Historical grudges...

[max_tranmere]

I never understand historical grudges. I know a lot about the history of the Britain/Ireland issue but I was very surprised when I saw on the news this week a man in Dublin saying that he does not want the Queen to visit Ireland because of the history between the two countries. She is planning to go apparently and this will be the first time a serving Monarch has been to the Republic in a century. Many Irish people are in favour but some aren't.

Have a look at the unspeakable evil of what the Nazi's did to the Jews. If you go to Golders Green in north London, the centre of London's Jewish community, do you think there are people there who would dislike the current German leader Angela Merkal because of what Hitler did to their forebares? I doubt it. I would imagine everyone in Golders Green did, tragically, lose family in the Holocaust, some people there would have lost many. None would have any issue with modern day Germany though, I am sure.

The Republic of Ireland has been independant for about 90 years. Britain did terrible things in Ireland for many centuries, but that is in the past. Some people have a historical beef and dislike the head of a country that once did bad to those people's forebares. Others do not. What do people think about all this?

[RoddersUK]

There's always some wanker who will dredge up the past and blame the present heads of state for their troubles.
What pissed me off was the attack on the UK reference the slave trade conveniently forgetting that it was the British government of the day that outlawed it and that the Royal Navy effectively stopped the trade across the Atlantic to the Carribean and America. Some fuckers will never be happy I am afraid and that seems to be fact.

[Arginald Valleywater]

Historical? Try living just over the border into Wales or Scotland and see how much they still hate the English!

[RoddersUK]

All the Celts not in England hate the English. Jealousy I think.
Scottish and Irish friends I have here in the South have no problems with us and genuinely like and admire us. One Irish friend came here as a young 16 year old with ?5 and has worked ever since until his retirement a few years ago and is a self made millionaire who will tell anyone who wants to listen thart England is the finest country on earth. England gave him security and allowed him to work and earn. He made his dosh in the drilling industry and had dirty hands all of his life. Nothing fancy about my mate.
Most former Commonwealth countries like us. The Aussies may speak scathingly but deep down they do like us, as do the Canadians, which is one reason why I holiday there on a regular basis.

[frankthring]

Here is a true story - a serving officer recently on his first tour of duty in
Afghanistan was sent to meet with some tribal elders in Kabul. There was
confusion at first because the Afghanis thought he was Russian. "No, no,"
said the guy, "I am British". "British" fumed one dignitary, "You stinking
British burned down the great market place here !" "Oh God", thought
the officer, what have the paras done now ! He apologised profusely.
The meeting went ahead as planned. Back at base he stormed into the
officers mess. "Which bloody unit has been into town and burned down
the market place ?" he asked. There were surprised looks all around. He
was dumbfounded.
He did his checking. The Afghani was right. The Brits had indeed burned
down the great market place.......in 1842 !!!!

[itfilm]

Historical grudges...

You wanna try living in Cornwall! get a load of these idiots they hate anything English and believe Cornwall is a Country!

http://cornwall24.co.uk/

[max_tranmere]

Interesting comments there. I don't know why some people moan about things that happened years ago, particularly when so many of them voluntarily live in the country that 'wronged' their forebares. For people to still go on about slavery now, when it was outlawded 200 years ago, is crazy. The Cornwall thing I was aware of, there has been a small independance movement there for years. Cornwall is the only county in England that is bordered by just one other so it could work as seperate country.

[Essex Lad]

Actually, Ireland hasn't been independent for anywhere near 90 years. The republic was only recognised in 1949, a mere 62 years ago.

[max_tranmere]

Really? I thought it was partitioned just after World War 1, in about 1920.

[Essex Lad]

It became the irish Free State after WW1 but only as a dominion (like most of our colonies) but full independence from Britain didn't occur until 1949.