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For those of you who use the words of war as if it is still being fought -

(99 Posts)
GracesGranMK3 Tue 06-Aug-19 20:02:42

This poignant caller told James O'Brien the words of his WW2 veteran grandfather over Brexit: "I am hearing voices in my own country which we saw the back of in 1945."

James was asking why a number of Brexiters seem to treat the EU as an enemy, suggesting that people who grew up in the aftermath of the war are against the EU, whereas those who fought in the war are in favour of it.

https://www.lbc.co.uk/radio/presenters/james-obrien/ww2-bomber-command-veteran-brexit/?fbclid=IwAR2p1KZk1lZuvvNX_UkrOkgOePqkYShpPuqXJuDjbX-elded3CQhnpqGcLg

This is certainly true in my family. My mother, (now 98) and a WAAF during the war, could not understand why we would want to leave; why we seemed to want to turn our backs on peace when she voted in the referendum. It makes me so angry that those who did no live through the war as adults - or at all in some cases - hijack the language of my parents generation, turning its meaning on its head. It seems such a cowardly thing to do.

crystaltipps Wed 07-Aug-19 13:28:38

Some of us are still pureblood is that you then Roseleah? Bit of a leaf out of the Nazi playbook there. What counts as “pureblood” ? - do tell - I honestly have no idea. Have you forgotten the vikings, Romans, Norman conquest, not to mention Celts, Angles and Saxons then? The Royal Family wouldn’t come into the pureblood category would they?

crystaltipps Wed 07-Aug-19 13:30:30

But we haven’t joined the Euro so stop making whataboutery statements. and there’s no evidence that if we had, we wouldn’t have thrived, like Germany, with whom we have more in common than differences.

Grammaretto Wed 07-Aug-19 13:39:43

I think I agree with Fennel. At least what's just been said. I thought the EU was unwieldy but the alternative is worse, much worse. It will always be a compromise.

America? China? where else? We have to align with someone and it seems as though it's anyone who'll have us now.

We can't even pick our own fruit and vegetables, let alone make anything anymore.

It intrigues me to read that the French (not all of-course) are looking at Frexit with a view to reducing the size of the EU to leave out those in the East who they see as a drain.....

Dinahmo Wed 07-Aug-19 13:45:59

Some of the ultra right believe that to have pure blood you must be descended from the Neolithic people who built Stonehenge for example. Don't see many of those about.

Minniemoo Wed 07-Aug-19 13:48:07

Germany is headed for recession, crystaltipps

www.ft.com/content/40c204ca-b8da-11e9-96bd-8e884d3ea203

GracesGranMK3 Wed 07-Aug-19 14:07:05

Yikes! Pure blood! Does this mean they will measure our features and check if we have blond hair, blue eyes, etc. Just as the Nazis did? I can't believe someone wrote that. I thought I was passed being shocked by GN posters.

Minniemoo Wed 07-Aug-19 14:12:34

Who mentioned pure blood? Baffling. Nobody has 'pure blood' Unless you're in a Harry Potter book.

crystaltipps Wed 07-Aug-19 14:28:43

RosieLeah mentioned pureblood at 11.45 on this thread. Obviously something to be admired. She’d obviously like to get rid of us that aren’t in this category.

crystaltipps Wed 07-Aug-19 14:29:35

Well have a recession before Germany, and they’ll still be better off than us.

crystaltipps Wed 07-Aug-19 14:31:45

RosieLeah hasn’t returned to enlighten us as to who comes into the pureblood category and how we can tell. ( though I’m sure we could have a good guess).

growstuff Wed 07-Aug-19 14:35:25

Very well said, Fennel!

Indeed, why rock the boat?

Not that it couldn't be improved, but at least it's more stable than the alternatives.

Minniemoo Wed 07-Aug-19 14:38:26

Crikey crystaltipps, that will be me then. Nothing pure about my blood in those eyes I guess.

growstuff Wed 07-Aug-19 14:38:45

crystaltipps, This thread is, after all, about the language of war. I must admit I was thinking more of bunkers, air raids and enemies rather than the language used by the enemy. I used to have this weird idea that millions of people lost their lives to defeat that kind of thinking.

