@JudgeJ
I did wonder if someone would be able to make such a nasty sweeping statement about other nationalities or would that be a naughty step crime?
Maybe have another read of what I wrote and reconsider your response?
I didn't make a sweeping judgement of a nationality. And I should clarify that I am English though I currently live in NZ. I have lived in several countries so I have fairly good insight of different perspectives such as how the English are viewed internationally. I have lived it.
I pointed out that the tone of many threads give the English a bad reputation. Trust me, MN is notorious for bitchiness and it is an English site. We cannot separate the two.
However, to address your point about other nationalities, I have noticed appalling levels of xenophobia go unchallenged here, there are multiple threads devoted to hatred directed at Americans, Australians, Germans and so on.
Even worse is the pure, unadulterated racism though I have noticed that most racist posts do get deleted fairly quickly. I do believe MN as a site recognises and condones racism but there are still an awful lot of users who appear to be breathtakingly ignorant, posting "funny things their children said about Black people", for example. It is heartening when other posters pick them up on it but oh, the number of micro aggressions towards certain groups is sad.
It feels to me that MN identifies some kinds hate speech but not others.
Hate is hate, whether it is directed at a person, a race, a country, a religion and as on. Personally I don't think it should be allowed at all. I don't understand why it is considered acceptable when directed at celebrities and politicians. (which is definitely not peculiar to MN!)
I just think there are better ways to talk.