What does being English mean to you?

Question

What does being English mean to you?

Answer 1

It means a lot because I was born in a multicultural society and England is a multicultural country. It's just amazing how different people from different backgrounds can share the same tastes in food, football and music.



I'm proud to be English and I'm proud of my roots. I am what I am because of my background and the place I was born in.

My ethnic background is Pakistani but I still got the three lions on my shirt. Hate it or love it. I am what I am. : )



From omar

myspace.com/omarofficial

myspace.com/amazinginventions

myspace.com/worldriderzofficial

Answer 2

I like to think it means:



Tolerance

Multi-culturalism

A sense of humour

Great music



Sadly there are too many exceptions to the above but it's a lot better than being American!

Answer 3

Lemoncurd on toast, daisy chains, sunshine on a rainy day, green scenery and a nice cup of tea!

Answer 4

It means we should all be proud, this tiny Island had such a huge impact on the world through the empire and the countless Inventions that this country has given to world. I have travelled around the world and it is harder to find a country that hasn't in someone been influenced by England.



its pretty **** living here now but thats not the country fault its the people who run it!!

Answer 5

I haven't lived in UK since 2004, and so maybe my view of England isn't too up-to-date, but people often make jokes here about what they see as being 'English' (4 o'clock tea-time etc...!) and it makes me realise that that stuff really isn't what makes England English...

For me, the good things about England are multi-culturalism (shame about the racists, BNP etc but hey), ability to laugh at ourselves, and a very good sense of humour (come on, even the French find Monty Python funny! I've even seen The Holy Grail with English subtitles!! we should be proud....)

Let's hope we'll be able to grow up more, and improve the good stuff and get rid of the rubbish..

Answer 6

It means that we're never going to win the bloody world cup!!

Answer 7

It used to mean something, the english had a reputation for being gentlemen abroad. However having lived abroad our reputation is now beer monsters and loudmouths who think everyone should speak english. It used to be safe to walk the streets, not anymore and woe betide any policeman who gives mummies little precious a clip round the ear, as used to happen. There used to be respect for people and their property, not anymore. Kids used to be brought up to respect this country now they run it, getting away with murder and their names left out of the press because 'they are underage'. There used to be a pride in this country but not anymore the goverment milk us for every penny they can in taxes for this and taxes for that, and we just sit and take it. Pride in this country? that walked out a long time ago but someone forgot to turn out the light.

Answer 8

To Andy D - England is NOT an island. It is bordered by Scotland and Wales.



To Captain Starkiller - the Union Flag is a British flag, not an English flag! The English flag is the St George Cross.



It's bad enough that foreigners (especially Yanks) refer to Britain as England - but even the English are getting mixed up on this site.



Be English and proud of it, celebrate your identity and culture, but get it right...!!

Answer 9

Having lived just outside East London I had almost forgotten what it was like to be English until recently I moved to North Essex and it is like England was thirty or forty years ago.

Fresh air ,great country side,quaint villages,and people who have the time of day to talk.

very nice.

Answer 10

It means living in a land where 10% of the population have 90% of the wealth, and the other 90% of the population has to scratch around in the dirt to get a share of the 10% that is left over.



It means being told we should all recycle while the politicians talk about diluting fuel with bio-fuels which may well prove detrimental to the environment.



It means living a world where booze is legal even though it turns people in to slavering maniacs but god forbid anybody should smoke cannabis which simply chills them out.



It means hearing about how we should all "tighten out belts" while some arrogant toad of a prince uses a Chinook helicopter funded by the tax payer to ferry his friends to stag parties and go visit his girlfriend.



It means seeing vast numbers of people subsisting on the bread line while over-stuffed politicians draw massive salaries for doing very little.



It means listening to those same politicians talk about how "we" are off to war again when it's only ever the workers who end up on both ends of the bayonets.



It means living in a land where there sometimes seems very little hope, and glory is something associated with a bygone age.



This is binge Britain, home of the chav, where teens ride by on pedal bikes and shoot 11 year old boys to death, the police have become uniformed tax collectors and road marshals instead of enforcers of common law and the old, the infirm and the weak the length and breadth of the land are often terrified to venture out of their homes after dark.



But as long as we continue to queue in an orderly fashion everything should be okay, eh?



I could go on.



And on, and on.



But in the end, who cares?



I love this nation. I would put my life on the line for it.



But some days I just don't like it very much. And this is one of them.

Answer 11

Well if your Scottish or Welsh or Irish, yes be proud but why bother leaving negatives here. The question was "what does being English mean to you?" . I am proud to be British/English but as a nation of the United Kingdom we no longer exist, each wanting to go their separate ways, when will it stop? Even the Cornish want independence, it's such a shame that we are all on a relatively small island and yet we still can't all just get along and be united.



I personally think we need some strong British standards injected back into OUR culture! If we are not careful we will become the minority in our own country. I never used to be worried about multicultural UK but now it saddens me to see how things have changed and how different cultures come along make demands of us, and we let them. I am respectful of other cultures but it seems like other cultures in our country are not respectful of ours.



Meanwhile i will still continue to work a skilled profession (mechanic) but for an income just over the minimum wage, pay my rent for a substandard house and be relatively happy. Because we are still fortunate that at least we have that, a lot of people don't.

Answer 12

The reason why England means such a lot to me is because i was born in London, have now been living for many years in the Netherlands, l love England, always have done, tomorrow i have a meeting with several other English ladies, we are going to have lunch out together, which has become a tradition within this British club in the Netherlands, on st Georges day. We love each other and we love England.

We all miss Gt Britain.

Answer 13

Hi there ... well if i may i would add to all this the point of view of an european chap from the continent who is half French and half German.



As one of the dominant countries of the world in the past times like Italy, Spain, France and Germany (in the second category where Spain and France sit and not in the first category where is Italy thanks to the 1000 years during which the Romans ruled the world nor in the third category where Germany sits with its poor 5 years long 3rd Reich), English people share with the French people a strong arrogance (for some obscure reason they both seem to be more arrogant than the Spaniards, Italians or Germans i think).



Given its geographical location in Europe you can't be astonished while flipping through few pages of a Paris telephone book that besides gallic names you have russian, polish, italian, spanish, german, english names ... all over the place without even taking into consideration the post World War II immigration.



Without even taking into consideration the post World War II immigration again, isn't it also amusing when you consider that William the conqueror came from Normandy (one of his besk known Knights was called Grand Veneur which with time became Grosvenor!) and that the Windsor family including the current Queen derives from the Sax Cobourg-Gotha dinasty.



So ... aren't we all just one way or the other mixed blooded? There is in the end very little point in being arrogant or even patriotic or even proud of the country we are linked with.

Answer 14

Speaking as someone who was born in England and still lives there - to English parents, I might add - it doesn't really mean that much to me. Many people confuse Britain with England - the English mainly! - and identifying an English culture is almost impossible. It might have been possible many years ago but the advent of multi-culturalism (which is a great thing) meant that Britain generally could no longer define itself as white British anymore.



The idea that cups of tea, fish and chips etc are somehow quintessentially English when they're a British thing generally is rather vague. Am I less English because I'm vegetarian and not a tea drinker then? What I think exists now is a number of regional identities: Geordie, Scouse, Londoner, the west, Brummies etc rather than an overall English identity.



There are great things about England like there are about the individual nations of the UK (for the record that's England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland but not the Channel Isles which are a "peculiar of the Crown" brought to the table by William the Conqueror. There are great facets to most nations really. Travel broadens the mind...



So what eventually? I don't define myself by my nationality, my lifestyle, sexuality etc: I'm a human being and a world citizen.

Bacon and eggs, tea, sausages and mash etc are fine if you define England in a traditional sense so where does that leave chicken tikka masala (invented here) or organic tofu stir-fry?!

Answer 15

As i get older i realise how really bad this country is. We let everyone and anyone walk all over us. Everything about this country is shamefull. The utter unrealistic politicians, people claiming benefits illegally, poor control of immigration, rises in tax and lets face it worst of all the music is ****.





At one time i was proud to be English but now i feel like i am fighting a losing battle. My bags are packed and i'm ready to head for canada, because canada knows what there doing.. If only i could figure a way of gettin my Vauxhall Nova over there.



Bring English used to mean eating mash potato with beans, drinking tetleys tea and going to the pub on the afternoon for a pint and a smoke with the lads from bowls.





Now its all about going down the town (on the lash) getting wasted on spirits instead of savouring the flavour, and eating as much foreign food as we can handle. Thats not british, its lame and frankly quite atrocious.





I seriously think it wont be long before theres a nation wide uproar and it will kick off big style. We need some oldschool teachings to bring this country back to the way it was.



But as for the icons, the queen and st georges day. well the queen to be fair doesnt do a lot now and well st georges day doesnt really serve a purpose, make it a bank holiday and lower the price of john smiths for 24 hours and bingo thats English.



but to answer the question what does being english mean to me well rite now nothing.

Answer 16

I attended St George's Primary School and we flew the Cross of St George on this date every year. It's now a heritage centre. Being English means knowing you are very privileged to have been born in the best country in the world. Being an Island nation means we have preserved our traditions over the centuries. We have spread our values around the globe and the world is a better place for that, even if most of the clerks and administrators were Scottish. We have a duty to preserve our unique way of life as well as embracing all others who come to our Island. If they accept that we lived here first and they adapt to our way of life, without losing their culture, we should be pleased. It is a great country, joined to two other great countries and together with Northern Ireland we are the greatest nation on earth.

Answer 17

To be totally honest, this subject was something I never used to think about. I am English, and being so thoughts of what that meant never really entered my mind. Sure there was the swell of pride whenever the national teams were performing well, a smile on my face when wathcing shows on tv with people talking about how great their trip to England was and how they can't wait to come back. Other than that, it was just life as normal.

I now live in America, and being English is something I have thought about a lot more since I no longer live there. Obviously, one reason is because I'm constantly reminded of the fact. Every time I open my mouth I get the "You aint from around here, are ye?" thrown at me, so I can't escape it no matter where I go. The other reasons are the attitudes of a lot of people. In England, football hooligans aside, everyone just goes through life without making a big performance about the fact we're English. In America, it seems there are a great many people who seem to have an undying need and desire to inform everybody they are American. From enormous flags flying at their houses, wearing t-shirts with America emblazened upon them, etc, etc. Now I have nothing against national pride, but I think because of how this country was founded - through hard fought wars to gain that individuality - and that kind of helps you understand the reasons for the over-the-top patriatism. In England, on the other hand, there seems to be a more contentedness with just being without the need to inform everybody about the fact we're English.

I am proud to be English, I am proud of our heritage and the way many aspects of English life, both attitudes and objects, have been preserved over the years. Sure not everything is ideal, there are many things that could be done better, but isnt that true of any country?

Answer 18

I live in Spain and prefer the overall lifestyle here.

I am however first and foremost proud to be British whilst at the same time recognize that the patron Saint of England is Saint George.

Why is it that in general terms Britain's make a big issue out of simple things,in this case which flag to fly.

In almost every other country in the world there is no issue.

For example,here in Spain on Government buildings,as on council buildings and all police stations, the flags of Spain,the Province and the European flag are all displayed without exception.The Spanish National Flag is placed centrally with,in the case of my province,the Green and White Bar's of Andalucia and on the other side,the Blue with gold stars of The European Union.

The citizens of Spain are probably more proud of their country than are many Britain's,but are also very proud that they are Europeans.

The lesson therefore is a simple one,on all public buildings

fly the Union Flag,the European Flag and depending whether you are in England,Scotland,Wales or Ulster,fly the flag of St. George,the St. Andrew's flag or the Cymru flag. National Flags should have no place on Churches.

It is a safe bet that the vast majority of public building's in Scotland fly only the St. Andrew's flag and in Wales only the Red Dragon. All items despatched from every other country in the world when items are delivered to Britain contains the standard

address "United Kingdom". Simple!

Answer 19

Being English to me means a lot. England has been through some many things and remained strong, and its the people living there that makes England what it is.

