Britain: is it or isn't it?

Celsius233 discusses Britain's position within the EU.

Response to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCJOge8FMps

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Britain
• EU
• euro
• pound
• politics
• cake

[mindcartographer]

Whenever I set foot on the continent it always feels like everyone in Europe has their own little club and, frankly, it's quite nice. I can't stand the British stubbornness about joining the Euro and as you rightly pointed out, the Euro would be good for the economy.

Also, I really want cake now.

[celsius233]

Cake is always good.

[JamieA44]

Anouther intresting fact that people forget is there is no such thing English! the English dielect is made up from Latin, German and dutch and french, througe the times. Most peopl in the UK were born here but there ancesters thounsend years ago came from all parts of Europe. the orginale people of this land were the celts, which got pused back into Wales and Ireland, ie people with dark hair and white pale skin and people with ginger hair

[duffman3579]

i am not a fan of everything EU for one simple reason:

it is a threat to our liberty. i believe that i should be able to decide what i can do and when i can do it, as long as it doesnt harm others. (an argument for another day), i also believe that as an individual i have the right to an absolutely accountable and democratic gvt.

if the EU becomes a superpower, i loose my ability to hold my leaders to account, and my leaders will further limit my liberty.

why do we need to be a great country?

[DecmanReturns]

The franc was French tradition. The mark was German tradition.

People have to get over their petty views of 'tradition'. In an increasingly worse economic climate, keeping a rapidly weakening currency for the sake of tradition is ludicrous. I'd rather safeguard the welfare of the British people than obdurately refuse to give up the sterling.

A European country will never achieve greatness on its own with countries like the USA dominating the fore. The unity of the EU is absolutely vital.

[Erech01]

Britian is apart of the european continent, it doesnt really matter if its apart of the same landmass, its still attached to the same continent.

I say we should take up the Euro, i wasnt too keen on the idea t first but got thinking about it, it was this video which swayed my mind towards liking it:P

[steevmac]

Another part of the UK's apathy is the fact that France under Charles de Gaulle hindered UK admission into the EU in the 60s & 70s.

De Gaulle's fear was that the UK would represent the interests of the USA & pull against the interests of an independent EU. He feared US hegemony, envisionning a diplomatic EU as a counterbalance to US military aggression.

The UK has never got over that treatment by France & has even started fulfilling De Gaulle's prophecy of the UK representing US interests.

[steevmac]

I know. I tend to be very pro-Europe (having actually spent time there). As mindcartographer said they do seem to have their little club. They seem to be able to work together, agree on stuff, and show the EU a kind of respect almost equal to that of their own countries.

I can say I (almost) never even knew the EU existed until I lived in France & Germany for several years. The EU is so distant in the UK, but it is seems so alive and vibrant across the Channel.

[celsius233]

Thanks, that's a very good analogy. I'll have to remember that one.

[steevmac]

Yes, very similar to how Japan views the rest of Asia.

This is a good rebuttal to those who say Britain is not in Europe: nobody sane would say Japan is not in Asia, yet Japan has had less interaction with Asia in the last 400 years than Britain has had with Europe (having had in place a 300-year long isolationist policy). In addition, Japan is geographically farther from mainland Asia than Britain is from mainland Europe.

[celsius233]

'The word "Brussels" is *spat* out daily in newspapers and blogs.' That's very true. But it's a shame really because Brussels is a rather pleasant place.

[steevmac]

The English-Welsh education system contains deep flaws that exclude post-WW2 German history, causing children to inadvertently develop early biases & prejudices against Europe, and Germany in particular. Fuelled by euromyths, many uneducated (or rather miseducated) people grow up believing the EU to be some kind of surreptitious attempt by Germany to control Europe.

It sounds rather conspirational, but it is common experience. The word "Brussels" is *spat* out daily in newspapers and blogs.