Flying the flag

I agree with you Casdon. I was responding to the post in which somebody thought it wouldn't matter.

It’s not a straightforward ‘us and them’, with Protestants supporting the British Government and Catholics wanting a United Ireland, it’s much more complex than that. However I don’t think I’d be displaying any flags at all if I lived there, discretion is the better part of valour.

There was a documentary a couple of years ago with Peter Oborn talking to some people living on the Irish border. One instinctively ducked and was visibly shaking after a car backfired. He hadn't recovered from the trauma of the troubles decades ago. I don't find it difficult to believe that a Catholic would have the same reaction to the union flag.

I can understand the quote from @nazirafzal posted by MaizieD.
There are other instances where flags flying after a military coup has really frightening implications for the residents.
I don’t really find flags sinister, except on the prison in our nearest town which flies the flag. I never understood why.

EMMF1948

Iam64

I agree vegans rock and wish that wasn’t so. We were walking with a group of friends, one had grown up in NI and has family there. They’re Catholic. His response to seeing a Union flag flying from a farm house was one of anxiety. He assumed the owners were Britain First types

So no-one can fly the flag for fear of upsetting a minority who claim anxiety? Did he realise which country he was in?

Yes, he was in Britain, the United Kingdom of his birth. He was born and grew up in NI so experienced extremism on many sides. I was sad he responded as he did, a kind, intelligent and sensible man.
I spent a fair bit of time in NI during the troubles. the assumption that someone who sees things from a different perspective that contributes to the development of extremism

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I recently moved to England from Wales and my husband insisted on flying a large ??????? In the garden,I was concerned that it may antagonise the neighbours but it’s far enough away that they don’t really see it and when someone comes in the house and sees it (pre covid) they laugh, it fills me with pride when I sit in the garden and see it flying in the breeze.

firecracker I am sorry you are wrong - there are British people who are not white who do feel the flag is used by certain far right groups who are not inclusive. If you do not believe me I can point to plenty of evidence.

I can't stand flag waving from any nation. The way the current government is aligning itself with the flag is, in my view, sinister as the OP suggested.

I believe those who really feel they owe something to the country in which they live do something material to make it a better country and avoid doing things that might damage the fabric of the country - like tax avoidance, selling off public assets, etc, etc.

Do you understand how discussions work Beckett?

Or do you fancy yourself as an agent provocateur?

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Beckett

I made nothing up - I merely stated my opinion, sorry if you disagree with it but it is a free country (despite the efforts of Momentum and their followers)

Your opinion had nothing to do with anything that has been said on this thread which criticises the government's obsession with flying the flag.

But you didn't even offer an opinion. You asked a question 'Let me get this straight..' (that was a question, wasn't it? It looked awfully like a question) and you got answers to it.

We're not trying to shut you up, just saying that if you based what you said on what is written in this thread by the critics of flag waving, then you are wrong because none of them said that.

So I could say I think from your statement you are momentum supporter. That too would be an opinion.

Beckett

I made nothing up - I merely stated my opinion, sorry if you disagree with it but it is a free country (despite the efforts of Momentum and their followers)

No, you are stating your opinion of what you think was written, which is mainly illusory. You are entitled to express an opinion based on manufactured facts, but don't be surprised if other people express their opinion about them.

Beckett

What have I made up - merely expressing my opinion and thoughts, obviously not allowed if they differ from other posters!

You are expressing 'opinions' that have absolutely no basis in fact. Nobody on this thread has said anything that would lead to your conclusions.

I made nothing up - I merely stated my opinion, sorry if you disagree with it but it is a free country (despite the efforts of Momentum and their followers)

Beckett - what have you made up?

Your whole post. But its OK, enough of us have read and understood the thread to help you understand.

Pretending you are the one being silenced is an interesting ploy, but nobody's going to fall for it, of course.

Iam64

I agree vegans rock and wish that wasn’t so. We were walking with a group of friends, one had grown up in NI and has family there. They’re Catholic. His response to seeing a Union flag flying from a farm house was one of anxiety. He assumed the owners were Britain First types

So no-one can fly the flag for fear of upsetting a minority who claim anxiety? Did he realise which country he was in?

varian

It does look as if the Tory Party are trying to misuse the union jack in the same way that the SNP misuse the saltire.

These national flags belong to all of us, not to any political party.

The Government is flying the flag, the fact that the national flag is an anathema to one party when in government does preclude from the current party from using it.. We seem to be one of the only countries to be ashamed to fly our flag.

What have I made up - merely expressing my opinion and thoughts, obviously not allowed if they differ from other posters!

I despair . Beckett have you actually READ the thread or just jumped to conclusions?

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That is all true Gannygangan. No-one is suggesting we rejoin any time soon. I doubt whether the other EU members would be keen to have us. However it is important to dispel the lie that brexit is supported by the majority. Brexit was based on lies and lies should always be challenged.