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Would you fly a flag for your country?

(823 Posts)
Sago Sun 24-Aug-25 19:27:43

I was born in England but am of Irish heritage, I am proud of both England and Ireland.

My daughter lives on the outskirts of a village that has scores of union flags flying, it lifts my spirits as we drive in.

On a recent trip to Norway I loved seeing all the homes flying their flag and wondered why we don’t have same sense of patriotism.

I will fly a flag, I’m going to order a pole and we will fly the flag my husbands grandparents flew on their flagpole on VE Day.

I am not a racist, our grandchildren are mixed race, we have friends who are Congolese, Sri Lankan, Egyptian etc.

I am however British and very proud, we need to reclaim our flag and our pride.

MaizieD Tue 02-Sept-25 09:06:30

GrannyGravy13

PoliticsNerd

I didn't attack you pesonally GrannyGravy13, although I can see it serves your purpose to suggest I did.

I did try and unravel your post suggesting everyone who didn't share your views was a negative person (why suggest that?). It was initially confusing and took a bit of unravelling I'm afraid.

I suggest you unravel Caleo’s post as I was answering that!

👍

MaizieD Tue 02-Sept-25 09:05:15

PoliticsNerd

GrannyGravy13

No.

I am a glass half full person not a glass half empty doom monger.

If someone raised a flag I do not automatically assume they are far right racists, which is being repeated time and time again in this thread.

I've looked at it again GrannyGravy13 and it seems you misunderstood the "glass half full/glass half empty comparison. Whether that was deliberate or accidental I have no idea but it produces a biased comparison.

To compare a "glass half empty" perspective with a "glass half full" perspective both need to be looking at the same thing.

So, if we take the first part, "Glass half full folks think our country is not beyond redemption despite its history of slavery and colonialism," the opposite perspective would be that a glass half empty person thinks the country is beyond redemption because of its history of slavery and colonialism.

Taking the second and seperate part, "Glass half empty folks think our country can only be sorted by gesticulating with national flags and fearing foreigners," this negative view needs an equal but opposing view such as "whereas the glass half full people feel the country can be "sorted" without the need to use national flags or the fear of people coming from other countries.

Your suggestion compares two perspectives that do not look at the same issue. Perhaps you could clarify the one issue you wanted to highlight?

This is your critique. You are critiqing Caleo’s definitions, not GG’s

foxie48 Tue 02-Sept-25 09:01:42

They claimed it years ago Iam64 because generally we are not a flag waving country and I doubt we will start now. I might wave a Union Jack at International events but I certainly won't be hanging it outside my house or littering up bridges and lamp posts with them. Someone had painted a red cross on the little roundabout I use to go to my local supermarket. It had been repainted back to white by the council, I really don't want my council tax being used in this way, fortunately there seems to be few flags flying from lamp posts etc, I hope it stays that way!

MaizieD Tue 02-Sept-25 09:01:24

Caleo

GrannyGravy13

So Caleohow we perceive our national flags is all done to our individual mindsets

Those of us who are positive about the U.K. and are glass half full folks do not have a problem with our flags.

And then there are those who are negative glass half empty folks who look for the downside will have a problem with our flags as they equate them to values which are not their own…

No. It's the opposite.

Glass half full folks think our country is not beyond redemption despite its history of slavery and colonialism .

Glass half empty folks think our country can only be sorted by gesticulating with national flags and fearing foreigners/

I don’t think I’m at all confused, PN. I think that you are.

Iam64 Tue 02-Sept-25 08:46:54

Late to the party for a number of reasons. I’ve read through this thread and without wishing to be frivolous - I’m largely team grannygravy.

Of course some racist Tommy Robinson types are flag waving to cause trouble. The disgusting demos outside places housing asylum seekers are shameful. Don’t let thugs claim our flags

GrannyGravy13 Tue 02-Sept-25 08:44:51

PoliticsNerd

I didn't attack you pesonally GrannyGravy13, although I can see it serves your purpose to suggest I did.

I did try and unravel your post suggesting everyone who didn't share your views was a negative person (why suggest that?). It was initially confusing and took a bit of unravelling I'm afraid.

I suggest you unravel Caleo’s post as I was answering that!

PoliticsNerd Tue 02-Sept-25 08:40:35

Above in answer to GrannyGravy13's post Tue 02-Sept-25 08:27:20

PoliticsNerd Tue 02-Sept-25 08:39:07

I didn't attack you pesonally GrannyGravy13, although I can see it serves your purpose to suggest I did.