English: Strong, determined, Protective (just look on how we protected other countries during the World Wars), And just a little bit crazy, (But hey! That's what the British humour is about!), Selfishness (Just look at the amount people we help, we even give more money to charities than America!) and much more.

I am proud to be English, and would want in no other way.



x England Forever! x

Answer 20

I have struggled to figure out what being English means for a number of years. I am born and raised in England for the past 40 odd years and I still don't know.

Travelling around Asia a couple of years ago you meet a lot of ex-pats who tell anyone who will listen about How good our army is or talk of when we used to have an empire or everything was better in the 70's/80's/90's (delete as appropriate)

The people who shout loudest about Englishness are the one's who left. It's that good, you leave! Good riddance!

I dont feel English or European. I am just happy that I can live in a world that aint too bad where I can meet wonderful people from many different cultures.

Answer 21

I think it is really funny that the patron saint was a Middle Easterner who lived before there even was an England or English people and had never been to this part of the world- It's even more funny that he was just picked at random by a Roman Catholic Anglo-Norman.....



I wonder do the National Front guys know all that when they harp on about celebrating St George................

Answer 22

English, means the very best of everything to me. The culture, the traditions, the etiquette, the manners, the great qualities of head & heart of the English, the warm people & much more.



English also means the very best of expressions - the finest thoughts in the choicest words - by great masters such as William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy, Somerset Maugham, Pearl S Buck, George Bernard Shaw, George Elliot, Jane Austin, Lord Tennyson, William Wordsworth, Shelly, Keats, Byron, William Cowper, & many more. For I graduated in English Literature, living with ' Kings & Queens ' - the Royalty



And not forgetting WG Grace who would put back the bails & continue batting saying, " It is too windy today, isn't it ? ", and that wonderful game of cricket which that grand old man & England has bequethed to the rest of the world. Not to mention Old rrafford, Lords, Wimbledon & lot of other grounds.



For ' the great battles of Britain were won on the playfields ' indeed.



God save the King !

Answer 23

Being English means everything to me, The Queen , The Flag, Fish and chips, industrial revolution, The army, The sports , Porridge, Ship-Building, The mines, Battle of Trafalgar, Defeating the Spanish Armada, Cricket, Robin hood, St George, Rain, Picking fun at the Irish, Scots , Welsh and frogs. (they can take the jokes really). Stonehenge, Hard-working people, Real Ale, Terrace housing. The list goes on.



Those that arn't so proud, I feel sorry for you. Hopefully you will be proud soon, as this is one great country let down by a few who rape the country for their own ends. Stand together and fight this and england will be strong again.





Im proud To be English.

Answer 24

it's not the same anymore, before i was born people would work hard for a living. now all they do is drain on the economy. claiming benefits where ever possible.



the government-USELESS; i earn money, it gets taxed, i put money in the bank, it gets taxed{I'M NOT EVEN OLD ENOUGH TO PAY TAX YET!!!}. i spend it, and most of its tax! ok 17.5% but that is different on things like petrol.

17.5%-thats 17.5% from the factory to the supplier.

17.5% from supplier to shop/seller AND then 17.5% from seller to comsumer. no wonder everything is so expensive.



all students whos parents who don't work hard for a living; at college they get EMA (educational maintenance allowance). Why don't they get a job-I HAVE.

then they get 100-500 pound bonuses a few times a year just because they have attended most of the time. And what for? it's bribary...most of them aint gotta a clue what they want when they leave. i ask them-my friends and they don't know.



if people want money they should go out and get it, there is plenty of jobs if people got of there bee-hind and made the effort. only then they'd be able to complain about the imagrants coming over here to work. i don't like them-but the fact they are working makes them a little better than some of the english (and british).



i will always support my country even if it is falling to pieces under the labour govenment. i was born here. i will live here. hopefully i will die here.



we need a new government then it will make the uk (and England) a better place.

Answer 25

Well if your Scottish or Welsh or Irish, yes be proud but why bother leaving negatives here. The question was "what does being English mean to you?" . I am proud to be British/English but as a nation of the United Kingdom we no longer exist, each wanting to go their separate ways, when will it stop? Even the Cornish want independence, it's such a shame that we are all on a relatively small island and yet we still can't all just get along and be united.

Answer 26

I used to be proud to be English, fiercely patriotic and feel blessed that I come from such a green and pleasant land, where we have freedom of speech, good living conditions, relatively little crime and disease long and illustrious history and tradition and above all a great fighting instinct and a stiff upper lip! I love that English stoicism.



More recently though, England to me has started to mean Chavs and hoodies, people afraid to leave their houses in broad daylight for fear of being murdered by youths on their doorsteps, failing economy, broken families, no sense of community, rising food prices, poverty, bad attitudes, bad government, and being overrun by immigrants!



And to top it all off, I work 60 hours a week and still can't afford to buy a flippin' house here!!!!!



There was once a time when Britian was self-sufficient and if all else failed we could look after ourselves. Now farmers are being paid to leave fields empty and we import most of our food because it's cheaper.



The British people need to pull together to make this place better for all that live here, not just the natives but also foreign people who want to come and live here and add to the community.

Answer 27

It means I come from England and I'm cool but I'm mostly British. I drink a lot of tea while talking about the weather from a red telephone box. I'm slightly fascist and I wish we still had the empire. I also own a bulldog that wears a Union Jack waistcoat.



Why was that person being bitchy about St George? Most people don't care about saints much in non catholic countries as it's more of a catholic thing, but most saints don't come from the country they're a patron saint of, as even St Patrick was from England. What's the big deal of being extra nasty about the English one?

Answer 28

I am on the slippery slope to the half century, 99.99 percent of which time has been spent on this green and pleasant island. It may seem somewhat ironic to an outsider that we English are quite happy to drive German cars, listen to American music, eat Indian food, drink Dutch beer and watch Australian TV or fly a red and white flag on St. Georges Day which, like as not, was made in China. However, this merely underlines our national identity which represents 1000 years of melting pot integration, not to say colonisation on a scale not understood even today, a mere man's lifetime after the sun set on the British Empire. We have held our fort for very nearly a Millenium, fought when we saw wrong and welcomed in with open arms when we saw need. We have lost industries, coal mining, working mens Clubs and the World Cup too many times. Let's hold on to what we have still - fair play, stiff upper lip, warm beer and the ever so slightly superior feel of being English. This is a day to remember who we are, what we are about and quietly celebrate over a nice cup of tea.

Answer 29

I am proud to be British, I am a Scot living in London. I feel badly that the English do not seem to have a cohesive sense of identity like us Scots do - reading this thread so often the posted replies do not seem to understand themselves what England means - referrals to the country as an island (its only a part of one!) , mixing up Britain with England, saying they are proud to be British when they mean English, talking of the empire, fighting wars etc - these were all BRITISH things not English. It seems that England does not know how to seperate its identity from that of the UK - it isolates the rest of the UK, and shows a lack of understanding for what England is. Lets be proud of Britain and stand together - but to the English I say raise your St Georges Cross and be pround of your own nation as a single identity - learn to seperate Britain from you Englishness - then you will be able to celebrate St Georges day.

Answer 30

As one of the dominant countries of the world in the past times like Italy, Spain, France and Germany (in the second category where Spain and France sit and not in the first category where is Italy thanks to the 1000 years during which the Romans ruled the world nor in the third category where Germany sits with its poor 5 years long 3rd Reich), English people share with the French people a strong arrogance (for some obscure reason they both seem to be more arrogant than the Spaniards, Italians or Germans i think).



Given its geographical location in Europe you can't be astonished while flipping through few pages of a Paris telephone book that besides gallic names you have russian, polish, italian, spanish, german, english names ... all over the place without even taking into consideration the post World War II immigration.

Answer 31

Being English appears to mean thinking you live on the Island of England, calling the British flag the English flag, claiming you have a fabulous history that isn't yours and completely dismissing the Celts in most history lessons - then at the end of it saying "I'm proud to be British, coz Britain is England." It's not their fault though. Their schools actually teach them that!



ENGLISH ARROGANCE



Anyone else notice how the English are always saying how patriotism and national pride is bollocks? That's funny because they are probably the only country in the world to feel that way, and why? Because they have nothing to be proud of accept arrogance, Imperialist cultral aggression towards Celts (the Cornish more than any), years of genocide and nowadays a diluted multicultural society/culture.



Scottish, Cornish, Welsh & English will always be British because we are the Island of Britain, like it or not, you can't change it. But unfortunately those borders will always exist aswell causing unnecessary conflict and arrogance from both sides. You can't win either way. I say we all go independent but just help each other out like the neighbours that we are whenever needed.



Happy St. Georges Day to the English, have a good one if you are bothering to celebrate it!

Answer 32

Rusky

Slovak

Lithuanian

Indian

Bangladeshi

French

Answer 33

I trust that my being English is not a delusion.



Since Scotland got a parliament it seems that England no longer exists as a legal entity. New E U regulations mentioning areas where I believe England to be, do not mention England.



Maybe England has gone the way of Avalon. Maybe I am not real either.



Not surprising really. Since St George was a Palestinian, what can one expect?



Happy Birthday, William Shakespeare.

Answer 34

Being English to me is more about where I was born and where I call home. I was born in England however I consider myself to be British rather than English per se. I support England in cricket, rugby or football if there isn't a British team taking part, e.g. football or cricket. If you really want to be picky about it, the Queen is English, but her family are mostly from Europe (Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway), her husband is Greek and even though people consider her the Queen of England, she is not really fully English. This is not a criticism, just a comment about her holding a position of power over a nation that has been influenced or over run by Romans, Normans and Vikings. Does that make us less English? In my opinion I don't think it really matters. If it really mattered, most people would know that it IS St. George's Day (who was a Roman soldier convert to Christianity an martyred for opposing the persecution of Christians and is believed to be Turkish). But I think most English people don't really care that much, unlike the Irish, Welsh and Scots who know their respective saints day. I am patriotic to being British first and English second. This because (like the queen) I have a family tree that is scattered from all over Europe. Does that really make a difference to me? Not really, England is my birth place and my home. Love it or loath it, I accept it as it is.

Answer 35

Slovak

Lithuanian

Indian

Bangladeshi

French

Answer 36

Being English means being made a fool of everyday.



Being English means being the secret 1 in 10, or so-called financially inactive, that are never mentioned or explored.



Being English means a lifetime of tolerance and fairness being thrown back in your face.



Being English means being insulted daily by your fellow Britons who despise you for not being a Celt. Although no matter how insulting they are, they are never racist.



Being English means that you uncomplainingly suffer the condemnation of the entire world, "for what you've done to them", but you still fill those endless little envelopes and give generously, because its the right thing to do.



Being English means that you really don't have any influence on how your nation is run, your opinion is void because you aren't a special interest group.



Being English means that your boss is either Scottish, South African, Aussie, Kiwi or Scrooge.



Being English means that you teach your job to someone who doesn't speak your language, who is less capable than you, but who will do your job cheaper, as soon as they learn enough from you to replace you.



Being English means that the entire rest of the world expects you to apologise, every day, for absolutely everything.



Being English means that you pay the most for the least......bar none.



Being English means that you are expected to always work and to always pay, and accept little in return.



Being English means being first in the queue but somehow last, at the counter.



Being English means you have to memorise an encyclopaedia of passwords and codes and numbers, just to live your daily life.....and still there's someone in Indonesia using your credit card.



Being English means you under surveillence everywhere you go,even though you've never broken the law.



Being English means your government will use every resource to ensure you pay taxes and fines, but they have no idea how many people live here.



Being English means being used, abused, reviled, ignored, neglected, fleeced, deceived and dismissed.



And still I'm proud to say.........ENGLAND!.

Answer 37

Ive no problem with the English celebrating St. Geoorges Day, but why make such a big deal about it every ******* year? Either celebrate it or dont.

On St. Andrews Day, some Scots go out to celebrate, some dont. Nobody questions anyone else, its not blown out of proportion by the media.

