Is to be patriotic to be racist?

Happy St. Georges day first of all!

I understand the title might be a little confusing and completely ridiculous. I get that, I would think that too. However, it got your attention and now (I'm hoping) has got you to want to read what I have to say.

Obviously you can be proud to be English. I am incredibly proud to be English, British, southern, a student, a rugby player... whatever else that might have a certain stigma attached to it. But there does seem to have been a horrible abusement of the term 'to be English'.

Today on social media I saw plenty of posts similar to this...

It got me thinking to when the last time I saw something similar to this was and it struck me that there is a common theme to these posts throughout the year,

People only seem to want to promote being English when they wish to claim that being foreign is wrong. It is almost as if people believe we are still an empire and that our traditions and culture are the only ones worth knowing about.

When you look at other nations around the world they celebrate being patriotic as being proud of being from where they are from and all those who inhabit it. Not to make any other point. I can't understand this reoccurring trend to blame immigrants for everything. That to be anything but English in England is wrong.

The most well-known 'cult' that exercises this ideology is the wonderfully medieval sounding 'English Defence League'. The EDL promotes English supremacy. That England is for English people and that anything that could favour this nation should be directed towards people who can trace their bloodline to go back to King Arthur himself. It this group of individuals that claim to be 'patriotic'. There is also UKIP but they have an incredible way of making good points on immigration to highlight a 'problem' with immigrants. *I will admit I have agreed with some of their points. I will also admit that when learning about their policies, they are a tad over the top, note the sarcasm.

Now I for one do not want my patriotism to be based around an English favouritism. 

I hate the idea that other nations could look upon ours and base their judgement of us on how much we loathe people from other nations. 

I watched a video recently of an EDL march in London whereby they were arguing against Islam in our nation. The second lady in command claimed that 'Allah' was a proven paedophile and that how could they believe in such a horrific God. A PROVEN PAEDOPHILE?! I am pretty sure Allah is based around all other god's in that there is no physical evidence that he/she/it existed and that faith is what is needed to follow them. I believe they meant Mohammad, the prophet. But I still believe this is just as believable as Jesus being wed to a prostitute which is ridiculous right?

These same people most probably watched or listened to the likes of Jimmy Saville, Ralf Harris etc. and loved them! These people most certainly did exist and most certainly were horrible, horrible people but because they are white, they are just a bad egg.

I will not stand for people who claim to be English patriots and ruin our saint-day with ignorant and completely racist remarks. 

The English flag is one to be proud of and we have every right to be proud of our nation with the abundance of brilliance that has come out of it. However, don't claim that there brilliance is being tainted by 'foreigners' of today. And don't speak as if you have any of that brilliance because you so happen to be English too. I have seen English people in foreign nations. Notably I witnessed a bunch of drunk and incredibly loud Englishmen in Krakow, Poland. An entire city ringing with football chants and breaking bottles.  I was embarrased and had to tell my Polish girlfriend who took me there, 'we're not all like that'. I do understand I have been a drunken mess in Malia and contributed to this stereotype a little, sorry mum. However, I would not claim this to have been right.

England happens to be one of the most multicultural nations in the world and the fact that people want to emigrate here is a sign of its quality. The only problem England has is that it is becoming more common to be anti-migrants and to not agree with other cultures apart from curry, chinese food, pizzas, foreign beer... 

Now I am sure that this post will get a lot of people educating me on the awful things extreme muslims have done. That the terror they have caused is completely motivated by one book and this only. That child trafficking is done by muslims. That parts of the country are under 'sharia law'.

All I will say to this is that the small minority of muslims that have done this needed motivation from somewhere else and being a student in Coventry, I have met a lot of lovely muslims.

There have been plenty of white terrorists, rapists, child traffickers, drug dealers etc. The only difference is that they are not judged on religion or race but 'just bad people'. 

So if you are like me and proud to be from England then great! I don't alway show it apart from the six nations or other sporting events but that doesn't mean it isn't always there. Just stop the individuals who play off this patriotism so they can vent their anger at immigrants because of our governments mistakes.