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I'm a British citizen by birth. I don't refer to myself as being 'British' because people assume that i'm inferring that i'm English (Which i'm not and don't wish to be either).
Protestant or Catholic background for yourself? I've gotten the impression that Protestant Northern Irish normally are quite proud of being British, right?
Again you go on about the difference between me & you, but really there isn't much difference. I have one French grandparent, you have 2 Ukrainian grandparents. There really isn't any reason for you to feel more Ukrainian than for me to feel French, but you think you are more entitled to. That's what I'm struggling with...
I really don't care how you identify yourself. I simply stated I thought it was unlikely for an Englander with 3 English grandparents and one French to identify as French in lieu of English. A general statement. But it's none of my concern if such an individual happens to do so. What if they were raised by their French grandparent? You keep referencing your own ancestry/identity as if it somehow refutes mine, but I hope you realize it is completely ineffective.
I really don't care how you identify yourself. I simply stated I thought it was unlikely for an Englander with 3 English grandparents and one French to identify as French in lieu of English. A general statement. But it's none of my concern if such an individual happens to do so. What if they were raised by their French grandparent? You keep referencing your own ancestry/identity as if it somehow refutes mine, but I hope you realize it is completely ineffective.
But you were the one who was saying that you were more "entitled" to feel Ukrainian than I was to feel French, when we are both equally as entitled to feel that way if we so wish...
I don't care how you identify yourself either, I was just making the point that simply having grandparents from a country different to your own birth country does not make you "from" that country. Of course you may have strong feelings or cultural links to that country & it will always be part of your heritage, but that is as far as it goes, you insisting that you are Ukrainian is completely ineffective in pursuading anyone that you are.
But you were the one who was saying that you were more "entitled" to feel Ukrainian than I was to feel French
You put the word entitled in quotes, but I have not used that word. Moreover, I said exactly what I said I did - I think it'd be unlikely. I also think it would be unlikely that if I were to have kids with a woman who has no Ukrainian ancestry, that my kids would have much Ukrainian identity. Unlikely is the operative word. Not impossible, or incorrect, or anything like that, if it happened to be so.
I was once told by my uncle that my support of and identification with Ukraine and the Ukrainian cause would have made my Ukrainian grandparents happy, if they were alive today. Only baba knew me, as my maternal grandfather died before I was born. Would she have thought it "likely" that I'd hold the sentiments that I do? I really don't know. But "unlikely" does not mean incorrect or unreasonable, in this instance.
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I don't care how you identify yourself either, I was just making the point that simply having grandparents from a country different to your own birth country does not make you "from" that country.
Yet I have not said I am "from Ukraine." Again, you use quotes to refer to statements I have not made. Saying that would suggest that I was born or raised there. I have said I am ethnically Ukrainian, and I do stick by that statement.
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Of course you may have strong feelings or cultural links to that country & it will always be part of your heritage, but that is as far as it goes, you insisting that you are Ukrainian is completely ineffective in pursuading anyone that you are.
I don't care to persuade anyone, really. Your opinion is only a mild annoyance. It is when I get into arguments about matters that actually concern Ukraine, and not me as an individual, that I do get heated.
You put the word entitled in quotes, but I have not used that word. Moreover, I said exactly what I said I did - I think it'd be unlikely. I also think it would be unlikely that if I were to have kids with a woman who has no Ukrainian ancestry, that my kids would have much Ukrainian identity. Unlikely is the operative word. Not impossible, or incorrect, or anything like that, if it happened to be so.
I was once told by my uncle that my support of and identification with Ukraine and the Ukrainian cause would have made my Ukrainian grandparents happy, if they were alive today. Only baba knew me, as my maternal grandfather died before I was born. Would she have thought it "likely" that I'd hold the sentiments that I do? I really don't know. But "unlikely" does not mean incorrect or unreasonable, in this instance.
