Flying the Flag

[Insane Wally]

So flying the St George Cross is racists is it? I always thought is was England's national flag, & not that of the BNP! Seeing as George was Turkish, maybe it would be fine to fly their flag! Other nationalities flags do not offend me at all, & my Asian & Afro Carribean friends are not offended by our flag. Who comes up with this noncense?

[katie83]

who said flying the flag is racist? i am of mixed parentage but born in england. i am proud to be British. perhaps in the past the flag was associated with racist parties like the NF etc but in more recent years (during the world cup and now euro 2004) we have seen that view change which is a good thing. people of all different races, nationalities have been displaying the flag in support of the country.

[WaldoMcFroog]

I personally do not like seeing lots of flag waving.

I think it's mainly the sort of people that who fly them who make me embarrased. I'm not talking about old retired colonels and the like, but the knuckle-draggers for whom a football shirt is their standard attire (that's not a dig at football btw) that stick them all over their cars etc.

Cut it whichever way you like - and I do agree that flying a flag is not inherantly racist - but I do not wish to be associated with these kind of people. I was in Prague recently, and the English halfwits on the stag dos made me cringe with their loutish behaviour.

I suppose however, that I'm not particularly pre-disposed towards flag waving anyway, though. I'm entirely indifferent to patriotism - I'm English because it's the place my parents had sex.

Additionally, since Britain was a colonial power, and since England was the seat of that power, I think its entirely natural that, in a post-imperial phase, there would be some embarrasment about what the flag represents.

[tartanwiz]

I am Scottish and unashamed to fly the St Andrew's Cross, so why should it be any different for English people (by which I mean people of England regardless of racial type)? There is nothing racist in flying the flag of England, nor any shame in being proud to be English. The country that gave us The Beatles and George Orwell can't be bad. What is bad is that the flag has been appropriated by racists, and it is up to decent English people to reclaim the flag as a symbol of an inclusive identity.

[kags]

Well call me cynical, but I reckon the BNP are stirring it up with these stories about the flags being racist, in an attempt to draw out latent prejudice and xenpohobia prior to the elections today. In my local paper, someone (anonymously) wrote a letter saying flying the flag of St George is racist, and there has been a deluge of replies, so much so that the paper devoted a double page spread to the replies. Don't get me wrong, I am NOT saying that it IS racist to fly the flag, but I am concerned that this subject is producing jingoism in some quarters.

[vittoria]

Has anybody seen the flag that came out with the G2 section of the Guardian today? I thought it was an amusing take on it.

[Greedyfly]

Well my bosswont let us put a flag up in our store because he said its racist - although I dont understand how it is. And at the same time we (staff) have to wear England shirts through out Euro 2004 - so what harm would a flag do?

[sft42]

See....there's why people hate the english....Quote " since Britain was a colonial power, and since England was the seat of that power, I think its entirely natural that, in a post-imperial phase, there would"....not Britian was the seat of that power...never mind all the Welsh, Scots and Irishmen who worked as hard as anyone to build that empire eh?

The St. Georges flag has for ages now been seen as a racist symbol by a lot of people in the UK like it or not....the fact it may well have been hijacked by one group or another is by the by because until that link is broken most peoples image of it is draped around a football thugs shoulders...you might not like it but there you go.

[WaldoMcFroog]

sft42, I think you've missed my point. I wasn't trying to ignore any of the nations that you quite rightly note contributed towards British Empire, but rather indicate that (rightly or wrongly) Empire is more closely associated with England. If you don't believe me, think of the images that have become cliches of the British in the Colonies? Tea drinking, cricket playing, upper-class aristos, non?

The government is based in England. Historically, the Scottish king became the English King and based himself in... England. Not Scotland. Why? Because England was the more powerful nation and has historically been the seat of power for Britain as a whole. Ireland was a colony. The Scots and Welsh have maintained a separate identity apart from the English. If this weren't true, why the devolution of power? And that distance is why they don't get tarred with the same brush.

[rinkytink]

I don't think that the St. Georges Cross is automatically seen as being associated with racist groups. I was at the rugby world cup parade and have attended several matches at Twickenham and the flag is everywhere, but never gets associated with racist groups there. However when it is football fans that are flying the flag it seems that there is an association with racism. What gives ?