SirChenjin Wed 07-Aug-19 14:51:30

RosieLeah hasn’t returned to enlighten us as to who comes into the pureblood category and how we can tell

I imagine the response would be similar to the recently deleted one that referred to preferred skin colour and religion. Casual racism abounds.

Grammaretto Wed 07-Aug-19 18:12:39

I thought we were all descended from Neanderthal. I am and proud to be....grin

RosieLeah Wed 07-Aug-19 19:59:29

I've put off answering. However, you obviously want a response.

There was a tv programme and a book on the DNA of the British people. Some people have ancestors who settled in one place and their descendants have stayed in the same location for generations. This was most notable in the West country. They did not inter-marry with the Vikings, or Saxons but remain the original settlers. This is what I meant by pureblood.

As for myself, as someone asked, I'm a mongrel...or a Heinz...a mixture of Irish, Scottish, Welsh and Saxon. So I was not referring to myself.

Hope that clarifies. It gave you all something to join forces in shock...lol

GracesGranMK3 Wed 07-Aug-19 20:37:44

So is the blood of these people the "out of Africa" really original settlers or the Iberians (from Spain) who moved across the continent to the still attached England? We now know the very earliest settlers were hunter-gatherers of the human species Homo antecessor who eked out a living on the flood plains and marshes having walked across the land bridge from the now European continent. Now there's a thought. A "true blood" Brit (I can't believe I'm writing that) was actually an immigrant from Europe so that's your ancestry is it RosieLeah?

Grammaretto Thu 08-Aug-19 07:59:13

That's a pretty clear explanation GracesGranMK3
Thanks. Poor Roseleah, everyone is so quick to pounce.
I hear a lot of that "pure blood" stuff and nonsense here in Scotland.
I haven't any English blood in me at all for example. It is divisive things like that that fuel racism.

MaizieD Thu 08-Aug-19 09:06:57

Let's just look outside our own little bubble and consider the wider picture. Who fears a united, strong Europe? Who would gain from a weakened Europe intent on domestic hostility rather than world events?

Forget about bloodlines for a minute. I'm intrigued by this, posted by Roseleah at 11.17 yesterday.(Weds).

I know what I would say in answer, but why did you ask the question, Rose? I didn't think that Leavers were in any way bothered about the breakup of the EU.

RosieLeah Thu 08-Aug-19 09:17:25

I think it's important, MaizieD, don't you? We do have to look beyond our own little view of the world and see the bigger picture. There is a lot of sabre-rattling going on at the moment, between Iran and the US/Uk...as well as in No.Korea. Setting people against each other is a good way to distract them and weaken their defences.

As for the 'Out Of Africa' theory. I have never believed that all of mankind originated in Africa. I think it's only a matter of time before we discover that humans evolved in different parts of the world at roughly the same time.

I watched Dr Alice Roberts programme on this subject. She was searching for evidence to support the theory, it should have been done the other way round. That chap in China was adamant that the orientals had not originated in Africa and as far as he was concerned, he had the proof in fossils, but she refused to accept it.

Thanks for your sympathy Grammaretto, but people enjoy having someone to pick on. It's rather fun to goad them!

Callistemon Thu 08-Aug-19 09:42:15

Pure blood?
The Welsh of course.

MaizieD Thu 08-Aug-19 09:43:17

I think it's important, MaizieD, don't you?

I agree.

But if you think it's important why did you vote to isolate the UK from its closest neighbours and allies? That's what's puzzling me.

And who do you think benefits from a weakened Europe?

MaizieD Thu 08-Aug-19 09:45:37

I have never believed that all of mankind originated in Africa.

Is it because you can't bear the thought of having African genes, Roseleah?

crystaltipps Thu 08-Aug-19 09:47:55

So incestuous families in rural parts are still “pure” are they? And is that somehow superior? Can’t believe someone believes this twaddle or that being in the EU somehow makes us less “pure”.

RosieLeah Thu 08-Aug-19 09:48:25

Before the Romans invaded, there were different tribes living in Britain. The people of the South West were described as blue eyed, with red/blond hair..those further north were of darker hue. Todays Welsh have been watered down by people from Ireland and sailors coming in on trading ships.