To all my readers in Great Britain
In Wales , Scotland, and Ireland we could do more to explore our Celtic heritages whilst also admitting that as part of the British state we have become cosmopolitan nations with a several linguistic heritages where people from all over the world have travelled to. We can share in the different ways of life that immigrating peoples bring to us, not shut them out in anxiety.
'After England's defeat, it's time refereeing caught up': Telegraph readers on the weekend of sport
British and English are sometimes seen as interchangeable, to the chagrin of some of our readers. Particularly this one from Northern Ireland:. Too many times an English person has been talking to me and casually mentioned 'I guess that's me being British' without a hint of thinking the are talking to someone British. Too often I have actually been asked is Belfast in Ireland or Scotland. It is unfair to feel that I am not entitled to my own Britishness when in the company of English people.
But that said, this doesn't have to be a problem. A little education would go a long way. I am British - I just need you to see me that way. Unfortunately, Britishness is often construed by the media as being terribly Anglo-centric, and I fear not even a kind of Anglo-centric that many English people can easily identify with, as it focuses on a narrow stereotype imagined by the disconnected bourgeois who mainly seclude themselves along certain stretches of the Thames Valley and the south coast.
Let's not make a fuss: 10 things that sum up Britishness
The inherent pride in a long lost empire, the stubborn boasts of achievements in sciences and the arts, the pretence that we are still a major world power, all of these things are what I feel people are told they should be proud of and feel connect to in being British. If Scotland votes for independence, will Englishness have to be reassessed? Obviously there will be political repercussions and machinations, but some of our readers feel Englishness itself will need to be revalued and redefined.
I think that one of the things that drove me away from Britishness is the fact that England seems to be the Cinderella of the UK nations. It is true that it dominates the UK in terms of size and influence, yet it is the only home nation that is not allowed its own devolved parliament or assembly. Whereas the Welsh, Scots and Northern Irish have considerable powers to manage their own affairs, England is ruled firmly by the British Government for the sole good of the UK state I believe that Englishness should be a positive identity which is embraced and celebrated , yet too many English people still seem religiously devoted to a Britishness which seems to want to expunge Englishness as a nasty, dangerous anachronism.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, this being the Guardian, there weren't too many mentions of the queen though there was one mention of Queen , but it was interesting to hear from British patriots a million miles away from the UKIP mould. I love our warm-hearted, philanthropic, quirky and socialist past. I'm proud of the unions. I'm proud that we raised stiff opposition to Thatcher and of our ability to unite in the Second World War against fascism. I'm proud that we executed a king because we valued our rights, privileges and liberties more than monarchic tradition.
I'm proud that we still slam the door of parliament in the face of the Queen's messenger, to this very day.
For me, the feeling of being British represents tolerance even the embracing of different cultures, ways of life, and opinions, as the definition evolves along with the people who live here. I feel very lucky to be living in such a nation, with the freedoms and opportunities we have.
There have always been four things that have made me proud of living in Britain - a strong welfare state, the fact that we do not have capital punishment, the fact that we do not have national service and a welcoming attitude to those from outside Britain, from the Huguenots to Windrush. Long may those values continue. When I grew up [in the s] there was a sense of progress: We also received our fair share of flippant - if witty - replies.
For some, questions of identity just aren't that important. Being English and to a lesser extent British means having no wish to loudly proclaim my Englishness. It's not that complicated. If you want to broaden your identity, you'd probably say you were European or maybe from the Northern hemisphere or from the Earth, Solar System, Milky Way, Universe, Space. That sort of thing. The aim is to get people thinking about the planet they live on and the energy they use.
How do you make sure you stay safe online? Everyone who uses the internet needs to know how to use it safely. Read about online safety in the UK. What do you know about Hanukkah? What do you know about Diwali? It's one of the biggest events in the Indian calendar. And that means big celebrations in multicultural cities in Britain, too. Find out all about the festival and how it is celebrated in Britain. Is there a special day for jokes and tricks in your country?
Do you like playing tricks on people?
The Intellectual Life of the British Working Classes | Reviews in History
Have a good look around you this November. Do you notice that more men have moustaches? It may be because it's Movember! Read more about this unusual charity event here. Would you like to be a secret agent and work undercover?
1) It's an inclusive term
Do you think the job in reality would be similar to how it's shown in films? Are you interested in politics, or do you change the TV channel when politicians appear on the screen? Dragon dances, acrobats, fireworks, a parade London is buzzing with excitement at Chinese New Year. Find out what you can do to join in the excitement! Christmas in the UK is the biggest holiday of the year. Family gatherings, turkey, presents and parties are just some of the things that come to mind when we think about Christmas time.
In the UK, schools close for about two weeks at Easter time. Read on to find out more about how Easter is celebrated in Britain. Do students in your country go directly to university or college after school or do they have a break first? Taking a gap year between school and uni is quite common in the UK and there are lots of different ways to spend your time.
There is graffiti in almost every city in the world. Read this article to learn more about Britain's most famous graffiti artist.
In October many shop windows in Britain turn orange and black, with pumpkins, witches, broomsticks and cats. What do young people do to celebrate Halloween? Read this article to find out. Do people have lots of holidays where you live?
- Le Capitalisme est-il moral ? (ESSAIS DOC.) (French Edition).
- England 'divided into readers and watchers'.
- Reading, Berkshire - Wikipedia.
Where do they go and what do they do? Read more to find out about holidays in the UK! Do you like to wear the same clothes as your friends or do you like to dress differently? Adapting clothes and creating an individual style is very popular in the UK. Log in Sign up Newsletter. Holi is a time to play and laugh, forget and forgive.
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Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland, is famous for its summer festivals. We all do it!
But do we get enough sleep?