I personally couldn't give a t*ss what people think about why I display a St. Georges Cross flag. I fly the flag because of the values of England that it represents for me. I'm no racist but if people want to label me with that tag that's thier problem.

BTW sft42, not everyone hates the English as much as you seem to do. That's what I'd call racism.

[calibrax]

If we all fly the flag, then we take it back from the bigoted few who tried to hijack it. In any case, the St George's Cross has never had any associations of racism for me, although the same can't be said for the Union Flag. So, I would urge EVERY British person, of EVERY colour and creed to fly the flag. Put it this way... if every black person in Britain had a Union Flag flying on their car or from their house, how long would it remain a symbol of racism? Not very long...

[kags]

hmmmmm - there has been much made this week of the d day anniversary, and how people died in order to preserve the right to fly the flag. In fact, that is not why they died, they died to preserve the freedom to make a choice about flying the flag. I think the flag, be it Union, st George or whatever is actually irrelevant to the issue of bigotry, racism and prejudice in this country, and we should concentrate on the real issues.

[LeMarchand]

I thought that all the flags I've been seeing were after the government issued this directive (sent to me via email): "In order to assist motorists in identifying muppet drivers, it is now compulsory for anyone with a lower than average driving ability to display a flag comprising a red cross on a white background attached to the top of at least one window."

[Guitarmarama]

I'm a Welsh teenager living in England, and I'm sure everyone is aware of how much more patriotic the Welsh are than the English, but I don't feel the need to wave a stupid banner with two red lines on it, nor the one with a red dragon on just to prove I'm Welsh... I mean... WHAT IS THE POINT!!! Those stupid flags on cars look not only stupid, but WE'RE IN ENGLAND!!! THERE'S NO NEED TO TELL THE WHOLE BLOODY WORLD YOU'RE ENGLISH IF YOU LIVE IN BLOODY ENGLAND! If you're actually in Portugal, then by all means, wave your flags. It's different then, because I think it's rather nice to see people waving their flags among everyone else's. But WE'RE IN ENGLAND!!! WHAT'S THE POINT? It must be a stupid English thing... Oh well... Maybe the fact I'm a Welshman with a goat as a starsign and the fact I live in Ramsbottom means I don't feel the urge to wave a stupid flag around, even when I'm in my own country!

[Greedyfly]

It is to show everyone how proud we are - because not everyone is!

[bernardo]

I think it should be compulsory for everybody to wear a badge with a picture of a hippopotamus on. Then people will realise how open-minded and non-racist we are.

[Insane Wally]

Maybe not a hippo Bernado, we don't want to be accused of being fattist! A frog? No better not! Instead of showing our patriotism to the Queen, we could have a badge with a picture of a Donkey in honour of Tony Blair (the Ass)

[speshial k8]

i agree, it's madness. but gladly we can all happily celebrate thanksgiving. turkeys.

[grayza]

In Reply to Guitarmarama The reason people are flying there flags boyo is because an u should know living in Ramsbottom is that in England...everyone is foreign!!! Go on the tube in London see how many english people u sit next to...Manchester, Birmingham, Nottingham .....all full of foreigners so i say to every englishman fly your flag..we will be a minority in our own country soon..im not rascist have many wogs pakis as m8s..only jokin but i do feel we are becoming continental shall i say?

[Ponkeyhonkey]

Stop bringing shame to my country grayza, my two little brothers who are mixed race fly the England flag. They were born, bred in England THEY ARE ENGLISH!! What I don't get is non football fans flying the flag at this time, take for instance my grandpaps having got the faintest idea about football yet they have two flags on the top, and one stuck on the back with cellotape. Call me cynical....

[Pantsy]

One of my friends was stopped by the Oxfordshire Police last night and was told to remove their flag from their vehicle. My friend refused and is now being threatened with points and a �200 fine. RIDICULOUS!!!!! I have two large flags flying from my house and one on my car. They will stay there for as long as I wish. Even if the Police did tell me to remove them. I find it very insulting and threatening myself that people find my national flag racist. If I want to fly the St Georges flag I will. F**k it I think I might put a flag pole in my garden and have it up all year round. Can some one tell the England football team to take their kit off?