To ask those who are not white brittish how they feel about the flags?

[PicaK]

Birmingham and Tower Hamlets are having St George England flags put up by privately funded groups.
I'm horrified by the implicit racism. I've seen a lot of white people applauding this and "time we took back the country" comments.
I haven't seen many non white people commenting. My feel is that they are too intimidated to do so. Am I right? Or is it indifference or is it that you're dealing with racism on a daily level and this is just one more thing.
Please don't post if you're white.whatever you feel about the flags. I want to hear on white viewd

I do have empathy - for any victims of racism, bit I won't be joining in on hating my own country, flag and skin colour - because that's what all this is really about. That's directed towards the OP.

The England flag should be everywhere in England. The Scottish flag should be everywhere in Scotland. The Wales flag should be everywhere in Wales. The Irish flag should be everywhere in Ireland. The British flag should be everywhere in Britain (although I get this is more contentious outside England).

Our culture should be preserved with pride.

And who clearly sees the flag as representative of those from whom she has suffered appalling abuse. But it still doesn’t change the fact that the flag itself is not racist. It’s racists who have hijacked it for their own purposes and the only way for decent folk to take it back is to fly it. With pride.

Extreme right and far right have long since lost their meaning. Anything to the right of centre, is considered far right. Other countries can be patriotic in flying their flags but not good old England.

Nobody requires you to apologize for it. Not your responsibility or fault (probably). Mature adults require other mature adults to have some perspective, a minimum of respect and empathy and understanding, a minimum level of humility and understanding. That goes for everyone, everywhere, both ways.

As for "so bloody boring" - you don't know what you've got till it's gone.

Exactly this.

(Brown person, born here, who has experienced a lot of racism..)

I don't understand your last paragraph?

You'd hate my bit of Wales. We've flown many other countries flags. One summer it was the flag of Japan I recall. We're twinning with everyone.

Anyone would think this flag thing is new.

It really isn't. See also : the 1970s.

New Labour and Britpop did a lot of good work to reclaim British identity - hence some of the rehabilitation is some minds of the Union Flag.

People do also seem clearer nowadays so you are less likely to see union Flags at England matches.

You're in Wales - it's allowed.

This

It's not obligatory to be proud of it though? Pride is a very loaded obligation.

That's a relief

I've never heard that. I have crossed out white British on a form before and written white English. No one has ever questioned me.

I might do this actually.

Twinning of the castles?

How and why is Newham scary?

What makes it so?

and what makes you think there are no Union flags erected in Newham and what do you think would happen to those erected?

No it's not obligatory, it's also not a wrongful thing to be proud.

@Saponarium@FallingIsLearning Do you feel that the best way to reverse this is for more people to fly the St. George’s flag (or the Union Jack)?

Genuine question, I live in a very diverse American city and the Stars and Stripes are everywhere so no one bats an eyelid, it’s just the country’s flag. Some people fly a couple of flags if they have ties to another country.

Labour and British history! That party is normally trying to distance itself from anything white British. Much less so, since they ousted Corbyn.

so now i cant put up my own flag-i get people are adding to the my country thing but its my glaf and no im not bloody racist

I always thought one way in which the British somewhat side eyed the American was their flag waving patriotism. Our diffidence about flags and anthems is quite distinctive. I like it that way. But it does allow certain groups to step into the void, I guess.

It shouldn’t be intimidating or have racist connotations but has unfortunately often been used by the EDL etc. That said, they were bound to jump on it when we make sure to say “Happy Eid” but feel the need to swap “Merry Christmas” for “Season’s greetings”.

Tl:dr It shouldn’t be a racist symbol but is heavily used by racists because we’ve let it happen

The flag doesn't need to be reclaimed from anybody. It will always represent the UK and nothing will change that. I will certainly carry on waving it, at military celebrations. I'm extremely proud to be English.

I’m non white and these flags have been put up in my area of Birmingham. They’ve been up since the women’s Euro’s.

I have zero issue with it.

They weren’t put up to be ‘racist’.