So embarrassed to be English today

[UpSlyDown]

Usually I am slightly defensive of the criticism the English get but today I feel like I have nothing left to defend. Riots, defacing murals of wonderful role models for our children, racism, violence. Horrendous behaviour from a considerable number of English fans. We are just playing up to the thuggish, drunk, stupid stereotypes. That along with the decision to just open everything up which has been highly criticised for being bonkers, the never-ending shame of Brexit. For the first time I feel embarrassed to be English and associated with any of this. Having said that, I personally don't know a single person who behaved badly post match or spewed vile racism online (thank god). I also mainly socialise/spend time with left wing remainers it seems.

Does anyone feel the same? Are there any redeeming features of the English or are we doomed to be the laughing stock of the world? I was so proud of our football team (still am) and the unity and excitement everyone felt. Part of me thinks this would have been so different if we won but why should it be?! We should be able to respond to a disappointment like rational adults instead of abusive idiots.

www.reuters.com/world/europe/one-dead-several-injured-during-italy-euro-2020-celebrations-2021-07-12/

This country is a dumpster fire of its own making

I am disgusted by all of this OP, especially the racist abuse of the England players. But I’m not ashamed, as these fools DO NOT represent me or any of the many, many England fans I know.

I was at the game last night and on the whole things felt safe and positive, and I didn’t see any trouble before or afterwards. A lot of litter around Wembley, but no thuggish behaviour and the most diverse crowd I’ve seen at an England game.

It’s a shame some people drink too much and act like idiots. And it’s absolutely disgusting how much racism obviously still simmers just below the surface in this country, ready to be unleashed at any given moment.

But I am unbelievably proud of this England team and the vast majority of fans who watched last night peacefully and had fun that didn’t end in destruction and violence. The criminal elements won’t spoil this for me.

No I didn’t say all domestic violence was blamed on football but the facts state that it goes up 38% when England lose at football. Yes it goes up also when they win hardly surprising . Win or lose Domestic violence goes up in England . I looked and I can’t see the domestic violence rises when rugby or Wimbledon is on so no you can’t blame all sport. It’s a football thing. Again I’m not talking about Italy fans you can deflect all you want. It doesn’t excuse what England fans get up to. It can’t se swept under the carpet as much as you are trying to.

Who is sweeping anything under the carpet though?
I have denounced and condemned the racism and thuggery of these ‘fans’

But they are not me. They do not represent me or define me. I will not feel ashamed of my country because of them, no matter how much you seem to think I should!

@Sakura7

Sorry I don't know much about NI politics but imagine there's a party wanting to separate.

The Irish people in NI want to reunite their country, naturally. It was the British who partitioned it 100 years ago.

I don’t think is universally true? The ones I know prefer to be a part of the UK. A lot would not want to be joined with the South because of religion.

Whenever there is a Muslim terrorist atrocity they say Islam is a peaceful religion and don't blame Muslims.

No one argues with that.

Being English apparently I should assuage my guilt and responsibilty for a few thugs I've never even met.

Fucking hell. Arseholes exist on a global scale.

English politics and the drinking culture are detractors. Drink turns people into their true selves, I think. Whatever private views a person has that will not be uttered whilst sober will come out when tongues are loosened by alcohol. Sexist, racist and homophobic opinions exist here, they just are not out in the open, or as obvious as they used to be.

Politics is truly in the bin right now. Corruption is rife. We have a hateful government. It stinks.

I am proud to be English in other ways though. We have a common aim of justice and fairness. We don't like people taking the piss. Our puddings and cakes are excellent. Our heritage and culture is the envy of many other countries around the world. I love our accents, and the fact a bread roll is called something different across the land. I love the Isle of Wight for holidays. We have a lot of art, architecture and beauty in our country (beauty being relative, if course). We have lots of English people trying to make our lives better through activism and lobbying and forming organisations to fight for what is right. We have to hold onto that.

@ivykaty44

I think football has lost its way as a sport, their doesn't seem to be much sportsmanship within the game. Its about time they taught this at the grass roots of football, if other sports can do it then so can the football bodies. they can stop the heckling on a Saturday and Sunday league and teach boys and parents how to behave

I think this post supports the view that many people here really don't know much about football.

Football culture used to be much more openly violent and racist. Monkey chants were quite common and sadly still are in parts of Europe (not Britain). John Barnes has spoken of the racism he and other black players experienced, not just from fans but sometimes even from their own team mates. There has been campaigns against racism in fooball - both in Britain and in Europe - and the type of behaviour which would have been shrugged off a few decades ago is now simply not tolerated.

What has changed is the presence of social media, which allows a small number of dickheads to spew their hatred pretty much without censorship. But in general, football has become much more 'gentrified' than it used to be. In the 1970s or even later, you'd barely see a woman at a match, but now it's entirely normal. Football is now quite 'respectable' and middle class, with much more money involved than in the past.

"we focus on how we can change it"

We Are !!!!!

Don't you think we have been? Things have got a lot lot better in then last 2 years.

It's been talked a lot more in mainstream society since USA George. The bending the knee.
All secondary children talk about in PHSE.

