[alexholehouse]

but in most cases these days it's more a more casual comedy thing, similar to the way the English dislike the French - they don't really but it's fun to have a frenemy.

I think this is totally accurate, but I worry this subtly is lost on some people, and especially kids. I'm English, and lived in Scotland between the age of 10 and 14, and the genuine anti-English victimization I received both at school and out and about was ridiculous. It never bothered me, perhaps because I don't really consider myself, "English" having (at that point) never lived there, but I remember being genuinely shocked. I expect it's much the same a French child would experience coming to school at that age in the UK.

Kids see their parents or comedians mock the English/French, but don't necessarily distinguish between, "banter" and genuine disdain. Hopefully those kids grow up to identify that difference, although some of the experiences I had would suggest this may not always be the case.

[rfergie]

A lot of child bullying isn't really for any particular reason. The reason is just an excuse.

Had you been Scottish I think you'd have either been bullied for some other differentiating factor or the bullies would have bullied someone else.

[mvc]

> I'm English, and lived in Scotland between the age of 10 and 14, and the genuine anti-English victimization I received both at school and out and about was ridiculous

But please don't make out that this only happens in Scotland. I'm Scottish but went to school in England and had a similar experience.