What is a Patriot and what does it mean to you?

Casdon

Sago

We live in a diverse community in a small conservation area on the outskirts of a City.

I see as I walk around our Avenues Pride, Palestinian and Ukrainian flags.

I bet if I flew a St George’s Cross the local Facebook page would have me down as a racist bigot.

Wouldn’t that be because it’s not custom and practice to fly your country’s flag in your garden if you live there? We don’t do that in Wales, and I’m sure the Scots don’t either, but I think if you’re a foreigner in a new land you are more likely to want to do so to support your own country if it’s at war, as both Ukraine and Palestine are.

I have seen quite a few Welsh flags in Welsh gardens, no reason for them not to of course.
I don’t believe it’s the other nations frowning on English flags flown in England but some English who assume you must be right wing if you do so.

Oreo

Casdon

Sago

We live in a diverse community in a small conservation area on the outskirts of a City.

I see as I walk around our Avenues Pride, Palestinian and Ukrainian flags.

I bet if I flew a St George’s Cross the local Facebook page would have me down as a racist bigot.

Wouldn’t that be because it’s not custom and practice to fly your country’s flag in your garden if you live there? We don’t do that in Wales, and I’m sure the Scots don’t either, but I think if you’re a foreigner in a new land you are more likely to want to do so to support your own country if it’s at war, as both Ukraine and Palestine are.

I have seen quite a few Welsh flags in Welsh gardens, no reason for them not to of course.
I don’t believe it’s the other nations frowning on English flags flown in England but some English who assume you must be right wing if you do so.

I live in Wales, and I haven’t, unless there’s a big rugby or football match on, it’s certainly not commonplace for people to leave them out all the time.

Cossy

Sago

We live in a diverse community in a small conservation area on the outskirts of a City.

I see as I walk around our Avenues Pride, Palestinian and Ukrainian flags.

I bet if I flew a St George’s Cross the local Facebook page would have me down as a racist bigot.

No, they wouldn’t, however, much better to fly the Union Jack.

Sadly, some have “hijacked” the English flag for their own agendas.

Would you advise the other nations in the UK to fly the Union Flag rather than their individual flags?
Why should the cross of St George be allowed to be hijacked by one odious section, surely it should be reclaimed by the good majority?

As for being labelled a traitor for voting remain I voted that way because however imperfect the EU is I thought it was best for the country to remain a member. Didn't those that voted leave do so because they thought that was best for the country? I disagree with them but would never resort to labelling them traitors, that's just silly and offensive.

I agree with M0nica, HousePlantQueen and Babs03. Other than that, my first thought, sadly, was a missile!

yogitree

I agree with M0nica, HousePlantQueen and Babs03. Other than that, my first thought, sadly, was a missile!

This, more or less.

I don't feel the word "Patriot" means what it once did, which is feeling loyal to ones country whatever ones political views, in both the USA and the Uk its being used like a weapon as in this or that POV is more "patriotic" and you are a traitor to believe differently.

I am curious about one thing tho, why did/do those who for example agree with Tommy Robinson choose the England flag not the UK flag as a symbol of loyalty?

Doodledog

I am very pleased to be British, and largely share 'British values' of tolerance, inclusivity, politeness etc. I even queue without moaning . I feel very lucky to have been born here, and not somewhere like Afghanistan, for instance.

Am I 'proud' of being British? No, how can we be proud to have been born somewhere - our place of birth is entirely random. Pride is a deadly sin, in any case, so people being proud of their pride in their country just doesn't add up for me.

I wouldn't be much good at combat-style fighting, but I fight (peacefully) in other ways for what I believe to be right. Not because 'my country' is involved, as so much depends on who is claiming to be representing us, but because I don't think we should expect other people to do things and then moan about the results when we haven't bothered ourselves. We all have a stake in society, so should all make an effort to make the UK the place we want it to be. I think it is unpatriotic to expect a free ride in life - a country is only as good as the sum of its citizens' efforts.

If there were a war or invasion, I like to think that I would do what I could to help to resist, though.

The word 'Patriotism' suggests blind adherence to what others tell us is 'British', which is not an admirable thing, I think. How can it be patriotic to support something when it is in fashion (because it is currently 'the British way'), and not support it when times change? 'British values' used to include the idea that slavery was acceptable and that there was a racial hierarchy, for instance. A patriot would have been someone who was prepared to fight for things like that. Now (thankfully) things have changed, and with them those values have reversed, so a patriot would be someone with very different views. How can the concept of 'patriotism' mean anything when it shifts so much?

👍👏👏👏👏👏

Doodledog

I am very pleased to be British, and largely share 'British values' of tolerance, inclusivity, politeness etc. I even queue without moaning . I feel very lucky to have been born here, and not somewhere like Afghanistan, for instance.

Am I 'proud' of being British? No, how can we be proud to have been born somewhere - our place of birth is entirely random. Pride is a deadly sin, in any case, so people being proud of their pride in their country just doesn't add up for me.

I wouldn't be much good at combat-style fighting, but I fight (peacefully) in other ways for what I believe to be right. Not because 'my country' is involved, as so much depends on who is claiming to be representing us, but because I don't think we should expect other people to do things and then moan about the results when we haven't bothered ourselves. We all have a stake in society, so should all make an effort to make the UK the place we want it to be. I think it is unpatriotic to expect a free ride in life - a country is only as good as the sum of its citizens' efforts.

If there were a war or invasion, I like to think that I would do what I could to help to resist, though.

The word 'Patriotism' suggests blind adherence to what others tell us is 'British', which is not an admirable thing, I think. How can it be patriotic to support something when it is in fashion (because it is currently 'the British way'), and not support it when times change? 'British values' used to include the idea that slavery was acceptable and that there was a racial hierarchy, for instance. A patriot would have been someone who was prepared to fight for things like that. Now (thankfully) things have changed, and with them those values have reversed, so a patriot would be someone with very different views. How can the concept of 'patriotism' mean anything when it shifts so much?

Thank you, I was trying to put this into words, and you have done it so much better than I ever could.

Wyllow3

yogitree

I agree with M0nica, HousePlantQueen and Babs03. Other than that, my first thought, sadly, was a missile!

This, more or less.

I don't feel the word "Patriot" means what it once did, which is feeling loyal to ones country whatever ones political views, in both the USA and the Uk its being used like a weapon as in this or that POV is more "patriotic" and you are a traitor to believe differently.

I am curious about one thing tho, why did/do those who for example agree with Tommy Robinson choose the England flag not the UK flag as a symbol of loyalty?

You could ask why do the Scots fly the Saltire , instead of the UK flag. These islands made up of different countries, each entitled to fly the flag of birth country that they chose.

I’m glad Tommy Robinson didn’t choose the Union Jack, we don’t want him associated with us in Wales, and I doubt the Scots or Northern Irish do either. I feel sorry for the English that the St George’s flag is so misused.

Casdon

I’m glad Tommy Robinson didn’t choose the Union Jack, we don’t want him associated with us in Wales, and I doubt the Scots or Northern Irish do either. I feel sorry for the English that the St George’s flag is so misused.

At least Wales would have been all right if he had because there's no part of the Welsh flag on the Union Flag.