Being "British"

[Steve Maskery]

The Maskerys have been around these parts since at least 1285. Henri de Masacrier was selling meat at Nottingham Castle then. So I think I can claim to be British. Not militantly so, not passionately so, indeed, quite often quite ashamedly so, not least in the way that some of our forebears treated the people who lived in the island of Ireland (and in many other parts of the world, for that matter).

But I would like to disassociate myself from those people who believe that being "British" entitles them to set fire to people's homes, threaten to kill them and generally be a PITA to anyone who tells them that it is not necessarily appropriate to fly a piece of linen from a stick 24/7/365.

I am not one of those Brits.

S

 

[Jacob]

Agree. I think the Queen should tell them to oeuf off.

 

[MARK.B.]

But I would like to disassociate myself from those people who believe that being "British" entitles them to set fire to people's homes, threaten to kill them and generally be a PITA to anyone who tells them that it is not necessarily appropriate to fly a piece of linen from a stick 24/7/365.

I am not one of those Brits.


+1

 

[andersonec]

Steve, this is a conflict which has been raging for 300 years and is not likely to finish in a hurry, you would have thought that civilised, educated people would find something better to hate someone for other than being of a different religion (don't forget, they all believe in god)

I could go on...........

Andy

 

[Harbo]

Sadly most of the troubles in the world are the results of Religion(s)?

Rod

 

[andersonec]

Sadly most of the troubles in the world are the results of Religion(s)?

Rod

And they have been since biblical times....

Andy

 

[Phil Pascoe]

=D> =D>

 

[monkeybiter]

I couldn't be further from being a fan of religions but I think it's in human nature to find differences, pick sides and try to dominate the 'opposition'. If 'we' hadn't thought of different ways to worship imagined other-worldly un-assailable superiors we would probably have found some other way to differentiate between groups like geographic origins , sex or skin colour, as far fetched as that may sound.

 

[Jonzjob]

The Maskerys have been around these parts since at least 1285. Henri de Masacrier was selling meat at Nottingham Castle then. So I think I can claim to be British. Not militantly so, not passionately so, indeed, quite often quite ashamedly so, not least in the way that some of our forebears treated the people who lived in the island of Ireland (and in many other parts of the world, for that matter).

But I would like to disassociate myself from those people who believe that being "British" entitles them to set fire to people's homes, threaten to kill them and generally be a PITA to anyone who tells them that it is not necessarily appropriate to fly a piece of linen from a stick 24/7/365.

I am not one of those Brits.

S

Britain was unheard of then Steve so you can claim to be English, which a HUGE boat load of British can't.

I am English and proud of it even though I decided to live this side of the ditch. And 2s up for the against destroying peoples property! Also, I am against the clowns who decide to go to a forigne country and try to enforce their home laws on that country! W live with the French and I wouldn't have it any other way. They do things differently in so many ways. Some times it is frustrating, but I would never try to change it. I don't like people who do try to do just that!

Like the Aussies are fond of saying. Theirs is a free country and as such if you don't like how it is you are free to leave!

 

[JakeS]

Britain was unheard of then Steve so you can claim to be English, which a HUGE boat load of British can't.

It may not have been the name of the nation, but it's been the name of the islands for a couple of thousand years at least. Spelling notwithstanding, the Romans referred to the natives as British. IIRC 'English' is derived from the Angles, who were a Teutonic people from modern North Germany!

(Of course, this means that people in the RoI are also 'British' by way of geography. In the same way that Canadians are also 'American'.)

Speaking of spelling, though, "Henri de Masacrier"? Sounds a bit French.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Speaking of spelling, though, "Henri de Masacrier"? Sounds a bit French


Indeed it is. There is tribe in what is today Oman, called Maskri, and towns of the same name. The (unproven) theory is that "we" came from the Middle East to Spain with the Moors, then up through France and to England with the Conquest. After that we obviously got bit stuck!
S

 

[PhilM]

Totally agree with your original sentiments Steve, just not sure about these de Masacriers, coming over here, selling their meat and their jigs ..