Why do we all have to constantly hear about all of your stupid little insecurities

Answer 38

Am I English, British, European? Cant say for sure as I was born in France to Italian-German and Barbadian-Welsh parents but have lived here since I was 4 and have a UK passport. Now that most Western countries are becoming increasingly multi-ethnic, all this nationalism and flag waving is pointless and meaningless. I dont understand why people feel a need to identify with nationality. Do they feel inadequate or insecure in other ways?

Answer 39

May the Morris Men of England fill your Anglo-Saxon heart with joy.



Happy St George’s Day.



This email is not available in Punjabi, Urdu, Hindi, Polish, Russian, German, French or any other ******* immigrant tongue.



And before you write me off as a rascist git.



Controlled Immigration of people who integrate into society is exactly what created this wonderful Mongrel race of ours.

The young man above who said that he is of Pakistani roots but wears the three lions proudly is just the sort of person we want living in this country.

I don`t care if you are Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Atheist, Agnostic, Protestant or Catholic.

I don`t Care if you are White, Black, Coffee coloured, yellow or Sky Blue Pink with green Polka Dots.

If you want to live here feel free. Just live by British Common Law, Pay taxes, don`t scrounge and make an attempt to fit into the culture.



And by the way. I enjoy the Scots, Irish and Welsh too. But lets be honest most of the problems in this country are courtesy of the people in charge so lets all exercise our democratic right and kick the hell out of them in the elections.



I am European according to Brussels. I am English by the grace of God. I know which I consider the higher authority.



God save the Queen!

Answer 40

I don't really count myself as English, there are plenty reasons not to be proud of the stereotypical English and just as many reasons to be Proud to be English.

But as a proud Cornish women to me being English really means coping with change (the old stiff upper lip what-ho) and mixing with cultures from across the world (in the past because we had colonised them but now as part of trade and national growth).

So many people's comments really seem to make the point that being English is more being United Kingdomish nowadays where cultures are blended together for a richer flavour.

I never want to see the day when people cannot celebrate their heritage, as the only way to move forward is to learn from the past. It's just a shame more wasn't made of World Day yesterday.

Answer 41

Happy St Georges Day!...We love this country!



Vote English Democrat

Englands National Party



English Parliament Now!

Answer 42

Everything,



I am not British but English & Proud,



In Modern Britain it's fine to be Scottish, Welsh or Irish, but not English, why?



Happy St George's Day,

Drink a Toast to St George & England.

Answer 43

Well I have seen some very interesting comments !!! from

the darn right stupid to some reasonable .... but just to add

my two penny worth here .... I am a PROUD "Englishman"

I served in the British Forces for over 26 years, since I retired

in 94, I have lived and worked in many parts of the world,

Germany, Bosnia, Iraq (3 Years), Liberia, South Korea,

Angola and now Qatar .... so I have been around a bit !!!



We In Britain, should be PROUD of our Island and what it has

achieved TOGETHER !!!!! I must say that on many occasions

I have found it quite sickening when confronted by idiots

shouting the virtues of Nationalism .... and that has happened

on many ocassions throughout my life, especially from certain

factions within our Island ..... mainly ignorant idiots to boot ...

I have on ocasions had to "Fight" alongside some of our

nieghbours .... and PROUD of it too ..... Being English we

tend to be the butt of many a derogatory comment ..... and

there was a time when idiots in Government and Local

Government saw fit to frown on such things as being English

or British for fear of "Upsetting" non indiginous peoples of

so called minority groups ... well they did come to the UK and

must learn to part of it !!! become part of the comunity and

not isolated from it ..... language being the biggest barrier ...I

lived for many years in Germany, and I did manage to learn

the language and reaped the benifits of that !!! and a very

nice country it is too, they do seem to find the balance much

better .... To All Scotts, Welshman and the Irish too ... we let

you have your day (even in England) and enjoy it with you ...

please let us have ours without silly comments or ridicule ....



A PROUD ENGLISHMAN .....

Answer 44

Being English is a commitment to a pluralist viewpoint. That's about having checks and balances: historically, whenever England has done 'bad' things there has always been some form of public outcry and, eventually, some form of reparation. We are not a ruthless nation: that's why we're better at inventing games than winning them - soccer, rugby, cricket, golf (OK that's Scottish), rounders (for you Americans that's baseball) etc.



Being English is also about a secular tradition of respecting others' viewpoints without having to adhere to them. We are above all a gentle nation that will, nevertheless stand up and be counted. It's just a shame that so many of us are such total w####rs.

Answer 45

You can't sum up "Being English" in a sentence or two.

You have so many different cultures, not only in being multiracial, but in how the North and South can differ so much too.

I am Scottish and so very very proud to be, but I'm not (as many people think all Scots are) anti-English.

I would like Scotland to be independent, but always remain a close partner with England, Wales and Ireland.

Vive La difference!

Answer 46

I am English, not Irish, Scottish or Welsh. When I got married My best man was Kenyan Asian and a person who I am proud to consider a best friend is from Caribbean lineage (Nevis to be Precise).



My own ancestry is very mixed, on my late Mum's side there is Southern Irish, Russian Jewish and possibly Mongolian. On my Dad's side (He's from York), probably Viking.



I am PROUD to call myself ENGLISH, as for over 2000 years England has accepted people regardless of race or religion. In recent times (OK, the last few hundred years) an example is Limehouse in London where there was for years a large Chinese community (originally sailors who couldn't get a passage home).



Today being English has become more difficult, as we have to be tolerant of those amongst who would wish to Harm and kill those or believe differently to themselves.



I was born in the Royal London Hospital where my Mum recently died, I have seen my England change from a place where I knew Everyone was tolerant, to a place where a few (recent newcomers), show intolerance to their adopted environment.



I am Proud to be ENGLISH, and despite modern immigration, I will remain tolerant, but nowadays I will view all newcomers with suspicion, not through prejudice, but from (Sadly) experience.

Answer 47

Being English to me means everything. I am very proud to be English and to have had the priviledge of being born and raised in this beautiful & great nation. St George's Day is an opportunity to fly our flag high, stand and be proud and celebrate our English traditions.



England has its sticky points as does any country, therefore take the rough with the smooth but stay loyal to your roots...anyone who hates our great land knows where the door is and is welcome to leave.



Happy St George's Day Everyone!

Answer 48

i am a Mexican married to an Englishman and with 2 lovely Brit kids.

so half of my hearth is English.

we live in Mexico cos there is more opportunities here for my husband (having gone to a British University) and we don´t plan to move to the U.K.

for me it is true that you are lucky to have been born in England, in my country it is very usual to see 3 year old boys and girls running around barefoot under the rain at 2 in the morning in between traffic lights, begging for money or selling chewing gum, and the people don't even look at them.

so for all those people here complaining about your government i would say don't let it get out of control like ours is, cos it can get really bad, believe me, make your government serve the people and not the other way round, cos it can get out of control, and then you can´t even imagine what can happen.

and I don´t think the problem is immigration like your government tells you.

i think multicultural societies are great, and you can always learn things from someone different.

the problem is greedy people in the power.

anyway

on my shirt Mexican flag colours, and the three lions too!.

Answer 49

When we were our own country, we were proud.

When we decided what our country was, we were proud.



Now we are told what our country is, we're not so proud.

Give the country back to the English.



So everyone can look at our generations previous and they can feel proud.



For they lost their lives for the Good Ol England we should have stayed.....



Teach the new generations about the English history and make the future feel proud again.

Answer 50

We should be rightly proud of our heritage, after all it's not racist to be proud of your country. I am very proud of our monarchy and I spent 11 years in the army and am still very proud of our armed forces, the best in the world. Anyone living in England that isn't proud of our nation and what it offers should seriously think about leaving. No where else in the world can you stand on a street corner and profess your views about anything! Look out soon for the TRUE flag of the ethnic English people. Fight for the right to fly OUR flag wherever and whenever we choose! If it offends other races then I suggest they LEAVE our shores..if they dare go back to their own country! England forever!!

Answer 51

I am proud to be English.... But unfortunatly England is just not the same as it was and as so many other people have said about immigration and taxes and the **** government and just about everything else. I am a londoner and always have been and always will be but i have seen it just get worse and worse in my 32 years on this earth the funny thing is though i wouldnt want to live anywhere apart from England i love the fact that our football team might win the world cup one day and the hope it gives so many people i love it that we are so crap at so many sports but still say we are good at them, the only sport we are good at is snooker :) being English to me is living with the hope that one day we will do ourselves proud in any respect



I am pround to be English but hate England as it is now and i fear as it will always be now..... its a real big shame

Answer 52

I'm one of many, I'm in great company, I am an Angophile. I'm not English, but feel connected to all things English and the connection feels like home. I know few who can step foot on English soil and not experience in-full it's history, it's charm, it's quaintness, it's uniqueness. England has carried tradition long on it's back and we see the fruits of those who labored to do so. It has created cultures and counter-cultures -- and will no doubt continue to do so if let to it's own devices. But the most compelling thing of all is humor (who could possibly make you laugh harder, longer with a joke, a nod, an innuendo that sneaks up from nowhere). That is the England I love and would happily be apart of. Cheers and goodwill to all of you who REALLY are English.

Answer 53

To be honest, I get the feeling that what St George's day or being English means is jealousy.



This country for years ignored 23rd April. No celebrations, no parties, no national holiday etc. As saints are effectively Catholic Inventions I suspect it is because as a protestant nation we have no interest in all that "popery". It is only the rise of St Patrick Celebrations and to a lesser degree, David and Andrew and maybe the Chinese New Year Celebrations that people have "cared".



In short being English means pretending to take an interest in a false day to compete with other longer established celebrations in other nations who dare to celebrate in our country.

Answer 54

I am English and proud to be so but I do recognise that the English are not best loved in the UK as historically have pushed the native celts back to the mountains. We have all the fertile fields , but Scotland has all the oil & hydro power + whiskey ;Ireland has all the romantic culture and charm ;wales has all the slate. We all have a healthy rivalry but our blend of peoples do make Britain & Ireland a great place to live.

To prove the point I'd really like to see wales beat the All Blacks one day so they can get that huge monkey of their backs.

Answer 55

It's not just a country to me, it's my home, it's where I truly belong. At first, when I was about 5 or 7, I hated England for it's coldness and football and every single rebel that walks by acting like he's going to hit me, but I deald with it, I learnt the ways on how England goes. England is my home. I can say that I'm proud of it but I wouldn't shove it into peoples faces.

Answer 56

I think Omar (on the first page) has put it very well.



I have left the UK because I no longer enjoyed living there. Although I was born in Wales and am therefore not English, I'm happy to say I'm British. However, I don't like the way society has become bullish, aggressive and covetous. When common courtesy and a feeling of community returns to the UK, I will too.

Answer 57

As an American of English heritage, I grew up in a family that promoted a healthy love of England, the Queen, etc. With all the problems of political correctness here in the U.S. it's very sad to see England going through it much worse than here. It angers me that nearly every other culture is allowed to celebrate their roots while the those native to the land are deemed a 'racist.'

Answer 58

I Love the country, not happy about who live here, who its run by, how soft the country is or the state of the place!



ATM it means struggling to get to the next month always just getting by. But I am very proud to be English, I think it might have been better in the past when the government were tougher.



FAO those who are not English dont reply!

Answer 59

Being English (a bastardization of Angle-ish) means cherishing the achievements of my ancestors - the likes of Shakespeare, Churchill, Dickens and Newton. It means Cromwell AND the Monarchy, the Mother of all Parliaments, democracy and freedom. It means football, cricket and rugby - all invented by Englishmen (as was ice hockey!) It means Tommy Atkins, Nelson, Monty, Waterloo and Dunkirk. It means the Shires, the Lake District, green pastures and rolling hills. It means pies, pasties, cheddar, cider, fish and chips. It means Oxford, Cambridge, Durham and York. It means Scouse, Cockney, Brummie, Geordie and West Country. It means White Cliffs, Big Ben, dreamy spires, thatched roofs and country pubs. It means so much to me...but I am filled with sadness most, at England´s bended knee.

