Wednesday 31 August 2011

Has you're Granny got a Heilan' Hame?

A common theme of yer actual cybernat is the blind assumption that everyone is like them. If you're not a Scot Nat, you must be a "unionist", and if you happen to be English and speak out against Scots Nats, that's because you're an English Nat. Have to be. Stands to reason. How can anyone not be  a Nat of some description?

Well...

I'm watching the T20 international between England and India from Old Trafford. And y'know, that little theory doesn't quite hold water.... The "English" team has no fewer than three South Africans, Pietersen. Keiswetter and Dernbach, and one Irishman, Eoin Morgan, in their eleven... 

And young Dernbach is half-Scottish into the bargain.

Now that's what I call sensible. Not "Where were you born?" or "Has you're Granny got a Heilan' hame?", or "Can you wave a flag?", but "Can you play?". Quite right too.

And when the United Nations helped England beat the Aussies and win the Ashes, wasn't that a great victory for English cricket...? I watched it. I loved it.

Great thing about the English... they're not Nationalists.

Mind you, how many home-born Scots are there in the current Scottish football team? And the Tartan Army don't seem to care too much... good for them, I say.

4 comments:

  1. "Great thing about the English... they're not Nationalists"

    Yes, I heard in England there is great enthusiasm for the EU, the Euro and the UK becoming part of the Schengen zone. And of course UKIP barely gets a look in.

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  2. Anonynous: you theme seems to be that "nationalism" in England is a right-wing Tory/UKIP nutters fringe-type activity.

    Couldn't agree more.

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  3. Finding that I agree strongly with your first para.
    Well said - this needs said more often :)

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  4. Cybernats tend to call their opponents "Brit Nats", not "English Nats". At least on the Scotsman forums. I've never heard either term in real life.

    Polls on independence conducted in England tend to show around the same level of support as in Scotland (sometimes significantly more). Both countries are probably about equally nationalistic.

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