Best wishes,
Phil Maitland
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maitland

 

[SammyQ]

Steve? This is FAR more complicated than you could imagine. It's not JUST about being "British" or "Loyalist" or belonging to any political party. There's also quite a bit of Mafia-like 'control' by shadowy figures. The Numpties in Hoodies you see on the box carrying out the headline arson and damage are just puppets. The real nasties are rarely seen, photgraphed or even present. Monkey Nibbler had the right idea, but he left out the sanctimonious bigot aspect of human nature that seems to flourish - Chinese Knotweed like - in "Norn Iron".

May I please point out, there are a million of us in the Greater Belfast Area and only 1000 (maximum) are revolting and wantonly beseiging City Hall. That leaves over 99.99% of us just wanting to shop for Christmas and have a wee bit of peace and quiet. I would love to whisk you over here and walk you round the Christmas Market - just on the other side of the building from the original spat - and see the straightfowrard, plain "or'nary" folks "shappin' fer Christmas". C'mon mate. First black Bush is on me.

Sam - who couldn't go to Macdonalds last night because of a flash mob burning a police car to stay warm.....

 

[Steve Maskery]

Hi Sammy
I wasn't implying that all NI Protestants are thugs (any more than I think all Irish Catholics are IRA terrorists) and I'm sorry if you got that impression from me. It was not my intention. It's just that I see the news and wonder how those people and I can have anything at all in common.
I like your location!
I once worked in Belfast for a week in the 1980s. I walked every day from the SCR at Queen's, past the Europa Hotel and to the engineering dept. I remember being struck then at what a nice place it was.
FWIW, I have no religious affiliation these days. I was protestant in the days when I did, and last night I slept at the house of my best friends, who are very Irish Catholic. (In fact, Mary found my contact lens last night by praying to St Anthony. I jest not.) So I have no personal axe to grind at all. I'm just ashamed at how out forbears treated the Irish inthe past and am horrified at how that hatred is perpetuated even today. I just don't want to be associated with it.
That's all.
S

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Sam - anyone with good enough taste to drink Black Bush is O.K. by me. Better, even, than Bushmills Malt.

 

[SammyQ]

Steve, you're a sweet man. I was in no way accusing you of anything; just saying that 'over here' is complicated. The vast majority of us, Prod, Cat'lic (think how it's pronounced!), Ba'hai, Jewish or just plain Agnostic simply want to get on with living. Shameful thuggery and wanton destruction embarasses us, makes us concerned about the image we still send out and makes us worry about the intolerance that can so easily be fanned into something altogether more serious.

Tell you what, I'll see if I can find some good 'third run stuff' and you, me and phil.p will sit down and set the world straight. I'm fairly sure The Senior Common Room doesn't stock it, nor The Bot or The Egg (remember them?) but I know a man who knows a man.....

Sam, listening to the Islander from Aldergrove overhead....

 

[Steve Maskery]

Tell you what, I'll see if I can find some good 'third run stuff' and you, me and phil.p will sit down and set the world straight. .

I assume that's an allusion to Potcheen? I tried some once. My god, Rough? P60 doesn't come close!
Now the Tullamore Dew on the other hand....


S

 

[Teckel]

I have a full bottle of moonshine here boys if ye want to have a p#ss up?? :lol: :lol:

 

[SammyQ]

"My god, Rough?"....yeah! But cheap! . No kidding, Poteen (or Irish Gaelic: uisce beatha and Scottish Gaelic: uisge beatha) is either diabolical or smooth as honey - depends on the brew? Teckel and I should really arrange a tastefest of his Kilkenny moonshine and my Dundonald paint stripper....get some hair on you mainland chests......
:twisted: :twisted:


Sam

 

[Teckel]

"My god, Rough?"....yeah! But cheap! . No kidding, Poteen (or Irish Gaelic: uisce beatha and Scottish Gaelic: uisge beatha) is either diabolical or smooth as honey - depends on the brew? Teckel and I should really arrange a tastefest of his Kilkenny moonshine and my Dundonald paint stripper....get some hair on you mainland chests......
:twisted: :twisted:


Sam

Ho ho Sam...it would surely put hair on your chest and on other places for that matter. :lol: :lol: