Why do we need to change our flag ?

[bazwillrun]

Just watched Littlejohn on Sky news and my blood is boiling. If these people dont like our flag, dont like our country etc. etc, then why dont they just take a hike and leave, and see if they could get away with this anywhere else. If they want to live here then they should support the country adopt our culture and flag, instead of always trying to dismantle and change everything. Why do they stay here if they find everything so objectionable ? Why cant they just get on a plane and leave us alone we were fine before them and we will be fine without them

[woodpam]

I'm happy to hear that Littlejohn is earning his crust in the way he does best, winding everyone up.
Most people coming to the UK do accept our way of life, adopt parts of our culture etc. and bring with them a culture that we can share. (I've just eaten a great curry!)
Some people don't want to conform entirely to what we see as our culture and prefer their values to ours. What's the problem with that? If it makes the indigenous population think more carefully and question their own values isn't that a good thing? We'd be stuck in the dark ages if we never adopted new ways of thinking and life would be very dull.
Some people are very outspoken in their disapproval for their adopted country and we would all be better off if they were largely ignored and not given large amounts of publicity by the likes of Littlejohn. It is highly unlikely that they will be given the opportunity to dismantle anything at all, since the majority of this country's inhabitants (who do support the country - with their taxes) would win out in our democratic system.
It's hard to understand how people could go to a country, trample all over the culture, replace the structure of government, strip the country of its natural assets and generally behave in an elitist way. This type of behaviour was one of the features of the British Empire though and in a very small way on a very small scale, maybe you do reap what you sow.

[sft42]

I think we could maybe implement do with implementing a smiliar immigration test to the US (you know simple question along the lines of basic vocab. and geography)....I am NOT in any way racist but I do think that anyone who wishes to come to live in the country should be prepared to make a few small sacrifices to fit in with the way we live in return for the refuge (be it political or financial or from war) that we offer...does that seem unreasonable?

[bazwillrun]

The only thing i dont agree with you on is the fact that its not a few small sacrifices they should make, they should be making a lot of large ones. They all knew what this country was about, culturewise etc. before they decided to come here, so if they dont want to adopt our ways then dont come here. There are plenty of other safe places all over the globe with cultures and ways of life more akin to what they are used to Why is it that as soon as anybody tries to stand up for our country they are labelled racist ? Everbody else all over the planet always seems to go on about what wonderful countries they live in and how proud of their culture etc they are. Fine, but if you decide that you are going to go and live in somebody elses country then you should also be prepared to adopt their way of life and culture and respect the fact that they have been good enough to let you in. The very fabric and culture of this country is gradually being destroyed,and that is not paranoia. Its being destroyed mainly on 2 counts, firstly from within by the mass immigration this country has endured for the past 30 or so years, since around 1972,and secondly from outside by Europe who slowly but surely are taking away our sovreignty and power to rule ourselves. Where will it end ? in 20, 30 or 50 years time when we are just a provincial area of Europe, just as before when the Romans ruled us. Forget all this claptrap about the Euro and the 5 economic reasons, at the end of the day the political agenda is the same now as it was about 40 years ago, the 'Bigger Picture' is a United States/Republic/Federation whatever you want to call it of Europe, centrally governed, ruled, run, policed, taxed, you name it from a Euopean Parliament.

[WaldoMcFroog]

Well, on the BBC they have the ability for people to respond to news stories and when I looked, all of the minority ethic people who responded said they didn't want the flag changed. The idea was put forward by a white bloke who got loads of free publicity out of it, so his statements worked, but whether he believes any of it, is unclear.

That said, there's some attitudes in your question which concern me. Being a part of a country doesn't mean blind acceptance of everything done in that country and the day it does, democracy is finished. And that goes for people born here or migrants. Why should it bother anyone just that someone has some different traditions/ practices than them? Littlejohn is a marketer of xenophobia and yob-politics. If I'd watched him, I expect my blood would boil too.

In your second answer, you seem to imply that anyone who comes into this country should never complain about anything, but wander about tugging their forelock and praising to high heaven this utterly wonderful country in which they now live (through the gracious permission of the nice white people who live there), and with which there are no conceivable problems or issues that anyone could be concerned with, and anyone who says otherwise is a fool and a communist. Hmmm.

Still, good job you're not racist, eh?

[bazwillrun]

Re your last line, there you go see what I mean. You have proved my point(see my lines7/8) Thankyou I rest my case And by the way, come and live in S.E London and see how day by day the place is getting more trashed

[WaldoMcFroog]

Your whole post reads like "I'm not a racist, but.."

I think you prove mine.

[Cathy]

A lot of what most people consider typically British (or English) has actually been brought in from abroad. A couple of examples would be large chunks of our language, our currency and many of our typical characteristics (e.g. the idea that Northeners are friendly comes from the Danelore, when Vikings ruled the North). This country has thrived due to immigrants at various times in our history. And while I have reservations about the E.C. I would rather agree with that than be associated with your opinions.

[gilf]

Its only a flag. I have always thought that Union Flag was a little outdated. Why not ditch it all together and get ourselves a new one. May be we should just have something simple with a picture of the globe. Much more representative of multi culture than a couple of black marks on an old outdated flag (Which in fact has no representation from wales).

[whiskygalore]

Whoa, Baz! Calm down, it's only a commercial!

Seriously though, if you believe everything you read / hear you'll get high blood pressure. As we don't live in a perfect world, there's always going to be a scapegoat and foreigners are usually a handy target in the absence of commies or paedophiles. However, there's many 'bad' factors affecting this country at the moment - there always will be, and yes, maybe we're letting too many immigrants in, but that's not their fault, it's the government's!

If you want to change things for the better, how about getting involved with politics at a local level, where you can put your point of view across and gain access to the facts to back it up?

PS I think our flag is lovely and you're not a racist, just ANGRY.

[OnlyMe]

well, whisky, if you don't see Bazwillrun's ill-informed, bigoted, illogical, ignorant rant (and others he has posted here) as racist, then you have a problem, just like he does. Yes he's angry, but he unquestionably couches this anger in blatantly racist terms.

[woodpam]

Baz says "....Everbody else all over the planet always seems to go on about what wonderful countries they live in and how proud of their culture etc"
Come on Baz - are you really saying that we in the UK are not proud of our countries and cultures? Of course we are - and one of the things I am most proud of is our tolerance and the fact that there are always people ready to defend the minorities who are targets of pettiness. We live in a beautiful, safe, progressive part of the world with freedom many people long to experience which is why some of them want to come here. The UK isn't perfect but we don't have to keep it stuck in a time warp and never change anything (including the population) to be proud of it.

[sft42]

Hello Tj. I thought you had disappeared but it's good to see I can still wind you up like clockwork. Tee Hee :>)

Are you a psuedonym for another user or are you just a one trick pony like fakey then?

I would be happy to se the back of the Union flag also.....along with your national anthem.

[Samson]

Pot and kettle springs to mind. So does Jimmy Hill in a skirt.

[Gef]

Einstein wrote "unless you're a Celt, you are descended from immigrants". That might be true for Ireland and Scotland but not for most of England. Strictly speaking, since Homo Sapiens evolved in Africa, most of us in the UK are descended from immigrants.

[Waterwolf]

Einstein's comment also applies to England: the Celts were here first, then fled to Scotland, Wales and Ireland when the Romans invaded. And since the Celts originated in central Europe, every single person in the UK is descended from immigrants. So should we all leave?