Flags..

[Elephant9]

Just a chat to understand what’s going on with the influx of England and UJ flags all over the streets?

thoughts?
where did it stem from?
is it making you uncomfortable? (It is, me, but not entirely sure why)

This was my thought.
my kid loves seeing the flags.. but I know the underlying reason it’s happening isn’t a positive one?

A couple people have said it’s nice for people to display their national flag.. what if other people whose motherlands are not UK were displaying theirs, would that be ok?
playing devils advocate that’s all

Sorry 😣

• there's nothing wrong with showing pride in your country
• yeah but the English flag has been coopted by far right
• what about [insert country]'s flag being up in [insert country]
• Birmingham Council
• St George was Turkish akshually

Think that about covers the umpteen threads so far.

I haven’t actually 😅 sorry!!

Just seen some UJs on my way home from work.

I love them. It does make me realise that there is an underlying animosity towards wokism though. And the next elections will show what the country is really actually feeling about immigration. And yes, illegal and legal immigration is all bundled together in the same pot.

This is my feeling too. I don’t look ‘British’ according to a lot of the definitions across social media but I grew up flying the UJ for every World Cup, Euros and Rugby WC too! However, I felt really on edge as I was driving through an area that was lined with flags. It seemed my intuition was right as I had somebody whip my car with a flag whilst at a traffic light as though it was supposed to offend me in some way! It didn’t offend me but it sure did scare me and my kids! It’s becoming more and more apparent that the flag flying isn’t about patriotism, it’s about it intimidation and creating an narrative of ‘not being allowed’ to be ‘British’ in your ‘own’ country which seems to translate to feeling like an unheard minority in a country you perceive to belong to you and are entitled to have supremacy status in.

I do feel the UJ is not as intimidating as the English flag, is that a common feeling?

The racist, knuckle dragging football hooligan types do seem to favour the St George’s over the UJ

No it isn't. Most people are not racists, they are just fed up, as am I and I am brown.

Hopefully the government will listen otherwise we will get Nigel Farage as PM.

I did wonder!
There was an enquiry in that main one, involving the bullish neighbour, which blithely declared she had always loved the gay and cheery atmosphere in Belfast, where whole streets proudly displayed their flags.

Well, feck me pink, sez I to meself.

1. I don't have a willy should should I swing my flaps about?
2. I'm not racist just fed up.
3. I'm not trying to intimidate anyone although it might make them feel uncomfortable if I stood in my garden swinging my flaps about.

Same - I am sure most of those throwing up flags would insist I am not British / English so would not feel safe.

Although it would be good if we could reclaim the flag.

Agree with you and I am brown.

So are the Scottish and Welsh knuckle daggers for favouring their own flag over the Union Jack?

Shhh, they won't like you saying that on here. You're supposed to quaking in fear at the mere mention of a flag.

My mother always used to fly the Welsh Dragon on the end of our washing line. I still do , even though it’s tatty and faded. More a pale pink rather than red dragon .

Dear leader Starmer said he likes them so what’s the problem?

I know, but I will be quaking if this government does not start listening to people

I am not worried about a Reform government (they have a brown Chairman (or whatever his position is now) after all), but I am worried about the next few years if we have to wait until 2028 with nothing being done about immigration.

They don’t make me uncomfortable

I'm stunned and saddened, but not surprised, that so many people can't understand what is actually happening here.

We're sleep-walking into disturbing rise in right wing politics.

Definitely in NI and kerbs painted orange. This is what the current flag fad reminds me of and that is the intention given who has instigated it. I hate it. There have been loads of threads like this which always turn into toxic racism so I won't be continuing with this one.

Also, you have never not been allowed to fly the England flag on your own property.

This has been a thing in Northern Ireland for donkey's years. Flags are used by particular communities to mark (what they perceive to be) their territory. Interesting to see it popping up in England.

There are a cluster of flags on my route to work that appeared last week. My first thought was ‘ ‘They look jolly , what sporting event is on?’ Then I realised and my heart sank. They’ve been removed now. It’s not the flag, it’s the intention.