Answer 60

I'm not English: I'm from Northern Ireland but I've lived in England for 14 years. I really want people who are born and bred English to be proud of it! Not in some arrogant way, but just in a way that celebrates things that are good about England, like the Lake District, politeness, and friendly down-to-earth Northeners.



Celebrate your country: everyone else celebrates theirs!

Forget horrible events that happened in English history centuries ago - celebrate the here and now!

Answer 61

Embarrassment and dread every time there's football matches abroad. Utter shame and degradation at Iraq! Embarrassed at constant replaying of war movies on telly. Latest horror at press dredging up demagogue Enoch Powell. Pride in multiculturalism, pride that curry is as strong a national contender as fish and chips and that in spite of dreadful past we still have such strong links with so many of the people's we were awful to!

Answer 62

Im very proud to be English!

People have tried to ban the English flag being flown, especially in the last world cup. I feel very strongly about being English, people from Scotland call themselves Scottish, Wales - Welsh, Ireland - Irish so why not England - English!

We live here (even though only probably 60% of the population are actually English) so we should not be ashamed or hide out true colours - we are English so everyone should be proud & fly the St Georges flag with pride!

Answer 63

Being a "Yank" - it means a proper,stiff upper

lip, very regimented- in former days, an Empire

upon which the "sun never set",- a large foundation for "British Common Law", King

John, sometimes being Tracy Uhlman or many other very entertaining performers, Sherlock

Holmes, Agatha Christie, Chas. Dickens, Sir

Winston, the "Liverpool FOUR, .. etc., etc.

Benny Hill, Bonnie Prince Charlie/ RESPECT..

Answer 64

Is being English is being British but not scots, welsh or irish? Many people who are not scots, welsh or irish get english and british mixed up and the scots, welsh and irish get irritated by that.

If i hold a uk passport and live in england am i english? When i had a uk passport and lived in scotland, spain, france and india i thought i was english.

My second favourite football team is england, my favourite is nottingham forest. Both once had a moment of glory - will the good times ever return?

Not until both teams get an english manager is my view.

Answer 65

Being English to me means :-



Not always worrying if I'm politicaly correct becauseI still believe in free speach



Being a little too consevative and aloof for many of the worlds nationalities.



Believing that if you wish to be classed as British you must live by the laws of Britain and not from wherever.



Come back Richard all is forgiven

Answer 66

Oh Dear. Reading this blog it would seem that England is somewhere to leave as fast as possible. From an expat dreaming of getting back to England from Africa/Asia/Middle East/Indian sub-continent and wherever my job takes me, and from experiencing almost 100 countries all over the world:



To me being English is being thankful for the chance to roam free over green fields with the dog, get the Sundays delivered and read them in bed, drink the water from the tap and know it won’t poison you, go to Tesco’s/Sainsbury’s etc (try NOT having them), visiting the multiplicity of shops available to buy just about anything you want, being generally safe (despite the lurid stories in the press), decent beer, theatres, cinemas showing British films, any type of restaurant food you want, a social security system (not perfect but it’s there), the seasons, no monsoons and not much drought, a police force who don’t shove a gun up your nose when stopping you for a bribe (so common in most of the world), a system that gets the Prime Minister out to collect his child who has had one too many (where else does that happen?), courts relatively free of corruption. I could go on but unless you have experienced the lack of Englishness, you can’t see what you’ve got.



So, I’m happy to hold my head up and say I’m English – not Scottish, not Welsh, not Irish all of whom have their own important culture, I’m English. And if anyone thinks we have no national identity go and live overseas for a while, wait to understand the things that you miss, and you're getting close to seeing our national identity. Constantly evolving as it has done for over 1000 years it’s true, but it’s there. Don't knock it.

Answer 67

I was born in havant ,Hampshire and brought up in Glasgow.

My dad was Scottish my Mum is English. I couldn't imagine not having an English connection and I get very angry with anti- English racists, Encouraged at times by a newspaper which i won't mention.It may sound like the bailey sneckord.

I would say I'm proud to be Scottish and English.

Answer 68

Is there such thing anymore???



I'm afraid I'm very ashamed of being English, this is a very sick country and no politician seems to want to address the real problems. I won't rant on it could get long and boring. The last thing I'll say is Dis-united Kingdom (a term used on sky news, i think, yesterday) is very apt to how I feel.

Answer 69

I'm not English, I am of Scottish descent. The English are the result of a cocktail of many different cultures. A fusion if you like of Roman, Celtic, Saxon, Angle, Dane, Viking, Scot, Pictish and Gaulish.

With so many components it's not surprising to find the "English" searching for an indentity and with a raging passion for patriotism.

Answer 70

My most important and cherished possession is my British passport. That's who I am and who I always will be.

Its the one thing I would never sacrifice or lose hope in.



I haven't met a great deal of people who I could define as 'English' having lived in London for 15 years, my entire life. I wish people would realise that simply having English blood and enjoying a plate of battered cod and chips does not by any extent make you English.



I was stunned and gutted upon realising that few English people actually know the lyrics to God Save The Queen or know when St George's day is. It's nauseating having to watch people wearing and walking around with poppies on Remembrance Day yet when asked do not understand the reason behind it.



Children should be educated about their country and the many men and women who have risked and continue to risk their lives on the front line for our freedom, rights and Independence.

Am I the only person who actually prays for our troops and their families who are and have been on the frontline in Afghanistan and Iraq? Please tell me not!



I really admire the patriotism and togetherness of America and having travelled across America seeing plenty of American flags in communities and people speaking of their pride. I wish my fellow so-called 'English' people would learn from the American's!



I love the English language and the likes of Shakespeare and Winston Churchill. But do I walk alone? I don't know understand anymore! It seems as if there are few true English souls out there willing to serve their country and their people, not necesarily by joining the army either!



I still am able to find great hope in my country that one day every one of us will live united, together and not having to fear walking down the streets with our most valulable watch on. Or being able to easily take a bus drive while 6 months pregnant with two young children for we will all be in support of one another, family.



English blood flows through my veins,

Thick and confident,

Never shall it fade.



^^^^^



Charley,

15,

London

Answer 71

We do like to laugh at ourselves which is healthy. I like the Indian culture mix - spices up our boring towns and cities. We have a lot of history - the first underground in the world and London was the first mega city. Being a small nation has its benifits also.

I don't like to be viewed as a single citizen - we are global nowadays. Everyone should be able to live in any country they choose.

Answer 72

Before I actually went to live in London I thought of the Queen, the police and their interesting uniform,Buckingham Palace, Royal guards and nice looking cabs and buses, trafalgar square and somehow punks too (although punks died out a long time ago) When I think of England now after having lived their for 3 years I think of my friends, Porchester Terrace bec. this where we used to live,Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, where I used to go jogging,and the wonderful musicals in the theatre and plays too, and a the pubs I used to go to with my friends, I think of Notting Hill Gate where I used to go to school doing my GCSE'S and Richmond where my other school used to be, I think of Oxford Str. and I think Kensington Street the only bad memory I have is the weather. I also loved the afternoon tea at the Hyde Park Hotel . Little Italy was another great place to have lunch on sunny days. Sadly I just realized I have forgotten the names of many places we used to go out to. I also remember the delicious jam sandwich biscuits from Marks&Spencer too. I also like the people in general there, they are very friendly.

Answer 73

I was born in England and liked the place in the 60's but never been patriotic. As another person on here said, "it just fosters conflict."



England now is not the place I was born in. It puzzles me when people say that they're proud to be English/British given how much it's changed. If anyone now asks my nationality, My answer is, I'm European.

Answer 74

Being English is also about a secular tradition of respecting others' viewpoints without having to adhere to them. We are above all a gentle nation that will, nevertheless stand up and be counted. It's just a shame that so many of us are such total w####rs.

Answer 75

Slovak

Lithuanian

Indian

Bangladeshi

French

German

Answer 76

If I am to be honest NOT A LOT I feel like a minority in this once great country. Compassion and loyalty for one another has gone as with manual labour workplaces. It use to be safe to let your kids play out on the street knowing that the neighbours would rally round if anything happened to one of them. Now kids are carrying weapons and dealing drugs and committing suicide. It's turned into a sad cold country where it seems everyone is out for themselves. Just my opinion.

Answer 77

Being English, to me means a set of values and fairness. We created modern democracy and have one of the most evolved legal systems. I am proud of our heritage and for every flaw this country has, we have ten good examples of pride, heroism, valour and decency. We created an empire that stretched 2/3 of the world and while we made mistakes, we also created a lot of good. It is easy for an individual to knock a whole nation for its mistakes, but it is fair and reasonable to say this country has also created a lot of opportunities. To this day there are still many countries who aspire to emulate Englishness, curious but true. I sometimes think that other nationalities are not only sometimes envious, but more proud of the English than the actual English themselves!

Answer 78

Im english and very proud, i now live in wales, i think there is a huge divide amongst all home nations, hardly anyone classe's themselves as British anymore your either wesh/scott/eng or irish. I am first and foremost British-always and forever, proud of our traditions:



bangers & mash

sarcasm

a good old cuppa

a bacon sarnie

007- james bond ( who has been portrayed by a scottish, irish, welsh and english actor)

only fools & horses

abb fab

keeping up appearances

fawlty towers

Parky

Aston Martin

the royals- wether u love or h8 them

shakespeare



Britan forever!!!

Answer 79

I just am English and happy to be so. Maybe a part of Englishness is the fact of being at ease with ourselves. We seem to be less worried about shouting about our nationality and setting ourselves up in opposition to others. A look at some of the more ignorant responses to this question will give you an idea what I mean. We are more comfortable in our skins.

Answer 80

to me england is everything i love my country the royal family (god save the queeen) there is no other country like us we truely are a land of hope and glory ,i mean wev been bobed by the I R A and other bombers from forgen shores but we still carry on bussinis of day to day life with a stiff upper lip and a cup of tea we have the best armed forces in the world and the best fish and chips and the full english breakfast what more can we ask for england rocks and i cnt think of anywhere in the worlod id rather be . ruel britania all the way



and i would erge all englishman to stand proud and say IM ENGLISH AND PROUD



from a proud englishman in his castle

Answer 81

For me, being English meant growing up in a country of strong moral fibre. Where the policeman was my best friend. Gentlemanly, yet with the strength to overcome all adversity when threatened.

A country where family values were first, second and last. The "proms" - where thousands of voices, inside and outside singing "Jerusalem" brought tears to my eyes. Where even today, the National Anthem brings me to my feet. Not British, Not European..........ENGLISH.

Answer 82

Being English is being proud of my country. I am proud to be English. The Queen is the head of state, and even though people think that we should not have a monarchy, i think that is what being English is about, as well as rainbows when its still raining, traffic jams on ever road in london, tail backs on the motorways, and even the chavs and other idiots who walk the streets. It is what makes england england.

Answer 83

I am extremly proud to have been raised in a free thinking society that has freedom of speech and as yet not a police state. Though through my middleaged lifetime I have seen and experienced many changes, and I openly relish a full multicultural society. The problem is that I am now beginning to feel that I'm no longer welcome in my own country, in this I mean:

A man from Ireland is a Irishman.

A man from Scotland is a Scotsman.

A man from Wales is a Welshman.

All these countries are multicultural yet their governments have not taken away their identities away from then as they have with the ENGLISH as we are not allowed to call ourselves ENGLISH anymore we must call ourselves British which I agree I am but so are the other 3 countries above. I am not racist in these comments or in anyway trying to be, In this I mean:

A man from India may call himself Indian.

A man from Pakistan may call himself a Pakistani.

A man from Turkey may call himself Turkish.

and so on I would never insist a person of any country be force to change his nationality, yet our government say as were are multicultural society by calling ourselves ENGLISH we are offending others of the multi cultural societies if this is so then my one and only question would be "would they change their nationality if we went to live in their birth country"?

I think not!!!

