To ask my neighbour about England flag bunting?

[nuffinthemule]

My neighbour is outside on a ladder attaching England-flag bunting to the lampost outside his house (on the pavement). Is there a sport-related reason for hanging bunting this weekend that I have forgotten about or am I right to be slightly wtf? We live in a very multicultural area and I think it looks a bit aggressive and unwelcoming, although I accept it might not have been his intention. I know the neighbour to say hello to only and although he's always been reasonably friendly I have tbh been keeping a bit of distance as I know other neighbours have fallen out with him. Would you ask him why he is hanging it, do you think? Or am I being paranoid? And if you agree it is a bit dodgy how do I get him to take it down?

It's not the bunting hanging up there, gently blowing in the breeze, that you need to worry about...

It's the hoards of beer swilling men he's invited round to watch every single match and will trash the street when an England match goes to penilties AGAIN!

I live in a multicutural area and where i live it isnt only british people hanging out english flags.
its lovely to see different cultures showing support for the english team.

Ridiculous!

I'm afraid to admit that I grew up associating the flying of flags with aggression. Sadly those who bedecked their house in union flags were the same people who flew King William flags, shouted F* the Pope at people and encouraged their children to stone the school bus because the children inside were the'wrong' religion. The reverse for neighbours who flew the Irish tricolour.

Having said that I agree it's sad that our flags have been hijacked by violent bigots. The reflex reaction of fear is hard to overcome though. I'd love to fly our national flag with pride.

No not Bale... I'm still amazed he sold for what he did... Bonkers!

So who's going to win then?!?! I'm going for Argentina... Or maybe Germany.

Dear oh dear! This is England FFS! Why shouldn't the guy be patriotic? The world has gone mad!

There is a group of us that get together for the big rugby matches. One is English and one is Irish. They wear their rugby shirts with pride, as do we.

They get a little bit of good natured heckling at first, but never have they been harassed or bullied for it.

In fact, it's actually a conversation starter.

Why MrsLettuce? what is the reason you feel like that? (asking as a foreign person from a religious minority, it has always puzzled me.)
I think it is quite sad someone should be judged for putting the flag of his country in his garden. Everywhere else in the word it is acceptable and in England people somehow are fearful of it.

IMHO, if really there is a connotation to the English flag because of let's say the BNP for example, I thing it should be a signal for all English people to claim their flag back and show it belongs to a lot of great people, not only a bunch of close minded people.

think OP saying as the guy is hanging flags on a public lamppost on the street and not actually on his windows or a pole in his driveway or something?

In the last two days on AIBU, I have read about aggressive bunting, how men should be banned from visiting Amsterdam, and decorating desks with bamboo for people's birthdays. I'm not an imaginative person. I can't cope!

Does that make a difference to it's supposed meanning MacenroetheBoatAshore?

What's offensive about bamboo Chelsy? I missed that thread.

I was just wondering if you have to ask permission from the council or something to hang things on a public road or something? its not part of his property? whatever anyone wants to hang, even if its a 'lost cat' poster or something?

Maureenlove agree .

I've just been thinking about that gorionine but I've not rooted it out as yet!

I left the UK about a decade ago - I suspect I'd been in the country for the royal wedding, olympics and jubilee I'd be at least partially de-sensitised of my associations by now.

If more people displayed the flag then it would be recouped and no longer associated with those horrible groups of people.
This is why I love living in Edinburgh- it is rich in culture and history and the tourists love getting involved. Noone is trying the quash the Scottishness, so to speak.

The bamboo decorated desk might have been racist MyUsername.

No worries about the actual deed of decorating the desk in bamboo, obviously!

That flipping aggressive bunting....always wanting to fight with other bunting! FFS

(the country I live in are known for hanging out their flag and / or covering everything and everyone in orange at any given chance. That's never bothered me at all. Most odd .)

Where you live now, are there no national flags up?

I am from Switzerland (I know it is not exactly the best example ) but and there are Swiss flags everywhere, no need for a sporting event, same in Algeria which is Dh's country.

Really? I'll have to find that thread. Sounds odd

If more people displayed the flag then it would be recouped and no longer associated with those horrible groups of people.

Ditto, you said in a much more eloquent way than I tried to.

I hang anEngland flag when sporting events are on. I live in a very urban area. No one has ever taken offence. And to be honest, if they did, I'd tell them to piss off. I enjoy supporting England in the world cup. Even though we put on a worse and worse performance every time. ;)

I live in the US. Flags are everywhere. No occasion needed. Is it wrong to be proud of/support your country? My DC fly the US flag (and moan if I even mention putting up the British or English one!) and I don't see the problem with that, nor with someone flying the English flag.

I'm not a fan of flag waving outside of sporting occasions, especially the way they do it in America. I just don't understand why Americans living in America fly an American flag outside their home.

oh dear, how sad that people can be offended by bunting. Or it it a sort of boast "I'm so liberal, and anti everything in my views that I'm offended by everything" - Bugger - I have some bunting in my garden - it has OWLS on it? Sorry owls - please don't be offended.