Would you fly a flag for your country?

Such integrity. There is a report in the Manchester newspaper The Mill, about a man who is raising flags in that area just now. Calls himself Salford T-Bone.
The paper says, in his previous life, he smuggled folk into England.
Charming.

MayBee70 - it sounds like you’re describing our next door neighbour as well. The police are forever there. They have verbally abused with bad language most of us in the street. The police were there about a month back. He actually put the hose on one of our neighbours. Then there was a fist fight. He’s horrible along with her. Yes they put a flag up today!!!
This is going to stir up hate around our beautiful country when there is no need.

You don't get more real than someone who has escaped his country, fearing for his life, made a life for himself here and integrated fully into life here in the UK

I totally agree Allira but, must admit, I’m confused.

Do you support those seeking asylum here or not? The above comment suggests that you do yet some of your other comments suggest the opposite🤔

We went out earlier today and visited a very large Garden Centre. They had large Union Jacks for sale plus UJ bunting. People were buying it as well. 👍

MayBee70

I’ve just had a horrible thought. My partners other neighbour, who is probably the most intelligent person I’ve ever spoken to is originally from another country. I tend to forget because he’s lived and worked here for decades.And a few years ago he married a lovely lady from another country ( Ethiopia perhaps…I’ve never asked him) who has always seemed very isolated. They now have two very young children. What on earth is she thinking, now. I’m appalled…

Maybe they don't see it in the same way at all as an act of racism. If I put up a flag, it would not be a sign of racism at all but because I was supporting my football, rugby, hockey team or St George's Day, etc. Sadly, I no longer feel able to do that for fear of it being a symbol of racism or, maybe even worse, a supporter of Reform!
I live in a place that has been a predominantly white area for a long time but a lovely Indian family have bought the hotel up the road. They also bought the one next to my Mum's and keep that one for Asian people to stay in because they sometimes find it more settling to be amongst their own. I have no criticism of them but find it sad they feel like that. All the people I have passed staying at the hotel are friendly enough and absolutely no trouble. They are delightful and very welcome.
The local garage has a car wash franchised out to a company who only employ Asian (not sure what nationality) people and the way they jeer, leer and shout at young women on a regular basis is outrageous. When one group of women gave them a mouthful, they actually threw Coca Cola over their car. It isn't just once I've noticed their behaviour but several times. When I have spoken to the Garage about how distressing it is, they just shrug their shoulders. If people are living with this, I understand why they are upset.
I think it would be interesting to know if there was a difference in the behaviour of each group to see whether it was a cultural difference.

Allira

So immigrants are fine unless they carry the flag on Remembrance Day as that is not proper pride , waving flags is an act of defiance and always was according to Caleo!

Have I got that right?

I need to get real apparently.
I don't think it's me that has got it wrong, somehow.

Caleo is very, very wrong. Its such a rude comment as well!

I used to go to the Classical Spectacular at the Royal Albert Hall every year and was so proud to wave the Union Jack alongside everyone else in the audience. How dare Caleo state its an act of defiance, what absolute rubbish.

I’ve just had a horrible thought. My partners other neighbour, who is probably the most intelligent person I’ve ever spoken to is originally from another country. I tend to forget because he’s lived and worked here for decades.And a few years ago he married a lovely lady from another country ( Ethiopia perhaps…I’ve never asked him) who has always seemed very isolated. They now have two very young children. What on earth is she thinking, now. I’m appalled…

So immigrants are fine unless they carry the flag on Remembrance Day as that is not proper pride , waving flags is an act of defiance and always was according to Caleo!

Have I got that right?

I need to get real apparently.
I don't think it's me that has got it wrong, somehow.

