http://www.pledgebank.com/UKcensus Comments on 'refuse to fill out the 2011 UK census unless 'English' is included as a nationality' en-gb team@pledgebank.com 1901-01-01T00:00+00:00 2 hourly http://www.pledgebank.com/UKcensus#comment_124042 I will refuse to fill out the Census 2011 unless there is a Cornish and English tick bo option. I am a Penryn born Cornishman from the United Kingdom and a growing Cornish and Breton speaker. I have been raised by a family and community that has endowed me with what can be best described as a Cornish national identity, another way to look at it would be of Cornish ethnicity. The Cornish are a Celtic ethnic group and nation of the southwest of Great Britain. We have our own lesser used Celtic language (Cornish), sports, festivals, cuisine, music, dance, history and identity. Cornwall also has a distinct constitutional history as a Duchy with an autonomous stannary parliament. The results from the 2001 UK population census show over thirty seven thousand people hold a Cornish identity instead of English or British. On this census, to claim to be Cornish, you had to deny being British, by crossing out the British option and then write Cornish in the others box. Additionally the decision to collect information on Cornish identity was extremely badly publicised. Expressions of Cornish identity can be found in everything, from a campaign for an international Cornish sports team (like Scotland England and Wales) - http://home.btconnect.com/graham-hart/ccga.htm - through the campaign for a disestablished church of Cornwall - http://www.freethespirit.org.uk/indexr.htm - to the campaign for devolved autonomous government - http://www.cornishassembly.org/. How many more would have described themselves as Cornish if they did not have to deny being British or if there had been a Cornish tick box? How many people knew that it was an option? How many ticked British but feel themselves to be Cornish British? The Cornish and the Council of Europe Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities http://www.geecee.co.uk/CNMR/ An Burow, the Cornish Language News Website http://www.cornish-language-news.org/ The Cornish: A Neglected Nation? from the BBC by Mark Stoyle http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/state/nations/cornish_nation_01.shtml Tyr-Gwyr-Gweryn, Cornish history, identity and constitution. http://www.kernowtgg.co.uk/ The Cornish Stannary Parliament, a Cornish civil rights group http://www.cornish-stannary-parliament.abelgratis.com/ Mebyon Kernow http://www.mebyonkernow.org/Public/Stories/89-1.shtml Eurominority http://www.eurominority.org/version/eng/ http://www.pledgebank.com/UKcensus#comment_71315 Some links and info: http://www.cre.gov.uk/Default.aspx.LocID-0hgnew0f4.RefLocID-0hg00900c002.Lang-EN.htm Ban the flag while England play football because it is seen as racist? Well I agree it is nonsense and you may as well say why not scrap all flags ban all of them because it may seem racist for someone but hey this is still a country called England and we can still fly our flag as much and often as we like so don't be ashamed of it. The Government can fly flags too if they wish to but only on certain events of times of the year? Strange but they don't like England's flag either. Are they afraid of being accused of being called racist when this is England we live in! Well they set that up for themselves with insane political correctness. http://www.harrogate.gov.uk/harrogate-4135 A special item is to be raised at Harrogate Council's Cabinet this Wednesday by Councillor Richard Cooper, which will also kick off an amnesty for those who want to show their support by displaying the Cross of St George. The move comes after complaints from members of the public about some people displaying flags and asking whether they need planning permission. During the period of the World Cup, the council will take no action against the display of national flags, or similar non-commercial displays relating to the competition, of whatever size and location so long as they do not harm public safety. Examples of harm to public safety would be where a flag obscures visibility at a junction or traffic lights etc. Councillor Richard Cooper, who as Deputy Leader of the council chairs the Cabinet in the Leader's absence, said: "We are getting behind our team and are asking all who want to join us to do so. At a time of great patriotism in our sporting achievements, the council will be among the first to hoist the flag of St George. It will fly proudly over the Council Offices as soon as the World Cup begins and we'll keep it flying until we are knocked out or win the tournament. It looks like both Rooney and Owen are going to be fit so I'm expecting the flag to be flying for some time perhaps even to the final game." http://www.hounslow.gov.uk/text/07_june_flying_the_flag http://www.salford.gov.uk/living/yourcom/salfordlife/submit-flag.htm This still needs to be an all year around event! Why not fly the flag more often and not