Why do I find an anti-English thread on after hours on a weekly basis?

Laguna

I'm getting really sick and tired of coming on to boards to read some @rsehole or another ranting on about

"Why are the english *****?"

"Why do English people pronounce shindizzle like this?"

"Why are English people ignorant of my culture"

As the son of two Irish parents born and bred in the UK, I was called a Paddy up until the age of 17 when I moved here to be called, lo and behold, an English **** as I practically stepped off the boat. I've become so disenchanted with the popular consensus of Irish thought on immigration, government that I can't believe I actually herald from this country, how can so many of you be so small minded?. I'm well aware that there is a lot of people in Ireland and subsequently Boards.ie users that think like me, that are open minded and able to discuss issues on an adult level, I'm also aware that there is a high number of people in Ireland and subsequently members on Boards.ie who will show their primitive intellect by replying to this thread as "**** off back to England" etc. which will only prove my point..

I abhor racism of all kinds, that includes racist inference and the incitement of racial hatred and YES that's what these threads do. What do the posters think they achieve by posting them and subsequently trying to justify them?.

YES, EVERYONE IS AWARE AT THE PAIN AND SUFFERING THE BRITISH EMPIRE CAUSED MANY (YES, MANY. NOT JUST IRELAND, BUT INDIA, ABORIGINAL AUSTRALIANS, EARLY AMERICA, AFRICA ETC.) NATIONS OF THE WORLD BUT YOU HAVE TO GET OVER THIS, IRELAND HAS BEEN IT'S OWN STATE SINCE THE TWENTIES OR HAVE YOU YET TO BE INFORMED.

Yes, some English people in the past have caused heinous crimes and so have Irish people, why don't you start ranting about the Catholic chuch and the condoning of the sanctioned rapes of the children by "Christian" brothers who ruined so many lives, the wonderful Nuns who caused pain and suffering in schools and laundries and workhouses?. Do we not rant about this on here because it's a little close to home?, a little to close to the fact that these people were.......... Irish?

Just drop these insipid thoughts that come into your perverse heads, the ones where you think you're doing a service for Ireland by taking a snipe/moaning/whinging about the English. Welcome to 2005.

jcoote

your fighting a losing battle

its just bred into irish people to hate the british

i see where your coming from but its just a part of culture and fair enough its 2005 but people aren't changing i this one...

Scarinae

Many call it nationalism. However, I always thought that nationalism was pride of your own country, not hatred of another. It is pretty stupid and twisted I have always thought... I just think people need to let go, it is racism whether they want to believe it or not, and they are fuelling it with their ignorant commnts. I'm not talking about the Internet here, but often when I've heard people make anti-British comments I have asked them about it and you know what? Usually when you scratch a bit beneath the surface they actually don't have any reason to hate the British, they just spew out all this crap they have heard from other people. Get over it, think for yourself, and we would all be a lot happier

jrey1981

Interesting that Laguna mentioned some of the places that were part of the British Empire...I have two Iranian friends who left with their parents during the Revolution and they say that they sometimes wish Iran had been taken over during the Empire as it would be a better place than it is at the moment - ie a functioning democracy making the best of its past, as India is doing for example.

Rb

It's strange actually, Irish people(at least in Dublin) seem to welcome all different races&cultures into the country (asian,african,indian etc) EXCEPT for the British.Considering Britain have accepted so many Irish immigrants in previous years you'd think people would realize "hey, these people aren't our enemies" but yet you've still so many Irish people who hate the Brits just for what happened in the past.
It's 2005, people need to put the past behind them but I can't see it happening any time soon.

AARRRGH

Where are these anti-English threads? I certainly don't see them.

Sure, the Boards.ie folk like to bitch about lots of things, but they bitch about Dell computers/Irish Broadband/their job/their girlfriend/etc just as much as they bitch about England.

You are just noticing the England bitching.

Laguna

There's two threads in the after hours forum this week alone. The "Why can't the English pronounce Doherty" thread and the delightful "Why are the english so ignorant of our culture".

AARRRGH

Well, the English do have problem pronouncing Doherty.

Not sure if the English are ignorant of our culture (at least, when compared to other countries.)

However, you cannot blame Irish people for having ill feelings against the English. It was literally beaten into us.

Laguna

So you're condoning what people say on here about the English?. Fair enough.

AARRRGH

Laguna wrote:

So you're condoning what people say on here about the English?. Fair enough.

Well, personally, I know the current generation have nothing to do with what went on in the past, so I harbor no ill will towards the English.

I do however understand people who are angry regarding our history though.

