I am glad to be British because

It doesn't take many drops of acid to spoil something, does it? What started pleasant and upbeat can turn depressing in a few seconds and be past saving again.

And a bit of flag waving, like the Last Night Of The Proms.

Shall we have a rousing chorus now of the National Anthem?

I would have thought that everyone on here was glad to be living here, where else is better after all?

Elegran, you most of those posting are glad to be living here , I haven't read one post which says differently

So most of those posting are glad to be living here, despite the petty squabbling that seems to be breaking out in the usual quarters?

I feel no guilt rosesarered, I did add a post but was hesitant in saying more than I did , I decided to wait

It's not just about a flag you know, it's about everday life and the good things we take for granted.

I didn't say I knew any fascist thugs, loopylou.
I said I wouldn't know if whoever flew the flag was a fascist thug or a patriotic gransnetter. And I wouldn't knock on the door to find out, or buy a house next to someone who flew the flag, just in case it belonged to a fascist thug.
What would you do?

You have made the choice to read certain things into my post that are simply not there, Anniebach,or do you feel guilty for not joining in with everyone and saying what is great about Britain?

grumppa and I know Wales is party of the UK, I have said I do not support the home rule for Wales, I want Wales to remain part of the UK, I do not have to acknowledge a flag which does not acknowledge my country

Amen to that.

And on your other point, Ab, Wales is part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, so the Union Flag is your flag whether you like it or not and whether you choose to ignore it or not. I have always thought it a pity that a Welsh symbol is not part of the design; St. David should have got himself a cross.

Being half English and half Welsh I have three flags at my disposal, so I choose to fly none of them, but I am relaxed about those who do unless they are BNP, etc.

The post copied and pasted is not the post I referred to which said -

Not sure what to add , as so many have already given all the good reasons , this is still a great country to live in , despite the few who obviously would be happier elsewhere.

Rosesarered, you spoke of those who had posted good reasons and added despite the few etc. So I cannot apologise because I really do believe you were speaking of some on this forum, they were in the same sentence

All in all, this is a very good country to live in. It is not perfect, of course, and improvements could be made - nothing is perfect except the Garden of Eden, where the gate has been locked for millennia. I am not sure I would have wanted to live there in ignorance and obedience anyway.

We should be trumpeting the good things as much as we complain about the shortcomings, not be always running down our country like bad-tempered old vinegar spinsters and banging on about past guilt and present problems. That is not to sweep them under the carpet, it is to do the same as we do for our children - encourage with praise where it is due.

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.

Nice one Elegran!

An apology would be nice.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

Not actually what she said, loopylou.

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