Odd, too, that English people don't mind calling themselves 'European'. Grab didn't make that extra obvious step, in annotating his sense of belonging.

Nope, I didn't. I can if you want - like small children write on their addresses: "England, Britain, United Kingdom, Europe, Earth, The Solar System, The Milky Way, The Universe". Does this make you happy? I thought the point was sufficiently obvious, but perhaps not.

For the record then, so that there is no misunderstanding, I have better things to do with my time than classify myself according to regional/national origin, because my experience is that it's a meaningless exercise. I'll willingly classify myself according to my political, religious and social views, and according to my hobbies and interests. And I'd expect others to do the same as well, because it's *those* things that define your personality. The definition of racism is a belief that national origin inevitably predisposes you to certain character traits (and particularly deficiencies). I don't happen to share that belief.

Incidentally, you might like to note that NI Protestants are *not* British, by the very definition of "Great Britain" comprising England, Scotland and Wales. This may make Ian Paisley and his merry men unhappy, but he's a racist wanker, so fuck him and the horse he rode in on.

The fairly scientific poll we did on the Mudcat posts, showed a marked bias

Interesting. How did you conduct this "fairly scientific poll", and what's your criteria for there being a "marked bias"? If it's on the basis of anti-Irish comments that don't receive a response, I trust you're aware of the "don't feed the trolls" principle?

Epona, I have to disagree with you. So far, all Tír Eoghain and Tiocfaidh have given are assertions and no substance. If they can point us at their reasons for thinking this, we can start to talk sensibly. A straight assertion that "you're all anti-Irish" is bound to come back with the response "no we're not!". If someone wants to prove that there's unconscious discrimination, they need to *prove* that otherwise they won't be taken seriously. As indeed all the English members of Mudcat are currently not taking Tír Eoghain and Tiocfaidh seriously.

So far, Dave everybody has come across it. That's a fair batting average for a start

As far as Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) goes, I can confirm that there *are* people who are anti-Irish, anti-European, anti-American, anti-black, anti-Chinese, anti-Indian/Pakistani, anti-Muslim and anti-Jew. I've met some of them, and it doesn't surprise me that you have too. I've also met some unpleasant French and German people. From the papers and from what's been posted above though, it seems that Ireland also has people with these biases too. Which just goes to show that everywhere has its share of arseholes.

However, you've yet to show that the *majority* share any of those prejudices. Fionn's post above explicitly says that he *doesn't* find this. In what way do your experiences contradict Fionn's?

Graham.