It's Not Easy Being an Anglophile, by Dana Huntley

One of our members, Cheri Thomas, first enjoyed this article in the November 2010 issue of British Heritage Magazine and immediately thought how the other members of PoE might enjoy it too. She contacted the author Dana Huntley who kindly gave us permission to print it here for all to enjoy. Many thanks Dana, and many thanks Cheri for thinking of us all.

Here is a link to this wonderful article: It's Not Easy Being An Anglophile

Please also visit historynet.com and also Cheri's website uktours4u.com

A thoughtful and thought provoking article by Dana, thanks for posting it. 

I must admit that some things in the article made me a little uncomfortable.  I hope that my response here will be taken in a generous spirit.  When I visited the UK last (late 2010), I did some of the following things:

-- In London, went with a Manchester native and his musician friend to East Ham for a great South Indian meal.  We talked about Japanese literature and cinema, among many other things.

-- Two days later, I met the Mancunian's Yorkshire friend for lunch in Grenwich.  We had paninis and talked about the state of English and American education (we are all teachers).

-- I saw a Wagner opera at the Royal Opera House with an Indian friend, born in Calcutta and a longtime resident of the US.

 -- On Boxing Day I attended a Quaker meeting in Westminster, and met Brits from Cornwall and the Lake District among many other places-- but also Americans from Pennsylvania and Alaska.

-- Stranded in the city centre due to the Tube strike, I met a middle aged immigrant from Maritus on the bus, resident in London for over 30 years.

-- On the train to Bath, I met a schoolteacher from Devon (longtime resident in London), and we shared our experiences of India and Nepal.

-- In Bath, I visited the Roman baths and learned a lot about the cosmopolitan (but also colonial) quality of the city in those times.  In the museum I was particularly struck by the skeleton of a middle aged man from Syria, who died a long way from home-- and a long time ago.

-- In Bath, I watched a French film about Algeria, in company with mostly locals and a few European tourists.

-- Back in London, I met up with London friends for a Korean meal, and  conversation about Robert Musil, Andrei Tarkovsky, the St Matthew Passion, and Peter Ackroyd.

All of these were genuine experiences of England, often shared with locals.  Thali or Wagner can be as much a part of my Anglophilia as my love for Austen or Smollett, Woolf or Bacon, pub food or Christmas crackers.  I want to experience England as it actually is-- changing, evolving, participating in history.

As someone who loves travel I fully embrace all different cultures, ethnicities, religions, creeds and classes.  I also think England is one of the most tolerant and diverse countries in the world and people who decide to come and make this country their home should respect our values and way of life and not abuse our hospitality.  However, over the last number of years Political Correctness has taken a grip and patriotism and being proud of our culture, traditions and beliefs seems to rank us as Europhiles or Racists, which is totally untrue.  However, when we see Preachers of Hate living on benefits at the expense of the taxpayers and those committing acts of terror against this country, then we should have no hesitation in deporting them.  If they hate our country that much then why should they be allowed to remain here and undermine our way of life.  The English people are amongst the most charitable people in the world as well when it comes to donating money for natural disasters elsewhere in the world.

As an Englishman who lived his first 45 years in Birmingham, the situation described in the article is of no surprise to me, in fact it's much worse!

If you're Anglophiles then why do you keep referring to 'Britain' and 'British'?  The word 'Anglophile' relates to the ethnic English people and England (land of the Angles). I'm not British, a Briton or live in Great Britain. I'm English and I live in England, with an ancestry that goes back well over 1600 years. I'm amazed at the number of ignorant people who think that English history began in 1066, when in fact the Germanic tribes who went into forming the English people had arrived centuries before - the generic word being Anglo-Saxon, though they called themselves 'Anglecyyn' (English nation) and spoke 'Englisc' (pronounced the same as 'English'). English is a Germanic language at its core; much of everyday Common Speech consisting of it. The myth that the Normans brought stability and made England into a world power is just that, a myth. England was a rich country before the Normans arrived, which is why William used a dubious excuse to invade England in 1066. It had more to do with the riches of England than any claim he had to the throne. Still, what better way to legitimise the theft of a nation's riches than to become its king? I mention all this because the author seems to imply the same tired old England-began-in-1066 nonsense. Not only is it nonsense, it's factually and historically incorrect. 

I cannot blame Anglophiles from overseas for using the word 'British' and 'Britain' for they don't know any different. What really gets up my nose is when I hear English people - and I mean ethnic English people - refer to themselves as British and their country as Britain. Ask most Scots, Welsh and Irish people who they are and where they come from and they'll tell you. I can guarantee that the majority of answers wouldn't involve the words 'British' or Britain'!! No, only the English partake in the self-embarrassment of denying their English identity in favour of a British one, duped by talk of a 'mongrel nation' and therefore not allowed to have a distinct identity of their own. What a load of baloney (you can substitute another word beginning with b if you like).

I am English by ancestry, culture, language, heritage, etc. I live in England, land of my forebears and kinsmen. Being English is not a civic, one-size-fits-all identity that can be granted to anyone by merely being born or living in England. It is my identity to which I have a right to, just as, for example, a Chinese person has a right to theirs. I wonder how far I get without being called a racist for denying a Chinese person his/her ethnic Chinese merely because they live or were born in England?  Not far, and that's the hypocrisy (and bigotry) of those who would deny that my English identity is an ethnic one.

Any English person who denies their own identity in favour of a British one is either very stupid or is some sandle-wearing lefty who preaches about being 'a citizen of the world', and that having pride in a distinct identity is an anomoly in the modern world, blah blah blah. Only when it comes to being English it seems. It's no less than I would expect from such hypocrites.

Apologise for, or deny your English identity if you want. I for one won't. It is what I am, and I'm damn proud of it! Sorry if you find such an outpouring of English pride embarrassing. That's your problem; it'll never be one of mine!!

England -  a country which its creators named after themselves, who were the first English - a people with a distinct Northern European heritage and identity called 'English'. That's my identity. You can shove the British one!

P.S. Why are there pictures of places other than England (i.e. Wales)  on a site that calls itself 'Pictures of England'? Would I find pictures of Canada on a site calling itself 'Pictures of the USA'?? Er, I don't think so. Looks like England isn't regarded as interesting enough to be the whole subject of a site callling itself 'Pictures of England'. I despair, I really do.