Why aren't we proud anymore?

My objection to the word "fashionable" is because I honestly don't think it is "fashionable" to talk about pulling all statues down, despite what some tabloids would have you believe.

I think most people couldn't care less about statues of most long-dead so-called worthies. I have read very, very few comments seriously suggesting removing the Churchill stature permanently. However, I do think that there are some people who have a more balanced view of him now. If there were really hordes of people who hate Churchill so much, I'm absolutely amazed that his statue isn't vandalised more often.

There are some people who claim that the government is trying to wage a culture war and, while my opinion is that there's some truth in it, I think we've always had culture wars. The tabloids love nothing more than ridiculing people as lefties or the PC brigade or some such derogatory term. They pander to their readers, just as all newspapers do.

Unfortunately, I come across quite a few people with a "golf club" mentality and usually humour them. They really hate it when their entrenched attitudes and stereotypes are challenged. Funnily enough, they immediately lose their sense of humour. I feel the same with myopic left-wing people too, but I just don't know many of them.

How often is "national pride" just shorthand for "our country is better than everyone else's"? That way lies racism, nationalism and, all too often, fascism. It has happened before, it has happened elsewhere, and there are people who would like to see it happen here.

You can't have, rationally, a blanket pride in your country. You can be proud of its beauty and proud of people's achievements, individually and collectively. You can be proud of the things you believe your country represents. But how can you be proud of everything relating to your country?

That leads to people insisting that everything belonging to their country is the best, and that neither they nor their ancestors ever did anything wrong. That's blatantly untrue, for all nations, yet you have plenty of people determined to justify heinous events in their country's history.

Do we want to be people who never question things about Britain that we know are wrong? Who never examine our own history? Who never challenge our government when they are mistaken, incompetent or downright callous? If we love our country, we should want to make it better, not go around breast-beating about how fabulous we are.

I am proud to be British but I am bitterly disappointed in our present government. The Mother of Parliaments is failing to hold the executive to account. Our country has been taken over by the type of Populist Government that we thought could never happen in a democracy.

There are events and attitudes in the country's past which some are struggling to put behind us. Our ancesters treated the natives of India, Africa and Australia badly. We cannot undo the past but we can learn from the past to make a better future.

The United Kingdom has a lot to be proud of. Britain has probably done more to advance mankind than any other country and given a civilised government can regain its rightful place in the world. When we have moved on from the Johnson/Cummings traincrash of a government, real pride can come back.

Well, I'd like to give a great big thank you to the people who have emptied our dustbins every week since lockdown began. They have never failed to come and I think they've generally been grossly undervalued . They've been brilliant and deserve some recognition!

Jabberwok...the binmen are not volunteers. They are doing the job they are paid to do and are probably relieved they still have a job to do!

I used the Proud to be British term, it would be better if I had sad “Happy to be British” we aren’t perfect but there is nowhere else better overall in my opinion. All countries have had some kind of period that they would rather forget.

Nationalism taken to extremes has caused many wars, lesser disputes and is often used to win elections. There is nothing more sure than blaming another nation for your countries problems.

I'll tell them that instead of saying thankyou, should go down well!!!. Lots of people who have provided vital services are not volunteers, it doesn't mean that they are any less valued. But of course that is a positive story, and we don't want any of those!

I am proud of our country with the NHS, our carers, fire service, ambulance and police along with our sense of humour but I am not in the least bit proud of our present government.

Well, I felt proud just now watching the News and seeing the fly past by the Red Arrows and their French counterpart.

Calendargirl

Well, I felt proud just now watching the News and seeing the fly past by the Red Arrows and their French counterpart.

They flew over here on their way back to Oxford - fabulous ??

Oh yes! Didn't they look fabulous?! ????

Lisbethann55 it’s so true about media and as you say, the BBC.
The point about all parties being part of the government is also true-and they all have their ways of telling what happened. Unfortunately, none of them can be relied on to tell it exactly how it is, but only how it will make them look better.
I didn’t support this government at the start and not much has changed, but I don’t think others would have been much better.
I’m still waiting to hear Mr Starmer’s response to a raft of questions I sent him, asking what he would do (not would have done). If they ever come through I’ll publish questions AND answers on here. My only stipulation to him was that he must give the responses before BJ did, not wait till the government had been asked and had answered then say how he would have done it better.

MPs don't usually answer question from people who aren't constituents. Mine doesn't even respond to any questions, enquiries or problems from her constituents.

Happysexagenarian There are lots of things I don't like about the United States, but their custom of pledging allegiance to the flag in their schools has always struck me as a good way to instill a sense of national unity and pride from an early age

Really? Even when their President is self-evidently unfit for office?
It actually distresses me that my American grandchildren are forced to mindlessly follow this act of obeisance.

When you want to reply to somebody’s post click on or touch id on ipad, the word ‘quote’ which is next to add comment/report/ private message/ quote
And then type your own message and it appears ( the quote) before your own message and in a box.
I have been asking for a quote facility for years, so am pleased it’s now here.It makes it crystal clear what (and who) you are replying to.Not on this thread so far though, obviously.?

It saves typing things in italics!

lemongrove

When you want to reply to somebody’s post click on or touch id on ipad, the word ‘quote’ which is next to add comment/report/ private message/ quote
And then type your own message and it appears ( the quote) before your own message and in a box.
I have been asking for a quote facility for years, so am pleased it’s now here.It makes it crystal clear what (and who) you are replying to.Not on this thread so far though, obviously.?

Testing, testing

??

Well,that's something new I've learnt. (Learned?) I never know these days.

Thanks, Lemon. I've just spotted the word Quote. I've been wondering how you did it.

Should've gone to Specsavers.

I still quite like the old italics thingy though.

Jabberwok

Oh yes! Didn't they look fabulous?! ????

Mollygo The role of the leader of the opposition is to question the govt. MPs don't (as growstuff said) answer questions from non constituents. Think about it. Why should they? No doubt they receive emails from thousands of Mollygos, most of whom are likely to be answering different questions.

"jane"
pledging the flag is not a requirement /not a law
during vietnam i did not stand or pledge
i did not agree with the war/or other aspects of the pledge of allegiance/we could actually protest back then
as for the present situation many many of us do not
want him

Jabberwok Apologies - I pbviously hit the wrrong line when replying to Mollygo. I wasn't intending to respond to you.

Mollygo I'm still awaiting a reply from Ed Miliband when he was Minister for the Environment. You could have a long wait.

If you write to your MP then he or she, should ask the appropriate Minister or Shadow Minister etc for answers and then write back to you.

My MP just emailed me to ask if I'm getting online shopping slots.

I think the lack of pride that appears to be prevalent has an awful lot to do with the sense of disillusionment there is in people who no longer, if ever, command respect.
Throughout this dreadful pandemic, the government and Johnson in particular, has lied, misrepresented the facts, covered up and generally been grossly incompetent. I am not proud of my government. The outdated entity that is the royal family is riddled with lies, deceit and shameful behaviour. I am not proud of the royal family.
I am proud of my children, Marcus Rashford's Mum will be proud of him,I am proud to join in clapping for all the brilliant people of all nationalities in this country who continue to work their flipping socks off doing their jobs.
Thanks for the opportunity to rant