British gays and European Union

[MorrisseyX]

I have a question for the British gays, how do you feel about the United Kingdom being a part of the European Union? Do people in the United Kingdom feel like they are a part of Europe or somehow separate? I have always wondered the United Kingdom is an Island nation separated from the rest of Europe. Just wondering how European do the British feel or do they feel they are different?

 

[zombiekiller]

I have a question for the British gays, how do you feel about the United Kingdom being a part of the European Union? Do people in the United Kingdom feel like they are a part of Europe or somehow separate? I have always wondered the United Kingdom is an Island nation separated from the rest of Europe. Just wondering how European do the British feel or do they feel they are different?

British headline: Storm Hits Channel, Continent Isolated

 

[JohnnyAnger]

I have a question for the British gays, how do you feel about the United Kingdom being a part of the European Union? Do people in the United Kingdom feel like they are a part of Europe or somehow separate? I have always wondered the United Kingdom is an Island nation separated from the rest of Europe. Just wondering how European do the British feel or do they feel they are different?

We are fairly different and I think at times it probably makes us quite arrogant how much we press our differences with Europe. One of the big things linguistically we do, is always talk about Europe and Europeans as if we are not actually part of it - so ask a British person if they are European and they might pause for thought briefly. We are also pretty poor at recognising how similar we are to other European nations, perhaps preferring to look back at the commonwealth to see people like us rather than across the channel.

Personally I feel at home in Europe and the European Union has been nothing but a benefit for me and most people I know.

 

[kallipolis]

Just wondering how European do the British feel or do they feel they are different?

There is no European identity for Europe is a continent, not a nation...and the European Union a political, and trading block.

The British no more feel European, than the Italians, Greeks, Germans, French etc. feel European.

The European Union has no common language, common identity, common history, common culture....The EU consists of 28 nations each retaining its national identity.

North Americans predictably refer to Europeans whereas, those of us who live in Europe will always refer to our national identity.

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We Greeks are currently facing big issues with the European Monetary Zone, not our membership of the European Union....the thread question here misses the point, that the nation states which form the European Union enjoy a political, and trading relationship that has not diluted the national identities of the component nations of the European Union.

 

[otters]

The British no more feel European, than the Italians, Greeks, Germans, French etc. feel European.

Interestingly, except Benelux you listed exactly those member countries having a population over 10 million that were founders or joined the EU (then EEC) more than 30 years ago.
Explanation?

 

[kallipolis]

Interestingly, except Benelux you listed exactly those member countries having a population over 10 million that were founders or joined the EU (then EEC) more than 30 years ago.
Explanation?

Two world wars, begun in Europe that encouraged the war weary nations to cooperate rather than seek each other's destruction.

 

[otters]

Two world wars, begun in Europe that encouraged the war weary nations to cooperate rather than seek each other's destruction.

I was unclear, my bad. I wanted to ask whether you listed

The British no more feel European, than the Italians, Greeks, Germans, French etc. feel European.

as more or less the Eurosceptics — in contrast to the smaller, "younger" countries that are more "Europe Euphorics"?

 

[IamNoah]

I've noticed that Germans and people from the Low Countries tend to refer to themselves (in English) as Europeans.

 

[kallipolis]

I was unclear, my bad. I wanted to ask whether you listed as more or less the Eurosceptics — in contrast to the smaller, "younger" countries that are more "Europe Euphorics"?

As a result of the economic crisis there are many Euro sceptics in these countries....there always was, for the xenophobic nature of many people encourages them to focus on the apparent negatives of European cooperation rather, than on the benefits that accrue by cooperating removing trading barriers, and working together in the international political arena.

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I've noticed that Germans and people from the Low Countries tend to refer to themselves (in English) as Europeans.

I have worked in Germany, and Germans refer to themselves as Germans....never, as Europeans....

 

[otters]

I've noticed that Germans and people from the Low Countries tend to refer to themselves (in English) as Europeans.

