A resurgance in pro-Englishness?

[Booldawg]

For the first time this St. Georges day I noticed alot more people 'flying the flag' and bothering to mark the day. Houses, cars flying flags, pubs advertising St. Georges day events etc. Never seen it before. I am under the firm beleif this is in a direct response to mass immigration, the constant threat of mainland terrorism fuelled by anti-western sentiment and the keeness of Scotland and Wales to feel less a part of the UK and more a their own entities. Did anyone else notice this today?

[slark]

yes

[jno]

no

[THECORBYLOON]

I seen one England flag on a car but that was it, hardly rampant!

[jake-the-peg]

What exactly do you base your "firm views" on then? 3 or 4 pints of beer and a tabloid newspaper?

More likely to be because there waas a government review that resulted in encouraging it on government buildings.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7361433 .stm

[Booldawg]

I base my 'firm views' on what I see with my own eyes and hear with my own ears rather than citing various sources googled from the internet. As did TCL - he only saw one flag so he's based his opinion on what he saw. Sorry if I'm wrong!

[jake-the-peg]

If we just believed what we saw with our own eyes we'd be back in the dark ages

Actually don't you think celebrating a patron saint is rather un-British

Doesn't it smack just a little Catholic?

[Booldawg]

Its not about St. George really though is it. TBH I'd sooner stick to my 3-4 pints of beer and tabloid newspapers than find myself adrift in a sea of mis-identity.

[jake-the-peg]

Not it's been hijacked by people who want to make us all feel patriotic.

Patriotism is always just something that clever politicians use to manipulate the gullible

"The last refuge of the scoundrel"

Funny thing is most patriots seem to detest their fellow countrymen and their political institutions it seems some sentimental attachment to a vision of rolling hills.

[ludwig]

Yes, I've noticed it but not on St Georges day particularly, more as a general trend where I'm seeing more flags about.
I think it's something to do with the fact that english people are sick of being told they're not allowed to be patriotic. They're only allowed to be racist, jingoistic, clinging on to former colonial glories, little englanders, football hooligans etc etc.
I'm not partcularly patriotic. I've never flown an England or union flag in my life, but there's nothing that makes me want to do it more than being told I shouldn't by miserable right-on twits.

[pingping]

to answer your question booldwag: yes, I too noticed that there was more pre-St George's Day advertising this year than previous years. However on the day itself, I saw nothing! No mention in some newspapers or on the news.

being Welsh (and proud of it) I'm saddened that England doesn't stand up and celebrate its culture on the one day in the year when it should be positively encouraged. I think more needs to be done to advertise the day, to get more people involved and to create a sense of shared identity.

You can't go anywhere in Wales (or Ireland for that matter) on their saints days without seeing/hearing/taking part in something that celebrates the nation.

come on England - stand up and be counted!!!

[pingping]

sorry - I meant *booldawg* !!

[theonlyone]

Well I went to our social club
and celebrated St .Georges day ..it
was festooned with flags and it had an
English feel to it as the food was true
English fare ...only there a while but had
a good time ...

[TWR]

St Georges flag, It is not allowed in Boston Lincs UK, Put it up, & you can get barred? Have you read this mornings Mirror, England Is it?? You tell me.

[Bellringer]

Scouts all over England mark the day by a parade and service. Usually on the nearest Sunday.
I fly the flag & wear a rose to show I am PROUD TO BE ENGLISH!!

(I also fly the cross saltire on St. Andrew's day in honour of my Scots ancestry. I don't wear a thistle as it tickles my nose)

[glenbar]

I couldn't believe it when I went to my town of Hinckley the other day. There were St Georges day flags decorating the streets like Christmas decorations. Made me feel really good as where I have moved from they wouldn't have dared do such a thing at the risk of causing offence.

[Booldawg]

Well good on you Glenbar! I notice there is only one other St. Georges day thread on AB that both 'The Corby Loon' and 'Jake-The-Peg' have been quick to jump on and attempt to discredit. Now I know that The Corby Loon is Scottish but not sure of Jake-The-Pegs family tree - maybe he can enlighten us. Nice to see English being English; there are plenty of 'naysayers' but at the end of the day the whole substance of the UK can be condensed into our 300x 300 mile plot of land.

[Llani]

I'm from Gibraltar and on our National Day we fly both the Union Jack (to celebrate our Britishness) plus our own Gibraltar Flag. Flags and bunting fly from balconies, flat windows, shops. Indeed the whole of Gibraltar becomes a sea of red, white and blue!! This, plus the fact that we live in a multi-ethnic community, with Indians, Moroccans, Portuguese also celebrating with us. It is a real shame this doesn't happen in England. You should be able to fly your flag proudly without being labelled racist.