Happy Europe Day, Everyone!

[Flosshilde]

Me too! My Spanish is rubbish (o'level!!) and I am not entirely sure about some of the music.

"Well, in this life, you're either certain or you're not" - A.T.P Hargreaves, 'The Third Season'.

note - he didn't say "you're either certain or you're not entirely certain"

[Beef Oven]

note - he didn't say "you're either certain or you're not entirely certain"

1) Why do you think Hargreaves is a man?
2) Certainty is an absolute concept, not relative.
3) Even in the least, one can not be 'entirely sure' about something.

[Mr Pee]

and impossible not to be European, as Britain is part of the European continental land mass.

And on that basis, the Falkland Islanders are all Argentinian.

[Flosshilde]

And on that basis, the Falkland Islanders are all Argentinian.

Couldn't agree more.

They can hardly be British, as most of them weren't born in Britain

[Flosshilde]

1) Why do you think Hargreaves is a man?
2) Certainty is an absolute concept, not relative.
3) Even in the least, one can not be 'entirely sure' about something.

But you seemed sure that I've said I'm "British through & through"

[Beef Oven]

And on that basis, the Falkland Islanders are all Argentinian.

They are more British than many people over here (Britain - that country that inludes Scotland etc)

[ahinton]

I'm not sure who says things like "British through and through", apart from you & possibly Daily Mail readers. It sounds rather archaic.

I don't, either, although I don't doubt that some people do; that said, it's rather hard to understand why anyone with the background that Beef Oven declares might say such a thing, since he states that he is "25% British" in terms of background but presumably holds a passport (albeit a European Community one!) declaring him to be a British citizen (or at least a British subject). I am technically British, too, according to my passport, but I would never think to say that I'm "British through and through".

[ahinton]

Oh dear, you've had a relapse - Just when I thought you'd got it!

The only evidence of possible "relapse" here is in your own reference to "I thought"! "Got" what, exactly?

[Beef Oven]

I don't, either, although I don't doubt that some people do; that said, it's rather hard to understand why anyone with the background that Beef Oven declares might say such a thing, since he states that he is "25% British" in terms of background but presumably holds a passport (albeit a European Community one!) declaring him to be a British citizen (or at least a British subject). I am technically British, too, according to my passport, but I would never think to say that I'm "British through and through".

I am not 25% British in terms of background. Pay attention please.

[JimD]

Sorry to be a bit behind, but I offer the following question as part of a test for UK citizenship applicants:

...If, however, he genuinely feels that "Happy" and "Europe" are "two words that rarely go together", one might wonder why it is that he lives in Europe...

"If these Asians don't like our culture why don't they live somewhere else?"

Compare and contrast the two statements above.

[ahinton]

And on that basis, the Falkland Islanders are all Argentinian.

Most if not all inhabitants of the Falkland Islands possess British passports and are accordingly British citizens or (perhaps in a few cases) British subjects; these categories usually confer upon the holder the right of abode in Great Britain. At present, they also have the right of abode in those islands but, if British soverignty of them is ever passed to Argentina, they would no longer have that right automatically, although they could continue to live their if the so chose provided that Argentina sanctioned their doing so, with or withough the need for them to have visas.

Britain still has charge of a few territories that lie outside Europe, so your argument here, whilst valid in itself, is not relevant to any discussion about British citizens and subjects being Europeans.

[Serial_Apologist]

Couldn't agree more.

They can hardly be British, as most of them weren't born in Britain

Floss!

Most of my life I've concurred with Marx's view that nations belong to the rich, and that therefore it is absurd for the majority to claim identification with nation states until the rich are swept from power and replaced by societies based on common ownership. Whatever feelings I have about being English I put down to the sheer luck of having been born in a country that is privileged in terms relative to many due to a complex history and has an extraordinary variety of landscapes and associated architectural types within small distances, and has produced art, including music, reflective of both.

[Flosshilde]

They are more British than many people over here (Britain - that country that inludes Scotland etc)

On what basis do you argue that? According to Mr Pee &, I think, you, the fact that you are born & brought up in a country (or state) makes you of that country - ie "British through and through". Since the Falkland Islands, or Malvinas, are not part of Britain, or the UK, nor, I think, part of the Commonwealth, neither they, nor the inhabitants, can be called 'British'.

[ahinton]

Sorry to be a bit behind, but I offer the following question as part of a test for UK citizenship applicants:



"If these Asians don't like our culture why don't they live somewhere else?"

Compare and contrast the two statements above.

No - first determine who "these Asians" are, then try to ascertain how many or how few of them might dislike how many aspects of British culture - or rather culture in present-day Britain - and then attemtp to establish beyond reasonable doubt whether such reservations about such culture (if any) on the part of certain Asians is sufficient to them to encourage them to question themselves as to whether living in Britian is, or might become, incompatible with such views; then, perhaps, you could consider trying to compare and contracts those two statements.

[scottycelt]

I adore Europe, but Mr Pee's right, it is an unhappy place because of this stupid political union fiasco.

What might you suggest would be a happier alternative, BO ... reverting to sensible political disunity and slaughtering each other instead ..?