Is a Brit entitled to an opinion ...

nanna8

We can't vote in the UK ( not that I'd want to) and our very very small British pensions were frozen from the moment they started paying them many years ago at $11 a week. We worked for them when we were there but they don't care. Not known for their generosity the British government. Britain is a wonderful country but their government is greedy.

When you paid taxes the money went to pay the pensions of your parents/grandparents. That's how is works. My children will be paying for my state pension when I eventually get one at 66. I'm not sure if this makes the government greedy. It's duty is to the people living here and many of them were not born in the UK.

I don’t recall you saying unpleasant things about the UK sodapop but I find Kali deliberately provocative - as with this thread.

Yes, agreed sodapop. And we can be just as critical of both countries, for different reasons and at different times. I do remember the days when friends in Europe and mainly in Switzerland, used to say I was such an admirer of British values and had become more British than my birth nationality.

As for the porker comment- as said, digging that up from years ago is just despicable. It was of course not my words, but came from this here

theglobalherald.com/news/mark-dolan-we-are-a-nation-of-porkers-and-its-killing-us-its-time-britain-went-on-a-diet/

The fact it was dug up (from someone who has appeared from nowhere and with whom I have never exchanged a single word- unless of course one those posters who has changed names yet again)- just illustrates what I was saying very well.

sodapop

I'm British living in France and have found things to criticise and praise in both countries. Maybe ' comment on ' would be better than criticise. I think we are entitled to express our thoughts on here.

I've never known you be provocative, sodapop

The fact it was dug up (from someone who has appeared from nowhere and with whom I have never exchanged a single word- unless of course one those posters who has changed names yet again)- just illustrates what I was saying very well.

Someone who has appeared from nowhere?
MerylStreep has been on here for years.

with whom I have never exchanged a single word
Yes, you have, several times and even did yesterday.

Germanshepherdsmum

I don’t recall you saying unpleasant things about the UK sodapop but I find Kali deliberately provocative - as with this thread.

Why is this thread provocative. Unless YOU choose to make it so.

I'll repeat, do you think a British person, who moved to another country as a teenager, lived all her life in that country, than moved back for a while in an emergency to her birth country, leaving all her 'other country' ACs and GCs and friends behind- lose the right to feel strongly about the country that person integrated and admired all her life, changing massively and for the worst. It is quite a simple question actually. Try to understand it and reply honestly, with personal attack, perhaps.

I will also repeat my earlier post, everyone has a right to their opinions however, we should always be mindful of how those opinions are delivered

Quite so GG.

GrannyGravy13

I will also repeat my earlier post, everyone has a right to their opinions however, we should always be mindful of how those opinions are delivered

Absolutely GG13

and I will repeat my earlier post:

Yes
Or is the OP a rhetorical question?

But sometimes opinions can be controversial and others should be allowed to say that or offer a different viewpoint without disapprobation.

Quite right gg and how often.

My goodness, so ComeonEileen comes from the blue, from nowhere at all to post this she dug up from years and years ago. This was of course a quote from a newspaper article- and not my words at all. Just incredible

I’m sorry - I was following on from what MerylStreep had posted.
I did not realise this was not permitted.

GrannyGravy13

I will also repeat my earlier post, everyone has a right to their opinions however, we should always be mindful of how those opinions are delivered

Agreed- and some truly have to be mindful of how they receive too.

Absolutely Callistemon

But sometimes opinions can be controversial and others should be allowed to say that or offer a different viewpoint without disapprobation.'

but there are ways and ways of doing this. Personal attacks are just not the way. How many times as it been repeated here 'play the ball, not the player'.

I find this thread fascinating and would like to comment, but I’m rushed off my feet today getting our spare room ready in case it’s needed for anyone fleeing Ukraine.

Good on you Tina, bravo (I do hope it is not satire however). If it is for real, my total respect.

For me, a good and positive post to end this thread on. I am sure some understood perfectly well what I was trying to say and the example I gave. Others won't - not because they did not understand, but because they choose not to.

ComeonEileen- of course it is permitted. But it is extremely surprising, say impossible even for some new poster out of the blue to come with such a dig up post from years back under a different name (which I never tried to hide) - yes, impossible. And as said above, the player, not the ball - and an anonymous attack.

Back to you Tina- my hat off to you. And you have cheered me up no end.

When the country one lives in (although I don’t live in England so maybe I’m exempt?) comes under constant criticism it may well make some people feel as though they’re being personally attacked. Is everyone in that country to blame for its perceived failings? Or is it their politicians? Or the media? Or someone else?

Kali2 It must be hurtful when a group wants to exclude you, but perhaps they feel under attack from you and excluding you prevents that happening. Change your name and adopt a less critical persona and you may be welcome. You don’t have to tell anyone you aren’t French do you?

I'm afraid that sounds rather like "Look what you made them do".

If we don't like what someone is saying, we can move right on to the next thread.

There is so much unintentional irony on this thread.

volver

If we don't like what someone is saying, we can move right on to the next thread.
??? not posters on GN and possibly not on the French Group either.
Sometimes changing your name helps, but people often post the way they posted before.

volver
If we don't like what someone is saying, we can move right on to the next

Theoretically yes, this is the case but as we all know it doesn't happen does it ? I think it's fair to say that if a poster was to constantly denigrate Scotland, the SNP or Nicola Sturgeon, then you would drop on them like the proverbial ton of bricks - no ? What's the difference for those living in England ?

Poor old Wales
Always gets forgotten!

Sorry Call no offence intended

It's ok

We just quietly get on with life!

I'm always happy to engage in discussions about Scotland. But I don't go and find 7 year old posts as part of a campaign against other GNers. ?

I know, which is why I'm glad I'm half Welsh