Some will have noticed a topic being debated in the US politics thread that has no real connection to it. It concerns what entities someone to consider themselves English. Some believe it’s down to specific genetics, whilst I believe it’s culture.

So having reached the point where my questions were not being answered because they are “in the wrong thread” I looked for a more appropriate one. Surprisingly, despite this matter underpinning many other of the attitudes regularly on display, and having looked back 2 years, that doesn’t appear to be anything. So here it is. You can catch up on the “debate” so far in the other thread. My last post, for which an answer was not provided was:-

“Of course you can claim and own your heritage, just as the native Americans can theirs. What you can’t do is lay claim to it exclusively. Others can share it, if they want to and are entitled to. Just as other American citizens do in the USA. There’s nothing genetically unique about us that allows such an idea to be correct.

No one stops you from believing whatever you like. Beliefs are free and personal. Only actions are subject to restrictions.

Perhaps you, and those others who take a similar line, could answer 2 questions.

One of my grandmothers was French. Does that mean that, in your eyes, I am not English?

My wife has colleagues at the hospital who are married, have made their home here and have 2 children. He was born in Italy and remains an Italian citizen, entitled to stay here under the post Brexit arrangements. She was born in the Philippines, but has acquired British citizenship, whilst retaining her original too. So a dual national. The children were both born here, only have British passports, only have English friends, go to a local school, watch British TV, play rugby and cricket and support English teams. Are they English? If not, what do you think they are?”

I am looking forward to knowing what people think are the answers.

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.

I'm not English, & seeing who the OP is, tfft.

This operation, will make the 'Charge Of The Light Brigade' seem like a simple military exercise.

You are what you want to be until its proven that you're not

Edited by Elpis (14 Jun 2024 8.28pm)

I feel like I'm either in the 19th Century or in my first year sociology tutorial.

Red and Blue Army!

If you can't be Cornish as it can't be acquired, why should anyone be able to 'acquire' Englishness?

Does this not also answer your question about your wife's colleagues? Neither of them are English, and although their children are born and raised here, it is of foreign parentage (given that they have both retained the nationality of their birth)

A stairway to Heaven and a Highway to Hell give some indication of expected traffic numbers

Cornwall isn’t a nation or a country. It has a special category. Being Cornish has no real meaning, other than an emotional attachment. We are all English.

You can acquire British citizenship and then you are free to regard yourself as English, Welsh, Scottish or Northern Irish depending on where you live.

My wife’s colleagues children are culturally and emotionally 100% English. Their parents are settled here and not just visiting. The husband has not acquired citizenship solely because there is no need to spend the money. If it was free, he would. His wife has because a British passport naturally followed from her visa route.

To suggest the children aren’t English is both legally incorrect and impractical. They are British citizens and not citizens of any other country. They live in Cornwall, which is part of England. They are English and regarded as English by everyone in their circle.

What about me and my French grandmother? Must I surrender my English identity too?

Edited by Wisbech Eagle (14 Jun 2024 10.04pm)

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.