A useful dig in the ribs

I have confessed, done penance (of a sort), but still I cannot stop listening to 'ToooorkSpoooort' radio. I find the endlessly inane witterings of 'footie' fans strangely comforting.  Normally, I don't actually listen to it, I just have it on as aural wall-paper but today an excitable young man called Ali came on and in a strong accent from 'ooop north' tore strips off the presenters for some sin of omission or commission they had perpetrated against Ali's favourite team.  He then went off on one about football in general and in the course of which he insisted with real and undisguised fervour that, of course, when the World Cup started he would be supporting England  - "'cos I'm English".  This came out perfectly naturally in the flow of his enthusiasm with no hint of rehearsal or irony.

It was a very useful reminder to old grumps like me, who view all foreigners with suspicion, particularly if they are called Ali, that whilst this influx of immigrants is having profound effects on our English society, so we in turn are influencing theirs.  Just for a moment I wondered what Ali's father, probably a proud Pakistani, thought when he heard that remark?  In political discussion it is often necessary to speak of people en masse so it was a salutary dig in the ribs for me to be reminded that masses of people are made up of individuals.

Comments

[dearieme]

Even worse, his father may be a proud Scot whose son Alistair has let him down.

[David Duff]

Devious, 'DM', devious, but I've yet to meet a Jock who would ever manage to force those words past his lips!

[JK]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQi8c9FjzbM

[David Duff]

Dammit, 'JK', that's treason - oh, of course, you're not English, are you? Well, I'll think of something and then I'll have you sent to Australia with a ball and chain!