There we have reference to colonizing and empire. It is pretty much exclusively Remainers that make such references
There is a lot of bollocks (not aimed at you) posted by people that are without the ability, IMO, to present arguments coherently. There has been a trait over years of Remainers associating Leave supporters to anything that would be viewed as a 'negative theme' and stating that Brexit is driven by people hankering after days of yore fits that shallow level of thinking - it is just bollocks and demonstrates ignorance
The desire to leave the EU is the desire to leave a bloated and increasingly politically driven construct based on the experience of past decades and the ability to assess the journey of the next decades
Reference is made by Remainers to 'days of yore' as an attempt, in their narrow scope of analysis, to substantiate that:
Irish Nationalism, Scottish Nationalism and EU 'nationalism' = something noble and to be greatly admired
English people showing a bit of care about what happens to them = Something to be decried as 'little Englander' / jingoism'
It could be readily argued that all these references to empire and colonizing is in reality the need for some to hanker back to those days long gone to justify their sense of grievance in 2020. There seems to be a desire for the 2020 citizens of the UK to both suffer and apologize for history.
Re your statement that "English nationalism seems to want to break from the EU but not the UK."
Apart from being a statement of the obvious because the topic is EU membership - I assume that the intent is to reflect that the English want to retain residual parts of an Empire
If that is the case it is not borne out by the reality of this century
I honestly don't know if the poster I was answering is a remainer or a leaver. It doesn't matter. I brought up the empire as an answer to his point of dilution of Englishness, which he seemed to be blaming on the EU. That wasn't a slight on your history, merely a reference to it that he cannot overlook.
The second part in red is as you say obvious. That is the point that was being made again, that your version of English pride (I'll refrain from calling it nationalism) seem at odds with his.
Although you are both arguing the same point or side.
I would argue that English nationalism leads to the same conclusion that Scottish nationalism does regarding the Union (UK). You don't agree that that is your aim or those that think like you.
That's fair enough I understand that. I still believe that's the final destination however unless English nationalism is either separated from the pride and interests that you express, of which I'll repeat, I see nothing wrong with and the images that are allowed be presented by the likes of Farage's following.
This is why I maintain that you need to redefine English Nationalism in the media. When I say you, I mean those that represent you.
Boris is doing a good job so far in your eyes. But he is not averse to pandering to the exact same emotions that you decry as something the remain side make up about the nationalist following.
You call it Little England. I don't really know what that is.
One thing that is true is there is a lot of bollocks written by all sides in here myself included, I'm sure.
One other thing is true, that none of us are right all of the time, no matter how much we think we are.
All could do with looking at the truth in other's opinions.
Only time will tell who was right. And will it really matter then?