What do you think of the flags?

[Latesummersunset]

Apologies if this has been done already.

I live in one of the areas where the flags were started. We couldn’t understand what they were for until it popped up in the news. Apparently the councils are going to be taking them down.

I don’t really have much of an opinion either way but my concern is that they’ll soon become tatty, fall down and leave a mess everywhere. But it seems lots of people are loving them. They do look quite cheery at the moment.

What do people think?

Yabu - they are a mess/racist/health and safety hazard

Yanbu - they are cheerful and patriotic. Keep them

Voting Labour certainly isn't the answer.

Again you haven't addressed any of my points and you're just making stuff up. It's quite sad.

MiloMinderbinder925 · Today 15:57

We have to call out racist behaviour, no matter the roots. It's not as simple as indulging people over putting up flags; they're the tip of the iceberg.

The problem is that you are right is calling out someone's assumed reason behind what they have done.

On several of these threads posters have put "They should reclaim the flag" (paraphrase) and that seems to be what most of these people are doing, but those same people saying "reclaim the flag" are still calling them racist and thick.

Some years ago there was a spate of England flags on just about everything due the English football team having a fair chance at winning the world cup. It took all of 5 minutes before the jokes and name calling about those flying the flag started. I suspect that its the same sort of people calling racist that were making the jokes back then.

The raise the flag movement was started by members of the far right and flags were purposefully placed in diverse areas to make a point. I think it's cute that people thought it was about pride in England but unfortunately the movement didn't spring out of a vacuum.

How far is this going to go before it's called out for what it is? We shouldn't be pandering to it.

I think that its cute that you think that everyone painting these flags has the exact same views.

And why it started depends on which corners of the internet you tend to visit.

Why it started is well known and Britain First have contributed plus it's endorsed by Tommy Robinson. I'm not interested in some argument about patriotism, like I said this hasn't happened in a vacuum. It's part of a far right agenda. The icing on the cake is Farage jerking off about mass deportation.

It helps to look at the bigger picture.

I find it really hard to separate the flags from the UKIP/Britain First/Farage type attitudes, which is sad. Being proud of your country shouldn’t be a bad thing - I am proud of a country that welcomes people from all cultures, that looks after the dispossessed and the refugees, and I am sure that country is still here - I see it in the counter protests. They are the people who are worthy of the name patriot, to me.

Did you just accuse me of “making up” the incorrect supposition that I was “suggesting that racism isn’t challenged in case it turns people further right”

and I also “made up” that you linked the rise of Trump to twitter?

Your dishonesty is spectacular.

Yet more incoherent rambling with the odd insult thrown in.

Those welcoming refugees. Are you inviting them into your home to stay, giving up your home or paying for a hotel room for any of them?

I agree. Unfortunately the liberal left are becoming more and more vindictive and are now only left with shouting "racist" "gammon fat pig" "thicko". We're probably best just to leave them to show themselves up to be honest (they're doing a pretty good job )

“In the cafe, we're told the first flags were put up in Weoley Castle's square in response to a story in the nearby town of Rugby about a 12-year-old girl who was prevented from making a speech about being British in her school, while wearing a union jack-themed dress.
She was wearing the outfit for Bilton School's "culture celebration day", for which pupils were asked to wear cultural dress rather than school uniform. The school has since offered "unreserved apologies" to the girl over the incident.”

This was from the Beeb, in an article which later goes on to note that apparently Britain first et al have been funding flags.

There are two issues at play here, imo, one - the alleged influence of the far right, because we know they love their flags and will insert themselves into any potential stromash, and two - in a day of celebrating “culture” - the British one was considered offensive and prevented from speaking.

Again, I can see why that would get backs up, and not just “far right” ones.
British culture shouldn’t be hushed for fear of upsetting other cultures that also happen to occupy this island, particularly when they were presumably busy being celebrated.

This shit doesn’t happen in a vacuum.

I think I’ve had enough of your noise.
I’m sure other posters can follow what’s been said even if you can’t, so consider my highlighting your dishonesty to be for their benefit.

Tedious.

No. The UK is not my personal house, it’s a shared space. I share it with lots of people I’d prefer not to. There is a difference between a country, and a house.

We’re all paying for hotel rooms, if we pay tax.

I loved the flags we had on our street for the jubilees.

And again. You're very predictable.

Indeed. While simultaneously being shocked and horrified that the right is on the rise.

The middle of the road voters have absolutely nobody to put a cross next to - and that is probably one of the most dangerous things about this fetid state of affairs.

How much tax are you prepared to pay for it?

Last I checked, I don’t decide what taxation is set at or spent on.

I currently pay higher rate tax, up to a maximum of 40% of my income.

I have got no idea what portion of that “pays for hotels,” nor am I actually interested in that breakdown.

If they brought in a boats tax and told you it would cost you an extra £500 per month. Would you be ok to pay it?

Well in that completely fictional reality, which would never happen, I would continue to not control my own taxation.

I could become a tax evader, but we have enough of those.

What a ridiculous comment

What a ridiculous reply.

The more boats, the less money people will have in their pockets. As they say, everyone has their price.

Exactly. The movement/campaign itself has strong links to the far right. That doesn’t mean that every individual who hangs or paints a flag is a neo-Nazi, but anyone who denies the fact that this movement is linked to far-right thugs is living on cloud cuckoo.

Small boat crossings (and migration generally) have increased since Brexit.

Nigel Farage championed Brexit.