Fucking flags

[xmaspud3]

I know this has probably been done to death on here and there will be lots of threads about it already but I cant be bothered to trawl through the site for them so here I am.

I’m so irritated by the England flags popping up everywhere. There has been an influx put up in my area over the last week, it seems to be increasing by the day. I don’t hate the flag, but I hate the fact it is being used to send a clear message by racists. People aren’t doing it to be patriotic they are doing it to be hateful towards those that they don’t feel ‘belong’ in their country.

I don’t want to see all of these flags in my area. If people are entitled to put them up then why am I not entitled to go and cut the fuckers down? And don’t get me started on the spray painting of public roundabouts and road signage by people who allegedly love their country so much that they are vandalising it at the expense of public money.

If I see one more person give a ‘big well done to whoever has erected the flags on xyz street’ on Facebook I will explode. Does anyone else feel ragey over it?

Why should someone who is concerned about a racist campaign get a grip?

The bandwagon surely has filled up tonight.

By framing it as “a bit of cloth” shows either naivety at best or stupidity at worst doesn’t it.

It’s extremeist driven symbolism meant to mark territory and stoke division. This faux “it’s only a flag! It’s only a bit of cloth!” is terrifying.

Agree, and the dogs are coming running.

Same with my grandad. Constantly mocked for his accent. Called offensive nicknames. My white working class family have never blamed immigrants for their problems. They’ve looked at who’s telling them to blame immigrants.

Pride means doing something or making some sort of contribution to the thing you are proud of. So what have you done to contribute that makes you proud of being English? (just being born here doesn't count btw it just means your parents had sex).

Flags are not a problem for anyone. You know that Racism is the proble. You’ve received this reply multiple times but you ignore it.

The only time I’ve ever liked seeing the flag put up was when my Dad put one up for VE Day a few years back in our front garden to pay respect to the soldiers as he doesn’t usually do things like that - put up with intentions far different to the gross racist ones recently.

It is bizarre, isn't it?

40% of people think the OP is being unreasonable- that’s quite shocking ..

A woman called Adele Thaxter from Doncaster is campaigning against the flags. She says:

"My own family’s history reflects the contribution of diverse groups to this country: two of my grandparents came from Jamaica during the Windrush era and worked hard all their lives, and another grandparent came from Ireland and served in the British Army and worked until retirement.

“It is deeply upsetting to see symbols used in ways that now make people feel unwelcome in the very communities they helped to build.

“I raised this issue with St Leger Homes after being upset by flags and vandalism but was only told an email would be sent to the estates team, with no further action planned.

"This response does not reassure residents that our concerns are being taken seriously.

"I therefore ask that the Council, in partnership with St Leger Homes, considers guidance or tenancy conditions to prevent displays that cause distress or intimidation.

"Under the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty, the Council and its partners must foster good relations, eliminate discrimination, and advance equality. Allowing such displays to continue risks undermining these duties.

“Doncaster is a proudly diverse city, and I hope you will explore what measures can be taken to ensure all residents feel safe, respected, and part of our community.”

Are you always this naive? Do you not know who is being this recent display of cheap half mast flag flying?

Don’t try to pretend it’s patriotic and inclusive. It’s territorial and divisive. It’s not patriotism it’s nationalism.

Like dogs taking a piss up a lamppost to mark their territory.

As you’ve already been told here, multiple times, no one objects to the flag. People like it in its place. What they don’t like is this flag fad which has racist overtones.

You know full well that Operation raise the Colours has gone beyond something that we don’t like and don’t agree with.

I see, so at the football (or at home when it's on), I think people are still flying it in the same sort of numbers for that.

Because it is not remotely racist.

The binaries here aren't, stick a flag on anything that stands still if you're a patriot, otherwise you're a xenophobe that doesn't want to see a flag.

The flag isn't a problem. It's a piece of cloth or paint. A symbol.

The reason someone puts it up is what is being objected to. A populist wave of nationalism designed to intimidate a minority group into feeling unwelcome. Like fascists do, and the Nazis did.

If people don't want to be associated with fascists and Nazis, they could simply say, "I love my country, I love my flag, I'm proud to fly it but I won't join in with this wave of populist nationalism because the flag that I love should be a symbol of unity, not hate".

I suspect your grandfather and great-uncle would agree, given they fought it the last time round.

The flag shaggers would do well to remind themselves why we still celebrate VE Day.

A day in which we were victorious over fascism.

Please God

Anyone with a functioning intellect knows it is. And that intention is deliberate.

No opinion on flags but I'd be sorely tempted to co-opt a silly fictional one and do a letterbox drop/ hang it out my window. Like the protest sign guy, but with flags.

It's also pretty funny that some flag wavers are terrified of illegal immigrants coming in, taking over, and persecuting Brits. Other countries might call that scenario karma, just desserts, and about fucking time as we're still dealing with the mess you made of our homes and lives. Not that I think this is an actual realistic danger, but c'mon - pot kettle black much.

If you don't mind me asking, why aren't you talking to your children in English, if you live in England?
You could learn English if you don't know it.

Oh the naivety. Go look up who started this recent‘campaign’.

There's certainly some scare mongering and shit stirring on this thread.

It may well be just plain old xenophobia:

Attitudes, prejudices and behaviour that reject, exclude and often vilify persons, based on the perception that they are outsiders or foreigners to the community, society or national identity.

Depends if the issue is a certain group of immigrants or just immigrants in general. Big Steve Yaxley Lennon seems to have particular beef with the Asian/Muslim ones, though he does sometimes bother other groups too.

You’re right though, some might just have a deep dislike or distrust for any immigrant, and wish to reject all of them. They would still be phobes, just of the xeno type! Which isn’t really any better.