers. Nothing. Not pointing out the racist leanings of the campaigns, not revealing the lies that they were told during the referendum, not the parallels to the Nazi party, not the advice of impartial experts that Brexit and particularly no deal Brexit are tantamount to economic suicide, not the statistics on exactly how much of our exports rely on the EU market. It’s like a load of zombies just chanting ‘Brexit, Brexit’ - actually come to think of it, it reminds of the movie ‘The Mummy” - (the decent one with Brendan Fraser) when all the people are under the spell of the mummy and surging forward chanting ‘Imhotep, Imhotep’. I’ve never felt so frustrated and helpless as a citizen.
I’m also really disappointed that the Lib Dems, who had a chance to represent those of us who oppose Brexit, did it in such an infantile and embarrassing way.

FenellaVelour · 04/07/2019 04:59

It’s shameful and embarrassing.

you see hes left wing so no we fought ww2 to not be controlled by the germans which is what the eu is thats the similarity

This is also embarrassing. People actually believe stuff like this. They’re the ones who voted, and why we are in this mess.

AmeriAnn · 04/07/2019 05:44

Even though I'm now and American, I felt proud to have been born and raised British when the UK voted to leave the EU.

Glad to see there's still some fire in most people's bellies there. Well done and..

Happy Independence day!

dayslikethese1 · 04/07/2019 06:04

Agreed OP I've been embarrassed for ages.

Blueoasis · 04/07/2019 06:16

And this all stems from people forgetting what the tories did in the thatcher days and voting them back in in 2010. I knew then it was going to be bad, although didn't think it would be this bad. Not just content with destroying peoples lives, they've upped their game to destroying an entire country.

Why do people say 'learn history to avoid repeating mistakes' when we make them anyway? Voters voted in the brexit party, and now look at them, copying the nazi party. We are about 5 years off having concentration camps now.

Well done Britain. Bravo.

Maybe we should, you know, look at voting for other parties? I don't mean Labour, while led by corbyn they are doomed and no better. But the only other party that has enough representatives up and down the country to get rid of tories or Labour is the lib dems. Greens are a no go, there isn't enough of them to have one in each constituency, and that's your problem. You need them elected not only in England, but Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland. We need to get tactical and vote the bastards out. I don't like the lib dems any better, not after breaking their promise in 2010, but it's a damn sight better than the money grabbing tories or the weak labour lot. I go with the least evil option in this case.

bellinisurge · 04/07/2019 06:21

I'm not ashamed to be British - although having Irish citizenship too helps Grin. Every country goes through some sort of humiliation from time to time. This is one of ours.

timeforakinderworld · 04/07/2019 07:39

Amerian- "fire in their bellies" is the sort of daft slogan that really means nothing and leads to stupidity in my opinion. I am ashamed to be British but I think I would feel worse if I were American. At least we don't have concentration camps....yet.

noodlenosefraggle · 04/07/2019 07:47

The idiot Brexit Party are the ones 'behaving like this'. Not the national government or the country as a whole.

The Brexit Party, despite their line about the EU being undemocratic, were elected by the people of this country. So the people of Europe know they are representing a large chunk of the population. Thank God the Lib Dem MEPs were there to show them we're not all like that!

EngTech · 04/07/2019 07:56

We could always seek another EU re-election to get different MEP’s in who would show more respect to the EU? 😳

Gilbert1A · 04/07/2019 07:57

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Sonicknuckles · 04/07/2019 08:01

We don't all feel like them though. I am not ashamed to be British I love our country but their behaviour is shameful

OrangeCinnamon · 04/07/2019 08:02

@lakemountain The Nazi party were not left wing socialists. Political parties can be called things that don't necessarily represent who/what they are ...they can also say things in propaganda. Just because they had 'socialist' in their name does not mean they were committed to socialist principals or were left wing.

There are some very good free history courses on the internet and books I can advise if you would like to research it more.

CatherineOfAragonsPrayerBook · 04/07/2019 08:03

I think you are a bit silly saying you are ashamed to be British, these people are hardly representative of you.

But overall YANBU.

tomtom1999xx · 04/07/2019 08:08

Gilbert1A

I was wondering the same thing.

How does she know they’re visiting from an EU country? Confused

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