Flying the flag

Pantglas2

All you anti flag folks - will you celebrate or denigrate St. George’s Day?

Don’t bother with it personally. It’s meaningless to me.

Kim19

I have a friend who has a flagpole in his garden and he flies the national flag of the country of anyone who is a visiting guest. I find it decidedly warm, welcoming and friendly when I go there. Lovely, in fact.

Yes there’s a guy near us who does the same. We love to see it. Feels very welcoming somehow.

Polarbear2

Pantglas2

All you anti flag folks - will you celebrate or denigrate St. George’s Day?

Don’t bother with it personally. It’s meaningless to me.

I always notice StGeorge’s Day because it is also my late parents’ wedding anniversary, and Shakespeare’s birthday. I was told this all my life. I don’t celebrate it, though. What would I do? Morris dancing on the village green? Mock dragon fights?

How can one “denigrate” St. George’s Day?

That sounds like fun Grandma70 when we can get together again, Morris dancing and Dragon fighting I'm up for that. I'll start sewing bells on my trousers now

The union flag means nothing to me, it represents three counties not four

I must admit to being conflicted on this one. I hate the flag flying trend BUT. I do think non political people should try and reclaim our flag and celebrate it to stop it being the preserve of the right wing. Ditto St George’s day. We should try to celebrate it but I’m not sure how we do that without all looking like BNP members! It’d be nice to feel proud of our country again. I guess we need to reclaim our pride in our country first and then put the flags up?? ?

It would be nice to have a bank holiday to celebrate England in some way. What would you do? Same as any other bank holiday. A day with the family, a day in the pub, a nice walk, visit a National trust or English heritage (morris dancing and dragon fights could be arranged). The trouble with 23 April is that it is too close to Easter and the May Day bank holidays.

St Edmund King and Martyr was at least English. Maybe we should leave St George to the Scouts movement and Make St Edmund's day England's special day.

Looks like St Edmund's day is 20th November. That's a bit disappointing. Looks like the pub is the best option. Maybe a spot of Christmas shopping or decorating the front room.

I guess a typical “English” celebration would be binge drinking.

We're not a totalitarian state yet. But don't worry about the defacing of statues - you'll get a longer sentence for that than for raping someone.

Well said Alegrias*.

Off topic a little but interesting. ..flags are flown from lampposts here in NI to denote whether the area is republican or loyalist. I think these should be banned. There is never any attempt to remove them for fear of upsetting either community.

vegansrock

I guess a typical “English” celebration would be binge drinking.

How rude.

vegansrock

I guess a typical “English” celebration would be binge drinking.

Really?

I guess I live in a totally different England?

How sad that you experience binge drinking as a celebration.

Have just watched an interview with Commissioner Maered McGuinness (sp) who was sporting a very large EU flag, is that acceptable?

vegansrock

I guess a typical “English” celebration would be binge drinking.

Only as portrayed by some press reorts. Not true.

Those of you who are so proud of the Union Flag and think it could be used to show we are all one, happy, flag waving country might like to reflect on the fact that people who raise doubts about its use get told they can leave the country. Or that somehow it’s all morphed into a discussion of how to celebrate St George’s Day or celebrate some other saint who represents Englishness. (If you go for St Edmund remember that’s only 10 days before St Andrew's Day, not that I expect anybody cares). While you're at it could you please come up with your own National Anthem for England so you don't have to keep singing "God Save the Queen" when the English team are playing?

As for the SNP appropriating the Saltire, there are no flags on display at any of the government Covid briefings and nobody feels the need to proclaim their nationality by having a nine foot flagpole in the living room when they’re on Zoom.

See the attached picture for what kind of ridiculous things can happen when you try to use the Union Flag and Britishness to sell products.

vegansrock

How can one “denigrate” St. George’s Day?

Good question

Who can honestly deny that an awful lot of the English...British are serious drinkers?

Whatever floats your boat I’d say. If binge drinking is your thing go for it. I’ve done it on occasions in my past and it was excellent fun. (Not to excess of course). An English bank holiday sounds a great idea as long as the politicians don’t try to jump on the bandwagon. Maybe it should be designated a non politics day!!!! Nothing on tv/radio/newspapers allowed.

Nothing sinister, we have a Union Jack on our boat and fly it with pride. Makes a change from bookshelves and strategically placed books anyway, or clocks!

Polarbear
When I do fly my flag ( and bunting to match) I actually don’t give a t#@@ what other people think. I know I’m not a supporter of the BNP and that’s all that counts,

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon addressing the nation regarding new coronavirus restrictions(Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Looks like Nicola has been seen with a rather large flag in her sitting room. There's an awful lot of photos of her with it in the background. Maybe not in the Covid meetings, I couldn't watch those. She makes me feel about 10.

I have no interest if they have a background flag or not. I do think we've copied USA but it won't be the first thing we've imported from there

As for the English binge drinking. I've lived in Northern Ireland. What a marvellous place to be on St. Patrick's Day. Rather a lot of alcohol consumed.

Hogmany is also a fabulous event in Scotland where people might had a tipple or two.

So if you want to fly a flag, fly a flag, if you don't, you don't, No need to mock or deride.

Lucca
From my own personal experience we can’t compete with the Russians, the Scandinavians and top of the list Icelanders.

That's Bute House. FM's official residence. Like Downing Street. Not her living room or the wee office under the stairs.

and for good measure, while I'm on a roll....

Having your national flag flying in your garden or on your bookshelf is a fine thing and is miles away from a political party trying to associate itself with Britishness, which is clearly done to differentiate it from all other parties and present a particular "face" to the populace. Or more likely the rest of the world. Its all about motive.

Surprised you haven't posted a picture of Miss Sturgeon seated in front of the EU flag. Or perhaps you have.