Wales: England's first colony. Its land and its people have been exploited and oppressed for hundreds of years under English rule. The valleys are classified as being one of the poorest regions of western Europe, a trait similar to many 'colonized' countries who's lands have been raped of its resources for the good of another country, with little of the profit being invested back to the host country.

Many of Wales' valleys have been drowned to supply England with water, with whole communities being forced to leave their homes e.g Tryweryn in the 60's. England's thurst for more free Welsh water has not yet been quenched as their are futher plans to drown more valleys in order to supply the South East of England with water. Welsh Secretary Peter Hain (A puppet for Westminster) has written in a clause in a future Bill, making sure that the Welsh Assembly will not have control over Wales's water resources. Control will stay in London. Therfore, if the majority of people in Wales and the Assembly were against drowning a Welsh Valley, England would simply say, 'Screw you, were going to do it anyway, whether you like it or not.' So, even though we are in the 21st century, Imperialist 18th/19th century colonial tactics still play a role in English politics.

Is there a future for Wales? The English are now armed with this new sense of Englishness and the St Georges cross, and English incomers who move to Wales are dividing the nation even more. It's fair to say that many areas in Wales have been and forever will be English e.g. Eastern border areas, North Wales coast, South Pembrokeshire and pretty much the whole West coast by now. However, it's the traditional rural heartland areas of Wales which have seen the most devasation in terms of Welshness in the last 30-40 years. If the continual decline of the Welsh language, which is a key element of the Welsh identity in these areas, continues at the current rate, then it will be all but dead as a community language, and basically become a 'Museum language' where it still exists, but no longer used. Many English incomers learn and embrace the language, but they are drastically outnumbered by those who posess the 'Little Englander' attitude i.e Love the Welsh landscape but loathe and hate the Welsh culture, language and people. These type of English incomers include the retired elderly, the supposedly 'liberal' hippies who are one of the worst candidates and the larger drinking, England football shirt wearing, St George's cross waving Englander. All of which have no interest in anything Welsh and do not feel the need to adapt into their adopted country. The football world cup has now become a thing of dread for us Welsh, as shops, cars and houses become adorned by England flags by incomers who obviously have forgotten they are in Wales and don't give a s**t about the local Welsh people, as if saying 'Were English! We will never be Welsh! We are here to stay and to claim this land in the name of England!' This is most obvious and ridiculus in rural areas where small Welsh villages are transformed into an England shrine. They have pushed up house prices to such an extent that the young locals who wish to remain in their community are unable to do so, as only the affluent English incomers get a look in, as even a small cottage can go for 350,000+. To demonstrate how riduculus the sitiuation is, a small plot of SAND near Abersoch, N. Wales, was sold to and Englishman for £63,000!

In order for Wales to survive and continue as a nation, it must gain further powers and have it's own parliament. Independence would be even better! If Wales continues to be a colony of England, it's people, culture, language and identity will eventually surcum to the English ideal. Already about 30% of the population identify themselves as being English, however this is the national average. The industrial and former industrial areas of South Wales have a high % of people who identify themsleves as Welsh, many over 80%, due probably to the higher density in population and probably the area does not attract that great a deal of English incomers. However in other parts of Wales the figures are depressing. Along the coast from Aberdyfi to Harlech, over 70% of people are born in England. This is meant to be West Wales! Im sure the figure displaying an English identity in Wales will rise significantly, probably the 2011 census will show this. Immigrants don't make 30% of England's population, if it did, English people would certainly kick up a fuss. So why are we in Wales riduculed and called racist against the English when all we are doing is defending what little that remains of our culture and our nation. Can Wales really be called a country if the number of English incomers in Wales reaches 50+%? It will just become a county of England, where place names differ, but on the whole, populated mainly by English people.

Wake up Wales! Lets follow the lead of the Rep.of Ireland. They were also oppressed by the English, but since they gained independence, they haven't looked back, as they now have a successful economy and is one of the best places to live in Europe!

A place of ancient Celtic culture that was flourishing long before the English even existed. Much of the culture is long lost but there is wealth of mystery, richness, beauty and fame connected to Wales that most people have no idea about.
To look beyond the sheep jokes, daffodils and rugby and it is important to recognise it was one of the first literary cultures on Earth. Celtic way of life was overflowing with poetry and great legends some little known and some world famous and more often than not, very wrongly, attributed these days to England.
They lived, on the whole peacefully, believing in nature, song, literature, dance... basically life just being fun. It was actually one of the first nations where women were treated in many ways equally to men! They even lived at peace with the Romans after the Roman invasion into Britain developing a sophisticated, ahead of its time nation!
Unfortunately the English (at that point Normans, Germans, French) i.e. the Anglo Saxons came to Britain and ruined most of it.

Wales has so much to be remembered for, namely some of the greatest legends, such as that of King Arthur and his round table which yes, was Celtic (WELSH) legend - though it is thought much of the legends are based on true figures. Though nowadays people tend to think King Arthur was English when what he did was in fact fight the Anglo-Saxons, he was in fact half-Celtic, half Roman.
Wales has many other great stories, A welsh Indian tribe existed in Ame...

We gave you coal during the age of Steam.
We give you lamb (Which we thoughtfully leave unmolested, contrary to popular but increasingly tired belief)
We created the legend of King Arthur, only for you to take it and pass it off as your own creation.
We were living here and speaking our language when you were still somewhere in Scandinavia.
We were one of the first people to put poetry and music together.

So please, if you're going to disrespect us, do it properly.

Surely the country that gave the World the likes of Shakespeare, can muster up a more scathing attack than ones involving common farmyard animals?

The very fact that the Welsh are, for the most part, respected in other countries where the English are not - In my mind speaks volumes.

a country next to england that often gets forgotten.
and when it is remembered people living there are called 'sheepshaggers'.
just thought i remind people that we do have our own language. and wales is very different england.

Country to the west of England that English people often forget exists.

A country with some of the best pubs in the World. Don't pick a fight in Wales because they will knock your teeth out.
Wales rocks.
No one shags sheep and not everyone is called Gwenyth.
Visit Wales!

Country to the west of england, Very proud and has THE best accent in the world

Winners of the Triple Crown, Grand Slam and Six Nations 2005.