To not want a flag hanging from my house?

[PlumFairy2014]

We have builders working on the roof, I've just got home and they have attached a GB flag to the top of the scaffolding. AIBU to think you shouldn't do this?!
I don't entirely know why, but I don't like it. This is my home not a ship!

That's what I don't get, what is 'being British'? Why is being born in a country something to be proud of?

So all people who fly a flag are borderline racists ?

Well that's you. (for what it's worth I agree with you) But to some people it is important.

I suppose its better than a bad tattoo of an English bulldog!

I'm with you Mitzy. If I lived overseas I might fly the flag but I live here in England!
Just seems an odd advertisement.

We have a St Georges flag up here - sporting household - up for THE ASHES - you know - that little cricket thing going on....

England the rank underdog coming good and all that... Was up for the women's world cup too... And will be for the Rugby. People only need to see our family to KNOW we are not being racist (varying shades of English).

You know whhat I reaallly hate about bloody flags? When Brits abroad take one with them on holiday to hang over their balcony. Double points for the chavvy crew who checked into our looong harrd saved for Romantic Mexican honeymoon hotel hung said flag on the balcony below ours and

Oh God. People who bring flags on holiday, what the hell is that all about?!

Shit posted too quick...
...on the balcony below ours and proceeded to vomit, fall over and sing LOUD football songs rght into the early hours for a week.(there was no footy tournament on btw) Till we finally got moved. Fuckers

I realise I sound snobby I promise I'm anything but. But yes, I see flags and other than for big national occasions, I do think they are a bit shit. Especially on ones bloody v.expensive, supposedly classy (we did have an amazing time!)honeymoon.

I'm in Scotland, and I wouldn't have a Union Jack up outside my house.

Saying that, it's just as unlikely a Saltire would be up either unless it was the referendum and maybe I had a wee window sticker

nit I can't spend my life worrying about what misconceived notions other people might have of me. I regard that as their problem, rather than mine.

Racism is the belief that one group of people is inherently better or worse than another group of people based on skin colour. I know I dont believe that to be true and it isnt true of the majority of people in this country. I also feel happy to live in a country where it's not a crime to be gay, where women are not 2nd class citizens etc. I won't be made to feel bad for displaying a flag that represents a country with these values.

Also I dont think it's fair to compare it to the use of a swastika. The swastika replaced Germany's flag and became solely associated with a regime who murdered people based on their race and their politics during that particular period of time. The English/British flags belong to us as a nation, rather than a particular regime in a specific time period and while our history isn't all good, neither is it all bad.

Though I'm American and we're all about the flags over there

Yet confederate flags are being removed. I wonder why? How could anyone be upset by a flag?

I saw a house proudly displaying an Ulster banner yesterday, a huge thing taking up 1/2 of the front of the house. I'm in England, in the midlands - wtf are you trying to say with that in England?

They could be cricket fans?

Er wouldn't they then fly the flag of a cricket team?

July 14th today, here in France lots of national flags about. I wonder how many countries in the world object to their own national flag ?
Funny old world.

I don't get the point of flag flying unless it's a sporting occasion or similar. What do people need them for, to tell the world that they're a British person living in Britain?

Oh yes, exactly this! I am totally, terminally British to the marrow of my bones, I love my country and couldn't imagine wanting to live anywhere else. But, you know, I'm here already. I don't need a flag on my house to remind me or anyone passing that this is, in fact, Britain, in case they'd got rather horribly lost. It looks naff IMO, and it's MO that matters in the context of what goes on my roof. (My hideously untidy garden also looks naff, but that's another matter.) I would be very miffed if somebody took it upon themselves to hang any flag up, or even non-national-specific bunting, without my permission. It is My House.

I don't think anyone's claiming to be ashamed of their country or its flag, I think they're just pointing out that flying one for no particular reason is sometimes done out of a wish to be exclusive rather than patriotic. Not so much "I'm British and proud of it" as "I'm British and you're not". That's rather a recent phenomenon I think, and I wouldn't necessarily judge everyone who likes flags on their house or car because they might just be flamboyantly patriotic. I don't really do flamboyant. Generally the British character isn't, with notable and sometimes honourable exceptions.

Interesting discussion. In the US, the flag is a unifying, rather than divisive symbol. I'm a lefty Democrat. My next door neighbor is a right-wing Republican. We wave and smile at each other as we raise our flags on the 4th of July.

On the pride thing, I am not proud to be an American in the sense that I understand that it is an accident of birth, not an accomplishment on my part. But the notion of being proud of one's country for Americans has to be understood in the context of history. The establishment of the US was highly intentional; our nation was born in revolution, political and idealogical. The founders set about designing a government in which individual liberty was to be balanced with the collective good. It was deeply flawed (slavery was enshrined in the Constitution); but this notion of a thing mindfully created, which must constantly be protected and made better, is a deep part of the shared American political landscape.

Interesting discussion. In the US, the flag is a unifying, rather than divisive symbol

Unless you are flying the confederate flag?...

I was referring to the American flag which I believe should be obvious from the context.