Subject: RE: BS: British or European? From: Lyndi-loo Date: 31 May 01 - 04:04 AM British and European Citizen. If I were to move to France or Germany, I would be entitled to vote in European elections and enjoy the same rights and privileges as being at home. I think we must stop being insular. The idea of Britain as a world (Colonialist., imperialist??) power are gone. As for the pound, well I have no problem with losing that in favour of the Euro. The German states adopted a common currency 150 years ago and quickly expanded as an industrial and trading power. If the traditionalists had had their way in 1971 we'd still be using LSD (as in money, stupid!) |
Subject: RE: BS: British or European? From: Dave the Gnome Date: 31 May 01 - 03:42 AM Speak for yourself, Clinton! Dave the GNOME :-) |
Subject: RE: BS: British or European? From: Clinton Hammond Date: 31 May 01 - 03:20 AM We're all HUMAN! ;-) |
Subject: RE: BS: British or European? From: GUEST,Head ache ? Date: 31 May 01 - 12:40 AM Sheesh - since the EU arrived I suppose it is a valid question to ask. I think it would save a load of dough to join all the civil servants and make it one big area for admin. Just a thought. Who remembers Maggie Thatcher and the Tunnell? Boy is she ANTI Europe or what - last I read she slapped a Journalist with her hand bag for asking her "Why are you so opposed to the Euro Lady Thatcher?" I enjoy her doings almost as much as I used love Coronation Street, but who recalls Mini Caldwell lol. Anyway it is a bit of semantic thing, I mean being European etc. Suppose in time it will be the in thing for now I am mostly a Brit Brick with flecks of Continental clay :) |
Subject: RE: BS: British or European? From: Philibuster Date: 30 May 01 - 11:59 PM Welcome to semantics 101... |
Subject: RE: BS: British or European? From: GUEST,surprisedly pondering Date: 30 May 01 - 11:46 PM Funny question, DtG. Got me thinking. Are Cretans Greek? Some would say yes and some would say no. Are Quebecois Canadian? Some would say yes and some would say no. Its a personal choice of which group you identify with and whether the identification with a particular group excludes you from identifying with another. Is A a subgroup of B or are they mutually exclusive groups? I guess I've figured the UK as a sort of stepchild of the European family, linked but not as firmly as France, Denmark or Italy. That channel has a lot to do with it. |
Subject: RE: BS: British or European? From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull Date: 30 May 01 - 08:59 PM i see myself as brittish not european,not to sure why suppose its something to do with national identity.john |
Subject: RE: BS: British or European? From: GUEST,Karen Date: 30 May 01 - 06:47 PM That makes things easier! Hear that, DtG? Next time you have to fill out a form write in "African". ;-) |
Subject: RE: BS: British or European? From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 30 May 01 - 06:33 PM As I understand it,"blood-linearly" we're all African anyway. The only real Europeans were the Neanderthals, and they don't seem to have made it through. (Though I've my doubts about that...) |
Subject: RE: BS: British or European? From: Little Hawk Date: 30 May 01 - 06:32 PM Britain will always be Britain, but it's still part of Europe...or "Yerp", as the Americans say. Which one of you gave the "right" answer? One might well question if there is any right answer. Is it Mars or Barsoom, that is the question...are we Earthlings or children of Sol? - LH |
Subject: RE: BS: British or European? From: GUEST,Karen Date: 30 May 01 - 06:09 PM Culturally and blood-linearly, most of the U.S. is part of Europe too! |
Subject: RE: BS: British or European? From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 30 May 01 - 06:04 PM One might say a "Are you a human being or a mammal?"
As Burke points out "There are still some parts of Europe that are not EU" - most of the continent actually, which stetches geographically to the Urals and the Caucasus.
Of course with people from the United States you can never know whether when they say they are Americans they are talking in terms of that particular chunk of the continent, or geographically. |
Subject: RE: BS: British or European? From: mousethief Date: 30 May 01 - 06:03 PM Culturally and blood-linearly, Britain is definitely part of Europe. Seems to me. |
Subject: RE: BS: British or European? From: mousethief Date: 30 May 01 - 06:02 PM Oooooh, that sounds like fun! When can we start? |
Subject: RE: BS: British or European? From: GUEST,Karen Date: 30 May 01 - 06:02 PM Alex, don't make me have to slap you upside the head! ;-) |
Subject: RE: BS: British or European? From: mousethief Date: 30 May 01 - 05:46 PM So are the Japanese not Asian, Karen? :-) Alex |
Subject: RE: BS: British or European? From: GUEST,Karen Date: 30 May 01 - 05:24 PM I've always made the distinction. That's the way I was taught in both history classes (British and Modern European) here in America. If someone uses the adjective "European" I would never assume they meant British, Scottish, Welsh or Irish (or Manx...wouldn't want to forget them!). Isn't it normal for "islanders" to want a comfortable level of separatism? |
Subject: RE: BS: British or European? From: Burke Date: 30 May 01 - 05:20 PM As a citizen of the US I think of the UK as a sub-part of Europe. Not the same place since France & Greece are also part of Europe, but not part of Britain. There are still some parts of Europe that are not EU, so those aren't exactly the same either. Citizenship is a bit different do you vote in EU elections, pay EU taxes, or benefit from EU services? Does the EU have a class of people it considers citizens vs. residents who are not citizens? I happen to reside in New York State right now, so I am also a citizen of New York and the town I live in. I was not born here and my state and town citizenship has easily changed as I have moved. I'm also part of the area covered by NAFTA. I live in North America, but there is no citizenship here in the sense of voting, paying taxes, collecting Social Security, etc, that I have in local, state, and national issues. Actually, we can pay taxes & collect Social Security without being a citizen, but it's our governmental agencies that administer them. |
Subject: RE: BS: British or European? From: Dave the Gnome Date: 30 May 01 - 04:57 PM Oh - comments from the US, Aus and the ROTW welcome btw - do you see Britain and Europe as being the same place? DtG |
Subject: British or European? From: Dave the Gnome Date: 30 May 01 - 04:55 PM Both Mrs Gnome and I filled in forms the other day. Checking our answers we found that we had both answered yes to being British citizens but while I had answered yes to being an EU citizen as well, Elaine had said 'no'. No arguments ensued (I'm glad to say!) and we decided to let it stand. But was one of us right and one not? Or does it not matter? Cheers Dave the European Gnome |