Yes or No and no bullsh*t

[teamsaint]

Oi! You cheeky so-and-so! I put that reference to you often! How dare you turn it back on me!! ;-)

Always loved that song! Thumbs-up icon!

heres one for when Lincolnshire goes its own way.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXw7a3FdBL4

[Ockeghem's Razor]

I had a completely sleepless night on the eve of the poll and so, I hear, did several of my friends. This was in spite of knowing that I was going to vote 'No'. I believe that many would have felt a conflict of interests and emotions as they stood in the polling booth. I voted 'No' because I felt that no left-leaning country of 5 million people would stand a snowball's chance in hell of going its own way in a world dominated by blood-sucking global capitalism; 'The Shock Doctrine' seemed to point the way to an eventual disastrous outcome for any venture that flew in the face of neo-liberal dogma. My vote was most definitely not for the status quo. As a member in good standing of the Industrial Workers of the World I look to internationalism, not nationalism, and an end to the capitalist system. That can only be achieved by an international, not a national, effort.

[ahinton]

I had a completely sleepless night on the eve of the poll and so, I hear, did several of my friends. This was in spite of knowing that I was going to vote 'No'. I believe that many would have felt a conflict of interests and emotions as they stood in the polling booth. I voted 'No' because I felt that no left-leaning country of 5 million people would stand a snowball's chance in hell of going its own way in a world dominated by blood-sucking global capitalism

Especially that particular one, home as it's been over the years to Standard Life, Royal Bank of Scotland, Bank of Scotland, Scottish Widows, Scottish Equitable, Scottish Amicable, Scottish Life, Balmoral, erm...

Actually, when RBS announced its relocation contingency plans in the event of a "Yes" vote, it did momentarily cross what's left of my mind to speculate upon whether it might then consider renaming itself Royal Bank of England but I daresay that ts board had already figured that such a move would likely court a very expensive intellectual property infringement case that would have to be funded by the long-suffering taxpayers of the rest of the UK...

[teamsaint]

That surprises me. Factually, I am English but think of myself as British (& European). 'English' holds very little meaning.

For me, on a personal level, British holds only really a technical meaning. obviously, if asked on a form about nationality I would put British, or more likely tick the box that said UK.

But, if push comes to shove, if I had to say what I feel, I feel English.
I have about 50% Scottish blood, (both my maternal grandparents were scottish persons). If anything , for me, their (and our familiy Scottishness) emphasises our Englishness, but not at the expense of our (or my) sense of Scottish ancestry.

er....I think....!!

Edit; Although if I think about how I want my country to interact with other countries, I would think of my country as Britain, not England. so , all very confusing.

[Ockeghem's Razor]

Especially that particular one, home as it's been over the years to Standard Life, Royal Bank of Scotland, Bank of Scotland, Scottish Widows, Scottish Equitable, Scottish Amicable, Scottish Life, Balmoral, erm..

Goes without saying. Of course, any notion nowadays that any one country is 'home' to organisations whose sole concern is ripping people off and filling their boots before finding the nearest tax haven is a snare and a delusion.

[jean]

But, if push comes to shove, if I had to say what I feel, I feel English.

What does English feel like?

The word reminds me too much of the English Defence League.

I'm half Irish anyway, though as my mother is from a Palatine family I like to play at being German from time to time.

[Richard Tarleton]

it disappoints me that they seem to demonstrate a profound misunderstanding of the matter, even here in the UK, and even after the eventual proper coverage by the UK media.

On a careful re-reading of the above posts, HG (and without wishing to comment on how it's reported across the pond), I can't see anything in them to support this remark.

[teamsaint]

What does English feel like?

The word reminds me too much of the English Defence League.

I'm half Irish anyway, though as my mother is from a Palatine family I like to play at being German from time to time.

It feels like belonging to a place. Whatever that feels like. as far as I can tell.

Like I feel at home in some places, and something of a stranger in others, although this might change over time.
.

I choose not to mix up whatever feelings of identity I may have with opinions about racist vigilante groups.

Which word? " English" or " feels"?

[vinteuil]

... ah well, back to the drawing-board -

The first time I could vote, in 1974, this was among the possibilities :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wessex_Regionalist_Party

[Frances_iom]

the winner in the whole affair has been FUD Fear, Uncertainty + Doubt - worked wonders for disparate groups from frm Microsoft thru to CGHQ/NSA re terrorist threats - Homo sapiens is actually seldom a thinking animal.

[jean]

There's been plenty of discussion on the P&CA board, anyway.

[ahinton]

Goes without saying. Of course, any notion nowadays that any one country is 'home' to organisations whose sole concern is ripping people off and filling their boots before finding the nearest tax haven is a snare and a delusion.

Well, yes, of course - indeed, that was part of my point but it might have been better had I written "domicile" instead of "home"; that said, these organisations began life there (which was another part of my point) and I might add that one particular aspect of the very "internationalism" that you seek to espouse can arguably be well illustrated by what you write here!

[vinteuil]

It feels like belonging to a place. Whatever that feels like. as far as I can tell.
Like I feel at home in some places, and something of a stranger in others, although this might change over time.
.

... "hefted". One of Mme V's favourite words.

Sounds to me that Teamsaint is well hefted...

http://www.sovereignty.org.uk/features/footnmouth/hefted1.html

[ahinton]

... ah well, back to the drawing-board -

The first time I could vote, in 1974, this was among the possibilities :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wessex_Regionalist_Party

But way back then I rather doubt that anyone sought to claim that "the only way is Wessex".

It also occurs to me that local and regional opposition to such things as Wessex Regionalism might once have been expressed in the phrase "no sex, please - we're British"...

I've already got me coat...

[amateur51]

Agreed? Perhaps.

But I'd like one in the next 6 months.

Before the General Election?

Yeah

Right