Although open to the valid observation that the Battle of Hastings brought the Anglo-Saxon era of England formally to a close almost 1000 years ago, and therefore why bother with it now, I am finding myself more and more interested in our Anglo-Saxon history.

Anglo-Saxon history was extraordinarily rich, and England as the first major nation in Europe was so advanced in 1066, that I find the study of its history an inspiration, both as an Englishman and as a nationalist. For those of us who our ethnic English, then the Norman interlopers form a superficial and transient (albeit bitterly regretted) period in our histoy. The rapacity of the Normans and their theft of our county's riches will never be forgotten.

But our Anglo-Saxon roots are not just a matter for the museum or history books. The breaking up of the Union may cause many to re-consider their identity.

Personal identity has to be a matter of personal choice. Some (but not all) of the older generation will always wish to see themselves as British. But many now reject Britishness, as the sort of thing a Scots born PM feels he has to advocate, and will identify themselves as English.
When you accept that you have an English identity, there is much more of a reason to seek to understand Anglo-Saxon England, which after all gave us the basis for our language, our present national borders, our Christian religion and some of our cultural and political instincts.

For those of us lucky to have been born with English ethnicity, then it seems like having inherited life's winning cards. But English ethnicity can be acquired by personal choice too, and that point deserves to be explored much more as an interesting topic.

If finding out about Anglo-Saxon England appeals, I recommend a good starting place might be Justin Pollard's "Alfred the Great: The Man Who Made England".

Some UKIP and other members of this forum might wonder why a discussion of long ago history is posted in a political forum. The answer to me is obvious: identity is becoming the battleground of politics; our English identity will prevail in England, and form the backbone of our society and politics.
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Originally Posted by Andrew Constantine:
English ethnicity can be acquired by personal choice too, and that point deserves to be explored much more as an interesting topic.

Eh? That is nonsense.


.
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Originally Posted by moe:
Eh? That is nonsense.


.

Please say why.
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very interesting andrew,but all you will ever be is a splinter group. It takes years of legwork to get anywere. Also you cannot adopt yourself into an ethnic. If you could there would be no ethnic groups. I am english , if i went to live in Pakistan , would that make me a pakistani.The best thing you can do is to close it all down , no offense intended , and then Join either BNP Or UKIP.
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Originally Posted by :
For those of us lucky to have been born with English ethnicity, then it seems like having inherited life's winning cards.

You must think me mad then. I'm half Cornish and I consider that half Cornish not English.
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Originally Posted by Andrew Constantine:
...English ethnicity can be acquired by personal choice...

You ask why this is nonsense? Is it not self evident?

English ethnicity cannot be acquired by personal choice, it is something you are born with.
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Andrew is right, however people should remember that our country is the result of countless invasions. If ever there was a mongrel nation it is the English. What matters now to voters is not the history, but the future direction of our country and how it will deliver form them surely?

Mike
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Originally Posted by :
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very interesting andrew,but all you will ever be is a splinter group. It takes years of legwork to get anywere. Also you cannot adopt yourself into an ethnic. If you could there would be no ethnic groups. I am english , if i went to live in Pakistan , would that make me a pakistani.The best thing you can do is to close it all down , no offense intended , and then Join either BNP Or UKIP.

I'd wait until they put their manifesto out before judging them so harshly. I hardly think that FEP members would want to join the BNP anyway.

Ea of dune
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Originally Posted by moe:
You ask why this is nonsense? Is it not self evident?

English ethnicity cannot be acquired by personal choice, it is something you are born with.

Obviously!!!!! One really has to question the sanity of the person who made the original statement.

I cannot choose to be a Zulu warrior a Siberian peasant or a Mongolian warlord...

...or does Mr Constantine think I can so choose? If so, he is living in cloud-cuckoo land.
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Originally Posted by chartwell:
Andrew is right, however people should remember that our country is the result of countless invasions. If ever there was a mongrel nation it is the English. What matters now to voters is not the history, but the future direction of our country and how it will deliver form them surely?

Mike

Here we go again. The ethno-masochists come out of the woodwork to denigrate their own kind.

Ethnically we are white Northern European, Germanic and Celtic. The 'Germans' have plenty of Slavonic blood of course. The only truly 'pure' racial types are Scandinavian.

'Mongrel' is an insult, but you want to checkout the Spaniards and Portuguese before sliming the English. Then take a trip to Brazil and Bolivia to find some real mongrels.

Originally Posted by :
What matters now to voters is not the history, but the future direction of our country

Does it have a future direction?
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