StupidLikeAFox

Unfortunately thats life. Your giving out about the irish attitude towards english, love it or hate it, thats the way it is. You wouldnt find it in your homeland, go figure. Or else go out and change it somehow. Bitching on the internet wont change a thing.

Laguna

But that's acknowledgement and acceptance of the behaviour of Irish people who continue to keep this ill blood alive between English and Irish people.

If you can understand the people who act with racist comments etc. towards English people, would you also understand if the British government had decided in the wake of repetitive bombings of London by the IRA in the 1970's onwards, to drop bombs on Dublin?. The IRA targeted civilian targets in London, they killed men, women and children, yet some people over here think this is a great laugh, throwing fund raisers, singing along to IRA songs AND THEN have the cheek to come on television after events such as 9/11 and the London bombings and offer condolences.

The way the Irish government has lobbied the release of the IRA men in colombia is a clear a sign as any that this government fully endorses the IRA brand of terrorism.

AARRRGH

Laguna wrote:

The way the Irish government has lobbied the release of the IRA men in colombia is a clear a sign as any that this government fully endorses the IRA brand of terrorism.

That's a very extreme way of looking at it.

Maybe they were just doing what they are supposed to do as our government: look out for irish people.

Laguna

ColHol wrote:

Unfortunately thats life. Your giving out about the irish attitude towards english, love it or hate it, thats the way it is. You wouldnt find it in your homeland, go figure. Or else go out and change it somehow. Bitching on the internet wont change a thing.

Bitching on the internet?, is this how you refer to someone calling for an end to racist threads and comments?, bitching?, well by your "that's the way it is" statement you're quite blatantly one of the aforementioned condoners of this racist behaviour.

AARRRGH

Laguna wrote:

Bitching on the internet?, is this how you refer to someone calling for an end to racist threads and comments?, bitching?, well by your "that's the way it is" statement you're quite blatantly one of the aforementioned condoners of this racist behaviour.

You really do have a George Bush style black-and-white way of looking at things: you're either with me or against me.

Most things are in the grey area, you know?

StupidLikeAFox

Laguna wrote:

you're quite blatantly one of the aforementioned condoners of this racist behaviour.

pfffft clearly :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

As i said, bitching on the internet wont change a thing. People start a thread, big ****in deal. are you trying to change peoples mentality or trying to change whats said on this internet website?

Laguna

I'm trying to understand these peoples motivations, what they aim to achieve by saying/posting these things?, is it wrong for me to be upset by racism?

Laguna

dublindude wrote:

You really do have a George Bush style black-and-white way of looking at things: you're either with me or against me.

Most things are in the grey area, you know?

Is racism really a "grey area" these days?

StupidLikeAFox

Laguna wrote:

I'm trying to understand these peoples motivations, what they aim to achieve by saying/posting these things?, is it wrong for me to be upset by racism?

Of course not, but at the same time accept that there are racists out there, you're gonna come across them here and there, such is life

Kernel

The reason why is that most of the country of Ireland still hate the English.

billy the squid

had you used the "report post" button on the posts you found objectionable, then something might have happened. now there are three threads about anti-english sentiment. did you think of that?

biko

Laguna wrote:

Is racism really a "grey area" these days?

It sure is. How many times has someone said "I'm not a racist, but..." or "I like foreigners but we can't let them all in" or "Paki shops are great, they are open at Christmas" or something along those lines? That would be percieved as rasicm but some but not by others, hence "grey area".
I for one like English people, usually well-mannered and generally good craic. It's just that British politics rubs me the wrong way, just like American politics. I even have English friends As a matter of fact I have Arab and black friends too.

biko

Sure the Dubs are half-English anyway!
*runs for cover behind the fridge*

Kernel

biko wrote:

Sure the Dubs are half-English anyway!
*runs for cover behind the fridge*

Sure... and everyone from Galway and the west are from the sunken Spanish Armada.....
:rolleyes:

biko

Si, senor! That's why the "Galway girl" has "hair of black and eyes of blue".

The Sweeper

dublindude wrote:

However, you cannot blame Irish people for having ill feelings against the English. It was literally beaten into us.

That's really terrible for you dublindude - have you reported your assault to the Gardai? Did you get a description of who did it? Can you remember? Have you been to hospital? Are you okay?


...oh, what? It wasn't actually literally beaten into you personally?

...so have you ever actually been beaten up by an English person who's trying to oppress you, or is your logic really just the self-indulgent glory of vicarious resentment of something that happened to people you never knew?

Hagar

This is Boards.ie - note the ie bit.

