Would you fly a flag for your country?

But Oreo, the flags look the same whether they are flown by extreme right-wing groups or by normal and reasonable people.
So how are we re-claiming our flag when onlookers might see a Union flag outside your reasonable family's home and think that you're flying it for extremist reasons?
I do think if that's what people want to do, fair enough but it's not traditional in this country.

Well, am not so sure about that Casdon🤔 we just can’t know.

If you look at some of the stuff on line Oreo you will see that the real unpleasantness is coming from the Reform side. Plenty of "If you don't like are flag just F Off!" "You hate this country so leave now" "How many illegals in your spare room?" Most of us here are just wondering why it's suddenly become so important. It does seem to be very localised.

Driving round Bracknell over the last few days I have seen one union flag hanging out of someone's window. There is also one football fan who has had St George's flags in his windows for several years. Driving to Reading this week I did see three rather small flags hanging from bridges, but certainly no one is painting anything.

I don't understand this need/want to fly the flag either. I was driving home after meeting my son before he went to the stadium of the football club he supports, I stopped at a Zebra crossing and there was the white stripes defaced by a red Cross.

I am sorry to say the English flag is being high jacked by hooligans, thugs, and racists. I don't feel comfortable about this. English people were never interested in the flags before.

Absolutely not

Oreo

There are actually three scenarios going on, not two.
The first is the right wing encouraging such things as painting roundabouts and wrapping themselves in the Union flag and what have you, the second is normal and reasonable people thinking that flying our own flag and bunting is a very nice idea, lots of countries do it including Wales and Scotland and it brightens up the place.The third is people who will have no truck whatsoever with their own country’s flag and will only seemingly tolerate Palestinian flags, Pride flags or Cornish flags or anything else.
This stems from extreme rightwing groups appropriating our flag but the more we fly both the English and Union flags in England then the less it belongs to them and belongs to us.

And by flying it people are doing exactly what the right wing lot, at this moment in time, want them to do. It’s playing right into their hands. And those who think otherwise are just kidding themselves.

If you say so, miss!

In that case, there needs to be a special flag stating it has nothing to do with the historic use of the flag by nationalistic hooligans.

PS. Despite being a British citizen, I still don't see the need to fly a flag and I believe the threat is manufactured. All the flags undermine legitimate use of a flag to celebrate occasionally.

PPS. I expect the Chinese manufacturers of the flags have seen an increase in their profits.

Oreo

Casdon

Oreo

The sneering goes on I see.

T’was ever thus. It’s the You say potato, I say potato syndrome - poster starts a controversial or polarising thread, we all weigh in. Daily life on the News and Politics threads.

Oh I absolutely get that, but all the nastiness is completely one sided…..from the non flag flying crowd.Presumably them that caused a thread to be removed.
Should be possible to debate the subject reasonably I would think.

If you think the nastiness is one sided it must be because you’re misreading the politics (small p) on here. People post knowingly, and there are wind up merchants on both sides of this discussion, as there are on all of them. It’s a fencing match. The OP in the other flags post was in my opinion an innocent caught in the crossfire, and didn’t realise how far posts stray from the original issue the OP raises. I felt sorry for her, she didn’t deserve what was discussed at all.

There are actually three scenarios going on, not two.
The first is the right wing encouraging such things as painting roundabouts and wrapping themselves in the Union flag and what have you, the second is normal and reasonable people thinking that flying our own flag and bunting is a very nice idea, lots of countries do it including Wales and Scotland and it brightens up the place.The third is people who will have no truck whatsoever with their own country’s flag and will only seemingly tolerate Palestinian flags, Pride flags or Cornish flags or anything else.
This stems from extreme rightwing groups appropriating our flag but the more we fly both the English and Union flags in England then the less it belongs to them and belongs to us.

GrannyGravy13

I think it’s time for citizens of England to reclaim their flag from the hooligans.

Why now? because it is being increasingly being linked to anti this that and the other.

Daubing flags on buildings, mini roundabouts and zebra crossings is hooligan behaviour. It's criminal damage and costs local authorities taxpayers' money to remove them.

Oreo

Casdon

Oreo

The sneering goes on I see.

T’was ever thus. It’s the You say potato, I say potato syndrome - poster starts a controversial or polarising thread, we all weigh in. Daily life on the News and Politics threads.

Oh I absolutely get that, but all the nastiness is completely one sided…..from the non flag flying crowd.Presumably them that caused a thread to be removed.
Should be possible to debate the subject reasonably I would think.

Nastiness? A tad paranoid methinks.

It's not nasty to point out that this has been an orchestrated campaign and that painted crosses on mini roundabouts and zebra crossings are criminal damage.

25Avalon

Happy to fly the flag on certain occasions such as England Women’s Football team in the Euros, the King’s Coronation, last night of the proms, etc but don’t think I would fly it all the time. Just not British somehow.

Yes we have also put up an England flag to support the England team when they play footy, men’s and the women’s game.
But this rash of flags flying everywhere, in some cases attached to every lamp post, is certainly not about that.

Babs03

There is a campaign to fly the English flag and paint it in public places everywhere at the moment, is big here in Essex.
Is not so much to do with national pride but more to do with creating a hostile environment, to intimidate immigrants specifically.

Precisely.

Primrose53

Think about all the English flags at royal events, at football matches and music concerts all over the country.

We stayed at a large hotel on Corfu a couple of years ago and it had flags from just about every country flying on the roof. It was good to see.

Yes, that's a nice use of flags.
I would fly a flag in certain circumstances if I felt there was any reason to, but at the moment I'm fully stretched trying to get blinds & curtains up at the windows, so a flagpole & flag aren't on my to do list.

Casdon

Oreo

The sneering goes on I see.

T’was ever thus. It’s the You say potato, I say potato syndrome - poster starts a controversial or polarising thread, we all weigh in. Daily life on the News and Politics threads.

Oh I absolutely get that, but all the nastiness is completely one sided…..from the non flag flying crowd.Presumably them that caused a thread to be removed.
Should be possible to debate the subject reasonably I would think.

Happy to fly the flag on certain occasions such as England Women’s Football team in the Euros, the King’s Coronation, last night of the proms, etc but don’t think I would fly it all the time. Just not British somehow.

There is a campaign to fly the English flag and paint it in public places everywhere at the moment, is big here in Essex.
Is not so much to do with national pride but more to do with creating a hostile environment, to intimidate immigrants specifically.

Oreo

The sneering goes on I see.

T’was ever thus. It’s the You say potato, I say potato syndrome - poster starts a controversial or polarising thread, we all weigh in. Daily life on the News and Politics threads.

Anniebach

I love my Welsh flag and this is not suddenly. Certainly flew it
when Charles was invested Prince of Wales, always on March 1st and for the six Nations.
The Union Jack means not a jot, it represents three countries not four

I’m with Anniebach and always flew the flag where I lived but added the Draig Goch on a smaller pole to acknowledge our nation.

I agree GG13🇬🇧

Oops apologies for the extra being

The sneering goes on I see.

I think it’s time for citizens of England to reclaim their flag from the hooligans.

Why now? because it is being increasingly being linked to anti this that and the other.

Sorry vegansrock it took me a while to post.
I’ve always been patriotic, despite not being born in this country, right now I am embarrassed by some people, including some on here.

To answer Sago yes I would, but no room for a flagpole here.
I didn’t see the other flag thread since morning, but sad that it had to be removed by mods, why can’t people just say their bit about flags without any sneering or nastiness.
The flag flying may be a flash in the pan or could really be the start of something good, as in reclaiming our flag from the right wing and not seeing it as such.The more that it’s used the better😃