So what’s going on with all these flags around ?

[omj]

I hadn’t really noticed it until I went to see a friend who lives 30 minutes away and the flags were everywhere there but not in my area.

Then today I saw someone with a Union Jack flag hanging from their car window, like is usually done during the World Cup.

whats going on ? I have seen a few posts on social media it, but not really explaining what’s happening and why people are putting flags up all over the place.

People painting the English flag on roundabouts have presumably got the idea from all the rainbow flags painted where zebra crossings used to be etc.

I don't think roads / crossings / roundabouts etc should be used for any flags at all or anything other than standard highway code signs to indicate the crossing, road rules etc as clearly as possible.

I don't find people waving the rainbow flag or English flag problematic personally but no flags of any sort should be painted onto roads for reasons of clarity and safety for all our fellow citizens.

People are expressing political views, whatever the flags are. Some support Palestine etc and others are British flags. Each to their own, as ever. 🤷‍♀️

Sounds like you are making up hypothetical situations now. Do you really think that all these flag flyers are unfairly being lumped in with racists because they just didn’t know and are accidentally joining in with a racist movement?

No, but if like me, you thought racism was a serious accusation, you wouldn't accuse a large swathe of people, knowing that it will be wrong for some.

Exactly. Like today's marchers don't know that its been organised by the open racist Tommy Robinson...

Wow

You haven’t actually come up with anyone that I’m ‘accusing’, merely imagined a poor oblivious person randomly hanging a flag up during a racist flag movement in order to tell people off for labelling a racist flag movement as racist.

Do you need a name? I listed several non racist reasons people might raise a flag.

At the end of the day, I believe your approach seeks to divide, and mine aims to find common ground, yours to see the worst in people, mine to look for the best. I know you have good intentions, I just think you're getting it badly wrong. But we will have to agree to disagree.

Some questions:

1. do you agree that Operation Raise the Colours which seeks to plaster the country in flags is a racist endeavour?

2. do you think it is more divisive to label a racist flag movement as racist, or for a racist movement to put up flags across the country where people who very much don't want racist flags in their neighbourhood live?

To be fair, I think some of them will just be marching because it’s healthy to get out for a bit of fresh air and a nice walk. And don’t all the flags look pretty?

1. I don't think it's a yes or no question. The founders seem to have racist views and backgrounds according to HNH (although I take their views with a pinch of salt). But there will be a spectrum of people involved, some for good reasons some for bad.

2. It's more divisive to tell ordinary people that they are racist and thick, no question. You can attack the very few hard core racists without vilifying average people.

Sounds like you are struggling to accept more people than you thought are actually racist. Maybe try listening to people who racism actually affects.
I also think people need to get over being called racist, if you don’t want to be called racist don’t do racist things, say things that are seeped in racism or hang out with racists. It’s really not worse to be called racist than it is to be one.

1. Yeah, I think you haven't been paying attention enough.

1. The fact that you think it is more divisive to say the flags are racist because it might offend an innocent person accidentally putting up flags during a racist flag movement than imposing racist flags on everyone across the country is pretty telling.

I think your attitude is pushing society further and further towards polarisation.

"Don't do something that a racist did, even if that thing is innocent and common all over the world, or i'll assume you're stupid at best or stupid and racist at worst. And if I assume youre racist, of course I'll try and ostracise you, I will assume your friends are racist, especially if they don't drop you immediately, because racism is catching, and if you sneakily try and get out of it by dying, I'll make sure to pop onto social media and warn people not to mourn you, or they will be racist too, and through all this, the most important thing of all is that people will know what a good person I am."

Er, you're making stuff up and then getting angry at it.

It's not made up though. You want to freely throw around accusations of racism like confetti AND also have society shun racists. Pick one.

Any excuse for another thread

I have put on the wall of my living room the British flag given to me on the day of my naturalisation ceremony 2 months ago.
Because it makes me proud and happy.

Nope, what you posted was complete bollocks.

Which part?
Waving a flag is an action considered innocuous and innocent in most parts of the world, but you and others on this thread have said people doing so shouldn't be surprised to be called stupid and racist. So that bit isn't bollocks is it? Is it the part about how we deal with those who have been accused of racism? Are they not to be shunned in life and death? The threads on Kirk suggest they are.

Why are you ignoring Operation Raise the Colours when it comes to flags?

@noblegiraffe

Because as I understand your views (and apologies if I mix you up with another poster) someone would not need to be involved in that group or have any kind of racist intentions for them to be branded racist and thick.

Edit: just look at the aibu thread from the formerly left leaning poster entitled "Am I considered far right now". The first reply - "yes".

It’s people showing off their IQ and how affluent their area is. Nice easy way to judge for house prices.

"Branded".

If I drove past your house and you had just put out a big union flag, I'd think 'oh, racist flag, how depressing'. I wouldn't think 'oh, some poor innocent sod has put a flag out during racist flag season, what a mistake'.

So yeah, you'd be lumped with the racists. Because it's racist flag season.

Not sure why you then had to go off into a little fantasy about being shunned in death.

@noblegiraffe
Not really a fantasy is it? The last few days have shown people deemed racist by society, (rightly or wrongly but that's another thread), can expect when they die to have anyone expressing sadness mocked and insulted and also called racist.