Ah but Oreo immigration keeps many of our vital services going and always has done. I'm yet to see a queue of British born people queuing up to take on the roles that most immigrants are doing. If there were, we wouldn't be issuing work visas.
Most immigration into this country is absolutely legal, what seems to upset people is the asylum seekers arriving by boat, who since the Conservatives brought in two laws, one in 2022, the second in 2023, changed the definition of what was legal. Trouble is, of course, there are few, if any legal routes to claim asylum so genuine asylum seekers get mixed up with economic migrants. I think that's the first thing that needs sorting out and Starmers, one in and one out arrangement with France is perhaps the start of improving things, albeit initially in quite a small way.
I've yet to see anyone who says they want unfettered and unchecked immigration, what I do see if that some people express a very unpleasant attitude to all asylum seekers without seeming to know the first thing about why they are seeking asylum. Masked men attempted to break into the hotel at Epping, they fought with the police, is this really what the flag waving public want?
I don't think it's even a left/right issue although it's true that the organisations that are most likely to cause violence are often linked to far right nationalism. Concern is expressed by people of all political leanings, it's the solutions and attitude to immigrants that tends to be different and that certainly is not always linked to politics. I've had contact with people who have racist/zenophobic beliefs that come from the left, the right and the centre of the political spectrum.

Caleo

Allira

Caleo

PoliticsNerd

MayBee70

My partner has neighbours who everybody hates. Their property is on the market but, for some reason never sells. One of them lied about my partner calling her something abusive; Iwas there at the time and he obviously didn’t. They threw poisoned meat into their neighbours garden and tried to kill his dog ( it had to be rushed to the vet). They accused another neighbour of being a paedophile ( he isn’t). The police are always calling at their house for one reason or another. And guess what, they’ve just put an England and Union Jack flag up in their garden. The only house on the estate to have done so . There isn’t a migrant hotel anywhere near my village ( which is probably 99.9% white British).

I'm sorry you're having to cope with that MayBee70.

The social world is becoming divided between the sort of people who wave flags and others who don't. Flag waving is caused by an attitude of defiance, and defiance is a response to fear often fear of strangers.

The cure for fear of strangers is for strangers and residents to get together in nice surroundings and meet each other as ordinary human beings who want to live and look after their families like everyone else.

The standard hanging out to dry on our line will be carried on Remembrance Day by an immigrant to this country. He has been here for many years and carries it with pride.

That is not proper pride , waving flags is an act of defiance and always was. Get real!

That is not proper pride , waving flags is an act of defiance and always was. Get real!

What a disgraceful comment. Yes, our friend has experienced some racism, thankfully not very much, and he does carry the standard proudly and not as an act of defiance.

Get real and what do you mean by that exactly?
You don't get more real than someone who has escaped his country, fearing for his life, made a life for himself here and integrated fully into life here in the UK.

I hope he never hears comments like that one.

Caleo

Patriotism is all very well but is not enough. More important than patriotism is caring for each other.

Often it's people who are flying a flag who care for others.
The two things are not mutually exclusive, even though some may think they are.

Oreo

Maybee70
Sounds as if they have MH probs and are just doing all they can to annoy neighbours.
Steer clear of them.

How do you steer clear of people that live a few yards away from your front door? I agree that one of them has some sort of MH problem but her partner ( who is a home help) doesn’t.

Caleo

Patriotism is all very well but is not enough. More important than patriotism is caring for each other.

More important than patriotism is this government and any other getting to grips with too much immigration and the problems it causes to society.
They know it now when it’s almost too late.

Maybee70
Sounds as if they have MH probs and are just doing all they can to annoy neighbours.
Steer clear of them.

Thank you Caleo for your downright common sense .
We are all people with the same wants, worries, hurts, and joys.
I am sure the inhabitants of the "hotels " are terrified by what they hear. We don't know who they are , what they did and why they had to leave. Perhaps we should try to find out.

Patriotism is all very well but is not enough. More important than patriotism is caring for each other.

Allira

Caleo

PoliticsNerd

MayBee70

My partner has neighbours who everybody hates. Their property is on the market but, for some reason never sells. One of them lied about my partner calling her something abusive; Iwas there at the time and he obviously didn’t. They threw poisoned meat into their neighbours garden and tried to kill his dog ( it had to be rushed to the vet). They accused another neighbour of being a paedophile ( he isn’t). The police are always calling at their house for one reason or another. And guess what, they’ve just put an England and Union Jack flag up in their garden. The only house on the estate to have done so . There isn’t a migrant hotel anywhere near my village ( which is probably 99.9% white British).

I'm sorry you're having to cope with that MayBee70.

