EU flags at Last Night of the Proms

Good, solid reasoning from Maizie and Greta, but however European you feel, you still are the nationality of the country you were born in ( or if you emigrated and took citizenship of) and when I’m abroad and people ask where I’m from I don’t say Europe. Seriously, do you? When I’m in America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore and many other places I’ve been lucky enough to visit, I don’t reply Europe. They’d think I’d lost the plot. My answer is either the UK, Britain, or more usually but not always, England. The same applies if I’m in France, Germany, Croatia, or any other European country. I normally say I’m English then.
This ridiculous comment of I’m European has only arrived since the referendum. It’s a sort of childish protest against having to leave the EU. The EU is a political arrangement between some European nations and is not a place you can come from.
Plus if you’re Caucasian it’s pretty obvious where your ancestors came from just as if you’re black it’s fairly obvious, or Asian it’s obvious too. But you’re not been asked where your ancestors came from, you’re being asked where you come from. And the polite answer is the country you come from and are a citizen of, whatever your skin colour may suggest!

Plus if people want to wave the EU flag at the last night of the proms, that’s up to them. Let them wave any flag they wish, it doesn’t matter. It’s about the glorious music not about flags. So long as they’re not waving a swastika, it doesn’t matter a jot. I’m certainly not going to get exercised about that.

MaizieD

Either merlotgran was being snide or she really doesn't know....

All about 'jack' flags here.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_(flag)

Technically the Union Jack should only be known as that if it is being used as a jack flag on a naval vessel.

At all other times it is the Union Flag.

But you know what happens with language and usage change...

(P.S the 'jack2' is an obvious typo, IMO)

I wasn’t being snide. That’s a ridiculous thing to say and yes I do know that the Union flag should really only be referred to as the Union Jack when hoisted on a naval warship when it’s not in harbour.

I queried Jack2 because paddyann often likes to emphasise that she doesn’t feel any allegiance to English symbols or traditions - and why should she?.

I also realised that it could have been a typo but there’s no harm in asking.

P.S the 'jack2' is an obvious typo, IMO
Obvious? Who was to say?
Yes, most of us know about the Union Flag and Union Jack, but as in my experience merlotgran is rarely snide, this was an unfair accusation! 🇬🇧🇪🇺🇬🇧🇪🇺🇬🇧🇪🇺🇬🇧

Louella12

I'm very interested to hear why some people refer to themselves as European first. I'm not saying there's anything wrong but I'd love to know when this started.

I'm 63 now. When I was growing up we knew we were from the continent of Europe but nobody I knew referred to themselves as European. British/ English/ Scottish etc etc, but never European.

Europe is such a fabulous continent. Filled with different culture and beliefs

I voted Remsin but I have to say I've never thought of myself as European. Even though I am.

I think of myself as European but I would refer to myself,if asked. as British

Well it is all about parochialism. Many people in Yorkshire or other parts of UK will say they are from Yorkshire before saying they are British, or English. In the Potteries until not long ago, people identified with one of the towns, rather than the area.

So it depends very much on your life experiences and background- and what matters to you most.

I find that many people abroad haven’t got a clue where Hampshire or Cheshire are Fluerpepper but they do tend to know where England is.

Foxygloves

^P.S the 'jack2' is an obvious typo, IMO^
Obvious? Who was to say?
Yes, most of us know about the Union Flag and Union Jack, but as in my experience merlotgran is rarely snide, this was an unfair accusation! 🇬🇧🇪🇺🇬🇧🇪🇺🇬🇧🇪🇺🇬🇧

You missed the 'IMO'.

That was 'who was to say'. It was Me.

Foxygloves

^P.S the 'jack2' is an obvious typo, IMO^
Obvious? Who was to say?
Yes, most of us know about the Union Flag and Union Jack, but as in my experience merlotgran is rarely snide, this was an unfair accusation! 🇬🇧🇪🇺🇬🇧🇪🇺🇬🇧🇪🇺🇬🇧

Thank you, Foxygloves.

I’m sure if paddyann thought I was being snide she’d have said so by now. 😂

maddyone

I find that many people abroad haven’t got a clue where Hampshire or Cheshire are Fluerpepper but they do tend to know where England is.

Moat people abraod call the UK 'England' - much to the fury of Scotts, Welsh and NIrish.

Maggiemaybe

And in the real world, I haven’t heard anyone even mention the flags when the proms have come up in conversation. The main topic has been the Northern Soul prom, which was superb. Was anyone really “outraged”, even the few talking heads? Was anyone really “outraged” a few years back when a Brexit supporting group handed out free union flags at the last night?

I’d personally rather see more of the many different and colourful flags from all the different nations and areas of the people attending. It’s interesting to see where all the audience hail from.

But crowd funding’s already well underway for the thousands of EU flags to be handed out in 2024, so let’s look forward to another non story next year.

Great post Maggiemaybe.
Should I put it on my calendar to remind me to see if the non story arrives here next year?

We love and always watch the Last Night of the Proms.

Over the past few years there have been quite a number of European flags enthusiastically waved but this year there were more than ever.

We were anti-Brexit (proved correct(?) - but that's for another post...) so were delighted to see that if Europe were viewing, they would understand that almost half of our population still support the idea of being in the EU.

I understand that flag waving can be jingoistic but the Union Jack (it's OK, I know I am not at sea) can also still make me proud.

I agree with much of Maddyone's earlier post of 09.47. The Proms are all about the music,.

Can I just point out that the 'outrage' was Harvey Proctor, ex MP, and perhaps a few of the predictable sad cases of Brexit support such as Farage. Personally, I couldn't care less what their opinion is. On anything.

I’d personally rather see more of the many different and colourful flags from all the different nations and areas of the people attending. It’s interesting to see where all the audience hail from.

Yes. I miss the days when the AH was a sea of colourful flags. The problem with the EU flag is that it’s rather dark and dreary.