AIBU to ask about this whole ‘painting flags on roundabouts’ thing?

I think you're putting too much emphasis on the origin and not nearly enough on whats happened subsequently. If there was no underlying strength of feeling nationally, Tommy Robinson's mate would have flown a few flags and nobody would have cared and it wouldn't be a major talking point right now. Nothing would have happened and nobody would have known about it. The fact is, lots of people identified with it and lots of people have taken actions to support it which should give you an idea of the mood of the nation.

We haven't got any round here (that I'm aware of) so all of this had passed me by until I saw the posts here on MN about the subject.

I like living in Britain, and I like being British. We have our problems right now and undoubtedly we have our national nobheads (understatement of the year), but overall I think it's a decent place to live. I'm not ashamed of my nationality.

With all that in mind, it should be a matter of pride to see our national flag (even if I don't actually want to fly it in my garden).

But wankers like Tommy Robinson et al have taken that away by misappropriating it for hate-filled reasons.

If I see St George's cross flying, I do immediately think of xenophobic, racist views. And it's such a shame that's the association now - but that's what it's become to many.

The only tiny exception when it doesn't suggest racism is during the world cup - until England is inevitably knocked out and all the flags disappear.

The fact that Robinson and his mates are behind this latest fad of painting the flag tells you everything you need to know about what it is, and what it isn't.

It's not to give people a warm and fuzzy feeling, it's an unspoken message of hate, racism, and just a general fuck you to anyone who isn't English and white.

People denying this is the case KNOW exactly what it is, but they like it so continue with the faux innocence.

So karen is also ok in your book?

Racist arse hole thing. We have the roundabouts, flags, and a particularly nasty banner, so any claims it's not racist are dead in the water.

What if all the ethnic minorities started putting up flags too? I believe most of them are happy to be in this country too.
That would be interesting.

This

The Guardian reported on the poll I'm referencing, can't imagine they'd have gone to the bother of writing about it if they felt it wasn't credible

🤣

Very much depends on which poll paid for by who.

Reform are currently leading the polls for voting intention in the Senedd.

I think it is a Reform thing, but I'm going to tell everyone it's for Women's Rugby just to piss them off.

Probably couldn’t manage a dragon

I agree. The 90’s-2020’s were great. We could feel proud enough to have our flags on Emma bridgewater tea towels! Now I’m embarrassed to put it on the washing line in case someone thinks I’m one of them.

Someone in Sketty thought it was clever to paint an England flag in the middle of Swansea. Wales. You can just picture the Reform-voting braincell behind it. Not exactly the sharpest bunch, are they? 😅

Fair enough. I apologise if it caused you offence. Genuinely believed it a descriptive term to the type of angry national front type knobs inflicting their vile beliefs on our country

It's not patriotism, it's a shitty political statement. If it was about being patriotic, the people hanging flags would
A. Hang the union flag the right way up
B. Maintain the flags rather than leave them in awkward places to get tatty once the weather turns.

Thankfully it'll start raining more within the next few weeks, so no doubt the gammons will put their tops back on and put their flags and zip ties away.

That quote was from rhe BBC website story

It just annoys me
I genuinely wish we had more pride in our flag, in the poppy
But both have been misappropriation by ignorant idiots. Sad

"The St George's flag has sometimes had a closer association with English nationalists, and the union jack has been used frequently by mainstream political parties including the Tories and Labour. Alongside these flags, you can currently see the Scottish Saltire, Welsh Dragon, and Irish tricolour on one of the busiest roads in Birmingham."

Lol, that's pretty game. Makes a change from interspersing the union jacks* with UVF flags anyway 😁

*yes, I know , I know

In terms of whether graffiti can be political I would say yes it can. Those behind this moment have been told their flags have to be taken down so they have daubed red paint on roundabouts instead. I see it as no different to wearing the political statement on your person except for the fact it’s more irritating to clean up - which I suspect is the point.

I’ve reported the post so Mumsnet can decide if it’s racially pejorative or not. I fucking hate the term so personally I’m highly offended by it.

It's not the same though is it?
The keffiyeh is worn on your own person, not painted on public highways and strung up on public property. Wearing a keffiyeh is a personal choice. If people were wearing St George's cross t.shirts, that would be similar to wearing a keffiyeh. Going round town with a bucket of paint and scrawling on roundabouts is designed to intimidate. It's like pissing all over the street, marking their territory in the most basic and thoughtless way.

By narrow minded bigots.

You say ‘Nick name’ I say racial slur.