What more do you suggest?

@QuentinBunbury

I'm ashamed to be English. The racist abuse of footballers is just the latest thing in a long list of English entitlement and arrogance and I hate that I have to be associated with it. YANBU

Erm, how do you know that they are actually English? What a ridiculous thing to write They could be from anywhere in the world Are people really this stupid?

I am very proud to be English. The England had a brilliant "go".
A few nob head thugs won't change that. Most people of this country are decent and certainly the ones in my circle wouldn't behave like those cretins and i know a very broad section of friends and aquaitances.

Should say England football team

@Oblomov21

"we focus on how we can change it"

We Are !!!!!

Don't you think we have been? Things have got a lot lot better in then last 2 years.

It's been talked a lot more in mainstream society since USA George. The bending the knee.
All secondary children talk about in PHSE.

What more do you suggest?

No, I don't think things are a lot better, otherwise 3 players wouldn't have been subjected to racial abuse today

We do, indeed, have many problems here right now and the way seems long and dark.

But, if you are looking for any signs of hope...

twitter.com/SoozUK/status/1414488033043300354

twitter.com/Scandiwegians/status/1413107243801849857

The Irish people in NI want to reunite their country, naturally. It was the British who partitioned it 100 years ago.

I suggest you read a bit of history, including the bit about people in Northern Ireland signing with their blood their wish to remain a part of the UK.

A level psychology talk about it regularly. They talked about it last week in Ds1's class in anticipation. They talked about UK problems. And Italy's inherent historical issues.

YANBU- Im sorry but there is a reason why the English are unpopular with other nations - populism, racism, boorish drunkenness, thugggery, bad sportsmanship. Most English people are lovely. Rugby fans are amazing. It’s the football that particularly brings it out. I said to DD to remember that it’s a minority but she travelled through London yesterday and said the vast majority of fans were completely out of control and behaving like animals - she had a bottle thrown at her when she got off the tube.
Catch yourselves on English people - shout loudly that you are ashamed - stop making excuses about other nations because they just are not as bad as the English thugs’ behaviour was yesterday. I would add that though I’m not English, I’ve lived here for a long time and was supporting England throughout the tournament. I’m disgusted by their behaviour and some of the weak excuses being made here.

I agree Mistress I don't like the booing of national anthems at all I 'm just sick of the trope that is regularly trotted out on here that is only the English fans who do it.

‘I didn't say that, I said instead of wasting energy pointing out what everyone else does we focus on how we can change it.’

I don’t know how to reduce racism; it seems like a complex problem that many very intelligent people are struggling to come up with an answer too.

It probably isn’t going to be solved by starting internet threads suggesting people of a particular ethnicity should be ashamed of themselves for being that ethnicity.

I also love being English. We have amazing sports, art, literature, theatre, landscapes, architecture and music.

@fairycakes1234

Im sorry but the fans didnt redeem themselves to anyone, booing when the italian national anthem was playing, all the violence, I live in ireland and sorry to say I think majority of Irish were hoping England would lose, I dont know anyone that wanted England to win and thats the truth :) Some brillant whatsapp going around !!

Oh do enjoy it then

@Oblomov21 as I said previously there's been a lot of progress. Compared to how things were in the 1970s it's better now although it's slipping.

Hooligans aren't representative of a country. As for why they're there, how the fuck do people think these clubs got off the ground in the first place? These clubs in areas with no legitimate inherited wealth holders? Who funded the clubs that gave opportunities to young working class men? And how did they protect their interests in a country where none of what they had was got through socially approved means? (To be clear: the "socially approved means" at the time involved slavery and inbreeding.)

They protected their interests with firms of hooligans and those firms are embedded and difficult to shake off. Hooligans aren't interested in football. They're interested in violent assertion of power.

The fanbase is a separate matter although there may be some crossover in personnel. But it's a different mechanism and dynamic.

And once again this happens across the world, regardless of nationality.

Some supporters behaved hideously, some will be indentified and will rightly face consequences. However, there is no need for you personally to go all self-flagelating, clothes-rending, hair-tearing mea culpa over it. You are self-indulgently looking to find something you can 'feel' over. A modern bane.

Catch yourselves on English people

Apart from the irritating phrasing why should everyone who is English be accountable? Do women always have to take on board the actions of the thuggery etc of men?

I'm neither proud to be English nor ashamed to be English. My Englishness is an accident of birth and does not determine what kind of person I am. There are thugs, racists and arseholes in every country. Being ashamed of a whole country on the basis of how some of its worst citizens behave is unreasonable.

@GirlAloud

I’m extremely proud to be English 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 today.

I’m proud of our amazing, multi-racial football team who are the second best in Europe, and have potential to improve further by the next World Cup.
I’m proud of the diverse society which produced those young men, and I’m proud of the overwhelming majority of fans of all races and cultures who got behind the team.

A few thick, violent racist morons doesn’t change that.

I completely agree with this. Improud to be English because the England squad have spent the last few months, on and off the pitch being everything that I believe England is.

Any shame I feel comes from being part of a human race that can’t let go of racism.