Oh COME ON, Asda!

[ballinacup]

Asda launches wearable England flag

Asda execs can't see anything wrong with this. At all?

Also, is it always alright to display the flag everywhere at all times? One of the things I used to hate when I lived in Glasgow was the aftermath of an Orange march because there would be drunken people with a Union flag tied round their shoulders swigging from bottles and if you caught their eye, slurring "You lookin' at me, ya [sectarian insult]?" If I was walking along a street and saw anyone with a Union flag on them in any way in the aftermath of a march - around their shoulders, as a t-shirt, in their hand, swathing their arse, whatever - I would turn around and go the other way.

That doesn't mean the UK flag is evil or everyone with respect for it is evil, of course. That would be totally weird, but it's fair to say it doesn't give all people automatic positive feelings at the sight. I think some groups have hijacked flags and this is why other people find it unnerving.

The under-thinkers are certainly out in force on this thread.

It's not exactly like a KKK outfit, what with not having a face-covering with holes for eyes, and the red cross on it. It also doesn't reach the ground.

However, it's reminiscent enough of the KKK get-up, that enough people are wondering at the sensibility of Asda in producing it.

I think it is a brilliant design. Some people really do overthink things. Go and read your Daily Mail. YABU.

Why is over-thinking a problem for you?

A brilliant design!

I immediately thought KKK.

I showed it to my 16 year old and he said the same.

I didn't think KKK I thought stupid wearable flag with hood.

I showed it to my dog and he agreed.

Overthinking is bad. Did you not get that bit?

Only in Britain, particularly England, do people get so worked up about these things. Very complictated relationship you people have with your flag, and a real need to distance yourself from imagined racism, even when its culturally inappropriate. Is it a reaction to your really quite recent horribly racist colonial past, as a nation?

I thought KKK.

Others might not....they might think "Oh great, an England flag I can wear with in the rain and stay dry".

Either way, you will look like a twat is you wear one of these.

My guess is ASDA ordered a few trillion of these thinking they would sell well, not for a moment seeing the KKK connection...now it's been pointed out won't withdraw from sale, as they have no idea what to do with a few trillion England flags with hoods...it's not like they can flog them cheap to another country, is it!

Some people mistake thinking at all, for over-thinking.

My first thought was oh that looks a bit KKKish.

Doesn't bother me because of course its not but it was still my first thought.

Very complicated relationship you people have with your flag

you people Can I take a guess that you are posting from the US of A?

Unfortunately, grockle, some of "us people " do have a complicated relationship with the England flag, as it has regrettably been adopted by a racist minority of twerps to display their racist tendencies. Hence the complications. Hard to understand when you live in a country that doesn't always comprehend the politics of any other country outside of your own.

You can guess, but you'd be wrong.
In lots of countries the flag is used by a minority who use it for their own purposes. There isn't the hand-wringing "we can't use it now" that you seem to have.
I can assure you that I live in a country that knows an awful lot about the politics in countries other than my own. Something that a great many english people struggle with.

There's plenty of poncho style things that look like that.

You can easily google the KKK holding the stars and stripes. Just because some loudmouth yobs like St George's flag doesn't mean it is off limits to everyone else. Why the hell would you let them monopolise it and make it their own?

Yabvvu, stop selling white ponchos with hoods then, as they look the same. Some just want to find fault in everything.

Er no they don't. A white poncho with a circular hood looks nothing like anything anyone would object to.

Something that a great many english people struggle with

I'm Welsh though

Is it made of a waterproof fabric, like the ponchos available in theme parks, does anyone know? If so, then I can see the point of the hood. At least then it could be considered to be a useful item of clothing.

I'm personally not objecting to waving St George's flag, just expressing a modicum of concern that it is being used in conjunction with a piece of clothing sporting a pointy hood.

Then wear your own flag and stop obsessing about other peoples.

It actually looks more like the Spanish catholic easter robes than it does a KKK outfit, and I don't hear anyone ranting about that.

Grocklebox, where are you from then? You must know that attitudes to flags vary and do not translate across borders (even UK borders). I wouldn't wear my own flag (the Saltire) especially not with a pointy hood, as that wouldn't look, er, fantastic.

In Scotland, Siol nan Gaidheal use a black and white Saltire (they are ultranationalists). I wouldn't display the Saltire even though it has a lot of appeal to many people because I think that flag worship is a bit worrying. Yes Scotland avoid it, as do many other groups, so everyone feels included.

It looks a bit shit but it isn't offensive in the slightest.