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[Neil]

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[4th gen Suthen']

You're wrong about that Neil

[Admin3]

but theres a few posts on here who seem to respond with venom....to me i dont mind....i can take it but some on here have ....shall we say seemed a bit worried about it!!!!!!!

Can you supply some examples? That is not how the board should be coming over..

Note - Neil - sorry I accidentally edited your post and removed the first part as I thought I was doing a quote! Can you edit your post in and add the text in again...sorry!

[Admin3]

For information - Neil's original posting was referring to an anti English feeling on here from time to time . I accidentally edited it.

I would like to comment on this but would like to hear other comments before posting.

[ChrisA]

From my point, I detected only a slight anti English feel in my original post asking about the Kintyre area etc. However, I think (hope) that that was merely 'irony'.

Since then , it's been fine and dandy, and I have even had a few pm talks with people around here.

In my opinion, its a friendly place, and I would like to contribute more, as long term, there is a chance that I will be actively taking part in this community. (I'll say no more for now)

[Neil]

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[LO]

Neil/Chris

For what it's worth, I don't think there is an ingrained anti-Englishness in this part of the world. Around 20% of the population of Scotland is English, and in parts of Argyll this figure is significantly higher. Not sure about Kintyre, but around 20% is probably not too far away. I'm sure that these numbers would not be so high if the local viewpoint was predominantly anti-English.

While it is true that there are a few misguided indivdiuals around who have a problem with anyone who is not from Kintyre, this is very much a blinkered minority attitude and applies as much to people from Lochgilphead or Glasgow as from down south. In an area where the population has been declining for the past ten years or so, the only hope for the future is if new people come into the area whether they are from Scotland, England, Denmark, Lithuania or wherever.

In particular though, we need younger people coming into the area with new skills who are economically productive as opposed to some of the older ones who retire here and then pull the drawbridge up as soon as they arrrive. Ideally, we should be doing everything to promote the area as a place to bring up young families. By the looks of things Chris, you should tick a number of correct boxes and should have no bother fitting in here.

One final point, please don't confuse a feeling of Anti-Englishness with the utter contempt that most people have up here (including people from Down South who have lived here for a few years) for the reviled English media - particularly with regard to sport. Unfortunately, the unwitting poster could quite innocently fall foul of a situation which has been stirred up by some of the wall to wall grarbage we have to suffer on the TV and in newspapers. Most people up here would have absolutely no reaction to England's Ashes win. Now, unfortunately it has been elevated to something which is annoying to say the least. By the same token, the wailing and gnashing of teeth that followed England's defeat by Northern Ireland was enjoyed hugely up here, by and large for the fact that the media had acted so imperiiously in the run up to and during the first part of the game.

[ChrisA]

All true. I mean, I'm a Manc, and if I go anywhere near a scouse site, all hell let's loose. And they are a mere 40 miles down the road!

[Neil]

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[hoots the scoop]

There was a good article on the BBC news this morning highlighting the fact that the BBC national news does NOT cover events north of the border enough.

One good point was the fact that events in Kent are in Kent but events in Scotland are in Scotland as if it is a foreign country and not in the likes of Perthshire etc etc

[dgraves]

[quote="hoots the scoop"]There was a good article on the BBC news this morning highlighting the fact that the BBC national news does NOT cover events north of the border enough.

One good point was the fact that events in Kent are in Kent but events in Scotland are in Scotland as if it is a foreign country and not in the likes of Perthshire etc etc[/quote]

Just an outsider's observation, but maybe the English do consider Scotland a separate nation emotionally. This may be a two-way street if John S's poll is any indication: 87% out of 43 voters either feel solely Scottish or predominantly Scottish. If more voted, this might change? I'm just asking.

When I visited Scotland, I felt I was in a separate country. I had to remind myself that I was in 'Britain'. We were living in England at the time, and going to Scotland was definitely an experience of visiting a totally different land. Maybe it is that you have retained your individual culture, which I for one applaud.

It doesn't excuse the BBC from its biased coverage in the news, but it is human nature to exclude those it feels are not part of the family or group.
That is one of the great problems we've had here in the USA with so many cultures and nationalities. The people in power certainly were not always trying to integrate the peoples. Our history of segregation and prejudice in the past is well known. It is a constant battle to make sure all have their due.

[wee alba]

Just an outsider's observation, but maybe the English do consider Scotland a separate nation emotionally. This may be a two-way street if John S's poll is any indication: 87% out of 43 voters either feel solely Scottish or predominantly Scottish. If more voted, this might change? I'm just asking.

Dorian, on the first point, I think it is the news do not refer to specifics - i.e. Perthshire or Lothian or Lanarkshire - they refer to Scotland and not the specific area, whereas in England it is referred to by county.

When I visited Scotland, I felt I was in a separate country. I had to remind myself that I was in 'Britain'.

Now, now, I'll excuse you here but when you are in Scotland you are in SCOTLAND. Although many of us feel part of Britain I am sure when we go anywhere we say we are from Scotland and not Britain. But then again, most Yanks think England is Britain!

[dgraves]

Now, now, I'll excuse you here but when you are in Scotland you are in SCOTLAND. Although many of us feel part of Britain I am sure when we go anywhere we say we are from Scotland and not Britain. But then again, most Yanks think England is Britain! [/quote]

Very true, Wee Alba. I've never met a Scotsman abroad that said he was British. Especially the Scottish movie stars and TV personalities in the US promote their homeland proudly.

Even my grandfather, after his family had been in the US for 200 years, still claimed to be Scottish. The people that worked his farms and the other neighbors called him Mr. Mac (the last of his line). He was known as the Scotsman in a predominantly German area.

Thanks for clearing up about the BBC.