The English don't have to come here to be resented, they're resented everywhere they go.

The Welsh and the Scots aren't too keen on you either.
The English are even resented in England, by the people from their ex-Colonies.

If every nation you ever meet resents you maybe it's you and not the whole world that's at fault.
Maybe you should stand back and take a good long look at yourselves as a race.

BTW "resented" was the least offensive word I could think of, but then you probably already knew that. You is plural, not you personally.

gandalf

Well if people want to manifest their inferiority by being abusive to another race, I think we should pity them.

Pepe LeFrits

Hagar wrote:

This is Boards.ie - note the ie bit.

The English don't have to come here to be resented, they're resented everywhere they go.

The Welsh and the Scots aren't too keen on you either.
The English are even resented in England, by the people from their ex-Colonies.

If every nation you ever meet resents you maybe it's you and not the whole world that's at fault.
Maybe you should stand back and take a good long look at yourselves as a race.

BTW "resented" was the least offensive word I could think of, but then you probably already knew that. You is plural, not you personally.

Correction: Certain Welsh and certain Scots aren't too keen on the English, and certain people in every nation resent the English. You get a few bad apples wherever you go.

Hagar

gandalf wrote:

Well if people want to manifest their inferiority by being abusive to another race, I think we should pity them.

I must assume by this you mean the English as they are arguably the most racist, condecsending and class concious country I have ever come across.

gandalf

Its a general comment covering all who think like this :rolleyes:

kensutz

I'm in total agreement with Laguna on the way things have gone against the UK citizens. Also the "Doherty" thread descended into a farce just because of a simple argument against a pointless pronounciation.

Besprechen

Hagar wrote:

I must assume by this you mean the English as they are arguably the most racist, condecsending and class concious country I have ever come across.

not everyone of course is like that, but the anti-german mentality you get over here is unbelievable, I blame the press. if you substitued some of the things that were written or said about germany with India/Pakistan. etc. theyrd be utter outrage!

Hagar

kaids wrote:

Correction: Certain Welsh and certain Scots aren't too keen on the English, and certain people in every nation resent the English. You get a few bad apples wherever you go.

I accept your correction.

But are these bad apples ...
(a) A few bad English who get the rest a bad name.
(b) Other people classed as bad because they have issues with a former colonial power who never grew out of it.

Lemlin

To answer the OP: 700 years.

Go and read about a few things like The Famine, the 1798 Rebellion, the Penal Laws and Oliver Cromwell's visits to Ireland.

Then you'll have a few ideas of why.

Anyone who reads Irish history will know why. For example, few people know it but I have to laugh when English people talk about the atrocities commited in Hitler's concentration camps.

Amazing how they forget that Hitler was following an idea the English had invented 40 years or so earlier in South Africe during the Boer Wars.

Hagar

Although I got the email notification, I see Liamskater's post never quite made it.

It's good to see the Mods are on the job.
We can have a good debate without going overboard.

Sparky

i think that the current generation of people in ireland and england are somewhat getting over the who, fck the english, and your just a paddy thing, its all well and good saying things like that to each other, but as you mature and grow up you will realise that your just acting like a kid. I think its the previous generation of people in both ireland and england who still try to fuel the fire, because in england, the older class in england were more racist toward my friend when she was over there than any younger person, and over here, the likes of my granny would never stop on how the english ruined ireland.
We may all at times be a bit racist at england for what they done, but times change that history.
I mean do we still call germans nazi's??

Lemlin

i think that the current generation of people in ireland and england are somewhat getting over the who, fck the english, and your just a paddy thing, its all well and good saying things like that to each other, but as you mature and grow up you will realise that your just acting like a kid. I think its the previous generation of people in both ireland and england who still try to fuel the fire, because in england, the older class in england were more racist toward my friend when she was over there than any younger person, and over here, the likes of my granny would never stop on how the english ruined ireland.
We may all at times be a bit racist at england for what they done, but times change that history.
I mean do we still call germans nazi's??

I wouldn't be quite so dismissive of your granny. Let's not forget that atrocities were being commited in Ireland by the Black and Tans just 80 years ago. Your granny probably had to live through that.

I remember my brother telling me how he went to see Michael Collins and that during it there was three old Irish women crying because it brought back such painful memories of the fear in the country at that time.

Board@Work

I hate the general anti-english crap that is in Ireland...

People hate the english yet have no problems wearing english football team shirts and supporting them.. the hypocracy of it all is beyond belief...


