Flying the flag

SueDomin - the thing I took issue with was the "in or around your house". You may see them outside on front lawns here and there (I've seen them occasionally when driving round some areas of Arizona, Texas and Iowa for example) but only on lawns.
I've never been in a house with them displayed.

I wasn't intending to be rude, SueDonim, nor was my post my post particularly aimed at you. Throughout this whole discussion people have repeatedly quoted examples of countries where flying the national flag is common, as if that somehow validates our government's sudden obsession with displaying themselves practically wrapped in the Union Jack at every conceivable opportunity. My point is that other countries have paid far more attention to their flags for decades, if not centuries. We haven't; we really, really haven't.
To do so now is derisory. Or sinister...

Is there any need to be so rude, MaizieD? I haven’t compared the UK/US, merely commented on what I’ve seen on my many trips to America.

However, I thought Government buildings already flew the flag.
They may do but it's not compulsory just at this very moment.

It's ridiculous to try to compare the UK with the USA.

Americans are immersed in the Stars & Stripes practically from birth. They swear allegiance to it every morning in school and live with it plastered all over the place for the rest of their lives.

The British don't do this and never have, except at odd moments, such as the 'Backing Britain' campaign and 'Cool Britannia' or Jubilees.

It is all so very contrived and artificial and just makes us look insecure and needy.

Notspaghetti it’s not something my son or his wife’s family do, but a walk around many a neighbourhood on the likes of Memorial/Veterans/Independence day will show plenty of homes with the America flag outside.

I’ve also been into a number of homes of people who are serving/served in the US military and some of them have the stars and stripes on display.

Jingoism comes from the quote - "We don't want to fight, but by Jingo, if we do . . . "

Having a national flag on view doesn't have to be picking a fight.
For instance -
- when delegates are are an international conference, and the relevant flag is an instant identifier.
- when athletes are competing internationally (for the same reason, and to give a focus for the euphoria when/if they win)
- when the PM or another minister is giving a news conference of national importance. ("Speaking to the nation")
- in the chamber of the HoC (reminding MPs and cabinet ministers that they are supposed to be debating and enacting legislature on behalf of the whole populations of the United Kingdom)
- on goods manufactured in the UK (not just packed there) so long as they are of a high standard. A reputation for maintaining quality is a useful asset, particularly when you are trying to establish a whole raft of new trade deals.

Making it compulsory defeats the purpose - it could become something to resist because it is imposed. They never learn, do they? If you demand love, you get resentment.

However, I thought Government buildings already flew the flag.

I didn't know that, Casdon. You learn something every day.

It must have seemed a bonus to them that it was also the "Rose of England"

growstuff

I think it's sinister that people are oblivious of the implications of such blatant jingoism.

I agree growstuff

SueDonim

It’s very common in America to have the Stars & Stripes on display in or around your house.

Not in any of the homes I ever visited when we lived there.
Not in my son's home, not in his "in-law's" home, not in any home I knew or know.

Maybe it's true in some places.

Do tell us growstuff we are all mature adult we can take it.

Especially if you've never been proved wrong.

What's all this GBGBGB nonsense all about?

I've never understood it and won't write what my own interpretation of GB is for the people who use it, but I haven't been proved wrong yet.

Greta

No, Lucca, I'm not kidding:

Marmadoit : ^The Welsh flag is the best flag by far. The Union flag is probably in second place. Blue and yellow is fine for IKEA but not really suitable for a flag.^

Well it was supposed to be a joke folks. I thought the IKEA comment made that obvious.

The Welsh flag is the best though. I'm not Welsh but I do have a flag. The grandchildren love it.

I still can't understand why anyone could object to the union flag appearing as a backdrop when ministers are being interviewed. Every country does just that. Even a non country sports rows of the blue and yellow ones.

Not in the least bit fascist

Of course ?

prison sentences for those who disregard this order.

Latest news

The Union Jack is set to be flown from every Government building in the UK every day of the year under a new scheme to celebrate Britain's heritage and pride, with planning permission needed to fly the EU flag.

??????

The flags are manufactured in Chesterfield.

Actually Elegran you’ve opened up a whole new topic, which is quite fascinating. Labour in the UK adopted a worldwide socialist symbol when they adopted the red rose, it wasn’t to do with England specifically. This is worth reading - who knew? (I didn’t until I read it).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ideological_symbols

I always thought the South African flag was nice. A bit different from others. Canadian one is good too.

Blue and yellow are not suitable colours for a flag.
Rallying behind a flag seems a tad sad and desperate.

Good point Elegran but somehow the appropriation of the red rose symbol does not seem to have helped the Labour Party.

It may even have been counter-productive, because it is an English symbol, it might have hastened their demise in Scotland.

It is a spiral - A national flag/flower/anthem/costume starts as a symbol of that nation or area and is recognised as such by its inhabitants and by people from other nations/areas.

One group adopts the national flag and flower to represent them rather than the whole diverse population of the country and displays it aggressively in situations where "they" want to be identified.

People who don't belong to or agree with that group then avoid anything which connects them with the flag as to them it has become "sinister" and "divisive" and begin to assume either that anyone using any of these symbols is one of the hated "them" and therefore the enemy, or is too sheeplike to have noticed the link with "them" and is falling into a trap designed to make them intolerant of anyone who doesn't make great play of flourishing the symbol.

Bit by bit the gap widens between the symbol wavers and the symbol waivers with the "I'm not one of 'them' - I just like to use the flag/flower/anthem/costume of my country" section being in the wrong from both sides.

The red rose should never have been chosen as a party political emblem. That was the thin end of the wedge for the adoption of national emblems and the turning of them into party banners.

Pinnywinch

Why on earth is flying the flag of my country “sinister” or “daft”?
I will fly, wear, use my country’s flag?? whenever or wherever I wish. I find it neither sinister nor daft.

Nobody is stopping you.

Lots of us don't give a monkeys about who flies flags and who doesn't. It's the purpose of the flag flying that worries us.

Which has been discussed quite a lot in this thread.

Pinnywinch

Why on earth is flying the flag of my country “sinister” or “daft”?
I will fly, wear, use my country’s flag?? whenever or wherever I wish. I find it neither sinister nor daft.

Good for you!

I have an opinion too and I find it extremely daft. So what?

What it does mean is that people can keep well away from those people who insist on having a flag outside their house, if they so wish. Great!

Why on earth is flying the flag of my country “sinister” or “daft”?
I will fly, wear, use my country’s flag?? whenever or wherever I wish. I find it neither sinister nor daft.