Yet I have not said I am "from Ukraine." Again, you use quotes to refer to statements I have not made. Saying that would suggest that I was born or raised there. I have said I am ethnically Ukrainian, and I do stick by that statement.
I don't care to persuade anyone, really. Your opinion is only a mild annoyance. It is when I get into arguments about matters that actually concern Ukraine, and not me as an individual, that I do get heated.
That's why I put entitled within quotation marks, as that's how it was coming across rather than you using that word. Most people would find it unlikely that you would consider yourself Ukrainian, but you do, but from what you have been writing it came across that you believe you have more right to call yourself Ukrainian than I am to call myself French. We both have ancestral links to countries neither of us were actually born in, so we would both be equally justified in having some form of closeness to our heritage...
I'm glad my opinion is an annoyance lol, your opinion of my less equal right to consider myself as French is equally annoying, but I don't consider myself French anyway so it doesn't really bother me at all
Do you have any brothers or sisters? Do they or any of the rest of your family have the same views as you do with regards to your Ukrainian identity? Do any of them find it odd? I mean I don't know you, but from your posts on here you seem a little obsessed with Ukraine, does it really hold that much power over your life, living in the US?
That's why I put entitled within quotation marks, as that's how it was coming across rather than you using that word. Most people would find it unlikely that you would consider yourself Ukrainian, but you do, but from what you have been writing it came across that you believe you have more right to call yourself Ukrainian than I am to call myself French.
No, I don't care about the French issue. I don't dictate how such a person should identify. Why should I give a **** what "most people" would expect when "most people" (presumably, Americans, in this context) do not have a way to relate to me anyway?
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I'm glad my opinion is an annoyance lol, your opinion of my less equal right to consider myself as French is equally annoying, but I don't consider myself French anyway so it doesn't really bother me at all
It's just a straw man argument. You introduced your French ancestry to the discussion in the context of your lack of understanding of my Ukrainian ethnicity. You misconstrue my response into a thesis on "rights" and "entitlements."
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I mean I don't know you, but from your posts on here you seem a little obsessed with Ukraine, does it really hold that much power over your life, living in the US?
Yes, it does. And no, I'm not alone on this. I have been to a few Ukrainian events (e.g., festivals) recently, and there are diaspora Ukrainians out there like me for whom Ukraine does mean a lot. I am serious when I say I think it may be specific to Ukrainians. Many traits are passed down in the blood.
No, I don't care about the French issue. I don't dictate how such a person should identify. Why should I give a **** what "most people" would expect when "most people" (presumably, Americans, in this context) do not have a way to relate to me anyway?
It's just a straw man argument. You introduced your French ancestry to the discussion in the context of your lack of understanding of my Ukrainian ethnicity. You misconstrue my response into a thesis on "rights" and "entitlements."
Yes, it does. And no, I'm not alone on this. I have been to a few Ukrainian events (e.g., festivals) recently, and there are diaspora Ukrainians out there like me for whom Ukraine does mean a lot. I am serious when I say I think it may be specific to Ukrainians. Many traits are passed down in the blood.
You don't care about the French issue, when it exactly the same as your situation lol. I'm not dictating how you should identify either, but you did say that you should feel more Ukrainian than I should feel French, which is rubbish. It isn't a straw man argument at all, because it is exactly the same thing.
We both have grandparents, born in a different country, yet you seem to think it is more acceptable or natural for you to feel more linked to your grandparents homeland than I should to mine.
It has nothing to do with me not understanding your Ukrainian ethnicity, but you are simply choosing to have that part of your heritage as more important than any other part of it, including the country where you & your parents were actually born. You don't have any more right to claim yourself Ukrainian than I do to claim myself French. That is the issue.
Sorry, I'm not providing any entertainment hon. But I do have a life.
Takes dedication to become the BBC weather presenter?
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Again, you use quotes to refer to statements I have not made. Saying that would suggest that I was born or raised there. I have said I am ethnically Ukrainian, and I do stick by that statement. 
But I do have a life.
