Anti-Irish Racism

TEH REAL CDP

Disclaimer: I am not a politically savvy person... nor do I bear any grudge against the English.

Just wondering here, but as an Irishman living in the UK, I have experienced quite a few anti-Irish sentiments from English people. To be more precise... I'm in Cardiff, and I find Welsh people very amicable - however, many English people are not.

Example:

Canadian person: You're not an international student - isn't Ireland apart of Great Britian?

Me: No, the Republic of Ireland is a separate country from England - we have our own government, president and constitution.

Canadian person: Oh! I didn't know that...

English person: How can you say you're actually separate when the Queen governs the north of the island? Really, come on!

Me: *Shocked*

I subsequently defeated her ridiculous and ignorant statements with some logic...

I have never held any opinion on the north/Irish politics/etc., as I felt it never affected me... and I wasn't educated enough on the issue so I couldn't comment. However this display of sheer ignorance stunned me.

So I'm wondering, has anyone else experienced the same thing? What do you do in a situation like that again? I have received a few snide remarks about this...I never thought I would encounter it. For the most part, I really like the English... this just suprised me I guess?

I'm not usually very patriotic or anything but I did feel like my identity was in question. I don't like that and also, I feel "Irish jokes" reinforce the negative stereotypes that belittle us.

Opinions/Advice?

Cheers.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

I think you oughta accept the queens gracious rule and be damned grateful for the opportunity.

Kinetic^

All hail the queen!!!!!!

Jesus Wept

She's a lizard.

cHaTbOx

The-Rigger wrote: »

She's a lizard.

She has a gizzard:D

Crann na Beatha

This post has been deleted.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

This is just begging for an "I for one would like to welcome" comment...

Fresh Breeze

She does not tolerate treason.

cHaTbOx

I for one would like to welcome the lizard with the gizzard

sixpack's little hat

Bring back the English, we're not capable of ruling ourselves.

God save the Queen!

Ross_Mahon

I'm sick of this crap on Xbox live, People are extremely stupid!

Actions speak louder than words, So i kill them and their team.

Fresh Breeze

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SBXcybIo3o

slipss

TEH REAL CDP wrote: »

Opinions/Advice?

Ahh for the love of god man, thicken your skin a bit, your Irish, we're the best slaggers in the world, just give it back to them twice as bad, or put on a Derry accent and threaten to blow their house to smithereenes, that's always good for a larf.

SimpleSam06

slipss wrote: »

Ahh for the love of god man, thicken your skin a bit, your Irish, we're the best slaggers in the world, just give it back to them twice as bad

Indeed, I remember a conversation in the pub where lots of the comments like the OP was mentioning were going around from a couple of English lads, and one of the Irish people sitting at the table turned around and said "But sure don't all English people take it up the arse? Well don't they?"

They got really upset. I mean way disproportionate to the comment, which was mentioned in a bantering sort of way. Says it all really.

pickarooney

You must've hit a sore spot, just north of the prostate.

phasers

I don't associate with the English.


800 YEARS!

Caoimhín

Pity the poor, uneducated English fool and absolve them of their sins.

Seriously, your average Englishmans grasp of geography and history are on a par with the most inbred, red necked Yank. They still havent gotten over the loss of empire thing.

OP, maybe it was in jest and they were looking to get a reaction from you?

English people treat me like I am a twinkley eyed lucky charms figurine.
Sometimes they ask to kiss me, seemingly for luck.

pablomakaveli

Britain is the america of europe so that sort of ignorance shouldnt come as a surprise.

i hear british girls love irish men anyway so that makes up for it.

Kold

English people killed my father. And raped my mother.




In other news, get over it spudpickers.

chem

In a pub one night and the talk came round to the troubles in the north. Banter was good and heated debate raged as the pints flowed. Door opens and in walks a man originaly from NI and who everyone knew was in prison for something to do with the troubles.

So now was as good a time as any to ask him. "what were you in prison for?"

Shop lifting! was the reply. Everyone looked at each other confused.

Shop lifting?? someone questioned.

Yea was the reply. I put half a pound of semtex in a shop and blew it up. Now thats what we call F**KING shop lifting in our area!

thelordofcheese

Ross_Mahon wrote: »

I'm sick of this crap on Xbox live, People are extremely stupid!

I think i've found your problem.

Terrontress

I am from Belfast originally and lived in Dublin for eight years. I got a hell of a lot of stick about being a Northerner, Nordie, Protestant (which I am not), English, a Brit etc. Also endless sentences beginning "All you lot up there..." I took it all in good humour. It was my mates saying it after all but it was constant. I took the hand out of them about other things.

I have since moved to London and have not had one person take the piss over where I am from. Closest thing has been around the Northern Ireland football team. Nothing about me as an individual.

As I say, it was all in good humour but I think the OP is deluded if he thinks that people from the larger part of Ireland are not racist as well.

But he should learn to stop being such a nancy and join in the fun.

Ponster

OP explain exactly why you believe the English person you spoke to to be racist based on the quote you gave.

Kazaap

ermm, am I the only person who didnt think that was in the least bit racist? it sounds to me like he was having abit of fun

*edit* no apparently I'm not, good

Jimbo

We should be grateful their still not raping and pillaging us.

Take it on the chin OP and then cower in the corner.

Sticks and stones....

Creature

All hail the Queen Spider!

Canadian person: You're not an international student - isn't Ireland apart of Great Britian?

Me: No, the Republic of Ireland is a separate country from England - we have our own government, president and constitution.

Canadian person: Oh! I didn't know that...

English person: How can you say you're actually separate when the Queen governs the north of the island? Really, come on!

Me: *Shocked*

I subsequently defeated her ridiculous and ignorant statements with some logic...

LOL

Royalty have had no active part in government since Cromwell for starters, apart from some ceremonial duties.

she's confusing geographic separation with political separation!

Uneducated! yes!
racist! no!!

Captain Darling

Its all about education, we have the same type of people here too.

I know people that support Celtic, weep into their pints when the National anthem comes on and curse the queen at every oppertunity they can. If you sat them down and talked to them about the political geography/history of these Isles they wouldnt have a rats ass clue what they were talking about.:pac:

Caoimhín

Captain Darling wrote: »

If you sat them down and talked to them about the political geography/history of these Isles they wouldnt have a rats ass clue what they were talking about.:pac:

Life is too short to even contemplate sitting down to talk about political geography/history with a Celtic jersey wearing baboon.

*Edit, talk AT a Celtic jersey wearing baboon, it wouldn't be a two way dialogue of any sort.

Cunny-Funt

I was actually quite shocked at the amount of British I've encountered who did not understand the difference between Ireland and Northern Ireland and who consider the UK to be 'the main land' to Ireland....

I knew one guy who had even been to dublin and yet still thought he was still in the UK... despite the fcking EURO and everything...

When it comes to ireland anyway, theres a shocking amount of ignorance in the UK.

Having said all that most british people I've chat to are normally sound enough to me about me being irish (the same way most countries are eg "omg your irish cool" etc etc)

While at the same time, only people I've experienced anti irishness with are the british..