Is racism against the English acceptable?

[BabyBearRus]

We are currently on holiday in Wales and have just heard an altercation outside our holiday accommodation blasting the "bastard English who come to stay here". I'm shocked. I am half Welsh and half Irish, and spent much time in both countries. But also spent half my life in England. There has always been a jovial criticism of the English, e.g. during rugby internationals etc, but in recent years the tone has become more racist. I also find this resentful attitude towards the English amongst my Irish and Scottish friends. The English seem to be an acceptable people to hate. Surely this should be classed as racism? And, I'm saying this from a predominantly Welsh and Irish heritage. Yes, I am aware of the history of these isles, but when are we going to get over this? Truly baffled.

[TenPenceMix]

No it's not acceptable and it sucks.
I'm in the same position as you OP but in Scotland instead. I absolutely love the place I've lived here more than half my life but as soon as I ope my mouth people change it's so weird.

[TopOfTheHour]

TenPenceMix, snap.

[WorraLiberty]

@BabyBearRus

Just want to mention that I am married to a very patriotic Welshman, and a daughter of a very patriotic Welshman. And my sister is Plaid Cymru all the way...like all English should be out of Wales permanently 🤷 So, I really am between a rock and a hard place. But this prejudice towards an entire nation (or rather from a white English background) leaves a nasty taste in my mouth. My husband and Dad actually cheered for the other team in the Euro 20 final. Wtf 🤷

We are currently on holiday in Wales and have just heard an altercation outside our holiday accommodation blasting the "bastard English who come to stay here". I'm shocked.

In that case why were you so shocked?

[TheSkatesOfCoachBombay]

It's not acceptable no.

Are you by any chance down in West Wales? They do get very thingy about the holiday cottages that outsiders buy, leave vacant for months. I mean historically they burnt them all down, so yeah it's a bit troublesome down that way to say the least.

But I digress, it's not acceptable at all.

[BabyBearRus]

Also, my husband always goes on about the injustices commited by the English, and the suppression of the Welsh language and the pillaging of the natural wealth and resources of Wales by the English. But surely this is more of a class issue? Even in England, those in power always exploited the working class?

[VladmirsPoutine]

Xenophobic attitudes towards the English are very tedious and unacceptable but I guess on the flip side Black people are often killed, arrested etc for the crime of being Black, so there's that.

[MissConductUS]

@WorraLiberty

I'm pretty sure you know

1. It's xenophobia

1. It's not acceptable

However, on Mumsnet English bashing is almost as popular as Londoner bashing at times.

Which is only exceeded by American bashing.

[Whattodoaboutnothing]

English isn’t a race - so no…..

[DeflatedGinDrinker]

Op you being dramatic and unreasonable. Since when was England a race?!

[BabyBearRus]

WorraLiberty I'm shocked because my family aren't so openly vitriolic (accept perhaps my sister, but that's a different story). But I always was proud of how welcoming the Welsh could be, so I am shocked at this reaction.

And yes, we are in West Wales atm.

[WorraLiberty]

@VladmirsPoutine

Xenophobic attitudes towards the English are very tedious and unacceptable but I guess on the flip side Black people are often killed, arrested etc for the crime of being Black, so there's that.

There definitely is that and no-one's denying that.

But it's ok for the OP to be talking about this problem right now on this thread.

[TheSkatesOfCoachBombay]

@BabyBearRus

Also, my husband always goes on about the injustices commited by the English, and the suppression of the Welsh language and the pillaging of the natural wealth and resources of Wales by the English. But surely this is more of a class issue? Even in England, those in power always exploited the working class?

BabyBearRus he's a Plaid supporter, it's like their mantra. Just ignore it, the rest of us here do. The majority do not want a independent Wales...what are we supposed to do, base our economy on Trecco bay holiday park July to September!

Look the English came in centuries ago, they took away Hywel Dda laws which stripped Welsh women of their equality, they then went on to try and eradicate the Welsh language with use of the Welsh knot and a generation in Wales grew up not learning the language.