feel ashamed or racist. I am not suggesting we become like America and fly flags from all buildings just that this country has an identity and is called England once more officially. Preserve sovereignty. http://www.nps.gov/colo/Jthanout/EngFlag.html http://www.number10.gov.uk/output/page9576.asp Banned flags, religion, freedom of speech, etc what next? Well charities are no longer allowed to celebrate Xmas or be branded with a religion and the government tell us we all have freedom and should respect all religion and are entitled to believe in as we please. ALL LIES! Once you come to live in England you then become naturalised if you stay therefore you become English no matter where you were originally born whether you like it or not it is like this in every country in the world. If an English man goes to live in America they become and English American but all the same an American. Just that they are not allowed to become president to protect Democracy as the constitution states. http://www.jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/archives/011649.php http://www.culture.gov.uk/flagflying/faqs.htm#times http://www.pledgebank.com/UKcensus#comment_71311 Some day we may just get our national day for England and all people in England just as the rest in the UK we will celebrate our national day. http://www.supporterflags.co.uk/gordonbrown.html Fly the St. Georges England flag high and all year around not just for football. Hopefully Gordon Brown will help us get nearer to the a national holiday that has been stolen from us. By the look of it it seems the impact is already starting. Lets hope the increased sales are not just for the football. http://www.pledgebank.com/UKcensus#comment_50406 Dave the English cross no lines we are not allowed to. It is fine for foreigners to be racist against us though just as long as we aren't. This is political correctness not allowing freedom and turning a blind eye to any others that are racist against some nationalities. I am sure this is not only limited to England though. We now have incitement of terror used to ban and censor religion and gay rights to censor and imprison religious people who exercise free speech and views. When I say foreign I mean any one not born in the UK. Asians and Africans can be very racist and I do not necessarily mean against whites. So us English just put up with it all in the fear of being (accused racist) racist and allow all of the world's hate against us. So should we be be realistic and look at the Totalitarian Federal European Union and get our act together and remember we are losing all sovereignty just as all Euro Currency countries have from something that was initially setup to be about trade and nothing else (not that politics has any place in trade at all). The EU is crumbling and even Ireland want to veto the constitution because they want to become a country that is free from growing GM crops but the European Commission won't allow sovereign national country laws, but has to be governed by a centralised consolidated power mad base that never deals with local issues and ignores people. Do you think we have a right to fly our flag and call ourselves English as the Scots call them selves Scottish and the Irish Irish? And Welsh Welsh.... I don't see many Scots, Welsh or Irish saying they are British, only English when we fill out stupid forms. Or could this all be down to the use of different languages such as Welsh? And the now unused Gaelic? I doubt it since most speak English International Language. http://www.pledgebank.com/UKcensus#comment_50337 Many people never fill in the census anyway and never get fined by the government because too many fail to fill the form in. Why should people sell their freedom and privacy to the state and allow it to be sold and shared with corporations as is done with the electoral roll too? We need to fly our flag high just like Scotland and Wales does. Do you see them only using the Union Jack flag or do they use their national flags? Of course they use their national flags and are proud to. When will St Georges Day be recognised as a national holiday like Scotland's Wales and Ireland's is? When will we celebrate to be English and not the void British or UK citizen? It is accepted to celebrate your nationality if you are Welsh, Scottish or Irish but not English eh? Well were is the fairness in that. Will the day come when more of us get the St. Georges flag out other than when we play football? Why not scrap all flags at this rate other all but for the the Totalitarian EU flag? But then it only represents so much (does not have 25 stars does it!) and is not a country but then the Soviet Union was no country. http://www.pledgebank.com/UKcensus#comment_42015 I live in the UK. I thought England, Scotland, Wales and N Ireland were united ages ago. "British" is the official term for citizenship of the UK. I'd say I'm British if I had to choose between set choices, or say I was from the UK if I was given the option. Slightly off-topic: I'm not saying this is racist, but where do you draw the line between saying you're proud to be English and saying you dislike other coutries? http://www.pledgebank.com/UKcensus#comment_30570 @Aaron Brown - You misunderstand me, or I wasn't clear enough. I agree with Stephen Hoffman that Scottish MP's shouldn't be allowed to vote on matters which affect ONLY England and Wales. Were I dissagree with Stephen is on the point he chose to illustrate his argument - tuition fees. The tuition fee legislation is an example I would use to show that some apparently 'english/welsh only' laws can have effects all over Britain. Therefore MP's from all over Britain should be able to vote on whether or not they are implemented. Just because I disagree with the legislation that was passed, doesn't mean I disgree that Scottish MP's should not have the right to pass that legislation. Hope that was clearer. http://www.pledgebank.com/UKcensus#comment_30532 Alan McKinnon, you show little understanding of the situation in regards to tuition fees, etc. You say that this is why Scottish MPs SHOULD have a vote, as it effects Scottish universities. Well, the tuition fees wouldn't exist if it wasn't for Scottish MPs voting for them. Sorry, but you've argued against yourself! http://www.pledgebank.com/UKcensus#comment_30524 All British citizens are.. British. Why not just take Welsh, Irish and Scottish off the damn thing and be done with it. Patriotism has killed almost as many people as religion. It's dumb and pointless. http://www.pledgebank.com/UKcensus#comment_29779 I am a proud Scotsman and agree with the majority of what has been posted here, that English should be an option on the census. I even agree with Stephen Hoffman that Scottish MP's shouldn't be allowed to vote on English only matters, however, his example is a reason why Scottish MP's SHOULD be allowed to vote on matters which APPEAR at first glance to be English only. Due to the tuition fees being introduced in England, SCOTTISH students (incl. myself) are finding it increasingly difficult to aquire places in SCOTTISH universities due to the influx of ENGLISH students taking the available places - to avoid paying extra. So who is 'robbing' who? Oh another thing, North sea oil anyone? http://www.pledgebank.com/UKcensus#comment_29512 So, I'm from Northern Ireland, and I've been thinking, if we all see ourselves as different (Irish, Welsh, Scottish, English, Hell even Cornigh and Manx) then who is left to be British? What is Britnishness anyway except an umbrella term for many very differet cultures? And in the eyes of the uneducated World 'For Brittish, read English' The two terms are saddly interchangable http://www.pledgebank.com/UKcensus#comment_16981 scotland has their own parliament why not england. http://www.pledgebank.com/UKcensus#comment_16980 i tell you what is wrong scotland has their own parliament but can still vote on english laws , we can't vote on scottish laws , what hypocrisy. also the tuition fee for ENGLAND only got through by 1 vote a scottish person voting on an english matter that is unfair . i have no problem with scotland but they seem to have a grievance with england , and putting through english laws thats unfair . if you want to improve the scottish parliament gordon brown serve in it , do us favour go their and rob the scottish people's money see how they like it http://www.pledgebank.com/UKcensus#comment_15246 Please, please sign this pledge! The people of England have been ignored long enough and now it is time to start fighting back! It is the normal people who make the differences. Be proud to be English and fly the flag!!! http://www.pledgebank.com/UKcensus#comment_12572 I will refuse to fill out the 2011 census unless the plan for ID cards is scrapped, because you can be sure that one will be used to facilitate the other. http://www.pledgebank.com/UKcensus#comment_12387 OK Chris P Bacon, but England is only PART of the Island (Oh and by the way, I support the Pledge!) http://www.pledgebank.com/UKcensus#comment_12353 You are soooooo right! http://www.pledgebank.com/UKcensus#comment_12352 This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle, This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars, This other Eden, demi-paradise, This fortress built by Nature for herself Against infection and the hand of war, This happy breed of men, this little world, This precious stone set in the silver sea, Which serves it in the office of a wall Or as a moat defensive to a house, Against the envy of less happier lands, This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England. William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), "King Richard II", Act 2 scene 1 http://www.pledgebank.com/UKcensus#comment_12117 There is a forgotten,nay almost forbidden word,which means more to me than any other. That word is ENGLAND Sir Winston Churchill ...and from ENGLAND we get The English http://www.pledgebank.com/UKcensus#comment_11232 I also signed just to show my support for England.