Get It Right Up Ye!

Strange thing nationality, and such an arbitrary notion. I'm not immune, I was born in Newcastle and as such support England in sporting events. But living most of my life in Scotland has meant I can see why we're also no liked by many (I'd argue it's a Southern influence, but that would be muddying the waters still further), and when not playing England at anything I support Scotland.

Up here is also my home, I can't really imagine living anywhere else (save, maybe, New Zealand), but I do admit to feeling hacked-off on occasion at the latent hatred that you often come across on the grounds of nationality.

On the basis of where I was born, no matter my upbringing, no matter what type of person I am, there is someone out there who will hate me. Quite a lot of people in this country really. Maybe 'hate' is a strong word, but they'll have an immediate negative reaction. It does exist, it is there. My brother was once told he was scum in a shopping centre in Aberdeen because he was wearing an England football top. He was about ten at the time, and his tormentor a grown man.

It's just like hatred on the grounds of race or religion or sexual preference, being based on something that someone doesn't have any control over (okay, maybe in the case of religion they do, but that again depends on the upbringing, and these things can be ingrained from as young age). I'll happily say that I don't agree with religion, but I won't hate someone because of it. I won't hate someone because they are a different race to me, because they look different, because they talk in a different way. Why on earth would I, therefore, hate someone because his parents happened to be in a certain place when he was born?

Naturally he's going to take on those national characteristics as well - should we expect that we should all act and think in the same way? Is that the only way to stop hatred? Sadly it probably would be, but for the minute I'm happy to revel in the fact that everyone is different.

So while I agree with the basic text of the sticker, I'm uneasy with the implicit message behind it. Maybe that background message isn't actually there, but having been on the receiving end so many times I'm not sure this is a simple call for national pride.

Last night's whisky exploits, with added StevieFish