But we've bounced back, our language is growing our history is alive. Really does need to be a forgive and forget scenario. I mean Theresa and Michael from Stockport visiting the Gower really had no say in this.

[BabyBearRus]

Talking of race, my Black African-American friend recently visited north Wales with his white English wife and vowed never to step foot here again as he experienced terrible racist attitudes.

[znaika]

Anything less than fawning praise will get you accused of American bashing. On the other hand try being Russian.

[SirVixofVixHall]

@BabyBearRus

Absolutely agree spotcheck. This altercation has really shaken me, as the woman they were having a go at was English. She only...very politely... asked them not to park in front of her drive. She spends half the year at the property, and contributes massively to the local community.

“She spends half the year at the property “ of course she does. Selfish, selfish selfish.

Second homes and holiday homes are destroying villages all over Wales. That plus English incomers with far more money than locals means that many rural villages are no longer Welsh , and our children can’t afford to live in their own communities.
I live somewhere that is being destroyed by second homes and thoughtless tourism. Welsh people here are distressed, , they are angry at the loss of our communities to airbnbs and to people who have no respect for Wales as a separate country, with a separate language, ethnicity and culture.
It is time people actually took on board the damage they do when they buy a second home in Wales, or they stay in a holiday cottage, or decide to move here because it is cheap for them.
I have never seen people as angry as now, i have seen three people today and it was the main topic of conversation with each one. We have had enough !
STOP DESTROYING OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES and maybe people won’t get pissed off.

[Bagamoyo1]

What baffles me is that people will pay thousands and risk their lives to get to this supposedly vile horrible little country with its nasty people. Why do they do that if England and the English are so awful?

[Pinchoftums]

It's been like this forever. Just as the Welsh are teased for being sheep shaggers and the Scots for being tight fisted pissheads. People are dicks.
The English for millennia view themselves as superior and more sophisticated, ruling from London. It doesn't help that the main political party for the last 40 years are posh london/southern centricwho don't give a fuck about Wales, Scotland and until early recently the North.
It doesn't make xenophobia OK but it happens both ways.

[sst1234]

@VladmirsPoutine

Xenophobic attitudes towards the English are very tedious and unacceptable but I guess on the flip side Black people are often killed, arrested etc for the crime of being Black, so there's that.

Doesn’t take long for the whataboutery to come out of the woodwork

[Pinchoftums]

@Bagamoyo1 makes you realise how bad the alternatives for them are.

[BabyBearRus]

TheSkatesOfCoachBombay great comment. 👍 Yes, usually it's light hearted banter, but there is often an underbelly of true resentment. I suppose I just felt really bad for this middle aged woman being abused just because she was English. There are Welsh holiday home owners here, but they don't seem to be subject to the same scrutiny or abuse.

[Tittyfilarious81]

I've been on holiday to south Wales and north Wales and the attitude towards the English was appalling on the holiday park even the staff looked down on us and the locals seemed to be ok til I spoke in my northern accent then bam totally different . Never again

[WorraLiberty]

Yes, the whataboutery began pretty quickly.

So far we have

Black people
American people
Russian people

That's not what the OP is about.

[Bagamoyo1]

[quote Pinchoftums]@Bagamoyo1 makes you realise how bad the alternatives for them are.[/quote]
Like France you mean?
Of course I’m not stupid enough to deny the horrors people are escaping from, but many of them go to huge lengths to get to England. Only England. Not France, Spain, Italy, Wales , Scotland, Ireland. So we can’t be that bad can we. Yet it’s seemingly fine for people to openly hate us.

[BabyBearRus]

SirVixofVixHall I absolutely sympathise with your view. But what about Welsh owners of holiday homes? The house we stay in has been in my husband's family for two centuries. He still has close family in the area. A family that has contributed a great deal to the local community for many years. What is acceptable second home ownership?