Something vaguely interesting in the wake of recent terrorist attacks.

[SWv2]

I've never said I'm half-Irish. I'm an Englishman of Irish extraction who supports the England cricket team, the Irish rugby team and doesn't care about the England football team. These are not inherently contradictory positions, since none of these things compromises my inherent loyalty to Queen and Country.

Britain has been a vaguely coherent mish-mash of four different countries (well, three and Wales) as long as it has existed. Irishness, Scottishness and Welshness are as much parts of the British identity as Englishness, so anomalies such as me are bound to result from such a loose arrangement. That's quite different to multi-cultural nonsense.

We are not British.

You can shove it up your hole effectively.

[Burney]

So.... what happened to your Venn diagram then?

What I'm saying in no way contradicts that. Of course extremism of all sorts will attract those with mental issues who seek the comfort of un-nuanced absolutes. However, the fact that there is crossover on the Venn diagram doesn't mean that everyone - or even a majority - of those involved in extremist activities is mentally ill.
Much of the time the 'mental illness' thing is simply a comfort blanket that means we don't have to face up to the fact that sane men can kiss their loved ones goodbye in the morning and, with a light heart, go on to perform acts of profound barbarity the same day because their faith tells them it's OK.

[redgunamo]

I've never said I'm half-Irish. I'm an Englishman of Irish extraction who supports the England cricket team, the Irish rugby team and doesn't care about the England football team. These are not inherently contradictory positions, since none of these things compromises my inherent loyalty to Queen and Country.

Britain has been a vaguely coherent mish-mash of four different countries (well, three and Wales) as long as it has existed. Irishness, Scottishness and Welshness are as much parts of the British identity as Englishness, so anomalies such as me are bound to result from such a loose arrangement. That's quite different to multi-cultural nonsense.

But you have a choice, and we see now how dangerous this wishy-washiness can be.

I'm absolved, of course, because at a casual glance, I look African

[Burney]

We are not British.

You can shove it up your hole effectively.

As a nation, you've been British longer than you haven't. Now shut your face.

[Burney]

But you have a choice, and we see now how dangerous this wishy-washiness can be.

I'm absolved, of course, because at a casual glance, I look African

I look Irish. Unfortunately.

[Peter]

As a nation, you've been British longer than you haven't. Now shut your face.

Well..... formally part of the United Kingdom, but not actually british. Its all in the name.

[Peter]

What I'm saying in no way contradicts that. Of course extremism of all sorts will attract those with mental issues who seek the comfort of un-nuanced absolutes. However, the fact that there is crossover on the Venn diagram doesn't mean that everyone - or even a majority - of those involved in extremist activities is mentally ill.
Much of the time the 'mental illness' thing is simply a comfort blanket that means we don't have to face up to the fact that sane men can kiss their loved ones goodbye in the morning and, with a light heart, go on to perform acts of profound barbarity the same day because their faith tells them it's OK.

That's disappointing. I do like a good Venn diagram.

[redgunamo]

What I'm saying in no way contradicts that. Of course extremism of all sorts will attract those with mental issues who seek the comfort of un-nuanced absolutes. However, the fact that there is crossover on the Venn diagram doesn't mean that everyone - or even a majority - of those involved in extremist activities is mentally ill.
Much of the time the 'mental illness' thing is simply a comfort blanket that means we don't have to face up to the fact that sane men can kiss their loved ones goodbye in the morning and, with a light heart, go on to perform acts of profound barbarity the same day because their faith tells them it's OK.

Right. Our own side does it all the time. We earn medals for it though, rather than virgins

[Sir C]

Well..... formally part of the United Kingdom, but not actually british. Its all in the name.

And, geographically speaking, a part of the 'British' Isles

I like to think of them as basically welshers but more retarded.

[Burney]

Well..... formally part of the United Kingdom, but not actually british. Its all in the name.

British Isles.

I fear this might trigger sw.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Isles