Neighbour has put up huge Unite the Kingdom flag

What is the 'pride in our country' that these groups are thinking of? What is is they're proud of? Because they generally seem quite angry and disparaging about 'our country' and that's another reason the flags read to so many like a statement about who doesn't belong and should leave, rather than one about how great we all are.

Is tommy Robinson known for anything apart from racism, xenophobia and islamophobia? Is he a big climate change activist? Animal rights supporter? Is he campaigning for better welfare support? Anti abortion?

As far as I know everything he stands for and talks about is covered by racism, xenophobia and islamophobia. (Except maybe during the period when he had converted to islam)..if you don't support racist, xenophobic or islamophobic views then don't attend his rallies. I'm sure you can find a more relevant rally than that.

No. The Union flag is the flag of the UK. It can have various meanings including a statement of Britishness or of Britain's political stance or British support for something. It is legitimate to fly the flag outside your house, though this would be very un-British - unlike flying a St George, which, being the flag of Engaland, can be flown by the English just as one might fly a saltire or a dragon flag - NB when the girl in a Spice girl dress (who appeared at the Unite the Kingdom march) was sent home from her school's culture day so was a boy wearing the Welsh dragon; I am not sure what one makes of that.

Op..I'm not white and if any of my neighbours put up a st George's flag or anything saying "unite the kingdom" or told me that they are voting reform I'd be absolutely gutted.

My neighbours are genuinely lovely and dote on our kids so I know it wouldn't be directed at us personally but I'd still be sad to think that if they didn't know us personally they would think of us as a big problem. In fact I'd be even sadder than if it was an overt racist because it would show how endemic this view is even among normally nice people.

I try to avoid talking politics with them because I don't want to know their views. If they were racist or xenophobic I don't think id say anything or stop talking to them because as I said they are lovely to us but yeah id be gutted.

Huge hugs..whatever your neighbour means or thinks it's not a nice thing to have right in front of your house. A constant reminder that some people basically think of us as vermin.

Not at all. It points out that a person can agree with certain aspects of someone's beliefs whilst disagreeing with others. It is really that simple.

So to suggest anyone who supports TR is an automatic racist is ridiculous. Not one of us knows the reasoning behind why individuals attended the September 13th rally and throwing out these all encompassing labels such as 'racist' at hundreds of thousands of people is lazy, dismissive and extremely divisive.

Just because you didn't understand the analogy...

Where I live, there are suddenly loads of these, everywhere. They don't need to include the TR 'Unite the Kingdom' slogan to make clear what they're about: I've seen the flaggers up their ladders putting them up, and they make their rationale perfectly clear to anyone nearby, if asked. What also makes very clear that the intention is not innocent 'pride in our country' is the fact that they rip down stickers other people who object or would just prefer our streets not to look like this, place on the lamp-posts with phrases like 'we all live here together' or 'no hate on our streets' - literally directly and specifically affirming that there will be 'hate on our streets'. Disingenuous in the extreme to say things like 'it's literally the flag of this country, what's to be offended about?'

It's not more nuanced than that and your false comparison of Hitler's vegetarianism is utterly laughable. (Had Hitler organised a vegetarian rally, it may well have been attended by vegetarian Nazis, but the irony of a man being opposed to the killing of animals, whilst directing the slaughter of millions of fellow human beings, would not be lost on those who saw him for what he was - a vicious, violent, immoral, insane racist.)
And @CurlewKate 's comment "Loads of people are concerned about immigration. That does not make you a racist. Allying yourself with racists does though." couldn't be clearer, and the fact that you disingenuously pretend not to understand it is very telling. Many UK citizens are very concerned about uncontrolled immigration, but we wouldn't dream of attending a rally organised by the violent, racist thug, Tommy Ten Names. All those people who attended his rally, but claim not to be racist, could have organised their own rally. Why didn't they? Why on earth would they attend a rally organised by a racist if they aren't? Why would they want to be associated with such a racist? The old adage applies: "If you lay down with dogs, you get up with fleas." Now they're going to have to own their racism, whether they like it or not. Too bad.

I agree wholeheartedly! And I so wish we could dump the terms black and white. We are all on one brown continuum, from lightest beige to darkest brown!

We may be oranges, apples, pears, but we are all fruit.

ooh has that bout of virtue signalling given you a nice tummy glow?

sweet

Your nuance seems to suggest that vegetarians should fly swastikas because they like the vegetarian bit of Hitler’s beliefs. After all, they are intelligent enough to separate it from the genocide bit….

No you didn't. Maybe that's what you were attempting to do, but you crashed and burned. Never mind!

I think it's being done in a very intentional way. Over and over and over. The constant faux naivety, the brushing aside of associations with far right extremists, the suggestions that we should "reclaim" the flag by just joining in. It's pretty transparent to most of us, but it may prove to be an effective strategy for reeling in those who don't tend to look beyond the surface of anything.

Yaxley-Lennon now has an online shop selling UTK merchandise. Fools and their money etc.

You said: 'That does not make you a racist. Allying yourself with racists does though.'

I pointed out it is more nuanced than that.

@AnnaFrith "But this doesn't really explain why you think 'Unite the Kingdom' is racist."
The London rally last month, organised by Tommy Ten Names, was called "Unite the Kingdom" and this is why it's seen as racist. Stephen Yaxley-Lennon is a vile, racist thug who only wants to unite the UK citizens he approves of (white men).

It's the Unite the Kingdom words. That's Tommy Robinson's slogan. In all likelihood they're flying it because of the small-boats issue, but I can see how non-white British people might be wary, just in case it means they're as racist as him.

Eh?

“Pride in your country” isn’t a racist slogan, no. But what is happening is that people are taking racist slogans and actions, and softening and normalizing as meaning simply pride in your country. That is very clearly happening on this thread.

"Pride in your country" isn't a racist slogan; it's a positive statement. I've googled it and can't see a connection with any public figure. What do you mean?

Absolutely this. If it were "just the flag" I wouldn't have an issue with it, but adding the name of Tommy Ten Names' September rally to it makes it something quite different: bigoted, nationalistic and racist. The disingenuous people on here need to stop pretending they don't see this - because we see them - and they're not fooling us.

You weren't being an idiot at all. What you wrote was perfectly clear - the clue was in the "mixed race". PP were being pedantic and splitting hairs. 🙄 It was totally obvious that you meant one of your parents is non-white.

That's not technically true. Most sensible adults have the emotional intellect to be able to separate a person from aspects of their beliefs.

I'm certain vegetarians would have a lot in common with Hitler's dietary choices, it doesn't mean they agree with the holocaust.

OP, it's always possible that they might be a bit clueless and just feel as if they're being patriotic. It's also possible that if they do know what it means, it's focused on the small-boat arrivals, like a PP said. They might think that Britain has too much uncontrolled immigration right now. Remember that old saying "Never assume"?? I totally understand why this flag would be triggering, but there's a good chance you're upsetting yourself for no reason. Having an issue with the small boats doesn't equate to wanting everyone with non-white skin out of the country, including those who were born here. Yes, they could be racist dicks, but considering the climate right now, it's most likely about the boats. Sending hugs xxxx I prescribe a nice cup of tea and a favourite biscuit.💐

Loads of people are concerned about immigration. That does not make you a racist. Allying yourself with racists does though.