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A quick thing
British identity is kind've up for grabs right now. A lot of people are trying to equate it with displays of flags and stuff, which is really dumb (esp when you consider how many of those flag-botherers are genuinely fascist)
British identity is kind've up for grabs right now. A lot of people are trying to equate it with displays of flags and stuff, which is really dumb (esp when you consider how many of those flag-botherers are genuinely fascist)
British identity is a really weird thing to try and pin down.
It's kind've a thing in that a lot of people relate to it, but at the same time, every effort to verbalise it seems to end up tying itself in knots.
It's kind've a thing in that a lot of people relate to it, but at the same time, every effort to verbalise it seems to end up tying itself in knots.
If you look at attempts to pit down into words, we get ridiculous stuff like the UK Citizenship Test, which asks questions that most of the population couldn't answer.
Not just my lefty opinion, even the Telegraph agreed https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration/10119281/British-citizenship-test-is-just-a-bad-pub-quiz.html
Not just my lefty opinion, even the Telegraph agreed https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration/10119281/British-citizenship-test-is-just-a-bad-pub-quiz.html
So, I could go on about 'official' definitions, but that's been done, many times, and by people much better known than my Twitter rando self.
Anyone remember those definitions?
I'm guessing no
Anyone remember those definitions?
I'm guessing no
There is no official definition of Britishness that British people think is important enough to bother remembering.
Do correct me if I'm wrong.
Do correct me if I'm wrong.
It's actually important.
The government tries to use a notion of "britishness" as a political tool - to attack those not "british" enough and to appeal to those who have an idea of what "britishness" means - despite the fact that their definition exists only in their own heads..
The government tries to use a notion of "britishness" as a political tool - to attack those not "british" enough and to appeal to those who have an idea of what "britishness" means - despite the fact that their definition exists only in their own heads..
That's how fascists get away with it.
It's like all those pricks you see going on about "Londonistan" and "London has fallen"
They don't know wtf they're on about.
Don't believe me? Start asking them for details.
It's like all those pricks you see going on about "Londonistan" and "London has fallen"
They don't know wtf they're on about.
Don't believe me? Start asking them for details.
I'm a Londoner. I've got a better grasp of what's going on here than most people, definitely better than any right-wing asshole who doesn't live here.
No-go zones don't exist, dickheads. You've been duped.
No-go zones don't exist, dickheads. You've been duped.
"Britishness" isn't a fixed thing. That's the beauty of it. It's always been about taking on-board new people, new ideas..
If there's been one constant in British history, it's acceptance. That's what we do. We accept people.
If there's been one constant in British history, it's acceptance. That's what we do. We accept people.
The law might be slow to change, but the people here are pretty cool. On the whole, we change things, for the better. We're not perfect, there's still plenty of injustice, but we're working on it. Overall, there's room for improvement, but we're kind've getting there.
