Double standards

[pickwick]

So we keep hearing about how it's Totally Racist for Scottish people (or Welsh or Irish, I guess) to support Anyone But England in the World Cup. We should all support England cos they're, like, our next-door neighbours. When Alex Salmond or Andy Murray mention in passing that they might not support England, they get a pasting from the English

Comments

[thessalian]

Erm ... your source code? It has the wonky.

To discuss the actual post, though? I count myself as 'supporting' England - as in, I would like them to win - but to me, that doesn't mean saying that the team is unconditionally wonderful. From what I've seen, they have been mostly standing around on the pitch like they don't really want to be there. They certainly haven't been playing to World Cup standard. And while I want them to win, they have to earn it. I don't think saying that makes me unsupportive; just honest. I guess a lot of people don't feel the same way?

[pickwick]

Heh, yeah, it totally did. I was posting in a hurry from work.

I dunno, I've been getting round the whole thing by not giving a damn about football. But from what I've heard, they haven't been brilliant, yes!

People seem to think that the entire United Kingdom should get behind England, especially because Scotland didn't qualify. Presumably these are football fans who have somehow failed to encounter local derbies! I doubt many Man City fans support Man U in the European Cup or whatever.

[a_pawson]

I live in England and I don't know anyone who actually thinks that the whole UK should get behind England. The only people who seem to think thus are...well I was going to say David Cameron but now I think about it, even he hasn't said anything of the sort has he?

And is it considered racist to support whoever England are playing? That's vastly different to the all too common Scottish view of hating all English people surely. Don't get me wrong, I'm not singling out the Scots here, there are plenty of racist English folks too, but I wasn't aware supporting any particular side in a game of football was racist?

[pickwick]

Did you miss all the fuss about Andy Murray - a few years ago, but there are still people who won't support him after he said he would support whoever England were playing in 2006 - and about the Anyone But England t-shirts? I've seen plenty of argument about it in other contexts, too - people claiming they'd get attacked for wearing England shirts in Scotland, etc.

I don't know any Scots who hate English people. Maybe you should introduce me to some of them and I'll introduce you to people who think the whole UK should get behind England ;)

[luckykaa]

Yeah. Anyone who says it's racist is stupid.

Still, there's a pretty strong sentiment that the "anyone but England" attitude is rather mean spirited, when most English fans have always wanted Scotland to do well.

As for the French, I think we expect our sentiments to be reciprocated.

[pickwick]

Yeah - it's an interesting look at power dynamics. Scots historically resent England a bit because it has power over us, whereas the English (as is the case with most privileged groups*) don't see that; they think we're equal. You see a similar dynamic a lot of places - Australia/NZ, America/Canada, etc.

Good point that the French are on a more equal footing with England, somehow!

*Simplifying wildly!

[pickwick]

I'm not supporting anybody, although the Cameroon team (I think) have a fairly awesome strip...

[jospixies]

ah football. I'm supporting Brazil FWIW, I like that one player can run through many lots of defenders like they're just not there!

I did encounter racism about my Englishness while I was living in Scotland, it's the main reason why I didn't want to live there anymore and the final deciding factor as to why I left my job. There's only so many times yuo can hear 'urgh English people' or 'I hate the English' from folk who've barely left Glasgow, never mind Scotland, without it grinding you down.

Good point about the news coverage though I'd noticed that before I'd moved; same as our local news here it's all about PLymouth, barely mentions the rest of the SW and now the ITV regional has moved to Bristol you can guess how much local news I see.
Anyway Hello!!! :) HOw're you? x

[pickwick]

Hello! I'm good, how are you?! I was looking at your website the other day and your tie-dye clothes are brilliant!

I was talking about your experiences in Glasgow to someone in relation to racism things yesterday, cos it totally taught me take anti-English stuff seriously :(