I'm English, living in the USA for the past five years. I must admit that I have never heard the term 'Brit' used as anything but a collective word for the inhabitants of the British Isles, but, in spite of regular visits to the UK, maybe I'm out of touch with use of the language. It has always, to me, just been a shorthand term for British.

IMHO the use of derogatory names, when one is well aware of their impact, just because someone else has used a word that you don't like, is rather childish. Surely it is better to explain in civil terms that the word being used is considered to be offensive to you and ask that it isn't used again.

Having now experienced the culture the other side of the pond from that I spent the first 58 years of my life I have found that the people here are much the same as those in the UK. For the main part they are warm and welcoming to an outsider. In my time I have met, on both sides of the Atlantic, a lot of folk that I have had an instant rapport with. My friends are of many faiths and political views but there is respect between us, an acceptance that, whilst we may think differently about certain subjects, we can still have a valuable relationship.

The people that I try to avoid are those who are so sure that they are right, that their god is the only one that exists, that their political view is the correct one for everyone or that, in any way, they have the final answer and insist that I take the same line. Trust me, in my life I have had other people's beliefs shoved down my throat a number of times and that has left me with an antipathy toward anyone who takes that line. If, in the past, that has shown up in my posts on the 'Cat, I apologise.

I can understand where the UK 'Catters are coming from apropos the BNP. They basically are racists, who foster the idea of white supremacy. For me, anyone who embraces their ideals enough to stand for election under their banner is someone that I would have to treat with a great deal of caution.

Insofar as attacks on particular people are concerned, it is all too easy, in certain circumstances, for the herd instinct to kick in and for people to 'follow the leader' in delivering the next blow to that person. I've been guilty of that myself and, once again, would apologise. I try to stay out of threads where I might be tempted to do that, not always successfully.

I've forgotten who said it, but a great piece if wisdom I learned many years ago, is that, when one person in a discussion starts shouting, swearing and/or name calling, they have found themselves on the losing end of that discussion. At that point discussion ends and argument begins and that is the time to walk away.

I hope that this makes sense - just my opinion, anyway.