AIBU to feel uncomfortable about anti-English vibes from family?

[Notcominhomenow]

I'm English, my DH is Argentinian, and we have a 2-year-old DS.

I've always got on well with his family and we've visited them a few times or theyve come here. I speak the language fluently and am fairly integrated in that sense. DH has lived in the UK for 13 years and has always been very clear that he'd never move back to Argentina because of the economic situation there.

This week's football match was the first time England and Argentina have played each other since we've been together. I supported England (as I always would) and DH supported Argentina. Neither of us are particularly hardcore football fans, so we watched it without any issues like mature adults.

The wider family has been a different story though. My BIL and some of DH's cousins have been sharing anti-English posts on social media, "The Falklands are Argentinian" posts, and videos in the family WhatsApp group after the match showing people in DH's hometown chanting that the Falklands belong to Argentina and waving inflammatory flags. It's a very conservative small town.

I genuinely can't imagine my own family sharing any anti-Argentinian content or trying to inflame tensions like that if the situation were reversed.

I've never had particularly strong feelings about the Falklands issue or cared that much, but I can't help feeling there's just no need for thus politicisation of a sport. Most of the people posting are the younger members of the family, but they seem to have forgotten that both me and DS are English. It just feels unnecessary and, if I'm honest, a bit disrespectful. The older ones haven't said anything or have been more diplomatic.

It's also made me wonder about the future. Am I being unreasonable to worry that, as DS gets older, they might try to influence him with those kinds of views? I obviously expect him to know and appreciate both sides of his heritage, but I wouldn't be comfortable with anyone trying to push very political or nationalistic opinions onto him.

We were due to sort an Argentinian passport for DS (already has British and Italian) but now I don't feel that enthusiastic about the whole thing. Dh isn't bothered about the citizenship, it was mainly me who was driving it so he'd have more options when he's older.

Would this bother anyone else, or am I overthinking it? I just feel a bit shit and uncomfortable about the whole thing and that a stupid football match has brought out a very ugly side of people I considered family.

I don't really want to turn it into an issue as if these are personal posts meant for me, DH says its young family members being immature. I've muted everyone on social media for now for the foreseeable so I don't have to see anything else.

I have no idea why my post got hidden. I don't think it contained anything offensive?

Interesting thought. Is that why so many immigrants risk their lives daily to get here when they could far more easily claim asylum in Italy, France or Germany?

Such a shame isn't it. Margaret Thatcher needed a bit of a boost to her career and decided to go and invade The Falklands which no-one in England knew where it was. Some thought it was in Scotland. Your relatives could show some consideration to you but people lose all reason over football. Sorry, I'm not much help.

Yes, the govt should broadcast to them how truly awful England is. That'll stop the boats.

Not even vaguely comparable

Except Argentina didn’t ‘lose’ The Falklands. The islands were never theirs?

Yes, I've heard the Germans enjoy the chants from England fans and find them funny.

Absolutely. @toomanyplasticfiles would be a great candidate for the project. She could start with her original tagline of "Everybody hates England" and work from there.

If you're being serious (I hope you're not, but who knows), the Falklands war started due to the Argentinians invading them

It's genius, would cut arrivals down to zero at a stroke!

Yes, but Keir Starmer probably wouldn't have shipped the navy off on a challenging 3-week trip to defend an area no-one back home cared about or even knew about. But Margaret Thatcher would. That win boosted her political career no end.

But there were only 4 in favour, and the sheep can’t vote.

Lord wept. This has to be one of the most stupid posts I’ve read on this site.
Is this meant to be parody?

I'm not usually a football fan, but due to some very annoyed Falklands relatives (very miffed as 'Argentina have NEVER bloody owned the Falklands', I have been informed we are all supporting Spain.

Sadly, some fans sing a song about German Bombers.
I saw a lot of memes on FB which were very anti Argentina. Many with Margaret Thatcher in them.

All countries seem to have a nasty element in their football fans. Often along political or racist lines.

They all thing it 'just banter ' or British humour.

Hopefully, it will all disappear after the WC and go back to their tribal dislike of the rival footie clubs.

Try not to worry about it.

I mean it's so simple. Why didn't anyone think of it before!

To be fair the Falkland islands have exist since before Argentina was formed.

Thank you @SpottyPyjama

@Notcominhomenow I am a bit surprised that you are shocked by the intensity of the feeling. I think a lot of British people don't spend enough time thinking about how colonialism so badly and adversely affected certain countries. British people keep saying "oh that was ages ago" - well no it really wasn't in many cases.

Just for example, Zimbabwe only gained independence in 1980 as an example. In my lifetime. It really was not long ago and the consequences run so deep - many countries are still so badly affected by some of the things that took place.

I am sorry your family members were insensitive but perhaps discussing it might help you understand the intensity of the feelings.

Even if you compare the number of Argentinians who died in that war which was only in 1982 or so - that in itself would have felt like an injustice, for them. Those would have been the grandfathers / potentially fathers of some of these youngsters creating these memes.

Family conversations in a country damaged by interactions with the British empire will be entirely different to the perspective of English families discussing these matters.

The hurt runs very deep and may still be very recent for some of them. Similar in former colonies.

Incorrect, read a book.

The Argentinians tried to invade. The people of the Falklands want to remain British. Really surprised to see such incredible ignorance on here! Neighbouring landmasses aren't yours just because they're close.

You are probably being light hearted, but 1,513 Falkland islanders voted in favour of retaining British sovereignty which was 99.8% of the vote with a 92% voter turnout.

If you were not being light hearted, it might be worth remembering that over 900 men and islanders died and over 2,000 were injured, many permanently, simply because General Galtieri wanted something positive to show to his country rather than civil rights and press investigations into the nine year Dirty War that involved the death of 30,000 civilians including 8,000 or so dropped into the Atlantic from cargo planes or buried in mass graves.

Your post contains no actual facts about the Falkland islands, or why the Argentian government of the time decided to start a war by invading a protectorate.

I'm not sure why British colonialism gets brought up here. Argentina is such a young nation populated mainly by European immigrants. I've always wondered why they see themselves as poor victims in this when they are all descended from colonisers themselves.

Husbands family for example are all Italian or Spanish, not a trace of indigenous at all, so his family is no different really to those that came over to Falklands to settle from Europe.

Yeah, 'los desaparecidos' why are Argentinian people not more angry about that?

I went to a museum on that dictatorship and the disappeared people. Utterly harrowing what they did to their own citizens.

Yet the English are the enemy.