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.

If EVERYONE boycotted all social media until the social media companies handed over (to the police) the details of people who send abuse to others, and if the abusive people were properly punished through the courts, there would be less of this vile racism about. I will not be using FACEBOOK or TWITTER or anything else. Please join me and we can make a difference.

@veeeeh

Comparing (some of) the England fans outrageous behaviour with that of other countries is a total cop out IMO.

We are not responsible for their behaviour at all, just our own and it is an easy thing to hide behind by saying nah nah nah nah, they were worse so it's ok for us to do the same.

Sickened by it all TBH, but there is an element of football hooliganism that never exited stage left at all.

But why should we be tarred with the same brush as racist thugs, whatever country they’re in? Every country in the world has good people and bad people. I’m proud to be English because in most of my daily life I see good things.

Li ho visti caro. E mantengo la mia opinione.
By the way, the article you shared about Foggia says the homicide was planned and the football game was used as cover. Not excusable, obviously, but a different type of problem. "omicidio premeditato: un vero e proprio agguato messo in atto sfruttando la confusione dei festeggiamenti per la vittoria della nazionale di calcio".

voted Tory for most of my life, but since the last 5 years can no longer. And I am not a labour supporter either. It is quite tiresome when you oppose Johnson that you are a Corbyn Labour supporter- I might be Lib Dem, Green etc

Im still proud to be English. These thugs are the minority and it’s unfortunate they seem to gravitate towards football to display their disgusting behaviour.

For all those wringing their hands and advocating that we should all be collectively ashamed to be English, maybe you should take your head, s of your backside and look what's happening in Withington right now.

@scrambledcustard

OP some people just have a deep internal hatred for themselves. You sound like one of them

Oh dear. That must be me too because op’s post could have been written by me. Fancy not realising I hated myself so deeply and internally. And here’s me thinking it was thuggery, racism and crass unthinking ignorance that was bothering me.

www.google.com/amp/s/www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2021/07/07/revealed-how-police-prevented-violent-battle-between-polish-and-spanish-football-hooligans-during-euro-2020/amp/

Peaceful Spanish and Polish fans planning to take tea and cakes together.

Only today OP? I've been embarrassed for quite a while now. As far as football is concerned a minority of fans behave badly in many countries and Italy, with their right wing ultras are among the worst. I just think there's a strain of jingoistic, racist, no such thing as society nastiness close to heart of many in this country and it emerges when it has the opportunity. The time is right when you have a government, such as ours, that validates those feelings. Brexit and the election that followed it finished it for me.

It's sad that some of the England fans had to let the side down with their hooliganism etc,

Not sure what sanctions/punishments are needed to to prevent this kind of behaviour at matches other than a whole country ban from tournaments which would be a huge shame for the majority of good natured fans and for the team who just want to play a game of football.

This isn't, however, something that only happens with English football and I'm pretty sure no English fans/group of fans could summon up a cruise missile!

www.thesun.co.uk/sport/10242296/italian-football-ultras-knives-grenades-hooligans-gangsters/

www.euronews.com/2019/11/09/racism-in-football-are-italy-s-ultras-the-problem-or-the-solution

Yes and no but more no in answer to your initial question original poster.

Football forever attracts or is also an excuse for some small but vocal and visual minority cave man uncivilised collective mob culture.

Not all English are stereotypical uneducated xenophobic yobs but sure this minority cohort are forever alive and kicking and in a weird way would support the full sports team representatives when victorious but will single out the person with visual differences when not successful on the pitch. It is also a bit hypocritical and nuanced with displays of proud flags raised nationalism when driving vehicles designed and manufactured overseas by companies originating outside of England.

Ironically this minority yob hooligan English type also likes to visit overseas to demand English food and drink and act foolishly when inevitably intoxicated and causing a disturbance with the locals.

I understand this is an inherent issue facing this particular sport of professional men’s football and does not impact ladies football.

Football is the sport of the masses but some trouble makers use it for a cover to get drunk cause premeditated aggravated assault and criminal damage and yes be racist when the opportunity presents itself in supposedly civilised educated multicultural England.

I am sure there are ignorant sentiments relating to Brexit and the rejection of anyone who is not of Anglo Saxon appearance not understanding the historical ethnic development of the English with DNA originating from a mixture of neighbouring lands.

