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

Lol yes there was!!! It was in 2000s though not the 90s thinking about it.

Where's that time gone x

A whole new meaning to 'death grip'.

😩

I think YABU @Latesummersunset.

If people want to fly a flag from their house or garden, that's their business. But flying flags on lamposts and stuff? No.

Why are they doing that?

I can understand it perhaps to show support when a sports tournament is on but not otherwise. Why are people flying flags all the time? Do they have short term memory loss about where they live? Do they have to write their name on their hand and left and right on their shoes?

I think it's nice to be patriotic. If you go to other countries, they're often flying their flags.

I think the controversy has come from the fact some view it as a direct retaliation to immigration tensions and are kind of giving off a "this is our country" vibe, so effectively weaponising it.

But essentially, it's nice to see the British and English flags. I guess if we were more patriotic to begin with and always did fly them there would probably be less focus on the emergence of them.

I don't think it'd help matters to start viewing the British and English flag as a symbol for hatred or racism. Its likely to fuel the fire.

But essentially, it's nice to see the British and English flags.

Why? Why is it "nice to see a flag"? Why is patriotism "nice"?

Yes folks don’t buy from Amazon. Support the Palestine Solidarity Campaign by buying your flags from them.

I think it's nice to be "proud of your country" I think it shows a respect for your home land.

If you go to most other countries, this sentiment is very much alive. Our neighbouring countries (Wales and Scotland) I find are very proud and patriotic - I think it's nice. I don't feel they're being "anti English" or "anti foreign " I think they just love and respect their mother land.

I guess we all view things differently.

Fair enough flags..other countries fly theirs here and there. However its dumb to moan about them being taken down when ones are attached to things near main roads where if they come off...

I dont get the painting roundabouts. As someone either on here or elsewhere pointed out people will drive over the flag they feel so strongly about..

I am amused by the 'paint pot holes with the st George's cross and the council will fill them in' meme

I DIDN'T DO IT. I DIDN'T DO ANY OF IT! 😫

This is so true. I hate how flags have been hijacked here.

Such an ‘ awful reputation’ yet the only country to offer free healthcare/ housing and schooling ..
Flags aren’t an issue then though are they when entering the land of the milk and honey.

I can understand for the Welsh and Scottish wanting to differentiate an identity in a way, as in the past they have been Anglicised and prevented from even speaking their language.

But I can't stand patriotism and jingoism generally. While I feel extremely lucky to be born in the UK and not in a country being bombed to shite that I have to flee, I've done absolutely nothing to affect where I was born, it was just where my parents happened to live when I emerged. Therefore I'm neither proud nor ashamed of my country.

Though I would certainly distance myself from people who don't welcome people from other nations and are flying flags to make them feel uncomfortable living here. If I flew any flag it would be one like this to show that everyone is welcome here.

Outside your own house?

You have that many flag holders?

In other countries I have never noticed people flying flags on their houses or on poles in their garden, it tends to be on municipal buildings only. Apart from the USA, but that is definitely a country we should not be copying.

I agree: nobody should be weaponising a flag to promote hostility.

I think your opinion is just different to mine. I just personally think a bit of patriotism Is nice. Bit of English tradition: flags, cups of tea, the queen 👑 (well king now!) and I think it's nice to have pride in your country.

But, no it shouldn't be used as way to send passive aggressive messages to others.

I genuinely have. Me and DH did quite a lot of travelling on motorbikes. In Europe most of those countries were "flag flyers ". Switzerland loves a flag outside their homes 😁. I loved seeing it!

I think in parts of Europe where there are so many borders close together it may be a useful indicator of which country you are in now. But other than that I don't see the point. And continental Europe is not necessarily a hotbed of racial and ethnic tolerance so I don't particularly wish to emulate their flag waving either.

Well ok. That's fine and up to you. But not everyone who waves their country's flag has bad intentions, such as racism.

😅 ooh Ken - I'm innocent 😅

I agree @SquishedMallow

When they first went up in an area near me it coincided with the women's football, and my mom and I assumed it was associated with that and got quite excited that people were being so supportive..... Then I saw the discussions of the flag-rash on my local Facebook, with the racist filth crawling out of whatever burrows they inhabit to spew their vile hatred of others/love for the flags....

I agree that, in context, flying one's national flag can be a positive, celebratory act. During an international sporting tournament fox example, perfectly fine and appropriate.

But everybody knows that this current excessive display is by racists, for racists, designed to intimidate and send a message of hate.

And (this is the least of my objections, but) they look messy and awful. I am very fortunate in the location of my flat, and used to have a lovely view from many of my windows of the beautiful park opposite - now all eyes are drawn to are the stupid, excessive flags.....

If it was the odd one, nobody would mind. But it isn't, is it?

I'd love to have the time, money and stepladder needed to swap them out for Pride flags, actually. And the BLM symbol, and whatever else might piss off the seething morass of unashamedly racist scum that are getting their rocks off about them on our Facebook page.....