Reclaim the English flag
Reclaim the English flag
Author
Discussion

shirepro

Original Poster:

11,838 posts

265 months

Tuesday 4th October 2005
quotequote all
I see Wakefield jail has come in for a slagging off from the inspectors, for amongst other things, prison officers wearing tie pins depicting the English flag of St George. WTF! Apparently it has racist over- tones and might be misinterpeted.

I have looked at a map and Wakefield is very firmly in England.

About time we were able to have some pride in our own flag like the Welsh and Scots do without being ashamed or guilty because a few racist nutters on bizarre web sites use it as a rallying point. When I see the flag flying in bedroom windows and on garden sheds around here I don't think a racist lives there: I think a patriot lives there. Can't imagine the same being levelled at Americans because for far right group uses the stars and stripes can you?

Recently I was in a hotel where al the staff wore a pin depicting their national flag: not racist or devisive but pride.

I intend to have the English flag put on my number plate and our business note paper and anywhere else I can in future. Stuff the BNP and the politically correct.

dick dastardly

8,326 posts

293 months

Tuesday 4th October 2005
quotequote all
Why is it the only people who ever complain about these things are white? Apart from that guy with the hooks for hands I doubt there's ever been anyone from a monirity group who gives a crap.

Eric Mc

125,704 posts

295 months

Tuesday 4th October 2005
quotequote all
Nothing wrong with wearing an English flag - although in world affairs England is only a "region" so has the same status as Leinster would have in Ireland.

_dan_

2,392 posts

309 months

Tuesday 4th October 2005
quotequote all
Damn staright! Totally agree.

I'm english, but live in Wales, everywhere I look are Welsh flags on cars, houses, gardens etc, which is fine, it's good to be proud of the country you live in, like you said, same goes for Scorland and Ireland too. I don't see why we should be made to feel guilty for doing what every other country in the world does.

GKP

15,099 posts

271 months

Tuesday 4th October 2005
quotequote all
shirepro said:

When I see the flag flying in bedroom windows and on garden sheds around here I don't think a racist lives there: I think a patriot lives there.


Hmm, I don't. I think Sun reader or council house.


Pickled Piper

6,452 posts

265 months

Tuesday 4th October 2005
quotequote all
dick dastardly said:
Why is it the only people who ever complain about these things are white? Apart from that guy with the hooks for hands I doubt there's ever been anyone from a monirity group who gives a crap.


Absolutely right. It's also the same white people who stir up a fuss about Christmas lights etc.

pp

fido

18,915 posts

285 months

Tuesday 4th October 2005
quotequote all
GKP said:

shirepro said:

When I see the flag flying in bedroom windows and on garden sheds around here I don't think a racist lives there: I think a patriot lives there.


Hmm, I don't. I think Sun reader or council house.



when i used to live in a council estate, there were quite a few of neighbours were flag-flyers - and they weren't racist (as far as i know). some of my neighbours seemed to be a little bit 'un-PC' but people were pretty open about their feelings.

yet when i moved to what i perceived to be a more upmarket area - hardly any flags, even during the jubilee celebrations - to be seen. and yet come election time, guess whose leaflet appears first through my door - yep the BNP.

and that's what i see a the problem, a vocal minority have tarnished the image of the flag. unfortunately, it has gained a racist connotation in the same way, as perhaps a skinhead with bother-boots might be perceived as beign racist.

maybe everyone should have discrete stickers on their cars (not huge p7key ones) in the same way as the welsh/scots/etc. do then it can no longer be used as a symbol by right-wing thugs.

LuS1fer

43,517 posts

275 months

Tuesday 4th October 2005
quotequote all
I think the Queen needs to remove the Union flag from above the Palace. Very racist!

BliarOut

72,863 posts

269 months

Tuesday 4th October 2005
quotequote all
It's particularly galling for two reasons:

One, no-one has actually complained.
Two, the tie pins in question were being worn for a cancer charity.

Oi, you CRE types, feck right off, you are part of the problem, not part of the solution

yertis

19,714 posts

296 months

Tuesday 4th October 2005
quotequote all
GKP said:

shirepro said:

When I see the flag flying in bedroom windows and on garden sheds around here I don't think a racist lives there: I think a patriot lives there.



Hmm, I don't. I think Sun reader or council house.




I didn't realise that it was only middle class home-owning Telegraph readers who were permitted to enjoy patriotism.

vetteheadracer

8,273 posts

283 months

Tuesday 4th October 2005
quotequote all
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/4305798.stm

Apparently the chief inspector of prisons (Ms. Owens = Welsh lesbian) says that the wearing of unauthorised badges and tie pins is not allowed.
Interesting you can wear a tie pin in prison and that's okay.........okay for a prisoner to grab it and stab you with it.......as long as the tie pin is NOT the cross of St. George.....'cos that's offensive FFS

fishtek69

535 posts

268 months

Tuesday 4th October 2005
quotequote all
GKP said:

shirepro said:

When I see the flag flying in bedroom windows and on garden sheds around here I don't think a racist lives there: I think a patriot lives there.



