So we keep hearing about how it's Totally Racist for Scottish people (or Welsh or Irish, I guess) to support Anyone But England in the World Cup. We should all support England cos they're, like, our next-door neighbours. When Alex Salmond or Andy Murray mention in passing that they might not support England, they get a pasting from the English press.
But apparently it's Absolutely Fine for a national British news programme to say:
Because things that are racist when you say them about the English aren't racist when you say them about the French, one assumes.
(C4 News - you'll be able to see it on 4OD in a bit.)
But apparently it's Absolutely Fine for a national British news programme to say:
Now for England fans, the only good news so far in the World Cup is that France are doing even worse.
Because things that are racist when you say them about the English aren't racist when you say them about the French, one assumes.
(C4 News - you'll be able to see it on 4OD in a bit.)
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To discuss the actual post, though? I count myself as 'supporting' England - as in, I would like them to win - but to me, that doesn't mean saying that the team is unconditionally wonderful. From what I've seen, they have been mostly standing around on the pitch like they don't really want to be there. They certainly haven't been playing to World Cup standard. And while I want them to win, they have to earn it. I don't think saying that makes me unsupportive; just honest. I guess a lot of people don't feel the same way?
I dunno, I've been getting round the whole thing by not giving a damn about football. But from what I've heard, they haven't been brilliant, yes!
People seem to think that the entire United Kingdom should get behind England, especially because Scotland didn't qualify. Presumably these are football fans who have somehow failed to encounter local derbies! I doubt many Man City fans support Man U in the European Cup or whatever.
And is it considered racist to support whoever England are playing? That's vastly different to the all too common Scottish view of hating all English people surely. Don't get me wrong, I'm not singling out the Scots here, there are plenty of racist English folks too, but I wasn't aware supporting any particular side in a game of football was racist?
I don't know any Scots who hate English people. Maybe you should introduce me to some of them and I'll introduce you to people who think the whole UK should get behind England ;)
Yeah I do remember Murray's comments. Thing is he was about 17 at the time. Lots of people do or say fact things when young. If people are to be judged on what we do or say as a teenager, there can't be much hope for most or us.
So now you have tweaked my curiosity, I feel I ought to know you but I can't figure it out from your profile?
I had no idea I left a reputation behind. We did do some crazy stuff in the 6th year chem lab now I think about it. Mostly involving fireballs and small explosions.
My formative years in Inverness were the same - made even more unjust by the fact I was from around here, and my Mum's family had been from around here since the beginning of time (Dad moved up from Edinburgh, from Perthshire stock). I have no idea why I have an English accent.
You said that it is an "all too common" scottish view to hate all english people. I would say, having lived in Nottingham for a few months that it's not that uncommon for some english folk to be rude, disparaging and denigrating towards scots. My own team leader would greet me each and every morning by making some fairly offensive comments about the scottish. I encountered a number of drunken english folk who were only too happy to start making snide or outright aggressive comments when they heard my accent.
Beyond this I remember one classic moment when working in a call centre in Glasgow where a customer from the home counties demanded to speak to an english manager as he didn't want to deal with some ignorant scot.
I could go on about the heavy bias in television where english sporting news is covered in the national news broadcast while if you want scottish sporting events then it's only covered in the local news section but I'm sure we've all heard it before.
I'll admit to a sense of schadenfraude when england do badly in football, but I have the same sense if not more so when Rangers do badly. I have no issues with individual english folk, I get on really well most that I meet but I also really enjoy it when english teams fall on thier faces.
It is unfair to make broad sweeping statements about "commonly held" scottish views. Especially when it appears to be held up to show how bad one side of the equation is and not the other.
Still, there's a pretty strong sentiment that the "anyone but England" attitude is rather mean spirited, when most English fans have always wanted Scotland to do well.
As for the French, I think we expect our sentiments to be reciprocated.
Good point that the French are on a more equal footing with England, somehow!
*Simplifying wildly!
I did encounter racism about my Englishness while I was living in Scotland, it's the main reason why I didn't want to live there anymore and the final deciding factor as to why I left my job. There's only so many times yuo can hear 'urgh English people' or 'I hate the English' from folk who've barely left Glasgow, never mind Scotland, without it grinding you down.
Good point about the news coverage though I'd noticed that before I'd moved; same as our local news here it's all about PLymouth, barely mentions the rest of the SW and now the ITV regional has moved to Bristol you can guess how much local news I see.
Anyway Hello!!! :) HOw're you? x
I was talking about your experiences in Glasgow to someone in relation to racism things yesterday, cos it totally taught me take anti-English stuff seriously :(