Is It Arrogant To Say "this Is My Country"?

[anotheoldgit]

It has been said that by a fortunate accident of birth we are born in this country, but that does not give us the sole right of ownership, when it comes to letting others into our country.

We may not have the same right has we do to our ownership of portions of the land, which some of us have chosen to buy along with the buildings upon such land.

But in a way our forefathers have made great sacrifices, both by their labours and lives in which to build this country of ours into a decent land for their descendants to live in.

So why should we now allow others in who have put nothing in the 'pot' so as to speak, but have chosen to sit back and watch the world go by, instead of putting any effort whatsoever in bringing their countries up to a decent standard living, that now seems to attract them here?

[jno]

your ancestors came here from abroad too, remember.The original Britons came from Belgium, though of course that was before the EU was invented so you can't blame Brussels.

[THECORBYLOON]

What about folk born and bred in the UK who "have put nothing in the 'pot' so as to speak, but have chosen to sit back and watch the world go by, instead of putting any effort whatsoever" is it not also "their" country?

[Canary42]

Our "greatness" was built on cruel exploitation of other countries and plundering of their 'pot'. They're returning the compliment.

[Svejk]

^For Funks Sake

[Booldawg]

TCL - we have to take a hit on that one I'm afraid. They're our problem. We certainly don't need to import the the problem though. That's just sheer madness.

Immigration has to be meaningful and beneficial.

[anotheoldgit]

jno

/// your ancestors came here from abroad too, remember.The original Britons came from Belgium, ///

Yes but just look how we have advanced from those days?

And it also said that Homo sapiens originated from Africa, need I say more?

[THECORBYLOON]

What about folk from the former Empire and the Commonwealth who worked, fought and died for Britain? Their descendants live in this country now, should they not have the recognition for what their forefathers did for the UK?

[anotheoldgit]

THECORBYLOON

/// What about folk born and bred in the UK who "have put nothing in the 'pot' so as to speak, but have chosen to sit back and watch the world go by, instead of putting any effort whatsoever" is it not also "their" country? ///

These are only post 'Welfare State' but their ancestors put in the toil, so that give them the 'rights of ancestry'.

[andy-hughes]

It depends on the meaning behind the phrase - this is My Country.

If you are referring to it as the country in which you live, then that is a simple description - no problem.

If however, as the BNP and similar do, you start meaning 'I/We OWN this country, it belongs to us, and no-one else can come and live here ...' then that is a different proposition.

My continued point about references to 'my / our country ...' is that specific claims of ownership, and a refusal to allow anyone else to come here, is invalid.

That does not infer that I am for anyone and everyone coming into the UK and taking over, either physically, religiously, culturally, or any other way, and that is where I think my view has been misrepresented.

I am in favour of UKIP's 'points' system for immigration, where we attract people with the skills and work ethic to contribute to the good of the country.

I have no problem with anyone who wishes to live here and contribute, whether UK born or from abroad, but that does not square with an imagined view that I would welcome one and all to cripple the Welfare State system.

I hope this has cleared up any misunderstanding in what I actually believe, as against the unfortunate interpretations that have arisen.

[THECORBYLOON]

Immigrants are less likely to claim benefits than folk from the UK, http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/ampp3d/how-many-immigrants-claim-benefits-4712170

[Sqad]

\\\\Is It Arrogant To Say "this Is My Country"?\\\

No it isn't and anyway, I feel that a "touch of arrogance" is not a bad thing in a character.

Now this is simple for sqad........if your country of residence or birth is playing another country at say cricket or any other sport and you are supporting your country of residence or birth........then you can truly say.........."This is my country."

Simple concept really.

[anotheoldgit]

THECORBYLOON

/// What about folk from the former Empire and the Commonwealth who worked, fought and died for Britain? Their descendants live in this country now, should they not have the recognition for what their forefathers did for the
UK? ///

They may have worked for Britain, but they did better by it than they would have done with their own despots, they fought and died not for just Britain but for their own freedom.

Britain made these countries, they gave them our democracy, fair laws for all, our education, our inventiveness, etc etc.

And don't forget they in return killed many British and in the end kicked us out of their countries, and what did the tolerant British do in return? Issued them with British Passports so they could all come over and settle in the country that had treated them so badly.

[THECORBYLOON]

Is British inventiveness created only by those born and bred in Britain? Has there been no input or influence from immigrants or ideas originating from abroad?

[Gavmacp]

I once saw an Indian chap wearing the kilt. I thought 'you can't wear the kilt' but after a little thought I thought actually you can. He was in some ways more Scottish than me!

[andy-hughes]

Thank you for best Answer AOG - a rare accolade for anyone from your good self - very much appreciated.

[naomi24]

No, it isn’t arrogant. We seem to be the only country in the world where it appears a considerable percentage of the indigenous population frowns upon patriotism.

[mccfluff]

"Britain made these countries, they gave them our democracy, fair laws for all, our education, our inventiveness, etc etc"

britain didn't make the countries they were already there, the native inhabitants who were in a lot of cases forced into british rule didn't exactly see a lot of democracy, fair laws etc etc

[anotheoldgit]

THECORBYLOON

/// Is British inventiveness created only by those born and bred in Britain? ///

No of course not, but we were discussing British inventiveness.

/// Has there been no input or influence from immigrants or ideas originating from abroad? ///

There has been many influences from immigrants from abroad, but maily in the USA, if you check this list of black inventors they are African American, not Africans.

http://www.blackinventions101.com/inventionslist.html

[Svejk]

We might not have turned them into Utopias but we did stop a lot of them eating each other, chucking live wives on the dead husband's funeral pyres and other such 'foreign' habits.

[-Talbot-]

No, it isn’t arrogant. We seem to be the only country in the world where it appears a considerable percentage of the indigenous population frowns upon patriotism.


For every Union flag or English flag I see in the UK, I see about ten times as many German flags in Germany. Nothing wrong with a bit of Patriotism.