Hmm, I don't. I think Sun reader or council house.




I make use of every opportunity to display the English flag, and at a near-future date will have new number plates made up for all of my cars to support this ethic. Anyone who makes any kind of judgement based on this, apart from to suppose I am patriotic, can sit and spin!

I suppose Buckingham Palace is the ultimate council house, and the Queen probably gets her copy of the Sun delivered!?

There really is nothing wrong with displaying a bit of pride in the national flag, and supporting this pride with an appropriate, non-violent or racially-motivated display. I think the lack of such display has played it's part in creating the social and economic country I live in. PC-ness aside, national pride brings people together in a way that nothing else can, and even gets us through times of crisis and war.

I can't think of many other 'free' nations that restrict the display of the national flag in such a way as England.

andy mac

73,668 posts

285 months

Tuesday 4th October 2005
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
Nothing wrong with wearing an English flag - although in world affairs England is only a "region" so has the same status as Leinster would have in Ireland.

This all stems from the English not having a parliament/assembly of their own. We are the only country in the 'union' that does not have a say in our own affairs. Scotland, Wales, and to an extent N Ireland all have their own assemblies and parliaments to affect their own regions. The English cannot vote on those matters. They, on the other hand, can vote on matter that involve England, and England alone...

www.thecep.org.uk/welcome.shtml

maxf

8,444 posts

271 months

Tuesday 4th October 2005
quotequote all
I was thinking about the issue of 'people may be offended' at the weekend (after reading that some local council has banned Winnie the Pooh stuff with Piglet in it because it may offend Muslims).

I came to the conclusion that a very big problem in this country is the busy-body nature of certain groups. These groups ASSUME another group may be offended by something and set about banning it! Are the minority who are ASSUMED to be offended consulted? Unlikely. The banning of English flags, Piglet, Christmas lights etc is then ASSUMED by a large portion of society to be bought about by the minority who, most probably wasn't consulted - creating bad feeling and resentment. Its a viscious cycle if you think about it - all because Maureen and Maude at the council have nothing better to do than think up ways of not offending a minority who most likely couldn't care less!

/rant

vixpy1

42,699 posts

294 months

Tuesday 4th October 2005
quotequote all
Has anyone got a pic of this Silly Bint?

Want to see if she is a Lesbian or not.

shirepro

Original Poster:

11,838 posts

265 months

Tuesday 4th October 2005
quotequote all
maxf said:
I was thinking about the issue of 'people may be offended' at the weekend (after reading that some local council has banned Winnie the Pooh stuff with Piglet in it because it may offend Muslims).

I came to the conclusion that a very big problem in this country is the busy-body nature of certain groups. These groups ASSUME another group may be offended by something and set about banning it! Are the minority who are ASSUMED to be offended consulted? Unlikely. The banning of English flags, Piglet, Christmas lights etc is then ASSUMED by a large portion of society to be bought about by the minority who, most probably wasn't consulted - creating bad feeling and resentment. Its a viscious cycle if you think about it - all because Maureen and Maude at the council have nothing better to do than think up ways of not offending a minority who most likely couldn't care less!

/rant


Absolutely, white middle class Guardian readers speaking for groups they know nowt about. They might not like to know that some people find the inclination to stand up for others without being asked or welcomed is in fact patronising and in itself racist.

Despite what we might say, this country is incredibly tolerant and people are not offended by others showing their origins or traditions. I enjoy Easter although not a hristain, Chinese new year, Dwalli etc., I don't find it offensive any more than I find the Welsh flag offensive (even when they wave it when winning the Grand Slam)or Uk born Pakistanis having the flag on their reg plate or hanging from the mirror, it just tells me a bit about them and doesn't offend me.

Raify

6,556 posts

278 months

Tuesday 4th October 2005
quotequote all
I really don't understand why people get so worked up over flags...

vetteheadracer

8,273 posts

283 months

Tuesday 4th October 2005
quotequote all
vixpy1 said:
Has anyone got a pic of this Silly Bint?

Want to see if she is a Lesbian or not.




Get your lesbo pics here.......

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1466598.stm

BBC said:
But the ride for Ms Owers may still not be smooth under David Blunkett.


Sounds like she might be bi rather than lesbo.

interesting she used to be a "human rights" campaigner and is now Chief Inspector of Prisons....

>> Edited by vetteheadracer on Tuesday 4th October 12:00

andy mac

73,668 posts

285 months

Tuesday 4th October 2005
quotequote all
There is a problem with 'white' people sticking their noses in where it is not needed. As people have said, there were probably no complaints to start with. maybe they come up with these hairbrained ideas just to justify their own job, and thus keep themselves in work???

cotty

42,244 posts

314 months

Tuesday 4th October 2005
quotequote all
Perhaps we should adopt the same attitude as the Americans ie its our flag, we are proud of it, anyone who doesnt like it can sod off.

I know there are a few American guys on these forums I wonder what they would say if they were told to remove a their flag either on a tie pin or outside their house.