Answer 84

Being English is all about warm beer, crap weather and Morris dancers. Cricket in the summer. Rugby and Football in the winter. St George, Queen and Country. Thousands of years of rich history. Fish and chips, yorkshire puds and roast spuds. Realising that, no one likes us, and wondering why, (after all this time) they still haven't realised that, we don't care !!

Being English is NOT all about whining and moaning about how rubbish your life is, and how it's everybody elses fault that everything hasn't gone your way.

Being English is about taking everything in your stride. And when times are tough then you just knuckle down and weather out the storm.

So to all those people who think being English or living in England is rubbish, I'll say this.

Down the M2 to Dover, onto the ferry and off to France. The rest of the world is yours, and its very welcome to you.

Oh and by the way, leave your passports on the beach on your way out !!!

Answer 85

Being English...



Great sense of humour - Monty Python, Black Adder, Little Britain, Titty Titty Bang Bang.



Gorgeous people - Kate Winslet, Rachel Weiz, Kate Beckensale, Keira Knightly, Misha Barton (look it up on Wikipedia), Kelly Osborne.



Great food - Fish and chips, roast dinner, yorkshire puddings, bread and butter pudding, eggy bread.



Great heratige - WW1, WW2, Falklands, the Queen, Henry VI, Victorian, Edwardian, Battle of Hastings.



Great day time TV - Trisha, Jeremy Kyle, This Morning.



I love being English =]



And of course...YA! UK & IRELAND!

Answer 86

Being born within the borders of England rather than the United Kingdom or Great Britain.

Answer 87

Hi, I am proud to be British, we still have traditions that have lasted from centuries ago, we have beautiful scenery, traditional food, and of course different counties have different accents. A lot of British people are friendly, and stick together when we are going through a crisis. This is a nation that has fought against oppression, and won.

Answer 88

Just Me has said it all and i totally agree. I am also proud to be English but agree with everything said. Personally i don't think many of the youngsters of today have any respect for this country, themselves, or anyone else. they forget why our ancestors fought in wars to keep us free. Yes we should celebrate St Georges day and fly the flag and be proud to be English.

Answer 89

I love our country, the flag and everything we stand for. I don't like the way we have been socially watered down over the past years to appease others who do not have the self respect to respect the country that they have adopted. I think we need to show more national pride on more than just St Georges Day. We need to fly the flag at every opportunity and from every establishment. Those who do not like it should be looked on as non patriotic and treated as such. I work in Southall where there are frequent religeous festivals to such an effect that the streets are closed off to facilitate this. The establishment that I work in always flies the Union Flag and George Cross 365 days a year. We were asked to pull it down on the day of one of these events, by a Policeman, just in case it offended some of the asian community while their festival was taking place. He was told, rightly so, to go forth and multiply in short sharp jerky movements. This is England, in GREAT BRITAIN, have we lost our identity so much that this is to be the norm. How dare we be afraid to show our allegiance to our country, in our own country. If you are not proud to be English, then you are not welcome here by more than myself. It is just people are now too affraid to voice their oppinions in public about concerns on integration and multi-culturalisation in fear of being called racists. Fly the flag and be proud of it. If you want to be English then be English and not some other watered down version that suits you when you want it to. We need to get a grip of this country because many of the non English community are too quick to complain about and rebuke the sytem while Genuine English are too scared to stand up to this abuse of our good country. A friend of mine was out in military uniform and collecting his lunch from Sainsbury's. A woman in a Burka asked him why he was killing innocent muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan; he replied, " I am sorry you feel this way but you are mistaken. I am not killing innocent muslims in either country. One, because I am not there. Two, because British Soldiers are there to bring those countries back to a state of normality. Three, because the killing of innocent muslims is being carried out by Islamic fanatic fundamentalists and Four, if you think you can help, then by all means go back over there and help your country-men and women rather than hiding in this country that has given you safe haven from your fears and provided security for your family". There was a small applause from behind him from an elderly lady who then patted him on the arm and told him what a great job he was doing alonside his soldier collegues. I'll say no more.

FLY THE FLAG AND BE PROUD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 90

Go travel and work in lots of different cultures and you'll find it really doesn't mean anything at all. Unles you want to buy in to that whole national pride thing. Anyhow, my memory of England, (wouldn't live there now if you paid me!),was that the type of person who celebrated St George's day was the type of person, (chav), who is a: Giving England a bad name and b: not contributing in any way, excepy to raise the crime rate! Then again, I still check the English news every day.....

Answer 91

well prove detrimental to the environment.



It means living a world where booze is legal even though it turns people in to slavering maniacs but god forbid anybody should smoke cannabis which simply chills them out.



It means hearing about how we should all "tighten out belts" while some arrogant toad of a prince uses a Chinook helicopter funded by the tax payer to ferry his friends to stag parties and go visit his girlfriend.



It means seeing vast numbers of people subsisting on the bread line while over-stuffed politicians draw massive salaries for doing very little.

Answer 92

Being English doesn't mean anything to me as England isn't England anymore with the door wide open to Europe! i dont call England, England anymore i call it mowa polska (little Poland) Even though iam a quarter polish i hate it that there are so many in this country and there lives are made so easy, when my uncle came over to this country he was made to give up everything that was rightfully his in Poland and was given $10 to live in England with!

Answer 93

As an Englishman, I feel lucky to live in a country with excellent health and life expectancy, a solid democracy, a great deal of food and money to go round, a varied and interesting culture, and most of all, kind, beautiful and intelligent people.



I live in one of the safest, healthiest, richest and most stable places in the world.



I also acknowledge that there are problems.



Some people are prejudiced towards anyone from Asians to Homosexuals to Women.



Some have lost faith in the Democratic system of England.



Issues such as worryingly common knife and gun crime lead people to fear.



But these things are in the minority. Prejudice exists, but there are more people who believe in fairness in equality for all than those who don't. That's not necessarily the case elsewhere.



If you can't see a capable party or a leader; then start one, become one. At least in England you have that opportunity. In North Korea they don't.



Crime is worrying. But in England we don't have mass shootings in shopping centres or secondary schools, like in the USA. We don't have the genocide that the former Yugoslavia endured just last decade.



If you are active in society, you can change society for the better.



I think the thing I'm ashamed of England for is the fact that those who are keen to criticise the negative aspects of this country tend to be the ones who are focussed on by the media; we are informed all too frequently on the negative aspects of life, and I feel those who make their thoughts known to the public tend to be those with extreme views; people who have given up on their own country as a lost cause; claiming it is corrupt, overrun with criminal immigrants, lacking a backbone, failing to keep its people healthy.



I think people need to keep a grip on reality. Life is not perfect. But in Zimbabwe, houses have been burnt and people killed trying to earn freedom from Mugabe. In China, you don't have the choice of watching what you want when you want; the government censor what they don't want you to see. In Ethiopia, mothers watch their children die from starvation because they have no hope, no means of getting food to keep those they most love alive to see the next sunrise.



Don't just sit there and complain. Stand up and be counted as a citizen of England. Focus on changing things for the better any way you can. Being English is about caring for each and every citizen of England, no matter their background. Being English is about sitting out the tough times, and fighting for what is good and honest and fair.



It'll be alright as long as we have Marmite on toast and a strong cup of tea to help us through the hard times, and a bowl of Kentish strawberries and English cream to celebrate the better times yet to come.

Answer 94

I am extremely proud to be English although I would prefer to be called British! We should be one country united under one flag. I served in the British Army, we have British Telecom; British Gas; British Rail etc etc. The Union Flag dominated the world. We have beaten all enemies who approached from without since 1066 but we are losing to the enemy from within.

Even newcomers to this great land of ours would find a better reception if they embraced and took ownership of our culture and traditions. However as we are no longer encouraged to call ourselves British, then I am extremely proud to be English

Answer 95

Being English makes me proud and having served 18years in the Army, you cant get any closer to patriotism.

Why do we never celebrate our English traditions yet every other culture in this country can? If we do, its racist.

There is a brilliant song by the ANGELETIC UPSTARTS ,called, ENGLAND, OH ENGLAND. Try and listen to it.

Apart from that, have a nice day and keep fighting back.....they cant make you pregnant..!!! (if your a male)..lol

Answer 96

I'm not English, but I find it sad that the English don't recognise and celebrate the fantastic English diversity around the country. Music, dialect, history,etc. I would love to see English people not just remember war, that is vital, especially for those who fought and died, but the differences in the "regions" from Northumberland to Cornwall, the people are fantastic. Celebrate yourselves, not criticise others, who have been made so welcome here. THe NHS and staff, the safety, (despite what the press say) the chances that are on offer. Be positive about being English, be proud of your flag, but remember, to be free doesn't mean you have to complain.

Answer 97

To be English is PART of my blood line inheritance - as I don't have the distinction or privilege of being pure bred like the toffee nosed so called 'purebreds' from Scotland, England, Wales and Eire who are probably just as blood mixed as me! My mother was born in Scotland of a Scottish father and an English mother - and her mother was Welsh! My father was born in England of an English father and a Welsh mother. I wasn't around to stop my ancestors from sleeping around so that I could be pure bred - I am the results of inter-breeding on a small group of islands. As blood group A my ancestors were vegetarian and came from the middle east/Africa and probably Scandinavia or middle Europa - as I am blonde with pale blue eyes! The Scots, Welsh and Irish are just as mixed up as me - that's what I call multi cultural/mixed breed. Funny how the indeginous population of the United Kingdom can't handle inter-breeding. So there you are English is part of my blood line and I'm British. Long may we celebrate St George's Day, St David's Day, St Andrew's Day and St Patrick's Day - for my cousins on both sides of the family who had parents from Eire!!!

Answer 98

For me, the good things about England are multi-culturalism (shame about the racists, BNP etc but hey), ability to laugh at ourselves, and a very good sense of humour (come on, even the French find Monty Python funny! I've even seen The Holy Grail with English subtitles!! we should be proud....)

Answer 99

Being a member of the best nationality on earth. We have not been invaded by an army since 1066.We have invented far more than any other nation. We are members of the Commonwealth - easily the biggest and best internbational organisation .

Answer 100

To me, being English means obsessions with: private vs. state education, school league tables, house prices and other ridiculous things. Being Welsh, on the other hand, means not being bothered with any of that rubbish.



By the way... why hasn't Yahoo done their answers and realised that the country is called the UK, not England.

Answer 101

It means being in a minority in the warehouse i work in. It means the wage i will work for getting less each day . It means being ripped off and sold down the river by the government and it means i dont speak Polish. It means i cant stand eastern europeans.

It means that im not rascist but now questioning that. It means i have muslim friends, they came here for good reason, protection. It means i dont want to be part of europe, if its so great why are they all here?

Answer 102

The way I feel about being English has changed over time. This is mainly due to England becoming a more cosmopolitan country, the rise of crime and the selling of companies that used to be known as English.



It used to mean helping my neighbour, leaving my door open, saying hello to anyone you saw in your street, having street parties for coronations, Sunday dinners with the whole family etc......



Unfortunately as times have changed, so has my attitude, thus so has my being English. I'm still fiercely proud of being English but feel we have lost our way somewhere along the line. An English mans home used to be his castle, not anymore.



Now I would say, to me being English means, our history.

Answer 103

It means nothing,as I am from Northern Ireland.I am that rare breed,a loyalist who loves England,and Great Britain,and the wonderful values that England and the English have given to its people.I have lived here a long time,and have seen many changes in society.

Being English,if it my opinion as to what it is like to be English,is what is asked,is to be an increasingly minority member of this country.By this,I mean,the English are becoming a minority in their country.

The culture and traditions of England are being swamped by foreign immigrants,who hold no allegiance to England,or the English tradition,and this is indicitative in the way the law,tradition,and religion,have been adapted to a foreign mish mash of nothingness,political correctness,and outside interference in the laws and culture of England.

To be English is to be a minority in your own country.

Answer 104

Have a read of the list below, and see how many comments from the Welsh and Scots saying "It means nothing to me, I'm Welsh/Scottish". I wonder how many English people would respond to a question about being Welsh or Scottish?



That's a part of my experience of being English - having to listen to some Welsh and Scottish people moan about how we oppress them and how much they hate us.



Funny how at election time when the chance comes to vote Scottish or Welsh nationalist so few do.



Most Scottish & Welsh people I know are fantastic blokes/blokettes, by the way. I just think, if you don't like 'being run by the English', and you have a chance to vote for independence, then do it.



And if most of your countrymen don't, then blame THEM, not me, or my fellow Englishmen.



Best wishes.

Answer 105

That's about having checks and balances: historically, whenever England has done 'bad' things there has always been some form of public outcry and, eventually, some form of reparation. We are not a ruthless nation: that's why we're better at inventing games than winning them - soccer, rugby, cricket, golf (OK that's Scottish), rounders (for you Americans that's baseball) etc.

Answer 106

Most Scottish & Welsh people I know are fantastic blokes/blokettes, by the way. I just think, if you don't like 'being run by the English', and you have a chance to vote for independence, then do it.

Answer 107

A LOT



I'm bloody proud to be english



Our history is amazing, fish and chips has to be there too, the queen is an icon, st george is a legend and i am fully born and bred english i sleep, eat and breathe england.



i don't care if i offend anyone but i can't help being english

Answer 108

Always saying sorry even when it isn't your fault

A cup of Tea

The Queen

A stiff upper lip

The weather (Oh to be in England now that April is here)

Literature

History



But most of all is to drive in to Kent (Where I was born) no matter what the weather look from the top of Wrotham Hill and know (and feel) that I am home. Oh and my mums lamb Stew!!!

Answer 109

What it means to me - great pubs, best music in the world, gorgeous Victorian and stunning modern architecture, tolerance and understatement, fry-ups, curries and roast dinners, irony, the BBC, beautiful countryside, seaside towns, The Office, cricket - and sharing (a part of) a small island with 50 million others of the most diverse, creative, open-minded and interesting people on the planet!

Answer 110

It's bad enough that foreigners (especially Yanks) refer to Britain as England - but even the English are getting mixed up on this site.

Answer 111

being english means living in a country where everyone complains all the time but can never be bothered to get off their arses and do anything about their lives. a country where we harp on a bout the war(s) and a world cup we once won (even though we are second rate at football and would have lost the war(s) without outside help) a country where drunks wobble around the streets and being a drunkard is everyones raison d'etre, a country so deep in cultural crisis it becomes obsessesd with the past, a country afraid of the future, a country that purports to hate europe even though the standard of living in the majority of european countries is far higher than our own, a country where women are afraid to walk the streets alone and parts of our cities are no go areas .. yeah its great being english.

Answer 112

I love England. Is it perfect - no, can I speak my mind - yes. I am tempted to look back at good and bad things but we should look forward and we are doing great things (except too much surveillance from CCTV and the imposition on ID cards). I would like freedom from Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland so we can have lower taxes. In any case those other great countries want freedom from the UK too.which means separation from us in England.

Chris

Answer 113

English means history, pride and passion .. all of which is harder to come by these days as our history is re-writen by hollywood or liberals determined to make us PC.



What is St Georges Day? it has no position as a national day of celebration as we are unable to even get it recognised as a bank holiday and with our parliament packed full of scots there is less and less chance. What we do celebrate is St Patricks which isnt even a member of the UK anymore but who cares when getting drunk is far more important than national pride!

Answer 114

I am not proud to say i am English even though I was born here and educated here. I know about my history and where I come from and as for the "War on Terror"....well...is'nt that illegal?

Yet they wanna take me to courrt and say I lie!!

Kids white and Black wanna be American Gangsters, girls wanna be Paris Hilton.

More people in this country celebrate St.Patricks day right!!Who is St.George?

I have read a few entries on this site and English people are never happy, only when it's a Bank holiday - but it cant be too hot or too cold and we have to get drunk.

I wanna make my money and get out of here as soon as possible and help some people who really have got problems. maybe I can give back some of the riches that England stole in the first place!



Thanks

Answer 115

Indian

Bangladeshi

French

German

Spaniard

Answer 116

anybody should smoke cannabis which simply chills them out.



It means hearing about how we should all "tighten out belts" while some arrogant toad of a prince uses a Chinook helicopter funded by the tax payer to ferry his friends to stag parties and go visit his girlfriend.



It means seeing vast numbers of people subsisting on the bread line while over-stuffed politicians draw massive salaries for doing very little.



It means listening to those same politicia

Answer 117

It means nothing because i'm Scottish.



So when i hear people say "i fought for my country" you mean the UK .. NOT England, it's the British Army etc.



When you mention the Queen, remember it's the UK's Queen, a British, not English monarch.



If not, then you're being subjective and narrow minded towards the other members of the UK .. Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

Answer 118

Being walked over and the one the rest of Europe laughs at for belonging to such a SUCKER of a nation.



I am proud to be English, but feel ashamed of our Government. They have sold out to Europe & America. It disgusts me. I want to leave and move to a more tolerant, non violent place. England is FINISHED for me.

Answer 119

Well I feel this country has`` had it``To me it appears that the media is now concentration on benefits of immigrants, and in many of our schools English is not the first language tout. If I were younger I would go to another country where the population comes first. Such as France etc.

Answer 120

I agree with a lot of what "just me" says but I also think we should be proud to be one of the most inventive nations in the world.



The question of being proud to be English is now somewhat out of date since since England as a single country no longer exists due to the mass immigrations that have taken place.



What we are left with now is a country of different foreign communities which calls itself England.

Answer 121

Dark Ages, Colonial Masters, Irish discrimination & famine, Royal Pompesity, and British Military Presumtousness.

Answer 122

I think a lot of English should be ashamed of them selfs i am from Scotland and have Lived in England since 1979 . I v been told that the wall should go back up to keep the Scots out of England. thats Kent for you.

Answer 123

What does English mean to me? I think that this is an important question to ask myself as I was born and bread in the US. As my mother is English, I was able to obtain dual citizenship (US/UK) before I moved to England 10 years ago.



Being considered English is important to me. I think in order to be English you have to respect England's laws and customs and appreciate England's history, culture and it's beautiful wildlife and landscapes. To be English, you have to be proud to be English and not be ashamed to admit it! Huzzah for St George's Day!

Answer 124

British are a soft touch. after we allow our country to be over run with foreigners. all the original true British have gone. i think Spain is more British than Britain its self. if i had the chance to go tomorrow i would. we have a bad government . this country would be a wonder full place if it wasn't totally over populated. there is not enough housing for us but the government still allow more people in.all i say is its sad that it has come to this bring back the good old days when you could say I'm proud to be British and proud of my country.

Answer 125

I am very very proud to be English, i think to many people in this country are scared to say they are pround to be English cause some people might think they are RACIST. People need to make a stand in this country and let every1 no where they are from. And if the foreign people who live here dont like it they no what they can do. GO HOME!!!!!

Answer 126

It means a country governed by amazingly naive politicians who have simply imposed multiculturalism on us without any form of consultation.



I actually think most real British ( and English) are ashamed of the way once great Britain has degenerated into overpopulation and cynicism. I have seen countless examples of new arrivals to the UK simply claiming to be "British" and I suppose they also mean English



Once proud we now are ridiculed and our "rich history"is a joke. The question should read:



What did being English once mean to you?

Answer 127

Not a lot. Give me the day off (paid) and I might think a litle more of it. While you're at at make May 1st a proper workers holiday.



My loyalties are with my class not some stupid border lines drawn by rich idiots.



NO WAR BUT THE CLASS WAR.

Answer 128

I am proud to be English but agree with a lot of people in this country that we are to soft. I am all for multi cultures but feel we are losing our identity. if you live in this country you must respect the English and British way of life as we are expected to do for other people who are not native to this country WE SHOULD NOT BE ASHAMED OF BEING ENGLISH.

Answer 129

To be honest, nothing - especially when you consider that there is no such thing as being 100% English - the English were descended from the Vikings, who were Norse or Danish!



It's also a shame that the majority of 'English' think of the Union Flag (not Jack, it is only the Union Jack when it is flown at sea) as the English flag, given the symbolism the Union Flag has with racism and the BNP.

Answer 130

Fish N chips



fry ups



Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Answer 131

Work for 51 years

Pay your taxes at 40%+ and Insurance

Do your Army Tour

Contribute to everything the State buys

Have your savings stolen to subsidise the rich

Have your State assets sold

Accept outsiders until they equal we the originators in numbers.

Accept you have no equality law

Let them carve up your body when dead.

Shall I go on?

Answer 132

I have only been here for 9 months being one of those much hated immigrants. I see your point, i'd feel endangered myself if my country was overrun by foreigners...

I think in England you have beautiful countriside and great music. Don't like fish and chips though :)

Answer 133

As Shakespeare put.



This royal throne of Kings, this scepter’d isle,

This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,

This other Eden, demi-paradise,

This fortress built by Nature for herself

Against infection and the hand of war,

This happy breed of men, this little world,

This precious stone set in the silver sea,

Which serves it in the office of a wall,

Or as a moat defensive to a house,

Against the envy of less happier lands,

This blessed plot, this earth, this realm,



this England.

Answer 134

Island had such a huge impact on the world through the empire and the countless Inventions that this country has given to world. I have travelled around the world and it is harder to find a country that hasn't in someone been influenced by England.

Answer 135

Boy are there a lot of Scott's with chips on there shoulder here or should i say deep fried mars bar because that's what you lot like isn't it? As for being English i guess it feel the same as all other European country's (Apart from Scotland of course)

Answer 136

I am proud to be born in this country (30 yrs of age) as a hindu. I am proud of Britain and the identity it represents - I don't care what anybody says - This country will look after you till you die - in return, all it asks that you serve you're community (being employed), help and support others and be loyal, honourable and of a decent kind human being - cheers.

Answer 137

Sir Cecil Rhodes once said "to be born British was to win the first prize in the lottery of life" he did not say English.

Why do you and the media as a whole try to create a divide within Great Britain?

Answer 138

it means I can wake up everyday not hating my country's neighbours because I'm not jealous of them. Remember to buy English in your supermarkets, don't let your money go to the very country's who's people hate you!



happy St George day to all you English.

Answer 139

I,m proud to be English pity we can,t show it more by flying the flag .I now live in Scotland and most cars have a Scottish sticker on them ,most government building fly the Scottish flag .Lets be like the Scott's and fly the flag high .

Answer 140

"I love England, it's the country my grandparents fought for"



It's also the country your ancestors invaded, ethnically cleansed, brutalised and marginalised. There is a lot to be proud of in modern Englishness, and the English should be proud. But don't think that the Britons think you are something to be celebrated, because they have long memories. Looooooong memories.

Answer 141

Being English to me means safeguarding our rich oral cultural heritage - keeping in circulation tales of deeds of heroism or stories of the working masses, singing our glorious anthems and folk songs, and celebrating our Morris traditions and dances in the streets. This is where we come from, these are our songs, stories and dances, passed on to us from our forbears. They are as unique to England as those of other cultures and I am proud of them.

Answer 142

Chavs, Snobby Twits, Tea, Fish and Chips, Some Damn Good Music.



And if I'm honest I wouldn't change that for the world.

Greatest country in the world... :]

Answer 143

to be english is something iam very proud of, More people should also be and not be afarid to show it, I only live in a flat but there are many flags flying in ittoday also on my car .although sadly and can hand on heart say i have not seen any others out .to me being english is a mARK OF WHO I AM AND WHERE I BELONG. roast beef, fish and chips, patronism , manners respect for neighbours

Answer 144

I remember that I was born an Englishman and therefore have won life's grand prize lottery. I am immensely proud of our heritage and history. There'll always be an England!

Answer 145

Sadly being British to me means being a second class citizen in my own country.

It also means that being a christian in the U.K which is classed as a christian nation means that all other faiths are accommodated before yours and you virtually have no rights

.

Britain is slowly loosing its whole identity and being made to feel ashamed of being British.

It means that you must be very careful not to be too patriotic or you may be classed as a bnp supporter.

Answer 146

It means having a very unrealistic view on the rest of the world. A genuine 'island'-mentality. England has many things to be proud of and there's nothing wrong with a little patriotism, but the focus is too egocentric and causes ignorance of other (more important) issues.

Answer 147

I agree with Just Me, being English these days, means all those things he said about our yobbo culture, binge drinking, youths attacking people and NOT facing any consequences what so ever and not even giving a **** about the persons who's life they took away, Racism, over inflated taxes, sky high housing market, sky high bank interest on loans, mortgages etc, while the rich upper class twits live a life of luxury the working class are suffering house repossession and or not being able to get on the property ladder due to inflation... yes I could go on and on with these points, there are some good things about being English but talking from experience who has seen the world... There isn't that many.



Jumana

Answer 148

I personally think we need some strong British standards injected back into OUR culture! If we are not careful we will become the minority in our own country. I never used to be worried about multicultural UK but now it saddens me to see how things have changed and how different cultures come along make demands of us, and we let them. I am respectful of other cultures but it seems like other cultures in our country are not respectful of ours.

Answer 149

Hope that you find a great system that is not overwhelming, or you will not do it. I am disabled and I can do this and the things I can not, my nine year old son and my husband help me with, but we are all on board together. I just get the bulk b/c I am at home! Good luck and many many blessings!

Answer 150

Fish n chips.. **** off!



England has been raped by the foriegn infiltrator, they are everywhere and they are a disease. Damn them all to Hell.



How on earth can anyone be patriotic about a country that is so full of aliens?

Answer 151

Nothing to me Im Welsh and proud of it. lol Happy St Georges Day

Answer 152

i'm proud to be english. My grandad drove a tank in the war and ny nan was a nurse for our country.

I don't care about the weather there is more to life! I'm proud of where i come from and always will be

Answer 153

This is binge Britain, home of the chav, where teens ride by on pedal bikes and shoot 11 year old boys to death, the police have become uniformed tax collectors and road marshals instead of enforcers of common law and the old, the infirm and the weak the length and breadth of the land are often terrified to venture out of their homes after dark.

Answer 154

Tolerance

Answer 155

Being the best at welcoming other people to our country. Maybe this is why the capital of England is one of the largest and culturally mixed cities in the world?

Answer 156

Being English means having to sing "Baa Baa Rainbow Sheep" so not to offend anyone. Being English means having to pay taxes so that spongers can get free cars. Being English means being scared that you will get stabbed if you go out at night.

Answer 157

I'm proud to be English but hate to being called British. I would like see the St.George's flag flown every day not just today.England will always be home to me.

Answer 158

Our Green and Pleasant Land. So proud to be English. We have many issues like any other country, but I wouldn't want to be anything else but English. Give the scots, welsh and irish independence, get them all out of our parliament - as we are out of theirs - then we can start to rebuild our country before it's completely sucked dry. God bless Her majesty.

Answer 159

I for one am extremely proud to be English. I detest being labelled BRITISH as am not Welsh(Thank God), Scots(Thank God)or Irish(Thank God). Yeah so what if hardly anyone on this Planet likes the English but do you think us English give a s### no we dont. We put up with alot especially when were bullied and raped by those c#### at 10 Downing Street and Westminster everyday of the week. The country is an absolute toilet at the mow and i would move to another country in a heartbeat but after everything i still love this country and i won't have anyone slagging it off.

HAPPY SAINT GEORGES DAY!

Answer 160

I'm a child of the kidnapped people... A descendant of a people who were enslaved by the English...Nothing to be proud of...I think.

Answer 161

an english person to me is soemone who was born in england or moved here and follows most of the traditions and culture.



to me i am very orud to be english. the british empire covered over a 1/4 of the world at it's peak, and we have WELFARE whihc looks after most people.

Answer 162

Congratulations to you all!

It is really nice to read all these britons being proud of being english! I do admire your country. I wonder if I will ever meet my own dream englishman... so I could have a piece of your beautiful country!!

Answer 163

Eating fish and chips by the sea even if the weather is not great

Answer 164

To me being english is living in a country that has a queen, good old £ coins and a decent pint.

Not all this EU rubbish.

Answer 165

To me it means your from england to the rest of the world its that you can speak a incoherent lasier version of the english language.

Answer 166

Being English means colonise other countries, rule as if the countries are theirs, steal their money and take it back to England!!!!!

Answer 167

my white Anglo Saxon heritage,stifled by the Celtic nations,the protestant religion of our forefathers,the throne of England,the church of England(low church)our fighting spirit through the century's,Alfred the great,Harold king of England died 1066 fighting the Norman invader,Cromwell,Churchill,latimer&ridley who were burnt at the stake for defending the english protestant c/e thatcher,ngton,montgomery,auchinlek william of orange (paisely rev,) ok hes aulsterman (same thing)and on and on ,rumours of the demise of the english people are greatly exaderated enland for ever independance now

Answer 168

I am English born; but I have st oped all that flag waving nonsense as it only cause hatred and conflict. All people in England should live in peace and harmony.

Answer 169

I am very proud to be English, I have served my Queen and Country for 23yrs and I would do it all again. Lets keep England GREAT.

Answer 170

Just because we are all fed up with the way this country is going, it does and should not allow you not to be 'ENGLISH AND PROUD'. I hate my country for the way it is being allowed to be screwed by all these do gooders inviting everyone over, to get what they want, this has happened over so many years now, that we are paying the consequences. Too many people have turned a blind eye to it (ENOCH WAS RIGHT). Well i hope you are happy with yourselves. Your still be voting Labour or Conseravtives or those Liberal mugs or thinking i wont vote, which is just as bad. Do something about it, stand up for your country.

I may not be happy with things here, but i am ENGLISH AND PROUD. MAKE A STAND VOTE BNP

Answer 171

It means living in an ever changing multicultural society. This is what most of the Britons here todaY NEED TO EMBRACE.

Answer 172

NOTHING! Cuzz I'm not English.. gosh thats an easy question.

Answer 173

The world. England has changed and shaped this world in many ways, and to be a son of all of that sends tingles down my back.

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!!!!

Answer 174

Not a lot.

Most english people don't even know what countries make up UK. Any I've talked to tell you the UK is made up of England Scotland and Wales.

I'm going to ask that question.

Answer 175

I am British, not English.



Why do we not spend as much time and effort celebrating St Davids, St Patricks and St Andrew's day equally?



I didn't see thepapers, tv or headlines on the web pomoting St David's day on teh 1st March.

Answer 176

England used to be a great place to live, however it is now an over-taxed nanny state which gives precedence to immigrants over it's own people, a country that overlooks it's citizen's thuggery yet punishes those who dare to protect themselves against it, and has a government so inept and corrupt, that barely a day goes by without some new scandal being uncovered.

Answer 177

Being English is nothing to be proud of anymore. As a country we are simply the USA's Lapdog. As a people we are over taxed, over regulated and over reliant on past glories for national pride.

Answer 178

To me being English is being a decendent oif the Anglo-Saxon tribes of the island of Great Britain. Being English should not be mistaken with being British. English is a bloodline, British is a citizenship open to all races. I am proud to be English and for what we have for the world and I am proud of the fact that are biggest export, the English language is used throughout the world.

Answer 179

In modern day england it is quite simply deemed rasist to say your english

Answer 180

English is for the me, part of my life, being a gentleman, a polite courteous person, who has the confidence to tread mybe where angels fear to tread, our history and traditions are sometimes ridiculed and attacked, but it is what is part of our life.

i am proud to be English and damm to anyone who says different.

Answer 181

Start by being born abroad. Then embrace the ideology that never existed in your native land. Blame others, come her then claim it as your own. EASY

Answer 182

As a Englishman living in Scotland the answer is very little.The scots have there heads screwed on unlike the English who leave their;s buried in the sand.

SASSENACH.

Answer 183

It means nothing, I always refer to myself as 'british' if I have to. The best thing about this country is some of the amazing country side, wildlife & old buildings/towns. But thanks to the govenment over the last 20 years this countries going to pot. I definately dont go in for all that patriotic rubbish.

Answer 184

so called minority groups ... well they did come to the UK and

must learn to part of it !!! become part of the comunity and

not isolated from it ..... language being the biggest barrier ...I

lived for many years in Germany, and I did manage to learn

the language and reaped the benifits of that !!! and a very

nice country it is too, they do seem to find the balance much

Answer 185

all I can think of is its a language that Americans Canadians Scottish Welsh etc can speak. Its the language that people who, cannot speak English wish to learn.

Answer 186

Being a second class citizen in my own country and not being able to take pride in my heritage for fear of offending others

Answer 187

it means being part of a diverse society. The curry is as much a part of being english as is cup of tea. And what the hell's wrong with that?

Answer 188

absolutely nothing.

Not anymore.England used to be such a beautiful place to live and I was so proud to be part of it.

In recent years the economy has been drained.We send troups to war just because we are told to.The prime minister hasn't got a clue and the royal family?? what do they honestly do for England? Is it any wonder so many people are packing their bags and going to live abroad?

Answer 189

That I can talk english =/

Answer 190

Normally i would just say fruit, but i think both. I like the sweet taste of the fruits but i love the piquancy and kick the produce bring

Answer 191

There are many healthy fruits and vegetables. Fruit and vegetables like broccoli and kale contain calcium and are packed with fiber.

Answer 192

Equality.



This is sadly being eroded today by The Labour government.



Fairness and good manners too.

Answer 193

I live in South Africa and am from English descent. I am proud of my English heritage, but wonder these days how "English" the people from England actually are! Hopefully the English culture will prevail!

Answer 194

being english/british mean that i get swindled out of 22% of my wage to something V V V bad call tax

Answer 195

I AM PROUD TO BE ENGLISH MY DAD FOUGHT IN THE WAR AND KNOW MY SONS ARE IN THE FORCE ONE IN THE ROYAL NAVY AND ONE IN THE ARMY HE IS IN IRAQ AT THE MOMENT THATS WHY I AM PROUD TO BE ENGLISH ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT COME TO ENGLAND FOR A FREE RIDE AND THEN SLAG THE COUNTRY OFF SHOULD ALL GO TO WERE THEY COME FROM I ALSO HATE BEING LABELED BRITISH I'M NOT WELSH I'M NOT SCOTTISH AND I'M NOT IRISH I'M ENGLISH AND VERY PROUD TO SAY IT BUT WE CAN'T BECAUSE IT MIGHT OFFEND SOME ONE WELL TUFF IF THEY DON'T LIKE IT THEN F**K OFF

Answer 196

It means that I am one of the most fortunate people in the world.

Answer 197

Chris M

Rob Wallace was actually of Norman ancestry, not really Celtic at all. He also was a monarch hell bent on expanding his empire, had nothing to do with Scottish Nationalism. He even invaded Ireland. I wish the Scots would actually bother reading up about their "National" icons instead of watching dire hollywood interpretations of history.

Answer 198

To me, it means living in a country that was changed irrevocably for the worse in under fifty years and being powerless to do anything to rescue it from the fools who now continue to destroy it.



It also means being sarcastic and wearing old brown clothes.

Answer 199

It's an expensive hell hole, jobs are hard to find because of immigrants and labour is driving the UK into the floor.

Answer 200

it means alot to me despite all the nagative comments i'v read.i became british by choice and this country has given me oppertunities i could have only dreamed.it means democracy,human rights,multicultures,friendly people at the bus stop,great music,unity through football,david beckham,eastenders,the sunday market,weekend telly,english breakfast,big ben.i could go on and on,i think we should all be very proud of this country,english,scotish irish or whatever you prefer to call yourself.i love this country and iam willing to fight for it despite all its flaws!!

Answer 201

Company and army medical tests you cant get past to get a proper job.

Answer 202

Being this side of the channel, when I can see France across the water ( most mornings).

Answer 203

I for one will be joining the BNP to try and reclaim Britain for the British. If you dont like it ship out!