The sooner we Irish loose this chip on our shoulders the better. I like alot of Irish have spent alot of time in Britain and have found the english to be friendly and hold no ill will against the Irish.. In fact like most peoples around the world they love the Irish.. Of course there are @ssholes there but there are plenty here too

Utopia Parkway

I don't think any of the threads here are particularly anti-English. In general everyone gets slagged on this site at one point or another but most of it is in jest.

We'll always have a love/hate relationship with the English though given our colonial history. The same as any other nations worldwide with a similiar relationship. We're not unique in that regard. We probably have more in common with the English than anyone else but at the same time we like to take the piss out of them more than anyone else.

To us they'll always be the "auld enemy" much the same as they are to the Scots, Welsh, Australians, Indians at cricket, etc. Such is life.

Sir Oxman

I have a very good friend who is English (wooooo!), we have the bit of banter about the rivalry between our two countries etc

He's a very easy going bloke but has said to me several times (and I've witnessed it) that he gets the 'English c***' and 'F*** off home' stuff a bit too much for his liking, it does make him feel uncomfortable.
The chap has worked and lived here for 7 years, has a couple of kids and generally doesn't bother anyone.

IMHO, I notice a disproportionate amount of abuse, not slagging, of our friends across the way and it is very embarrassing when you hear it being spewed.

That said, yer man likes it over here and has learnt to sidestep any boring crap/abuse that comes his way over the simple fact of being English.

I can see where the OP is coming from due to the experiences of my mate and it must be doubly hard to put up with when he's had the same over in England, which just goes to show there are many a*seholes everywhere.
Ignore the gombeens and let them seethe in their own mess.

Chin up, old boy! YMMV.

limerick_man

Ok, I'm joining this one

YES, EVERYONE IS AWARE AT THE PAIN AND SUFFERING THE BRITISH EMPIRE CAUSED MANY (YES, MANY. NOT JUST IRELAND, BUT INDIA, ABORIGINAL AUSTRALIANS, EARLY AMERICA, AFRICA ETC.)

I agree the Brits have pissed most of the world off! We are, on the whole, not concerned about what they have done.... but N. Ireland!

why don't you start ranting about the Catholic chuch and the condoning of the sanctioned rapes of the children by "Christian" brothers who ruined so many lives, the wonderful Nuns who caused pain and suffering in schools and laundries and workhouses?.

Umm.. how long have you been living here?, try listening to Irish music, or Irish TV ... or in fact any media in the Republic of Ireland!!!!!

It's strange actually, Irish people(at least in Dublin) seem to welcome all different races&cultures into the country (asian,african,indian etc) EXCEPT for the British

I dont find that, just that less British people decided to come and live here! Although my friend was wearing an English soccer jersey and someone walking past him actually screamed "Ireland" at him! ... While we dont have a problem with other jerseys ... so i see where u are coming from there.. but its like as long as they dont go around showing there Britishness then they are welcome coz i know a few People from England

If you can understand the people who act with racist comments etc. towards English people, would you also understand if the British government had decided in the wake of repetitive bombings of London by the IRA in the 1970's onwards, to drop bombs on Dublin?.

Well, see the IRA is a terrorist group, they dont represent Ireland (they say they do, but they dont), same way Al Quieda arn't actually representing the entire muslim community around the world! Hell personally i feel the DUP are more fighting for what i want!

THEN have the cheek to come on television after events such as 9/11 and the London bombings and offer condolences.

Ok with 9/11 thats America... Ireland and America have a strong bond, goes back to the days when we both hated the Brits! And the London bombings, well we were shocked and surprised because we thought we had built your terrorist defence up to combat anything! Once the IRA saw that they didnt do a good enough job ... they just quit!

If every nation you ever meet resents you maybe it's you and not the whole world that's at fault.
Maybe you should stand back and take a good long look at yourselves as a race.

Umm... thats really, really over the top! (PS... they live and have the same morals as us)

not everyone of course is like that, but the anti-german mentality you get over here is unbelievable, I blame the press

What are you on about, Ireland loves the Germans .. they helped us get freedom, they wear a white soccer jersey in honour of Ireland, they have been a major contributer to helping Ireland from funding through the EU!
I know German people, I dont know anyone I can think of that doesnt like Germans!

I remember my brother telling me how he went to see Michael Collins and that during it there was three old Irish women crying because it brought back such painful memories of the fear in the country at that time.

That movie bares no resemblence to what actually happened it is factually incorrect! Dont base your ideaology on ficton!

Ok so .. I have run out of posts to comment on... well this has been fun, oh and can I add ... Each and every one of ye is a physco!

