Get a rock made out of bluestone from Pembrokeshire. While your hitting them with it, ask them "Do you know where this came from?" Or are they just stuck in medieval times regarding political history?
It was just like "You're dismissing my country! If you had any Welsh blood in you, you wouldn't say that!"
...and then when I pointed out that I do, in fact, have Welsh blood, I must be lying, because apparently I have never, ever mentioned it before. And, apparently, it is wrong to insist that Wales is treated as part of the UK by the rest of the world (that it is a fact that they currently are, not that they should be). And it is very blind and ignorant to insist that this is true and "not acknowledge any other viewpoints".
Since I do know that most people consider the four places of the UK to be separate "countries", even though the word is very complicated to define, I'm not sure how that happened. Also a bit confused as to how people can be upset by a fact - that, politically, the UK is treated as one country, not four.
You're not evil. Officially Wales is, of course, a part of the UK whether Welsh (and other) people like it or not.
But, as I understand it, the UK does consist of four countries, right? Albeit not four states. Wales is, even in Westminster etc., usually described as a component country within the UK, though it is strictly speaking neither a state nor a nation (even though it can still somehow have a "national" Assembly). But it's all massively confusing, terminologically-speaking, and symptomatic of centuries of power struggles from several directions.
"Country" is one of those ridiculously complicated words. Colloquially, it means one thing, in world politics it means another.
An independent country should have the following;
* Has space or territory which has internationally recognized boundaries (boundary disputes are OK). * Has people who live there on an ongoing basis. * Has economic activity and an organized economy. A country regulates foreign and domestic trade and issues money. * Has the power of social engineering, such as education. * Has a transportation system for moving goods and people. * Has a government which provides public services and police power. * Has sovereignty. No other State should have power over the country's territory. * Has external recognition. A country has been "voted into the club" by other countries.
What's really quite irritating is that she keeps insisting I must be making up that fact that I'm part Welsh. I've mentioned it here, in Dysgu-Cymraig, and a couple of other places. And if I were making it up, why would I only claim to be part Welsh?
I'd defend myself, but this is one of those people who are impossible to reason with, and only sees what she wants to, to be offended by.
I don't care about a person's blood, heritage, religion, skin colour or what part of the world they or their ancestors came from.
If they say they want to be Welsh, or even simply respect us, they're fully welcome at the hearthside to break bread with me and mine.
jarethrake you're Welsh enough to me. And I'm Welsh born and bred.
Even if you're English, Scots, Irish, French or Japanese, and proud of your country, that place at the hearthside is open to all, providing you leave your shoes, wet coats and prejudices at the door.
Re: Welsh EnoughjarethrakeJuly 17 2009, 16:07:33 UTC
I'm 1/16th Welsh.;p
1/32 Irish, 29/32 English, and 1/2 Indian.
It's a bit complicated because my face makes me look Asian. But, one of my managers (Pakistani Muslim) once described me to a customer as "not asian like we're asian". But then, other people think I'm not their race either. It's a bit of a trigger point for me.
I can well imagine. It's sad that I feel like the exception for wanting to be more 21st Century, and having to live the ideals of Gene Roddenberry's IDIC among people who don't seem to want to leave the 20th Century.
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...and then when I pointed out that I do, in fact, have Welsh blood, I must be lying, because apparently I have never, ever mentioned it before. And, apparently, it is wrong to insist that Wales is treated as part of the UK by the rest of the world (that it is a fact that they currently are, not that they should be). And it is very blind and ignorant to insist that this is true and "not acknowledge any other viewpoints".
Since I do know that most people consider the four places of the UK to be separate "countries", even though the word is very complicated to define, I'm not sure how that happened. Also a bit confused as to how people can be upset by a fact - that, politically, the UK is treated as one country, not four.
People are very strange.
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But, as I understand it, the UK does consist of four countries, right? Albeit not four states. Wales is, even in Westminster etc., usually described as a component country within the UK, though it is strictly speaking neither a state nor a nation (even though it can still somehow have a "national" Assembly). But it's all massively confusing, terminologically-speaking, and symptomatic of centuries of power struggles from several directions.
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An independent country should have the following;
* Has space or territory which has internationally recognized boundaries (boundary disputes are OK).
* Has people who live there on an ongoing basis.
* Has economic activity and an organized economy. A country regulates foreign and domestic trade and issues money.
* Has the power of social engineering, such as education.
* Has a transportation system for moving goods and people.
* Has a government which provides public services and police power.
* Has sovereignty. No other State should have power over the country's territory.
* Has external recognition. A country has been "voted into the club" by other countries.
From Here.
None of the four parts of the UK has all of those by themselves, especially not external recognition.
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I'd defend myself, but this is one of those people who are impossible to reason with, and only sees what she wants to, to be offended by.
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If they say they want to be Welsh, or even simply respect us, they're fully welcome at the hearthside to break bread with me and mine.
jarethrake you're Welsh enough to me. And I'm Welsh born and bred.
Even if you're English, Scots, Irish, French or Japanese, and proud of your country, that place at the hearthside is open to all, providing you leave your shoes, wet coats and prejudices at the door.
Other than that, carry on.
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1/32 Irish, 29/32 English, and 1/2 Indian.
It's a bit complicated because my face makes me look Asian. But, one of my managers (Pakistani Muslim) once described me to a customer as "not asian like we're asian". But then, other people think I'm not their race either. It's a bit of a trigger point for me.
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Or the 16th.
Or, in some cases, the Stone Age.
But you'd be welcome in my town any time.
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