Answer 204

Remember that you are an Englishman, and have consequently won first prize in the lottery of life.

Answer 205

Sadness and anger as I see the country of my youth changed and degraded beyond recognition.

Answer 206

It means being a loud mouth, arrogant, aggressive, beer swilling thug that's hated by the rest of the good world. All over the world people organise there holidays away from places they know there will be groups of English. The English tried to take over the world, thought they owned the place. But look at them now, most f**ked up country in the world. I pity the Scots and the Welsh having to be associated with them. Oh what a great nation. God save the queen and let the rest burn in hell.

Answer 207

This thread just makes me laugh, England is not a country, nobody "fought for England" they fought for Britain. There is no "queen of England" she is the queen of the UK. There is no English government whatsoever and there isnt even an English National anthem. be proud of your region, by all means. I am as proud to be a Celt and a Cornishman as one can be and I celebrate st pirans day (our equivalent of your st georges day) and I fly our "national flag" as proudly as you English fly yours but Its ridiculous when people go so far as to say England is a country, its just plain wrong! England is a region just like Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and Cornwall!

Answer 208

I love England and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

Answer 209

Excessive drinking, laziness, swearing, uncouth behaviour, violence, invading other countries, discrimination, lying politicians, tacky media, boring BBC programmes, violence at schools, carrying weapons, bad transport, expensive necessities, hospital bugs, few dentists, high taxes, high petrol /gas/electricty prices, rip off house prices, awful weather, terrible cooks, etc. etc.

Answer 210

not so much the patiotic stuff. but some people look upto us and wish they were english. its great to be apart of the community we live in, sometimes its not so great tho. but yeah (:

Answer 211

BEING ENGLISH TO ME IS THIS, IM PROUD TO BE ENGLISH, BUT ITS WRONG TO SAY SO, IT SIGNIFIES THAT I HAVE NO WRIGHTS TO ANY THING, AND THAT I AM THE MUG WHO PAYS FOR EVERYBODY ELSE TO RECEIVE HAND OUTS AND HELP WHEN THEY DONT EVEN SPEAK OUR LANGUAGE, OR NEED HEALTH CARE, I WILL HAVE A FLAG ON MY HOUSE, UNTILL SOMEONE SAYS IT IS OFENNSIVE???

Answer 212

It means im english

Answer 213

It means considering a question like this rather gauche.

Answer 214

Its a day we should celebrate and let other cultures be aware of our extensive history and what we stand for as a nation....Its not a day for people to slag other people off like happens on here....Be proud of where your from like the scottish, welsh and especially the Irish.....Its a glorious country and I for one am very proud to be an Englishman.

Answer 215

ENGLISH AND I HAVE A FLAG UP GOT A FLAGPOLE FOR £20

Answer 216

English is the language that I speak (Yoda)

Answer 217

Why should you let it casue conflict? This is our country you should be proud. Anyone who has a problem with this should not be here.



We are loosing our identity these days with the E.U etc so we need to become strong again, bring back industry to this country, teach kids our history, educate the imigrants to be like us if they want to live here.... Most of all be proud of our acheivments and celebrate what it is to come form a once great country!

Answer 218

Ive given up thinking its my country anymore, because its everyones BUT the English's

Answer 219

being robed by the government to pay for other peoples problems

Answer 220

Our great history and our armed forces.

Answer 221

being english means i was born in england

Answer 222

Absolutely nothing.

Answer 223

Not a lot I`m afraid, I chase haggis around daily... and I`m half Irish......x

Answer 224

living in england

Answer 225

im not a english but proud to be living in england

sorry im dumb

Answer 226

Makes me feel like a scummy hippy. - I'm Scottish!

Answer 227

Well, what I like the most of English people is that you usually do not state your opinion unless you are asked to..nor criticize openly.

I believe it's a very polite and democratic culture.



This is my experience at least..

ciao

Answer 228

to be a part of the culture that you mentioned

and to have a part of the country



wow........ that was deep! lol

Answer 229

Pride in my heritage

Answer 230

im ok but i think that the prime minster should stop letting loads of people from other places in!!!!!

Answer 231

english means that u are born in england, follow english rules, have a BRITSH passport and dont wear a frikkin turban! Y shud we not fly our own flag and frikin foreigners are allowed to do wat the hell they like and we cant!!!!!!! so yh english means ur very very fit person like lauren:D

Answer 232

Nothing at all - because of I am Turkish (proud of it of course)

Answer 233

Not much since I was not raised there and I don't even have an accent -__-

Answer 234

Well i would rather be English then any other alternative : )

Answer 235

just a language of my mother tongue and a hard language to learn if you are not English.but i am not patriotic

Answer 236

Im proud. Woo woo!

Answer 237

fish and chips, cup of tea, and plenty of rain to go with it.

Answer 238

It means colonising the world, enforcing my views on others via the media, getting drunk, divinding and conquering nations, and saveg behaviour.

Answer 239

Being English to me means that I am one of a dying race. In the not to distant future [ due to the stupidity of successive governments] there will be no English people.

Answer 240

it means paying higher prices on everything and constantly shafted by the government

Answer 241

well it ain't sticking cheap plastic flags on Cars.

Answer 242

to most people in Europe, English are a bunch of rude, drunken, foul mouthed Football shirted yobs

Answer 243

Being broke!

A govt that is a disgrace.

Answer 244

I'm not Inglis but I'm very proud to call my self as a British citizen ...tchau

Answer 245

It's full of people like "Leigh M" who don't like to hear the truth about their precious country, like "Just me" pointed out in his post!!



English people are the most arrogant people in the world! Only they could go on holiday to another country and insist that the people there speak English!

Answer 246

NHS ,BIG BEN ,QUEEN MUSIC WE ARE SO LUCKY TO HAVE ALL THESE AND A DECENT CUP OF TEA ,I AM PROND TO BE BRITISH

Answer 247

Nothing, I'm Welsh : -



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpYogExUngU

Answer 248

I am proud of British music..... it might not be american, but it definitly something to be proud of...

Answer 249

It means" I Belong "

Answer 250

im not a brit but it would be cool to be one im an aussie

Answer 251

dont give 2 monkeys about the english dont see how they could be patriotic about being english after their history

Answer 252

Well sinse I am Scottish and not British [English] it means nothing to me. The Queen and her whole family don't mean a thing to me either. She isn't my queen, and she wont ever be either.

Answer 253

crumpets and tea......



oh, wouldn't that be nice! in fact it seems that people outside the country see us as either toffee nosed idiots quaffing chamapgne with the Queen or complete and utter chavs with only the ambition of causing riot and trauma to the most number people in the shortest period of time.

Answer 254

Bangers and mash!

Answer 255

A country being over-run by foreigners and immigrants..where pregnant 14 year old schoolgirls are the norm rather than the exception....where there is a complete break-down of the traditional family unit..where parents refuse to take responsibility for their own kids ..where the working class has been replaced by the non-working class..benefit scroungers are only too content to suck the teat of Britain`s welfare state dry .. and who idle their day away watching their big plasma screen TV, puffing on a cigarette and breeding litter after litter of fatherless offspring..because they are too thick in their feckless lives to use contraception...Thats my ENGLAND...and you are welcome to it .....

Answer 256

Being a racist discriminating dishonest Chav Thug Idiot!

Answer 257

FISH AND CHIPS

And.. Proud =]

Answer 258

witty humour

Answer 259

shame



ane embarrasment

Answer 260

colonise and steal worldwide.





then act all civil and righteous.

Answer 261

Nothing any more, this country has lost its identity. shame really. As soon as i can emigrate i will, this country is lost!

Answer 262

it makes me feel joly whenever i think about it

Answer 263

I vow to thee my Country,,,,,,

Answer 264

i;m Irish,would it realy matter what i think of england?

Answer 265

Who asked for a welsh or scottish opinion? it dunt count :)

Answer 266

dont care i`m welsh !!!!



CYMRU AM BYTH TWLL IN BOB SAIS

Answer 267

proud very

Answer 268

BIELIEDIE ?

BORN IN ENGLAND

LIVE IN ENGLIND

DIE IN ENGLAND

Answer 269

dont know im not english

Answer 270

we'll obviously not what it is supposed to mean anymore,

Answer 271

nothing!!

I have no sense of national identity.........all these traditions are socially constructed and are part of the ruling classes attempt to indoctrinate the working people of the country to ensure that we have a lively army, navy, raf etc to fight their ways which are ultimately based on economic imperialism. The only affinity I have is with my class and i think we should be celebrating May 1st more comprhensively. A celebration of the workers........the only flag I follow is the soviet.......St george wasnt even English, what is england if not a mongrel race, genetically!!

Answer 272

im not english...sorry....

Answer 273

honestly being gay

Answer 274

seeing im northern irish...... nothing

Answer 275

WOOOHOOO! Its *wonderful*!!!!!!! I love it i am very proud! :D :D :D :D

Answer 276

referring to people you dont like as 'WANKERS'

Answer 277

nothing. i'm from tyrone, Eire. we have had enough trouble with the english over here. i've no problem with them in their own country, but not mine. forgive but never forget!

Answer 278

i wouldnt know....... im not english.....

goooooooooooooooooo portugal!!!!

Answer 279

BEING THE BEST!!.

Answer 280

nothing ----- glad i am scottish

Answer 281

nothing any more

Answer 282

it = sexy (the accent)

Answer 283

TAXES TAXES and more TAXES

Answer 284

bloody pommie

Answer 285

Not a lot really, I'm from Northern Ireland.

Besides, England has become very multicultural, and as such, English is becoming diluted as we move on in the world as more and more races intermingal.

English is not so English anymore.

Answer 286

VERY VERY PROUD

Answer 287

We all should make a stance and be proud to be british and not bother coming in on ST GEORGES DAY

All the other nations have it as a bank holiday why should not we

After all our queen is head of the united kingdom yet in her own England we cant have a bank holiday

As we might offend some



Italian

Czeck

Pole

Rusky

Slovak

Lithuanian

Indian

Bangladeshi

French

German

Spaniard

African and the list continues. Political correctness gone wrong



THIS IS ENGLAND SO STAND PROUD AND SHOUT

I AM BRITISH. FOR ST GEORGE AND ENGLAND

Answer 288

The quote by Cecil Rhodes, some 150 years ago, "In the lottery of life you have drawn the winning ticket by being born an English gentleman."

Being born in Scotland and now living in Australia, I always laugh at that! They have a marvellous sense of humour!

Answer 289

It means living in a country where actually being English is becoming like being a 2nd class citizen.



It means being a nationality that most of the rest of the world, and the rest of the UK, slag off but a lot of those same people seem to want to come and live in England amongst the English to "use" the opportunties that England and the English offer that their own countries evidently don't (especially the Scots and Welsh)!

Answer 290

A lot.



It is very hard to answer that, because it means so many things. It would be like asking what does having two legs mean to you, it just is part of me. A part I am proud of.

Answer 291

I think what it means to be English is changing rapidly. Frankly I think it's healthy.



There are sections of society who are not reacting well to this change, but the reality is young people growing up today live in diverse and multicultural society: this is something to be celebrated.



Multiculturalism has its friction points that will need easing, but the benefits of shared cultural understanding outweigh the costs.

Answer 292

from england idk

Answer 293

its ****, everyone lazy.....

Answer 294

It means tolerating plonkers like 'Just me'.

Answer 295

It means absolutely nothing to me!!!!!--- as I'm Scottish.

C'mon William Wallace. C'mon the Bruce.

Answer 296

Nothing at all - I am Welsh and proud of it!

Answer 297

Nothing.I'm Cymro!

Answer 298

NOT MUCH BECAUSE I'M FROM SCOTLAND

Answer 299

I am extremely proud to be English.My dad fought for this country & my mam worked in the Ammo factory.Being English

is all I need we are a great nation & always will be.

Answer 300

i dont really think about it to be honest. im just me, i dont go in for all that patriotic nonsense, it just fosters conflict