Why is there so much anti-English sentiment on this forum?

Question

The World Cup is a tournament designed to bring together different races and peoples in a fair and enjoyable sporting tournament, and yet this forum is littered with comments and questions based around the hatred of the English team and the English people.

I'm a proud Englishman and love my country and am happy to meet people from the global football community to discuss football at it's finest. I have supported England through good times and bad and during this World Cup have equally cheered on teams like Ghana, Australia, USA, France and many more.

...and yet I often see and read bigoted comments about my country. People from other nations who claim to want to hear the end of the Rooney/Ronaldo debate and then post numerous questions about it designed specifically to stir up hatred.

FIFA have always taken discrimination very seriously and have operated a campaign during this World Cup named 'Say No To Racism'. It is promoted at the start of every match. Is it being ignored?

hmm... there seems to be a number of people using colonisation in one form or another as answer to this question... but there's a few issues with this:

Firstly... it was Great Britain that colonised much of the world, not England. So using colonisation as an excuse for hatred of 'just' the English really doesn't wash.

Secondly... British colonisation occured between 800 and 200 years ago... so why do the actions of the people then relate to the British people of today. The Romans invaded most of Europe 2000 years ago but we don't use that as an excuse to denigrate the Italians.

Thirdly... The people who actually did the colonising tended to want to leave England and live elsewhere... therefore todays 'Englanders' are not even descendants of those people... in fact it's more likely that people in foriegn countries are... I for one know that my descendants we're Cornish and Devonshire farmers... and they certainly didn't travel the world pillaging. So why do I get the insults?!?

Answer 1

I agree OP. If some of the comments posted about the English had the word 'black', 'jewish' or 'muslim' substituted there would be a barrage of complaints about racism, and probable removal of said posts. (And it's not limited to the sport board either - check out the travel section for similar idiocy!).

There's nothing wrong with supporting your own team or wanting them to win - didn't every nation want it's squad to do well?

The great irony is that most of the people posting comments about the arrogance etc of the english don't seem to realise that their own posts greneralising about this are just as offensive, arrogant and racist in their own right.

Still, comfort yourself in the knowledge that at least most of us are able to put together coherant posts, rather than some of the juvenile ranting you see on here 8-)

Bon Chance La France demain!

To the idiots going on about colonialism - what about Norway/Denmark (the Vikings), Spain (conquistadors) and the Italians (The Romans) - PRACTICALLY every nation has a 'colonial' past (black slaves in the US?). It's moronic to generalise about nations and their charcateristics based on history centuries past.

Answer 2

Football tends to bring the racist out in many people, I think some people take patriotism a tad too far and for those who have a grudge against a country for whatever reason take tournaments such as the World Cup to vent that anger.

It's pretty pathetic, the worst on here was the Scots/English spat which was so petty I had to laugh really!

Answer 3

I don't think anyone is particulary against the english team

in fact I was just thinking tonight about how wonderful the World Cup is (or any major sporting event) that it brings so many people together and no-one is thinking about being nationalistic in a bad way, and so many support teams that aren't of their own country.

perhaps one of the reasons ppl react so strongly to the english team is that the english themselves are acting like they are way better than the others? or playing in a way that isn't socially acceptable?

I would relax in your place - most people I know are totally open to all countries and we are happy when England gets to be england and not just "british" and we are thrilled to bits that Ghana gets to play (and does a bang-up job of it) and get mad when Australia gets thrown out on a rather iffy matter and cry when germany makes it so poignantly to 3rd place.

Answer 4

Because whenever the world cup comes around the English media states that England are going to win it before a ball is even kicked. Every match that has been broadcasted that England have not been playing in all the commentators go on about is England, not about the teams who are actually playing. I am not anti english (well only to those south of watford), but to have to listen to the media go on constantly about looney, and his mates makes me want to scream.

Answer 5

Top 10 Things I Love About England:

1. Marmite
2. John Cleese
3. John Lennon
4. Cool accents
5. Stonehenge
6. Branston Pickle
7. Did I say Marmite already?
8. Fawlty Towers
9. BBC News
10. Cucumber sandwiches & tea

P.S. I've never been to England but I love y'all anyways ;)

Answer 6

the cup isnt just about sports or games its about equality, unity &'Say No To Racism'. any person can have an opinion about not liking a team because they may take the team out you want to wi. but attacking their country & ppl is not right. it may seemed ignored here but in reality it is not. Take Zizou for example. he came from Algeria where there is hatred to france but he plays for france. by playing his is uniting 2 different worlds. ppl can sit down and be totally different beliefs and cheer for the same team without conflit & that is what this world cup is about.

Answer 7

Your past is marred by arrogance and world domination!
And as for the football, the last time ye played a friendly against Ireland, the English fans rioted when they went 1-0 down, and the game had to be abandoned for safety concerns! At a FRIENDLY!!!!!!!

Answer 8

I really have no vested intrest in The Worl Cup. But as an American all i can say is that were way over competitive. Just look at our rivalry football and hockey fans. People seriously get shot over heated alliances to their fav teams. its ridiculous. We're just a very intesely competitive group of people.I really wouldn't take it personally. We're just told from birth to strive to be the very best in eveything not only from our parents but from the media and even tv.American pride can sometimes get out of hand in my opinion.

Answer 9

i imagine the point is that maximum atheists, like its been suggested in the previous, have a tendency to attack Christians more suitable than the different faith. no longer inevitably meaning you, yet usually. multiple the comments are very infantile I easily ought to confess, like they war to tutor that they are cool by employing putting down a foul commentary, once you've something undesirable to say, then why no longer attempt to no longer say it? i have talked about that oftentimes Christians at the instantaneous are not as aggressive or rude as atheists, they war to describe a level, while atheists purely stamp out something rude (do they even imagine in the previous putting it down), they don't even favor or attempt to understand. I propose they continually say Christians choose human beings, yet i imagine that's extra any incorrect way round, i imagine that that's extra perfect to no longer say something about something that you do not realize totally, you could imagine that you recognize yet there's a large difference, reason the accurate will tutor you no matter if you've been incorrect or acceptable, all of us dies, yet no matter if you stay back is the question. now to not be rude or something yet to make a level, i'm 1/2 Asian and that i'm getting the same element, with the Caucasians that do not realize my subculture and are rude or ignorant, I often times imagine they're uneducated. in case you've seen Avatar, you could sort of understand the way i trust even as she says that the guy is almost a toddler. i have been to the city the position Christians attempt to in ordinary words talk with human beings, and the atheists will gang up in mobs which comprise muslims preserving a Bible and mocking one Christian guy. Now ask the question back, information is what atheists continually favor, properly I easily have with my personal eyes. Whats so undesirable about Christianity? we teach love, kindness, faith etc. why is all of us so prejudiced about it? information God exists? like information that folk have minds? that they have got love? that they trust? established you walk in the course of the line believing that you wont be run over by employing a automobile, that ordinary action is faith and also you by no potential knew you had it, how did you recognize you receives living house from artwork the following day? faith is what we use to trust God exists, you in ordinary words understand once you're on my own and there is understand one else who can help you

Answer 10

As a once proud american I must apologize for my rude countrymen. We are just so full of ourselves here it is embarrassing. Look at the closed minded fool who is ruining this country.
That says it all. Can not wait to start a new life in England. So sick of all these flag waving two faced american hypocrites