The social world is becoming divided between the sort of people who wave flags and others who don't. Flag waving is caused by an attitude of defiance, and defiance is a response to fear often fear of strangers.

The cure for fear of strangers is for strangers and residents to get together in nice surroundings and meet each other as ordinary human beings who want to live and look after their families like everyone else.

The standard hanging out to dry on our line will be carried on Remembrance Day by an immigrant to this country. He has been here for many years and carries it with pride.

That is not proper pride , waving flags is an act of defiance and always was. Get real!

I don't know what MayBee can do if anything. The problem of fear of strangers is too much for any one person. It is a clear function of churches, mosques, and synagogues to address by arranging for meetings. Most of all, strangers must no longer be warehoused in hotels but scattered among normal people and steps taken to reassure all concerned that incomers are as okay as anyone else.

Caleo

PoliticsNerd

MayBee70

My partner has neighbours who everybody hates. Their property is on the market but, for some reason never sells. One of them lied about my partner calling her something abusive; Iwas there at the time and he obviously didn’t. They threw poisoned meat into their neighbours garden and tried to kill his dog ( it had to be rushed to the vet). They accused another neighbour of being a paedophile ( he isn’t). The police are always calling at their house for one reason or another. And guess what, they’ve just put an England and Union Jack flag up in their garden. The only house on the estate to have done so . There isn’t a migrant hotel anywhere near my village ( which is probably 99.9% white British).

I'm sorry you're having to cope with that MayBee70.

The social world is becoming divided between the sort of people who wave flags and others who don't. Flag waving is caused by an attitude of defiance, and defiance is a response to fear often fear of strangers.

The cure for fear of strangers is for strangers and residents to get together in nice surroundings and meet each other as ordinary human beings who want to live and look after their families like everyone else.

The standard hanging out to dry on our line will be carried on Remembrance Day by an immigrant to this country. He has been here for many years and carries it with pride.

PoliticsNerd

MayBee70

My partner has neighbours who everybody hates. Their property is on the market but, for some reason never sells. One of them lied about my partner calling her something abusive; Iwas there at the time and he obviously didn’t. They threw poisoned meat into their neighbours garden and tried to kill his dog ( it had to be rushed to the vet). They accused another neighbour of being a paedophile ( he isn’t). The police are always calling at their house for one reason or another. And guess what, they’ve just put an England and Union Jack flag up in their garden. The only house on the estate to have done so . There isn’t a migrant hotel anywhere near my village ( which is probably 99.9% white British).

I'm sorry you're having to cope with that MayBee70.

The social world is becoming divided between the sort of people who wave flags and others who don't. Flag waving is caused by an attitude of defiance, and defiance is a response to fear often fear of strangers.

The cure for fear of strangers is for strangers and residents to get together in nice surroundings and meet each other as ordinary human beings who want to live and look after their families like everyone else.

Allira

PoliticsNerd

GrannyGravy13

I am tempted to go on Amazon and order a flag pole and several flags after reading this thread 😹🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇧…

Why not? Show everyone just where you stand.

We have a standard in the washing machine - hope it doesn't fall to pieces! I shall have to get the sewing machine out if it does.

Just seen, it's hanging on the washing line, intact, not on a flagpole though!

There isn’t a migrant hotel anywhere near my village ( which is probably 99.9% white British)

Goodness, that's unusual! I would have thought that even villages have an eclectic mix of people living there these days.

PoliticsNerd

GrannyGravy13

I am tempted to go on Amazon and order a flag pole and several flags after reading this thread 😹🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇧…

Why not? Show everyone just where you stand.

Where I stand?

I am English, British, European, Citizen of the World (in that order)

I am definitely not far right or left, my friends and family would definitely describe me as Mrs middle-of-the-road

PoliticsNerd

GrannyGravy13

I am tempted to go on Amazon and order a flag pole and several flags after reading this thread 😹🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇧…

Why not? Show everyone just where you stand.

We have a standard in the washing machine - hope it doesn't fall to pieces! I shall have to get the sewing machine out if it does.

GrannyGravy13

I am tempted to go on Amazon and order a flag pole and several flags after reading this thread 😹🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇧…

Just make sure you buy British made GrannyGravy!