We need to kick this unacceptable hate into the long grass and give sport a return to a positive healthy image.

timesofindia.indiatimes.com/wembley-chaos-how-english-fans-painted-an-ugly-picture-at-euro-2020-final-before-and-after-italy-won/videoshow/84342503.cms

These must have been Polish supporters surely!

Flocon I didn't say it was fake news. I said I hadn't seen anything. That's why I asked for a link.

Hmmmmminteresting... privatising the NHS is the answer ???....have a look at the costings currently on the table for the average American for basic care and tell me that's reasonable. If the current government in the UK are opportunistically selling everything else off to their mates at the chance of making a buck you should be able to imagine what it will be like once the drug companies ramp up the prices. You're fooling yourself if you believe otherwise.

@Horizons83

The only English I’m embarrassed about are the ones that tie themselves up in knots wailing about how awful we all are and how we are the worst country in the world. The self flagellation is painful to watch.

Yes this 🙌

Are you crazy? You do know many of the 'waacist' accounts have been traced back to BLM? Tell me how premiership footballers are receiving abusive PRIVATE MESSAGES when there needs to be a mutual relationship in the protocols of the social media sites?
As for "shame of Brexit" - Why don't you move to France? it's lovely. The Champs Elysees is lined with human waste and darling £5K a month haircut Macron & his granny is shooting his own citizens on the streets because they object to having their wages and employment rights raped.
Meanwhile, Greek hospitals are keeping the lights off while your beloved EU insists it takes on extra debt to keep bankrupt Francj & Spanish banks afloat.
Maybe we could ask Verhofsatwat to veto the FORTY THOUSAND BOTTLE EU WINE CELLAR?

Why constantly look for the negatives in society? There are many, many individuals who outweigh the racist bigoted individuals in this country. I for one I’m tired of hearing “I’m ashamed to be English” this country offers so much to us but we choose to ignore the positives and waste energies on negativity.

Over 66 million people in this country. 31 million watched the game.

There were a few dickheads.

Get some perspective.

Yes I'm ashamed to be English but I have been since the Brexit vote - I think the terrible behaviour of men - and it mostly men - is about toxic masculinity not nationality - I had the misfortune to be in Central London on Sunday and the sheer amount of sexual harassment drunken yobbery including peeing openly in Royal Parks and mooning, taking off their clothes and shouting was 100 % male - I was terrified tbh but when I spoke to some Armed P Os, so were they 😳😳😳😳

were you one of the thugs then ?.I am totally ashamed of these parasites behaviour.

stupid ignorant comment

Always proud to be English.
Knob headed in every country not just here but the English tend to be self depreciating, not always with humour, in a way that’s not seen elsewhere.
We give ourselves a bad press and need to stop doing this and be proud of who we are and where we’re from
Think about the best of what we’ve done and blow our own trumpet rather than highlighting the worst.

Racist, violent, misogynistic, drunken thugs aren’t any of those things because they’re English.

That's right BUT we have a uniquely British way of speaking on about racism from both sides of our mouth, from Prince William all the way down. And Yes we BRITS also exported football hooliganism too which is part of this.

All this screaming that it's not all Brits, and I'm so boorishly offended by being lumped into this group... because its some weird little green bunch of racist hobbits doing this... and nothing to do with the rest of us.

It's a lie. Those boys & girls out there have mothers and quite a few are on Mumsnet.

So every time someone honest tries to point out that WE, all Brits, either get together to protect ALL our people OR accept responsibility for silently encouraging it. Remember It is us. It is the British.

British arrogance, conceit, and yes racism that propped up an empire for 500years, that we're seeing out on there on the terraces.

And in case the screamers still haven't noticed yet, we've lost it all now, all that empire, land, and lording it. Our contempt and superiority for the rest of the world so deepest we even threw away our seat at the Brussels table.

So instead of us taking a good hard look at ourselves and using our brains to end this racism cult in order to take Britain into the future, let's keep up with the fake rage behind the fake personas and see where trading on our fake image of ourselves gets us in like 20 years. Becoz it ain't looking good folks!.

@gluteustothemaximus

Over 66 million people in this country. 31 million watched the game.

There were a few dickheads.

Get some perspective.

This with bells on, yes there were thugs BUT there were millions and millions of English fans who were NOT..

why on earth would you say they were Polish they were the usual english parasites who have made the whole world hate us and have been fuelled on by the fantastic get our country back Brexit ??????????????????????????????