Well, if they do so, then because they're tricksters, you know?

For many reasons, the Germans aren't my folk's favourite nation on this planet, but the Netherlandish aren't that much better … you can be quite sure, many of both nations dream of the time when they were Global Players, having an Empire, and colonies on the "Black Continent", and elsewhere……

 

[kallipolis]

Well, if they do so, then because they're tricksters, you know?

For many reasons, the Germans aren't my folk's favourite nation on this planet, but the Netherlandish aren't that much better … you can be quite sure, many of both folks dream of the time when they were Global Players, having an Empire, and colonies on the "Black Continent", and elsewhere……

Most of the colonial empires were dismantled by the early 1960s therefore I doubt whether any mature adult alive today...perhaps very, very few... had any experience living during the time that the UK, France, The Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, and Portugal operated their respective overseas possessions.

 

[otters]

Most of the colonial empires were dismantled by the early 1960s therefore I doubt whether any mature adult alive today...perhaps very, very few... had any experience living during the time that the UK, France, The Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, and Portugal operated their respective overseas possessions.

LOL, I did NOT claim that these people were "mature" — no, jingos and that ilk are usually very immature.

 

[otters]

@Nicecity

many of both nations dream of the time when they were

["dream" in the sense of "yearn for"]

 

[kallipolis]

LOL, I did NOT claim that these people were "mature" — no, jingos and that ilk are usually very immature.

We agree, here ...I was referring to age, rather than intelligent reasoning...

 

[IamNoah]

As a result of the economic crisis there are many Euro sceptics in these countries....there always was, for the xenophobic nature of many people encourages them to focus on the apparent negatives of European cooperation rather, than on the benefits that accrue by cooperating removing trading barriers, and working together in the international political arena.

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I have worked in Germany, and Germans refer to themselves as Germans....never, as Europeans....

I've vistited with and socialize with a number of Germans. They refer to themselves as Europeans. Maybe it's a cohort thing.

 

[kallipolis]

I've vistited with and socialize with a number of Germans. They refer to themselves as Europeans. Maybe it's a cohort thing.

When did you last visit Germany? In Germany, Germans very definitely refer to themselves as Germans...that Germans, known to you, living in the United States describe themselves as Europeans may well reflect local ignorance...in your neck of the woods....

 

[IamNoah]

When did you last visit Germany? In Germany, Germans very definitely refer to themselves as Germans...that Germans, known to you, living in the United States describe themselves as Europeans may well reflect local ignorance...in your neck of the woods....

Well, you'll have to forgive me for trusting my experience over yours and for not imagining my "neck of the woods" to be some ignorant wasteland.

 

[unloadonme]

I don't mind visiting Europe, but I don't think of myself as European and fully intend to vote for withdrawal from the EU if and when a referendum is finally held.

 

[kallipolis]

Well, you'll have to forgive me for trusting my experience over yours and for not imagining my "neck of the woods" to be some ignorant wasteland.

When did you last visit Germany to garner so much experience that has persuaded you that Germans describe themsleves as Europeans?

In the strictist sense all the nations of the European Union are European despite each nation being sovereign....there being no European nationality, language, culture, or history....all these being in the domain of each sovereign nation that makes up the EU.

 

[IamNoah]

When did you last visit Germany to garner so much experience that has persuaded you that Germans describe themsleves as Europeans?

In the strictist sense all the nations of the European Union are European despite each nation being sovereign....there being no European nationality, language, culture, or history....all these being in the domain of each sovereign nation that makes up the EU.

This is becoming awkward. I was last in Germany (Munich and other Bavarian locations) in December. As I stated in my first response to you this might be a cohort thing--most people that I interact with on a personal level are of my age group, class, and education level. I do not imagine, as you seem to do, that Germans are some monolith with language taboos against calling themselves Europeans, nor do I consider them doing so or not doing so as a matter to expend much time arguing about. I can supply you with the email address of a German who calls himself European if you'd like.