I did try and unravel your post suggesting everyone who didn't share your views was a negative person (why suggest that?). It was initially confusing and took a bit of unravelling I'm afraid.

PoliticsNerd Tue 02-Sept-25 08:33:17

Mollygo

Why would I do that PN? They don’t attack me.

Are you really saying that your post of 02-Sept-25 03:08:48 complaining against attacks, only ever applies to those who disagree with your point of view (that you then decide is an attack) and that you are happy with an "attack" post as long as you are not the recipient?

I suppose that tells us all we need to know. Have a nice day.

GrannyGravy13 Tue 02-Sept-25 08:27:20

PoliticsNerd please stop attacking me, it is becoming personal and feels rather uncomfortable.

I am as entitled to my views as the next person.

PoliticsNerd Tue 02-Sept-25 08:21:37

Message deleted by Gransnet. Quotes a deleted post.

Mollygo Tue 02-Sept-25 08:08:02

Why would I do that PN? They don’t attack me.

PoliticsNerd Tue 02-Sept-25 08:03:10

Message deleted by Gransnet.Quotes a deleted post.

MaizieD Tue 02-Sept-25 07:57:23

Message deleted by Gransnet.Quotes a deleted post.

Mollygo Tue 02-Sept-25 03:08:48

Message deleted by Gransnet. Quotes a deleted post.

DrWatson Tue 02-Sept-25 02:49:16

If folk want to see the problems with flag-flying, go and have a break in Northern Ireland, where areas of Belfast and other towns have Union Jacks, others have the Irish flag.

And overall a strange, and sometimes nasty and/or threatening atmosphere. It is the MAGA-hat type of 'thinking', and the wearers of those have an IQ roughly equal shoe-size.

Our Union Jack IS a thing to be proud of (despite Govts of the last 3 to 4 decades doing their incompetent worst to bring the country to rack and ruin), think back to the Queen's celebrations??! BUT -- its use has now been largely hijacked by the Robinson/Yaxley-Lennon crowd of troublemakers and deadbeats.

PoliticsNerd Tue 02-Sept-25 01:21:18

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Allira Mon 01-Sept-25 22:28:08

Stick with your opinion. We’re still allowed to have them.

And even to express them on here? 😲

Mollygo Mon 01-Sept-25 22:22:40

GrannyGravy13

PoliticsNerd you can consult as many AI Chat bots as you like, my opinion stays the same.

I think PNis saying she’s quoting an infallible source, but nothing is infallible. Stick with your opinion. We’re still allowed to have them.

Allira Mon 01-Sept-25 21:19:15

GrannyGravy13

PoliticsNerd you can consult as many AI Chat bots as you like, my opinion stays the same.

You dare argue with a bot? 😲

GrannyGravy13 Mon 01-Sept-25 21:15:55

PoliticsNerd you can consult as many AI Chat bots as you like, my opinion stays the same.

PoliticsNerd Mon 01-Sept-25 20:06:15

GrannyGravy13

PoliticsNerd

If you cannot understand the very oft used and old analogy that really is your problem nor mine.

And to borrow from another famous lady ^frankly my dear, I do not give a damn^

That's okay. It wasn't that I don't understand glass half empty/glass half full. Simple logic tells you both "people" have to be looking at the same thing in order to have the opposite perspective. Otherwise you have each person with a view about something different as opposed to different views on the same thing. You got it wrong (it happens); that made it confusing to at least two of us.

I have now checked this with an AI Chat. It tells me the issue is that you're "not framing both perspectives around the same issue". It gives an example of comparing apples with oranges as "when someone tries to directly compare two things that are fundamentally different in nature, making the comparison unfair or meaningless". I didn't actually think it was unfair, but it is meaningless.

Allira Mon 01-Sept-25 19:52:22

Fair enough! 🇬🇧

foxie48 Mon 01-Sept-25 19:41:04

Allira I really don't. She's an old lady who needs support and kindness, the flag will soon be a memory as her lovely home is up for sale as she's going to live with her daughter. She will be missed as she was a huge Royalist and always got us involved in any Royal celebration. I even made a cake for the King's coronation for her party and I'm not even a Royalist!

GrannyGravy13 Mon 01-Sept-25 17:51:34

Allira it’s time to get our crystal balls out 🔮🔮🔮