I am glad to be British because

Popping back over to twitter for #wildflowerhour.

Better not put me video up of me singing Land of Hope and Glory, then. I'm joking, I'm joking.

This became a negative thread when one poster spoke of 'the obvious few who obviously would be happier elsewhere '

I agree with bags about reclaiming the flag. Who decides that it now belongs only to right-wing groups?

And with rose:

"... for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so" (Hamlet).

Who said that and where Ab? It would be helpful if you could cite your references in a thread as long as this one?

petra perhaps they should just arrest everyone as they leave the Albert Hall after the Proms .....

Didn't we have a lovely German singing it this year?

Well, you can all reclaim the flag and put it up in your gardens so I know who to avoid.
How does anyone know when they see a flag in a garden whether it belongs to a patriotic gransnetter or a fascist thug?

And I thought this was going to be a lovely, calm sort of thread

Or even a thuggish gransnetter ?
www.google.co.uk/search?q=the+angry+granny+in+the+cartoons&biw=1024&bih=677&tbm=isch&imgil=Hbx2u7T_6Lg2QM%253A%253BqoXtUhAwoWX3gM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.toonvectors.com%25252Fclip-art%25252Fangry-grandma%25252F1852&source=iu&pf=m&fir=Hbx2u7T_6Lg2QM%253A%252CqoXtUhAwoWX3gM%252C_&usg=__UesX4ifQ6sdBvQk4-ZHLi-ecyZo%3D&ved=0CCwQyjdqFQoTCP2ik7_MqcgCFUjTGgodwRoElA&ei=OoQRVv2dG8ima8G1kKAJ#imgrc=Hbx2u7T_6Lg2QM%3A&usg=__UesX4ifQ6sdBvQk4-ZHLi-ecyZo%3D

My friend and I once got lost in our way to a Rochdale restaurant. She was driving and pulled into a desolate looking housing estate to ask for directions. She drew up outside the house with English flags in every window, and every stereotype of the right wing parties mentioned having a boozy barbecue - shaven heads, dogs on string, bare chests, the lot - and instructed me to wind the window down and get directions from them. With her in her best sari I was gobsmacked, convinced we'd get abuse and directed the wrong way. The people were so helpful and friendly and we were soon on our (right!) way. When I told my friend about my misgivings, she gave me a right old dressing down about prejudging people. And how right she was.

Said by rosequartz 19.33.03 this evening grumppa

Rosequartz. Yes it was a German singing it, and rather lovely he was too.

And I thought this was going to be a lovely, calm sort of thread

Taken over by thuggish grannies loopylou, waving their Union flags and yelling fascist slogans about how glad they are to be British

Amazing! I thought it was a lovely thread to begin with.

(just being sarcastic, petra, I hope you realise)

Just how many fascist thugs are you unfortunate enough to know durhamjen, in real life or on GN?

I'm unaware of having ever met one in my life , and the last thing I would consider was that, if the Union Jack or flag of St. George was flying?

It gets boringly repetitive and tedious rosequartz doesn't it? Wrecks any pleasure I was getting from GN

Good post, maggiemaybe. Judgmentalism has reared its ugly head on this thread and that is a great shame.

Not actually what she said, loopylou.

Sorry grumppa. I am not familiar with all the rules .

rosesarered said it 16.35.48. Which was a pity because the thread was suppose to be about being British not opinions of other posters

It's not the Union flag that was taken by the far right/ fascist types but our English flag.However I am pleased to see it is being reclaimed in a small way, my village sometimes displays both flags about six times a year, and it's rather nice to see them.Ditto the town hall.
why on earth anyone would make sneering remarks about somebody who flies them I can't think, it's very odd.
Welsh flags are flown a lot in Wales, and I'm sure the Scottish flag is as well, in Scotland.

Welsh flags are shown a lot in Wales for two reasons , it is the Welsh flag and the union flag it made of of three countries , Wales is not part of it, so for me the union flag is not my flag and I have no more reason to be proud of it than the American or French flag , but I understand the English being proud of it

Hang on a minute...... What is all this, Anniebach? please go back and read my comment again, as you often leap in with both feet having wrongly read a post!
I mention nothing about other posters at all!
my comment was on the 'few' in this country, who would be happier elsewhere, meaning especially the Muslims disaffected with our country and way of life, who up and leave for Syria.
I would also say that it is not ME that spoils this rather nice British thread but the sour lemons who cannot allow us to feel happy with our country and are constantly moaning and groaning.

Returning to the original post (which was, in case anyone had forgotten, "I am glad to be British because . . .")

This is where I was born, and where many generations of my family were born, and it is my home.
This is where my children were born, and my grandchildren, and it is their home.
This is where modern democracy was forged, and it is still a stronghold of democracy, where we are not imprisoned for disagreeing with the government of the day and voting against it.
This is a country where it is not obligatory to belong to one religion or one political party, or to face ostracism, or worse, for being different.
This is a country where in court one is innocent until proved guilty, not the other way round.
It is not necessary to be rich to have the necessities of life.
Education is available to all.
Healthcare is available to all.
Most people are tolerant and polite.
The climate is neither extremely hot nor extremely cold, floods are rare, earthquakes are small.
The countryside is beautiful and varied. There are wildernesses and manicured parks, sandy beaches and towering cliffs, forets and flower-beds.
There are theatres, concert halls, museums, cathedrals, mosques, synagogues, stately homes, palaces, traditions, ceremonies, pageant.
Our national cuisine has elements from all over the world.
People from all origins, all religions or none, all cultures, all colours, live mostly in harmony.

An apology would be nice.

Nice one Elegran!

Nothing to do with rules, Anniebach. I just thought it would be helpful for all parties if references were cited in cases like this, so others could see the words in context, and see who wrote them.