Lemlin

Like I pointed out above, its only 80 years since alot of this happened so I have no problem with older people having anti-English sentiments. In the same way, I wouldn't blame people in places like Omagh for having anti-Irish sentiments.

I think History should be compulsory in schools for people though. Perhaps the Celtic jersey wearing, Wolfe Tones concert attending dumbasses who profess their hate for England would have an idea what they're talking about then?

Like the point about the concentration camps above though, another one I laugh at are Unionists who talk about their love for England and how Britain would never abandon them.

If they knew a bit of basic history they'd know that Churchill offered De Valera the 6 counties in the 40s for little more than the user of three Irish ports and a few other terms. Never abandon them indeed....

Sparky

Lemlin wrote:

If they knew a bit of basic history they'd know that Churchill offered De Valera the 6 counties in the 40s for little more than the user of three Irish ports and a few other terms. Never abandon them indeed....

Bang on.

Baz_

This thread makes my eyes bleed, so I'll respond to only one thing.

Laguna wrote:

...YOU HAVE TO GET OVER THIS...

Why do we have to? Why should we? & Who are you to demand that we all just sweep 800 years of brutality and evilness under the carpet?

Like dublindude said, I personally don't harbour any ill will towards English people, although English people not bothering to learn how to pronounce Irish names does bother me, in terms of our culture they can be as ignorant as they please, sure they're almost Americans as it is. However, I can understand why some people would still harbour ill will, 800 years is a long time, and I reckon it might just take as long to forgive and forget the atrocities as it took to carry them out. Just get over it, or don't read them threads.

limerick_man

delah wrote:

He's a very easy going bloke but has said to me several times (and I've witnessed it) that he gets the 'English c***' and 'F*** off home' stuff a bit too much for his liking, it does make him feel uncomfortable

..... You had to just get in there before me didnt ya! Just make my post seem stupid! :eek:

Lemlin

That movie bares no resemblence to what actually happened it is factually incorrect! Dont base your ideaology on ficton!

You haven't really read all my posts, have you? I've made a point of backing up all my ideology with fact to show I'm not another English-hating dumbass with little or no reason behind it.

I wasn't basing anything on a movie. I was just showing how even a film could bring up strong emotions for people who lived through that era, be it factually correct or not.

Besprechen

limerick_man wrote:

What are you on about, Ireland loves the Germans .. they helped us get freedom, they wear a white soccer jersey in honour of Ireland, they have been a major contributer to helping Ireland from funding through the EU!
I know German people, I dont know anyone I can think of that doesnt like Germans!

oops, sorry, shouda said i meant over here where i am in england!

limerick_man

Now, now, now!!!!
The English are great! When anyone of us go on holiday within the EU we can act as we please... Y?
Because they think we are British because we speak English!!!!
They make our travels so much more fun!

limerick_man

Besprechen wrote:

oops, sorry, shouda said i meant over here where i am in england!

Oh right! Well the Brits have a reason to hate the Germans, they lost lots of money lives and .. Ireland !

Scarinae

Hagar wrote:

This is Boards.ie - note the ie bit.

The English don't have to come here to be resented, they're resented everywhere they go.

The Welsh and the Scots aren't too keen on you either.
The English are even resented in England, by the people from their ex-Colonies.

If every nation you ever meet resents you maybe it's you and not the whole world that's at fault.
Maybe you should stand back and take a good long look at yourselves as a race.

BTW "resented" was the least offensive word I could think of, but then you probably already knew that. You is plural, not you personally.

So basically, you're saying since everybody hates the British then it's ok if we do it too? And what is one English person meant to do about it? They aren't personally responsible for the centuries of oppression, they weren't even alive when it happened, they can't help where they were born, so why should we bear a grudge against each of them?

Lemlin wrote:

To answer the OP: 700 years.

Go and read about a few things like The Famine, the 1798 Rebellion, the Penal Laws and Oliver Cromwell's visits to Ireland.

Then you'll have a few ideas of why.

Lemlin wrote:

I think History should be compulsory in schools for people though. Perhaps the Celtic jersey wearing, Wolfe Tones concert attending dumbasses who profess their hate for England would have an idea what they're talking about then?

While I agree that the things that the English did in our country were awful, I just don't think it is reason enough for the thoughtless racism you get from Irish people. I think you're right about the History bit, people should at least know what the hell they're talking about when they're mouthing off about England, but I just don't think it's acceptable to use it as fuel for abusing ordinary English people who haven't done anything to us personally and probably aren't even aware of Irish history themselves. Being annoyed with the English government of centuries ago for what they did is fine and it is understandable, but hating any English person is ignorant and racist