I took down some flags and DH wasn’t happy

[LittleChopper]

On my commute today, I noticed someone had hung three large St George flags on a bridge coming out of our village. They have been popping up everywhere but this particular instance I thought “I’m not having that”. On the way home I pulled over and took them down.

when I got home and DH asked why I was binning three large flags I told him and he.. had some interesting opinions. He told me I shouldn’t be pissing off people in the village, that they have every right to hang an England flag in England, and that I’m being too political.

For a start, I would argue that I’ve always been quite strongly opinionated so he shouldn’t be surprised I did it.

Just as others have the right to their opinion I have mine. We have people in the village who are migrants… why should they have to look at that. It’s clear why they were hanging there given what’s going on at the moment and I’ve never see a flag hanging in the village in the decade we’ve been here so why else would they be there now.

I’m just so disappointed with it all. With the UK, with DH.

Next time maybe I’ll add to the collection instead. 🇬🇷🇮🇪🇮🇳🇦🇫🇧🇸🇵🇰🇪🇸🇸🇩🇿🇦🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

I find these flags annoying and rather jingoistic. However cutting them down will possibly piss the owners off somewhat! There aren't too many here.but a few miles there are some hung half mast looking limp and ragga.shop in town selling them a quid each! WTF

I love that even after the racists marched through London in their masses shouting racist insults, assaulting police, groping women and waving their stupid flags, people are STILL trying to pretend it’s not about racism.

Because the message behind the newly flown flags have nothing to do with pride with our country. But all about telling immigrants to fuck off.

Its not bizarre to not want a negative message in your village.

Quite a lot of English people of Irish descent do celebrate St Patrick's Day. Some pubs really make a thing of it.

The pub may have it up for the rugby world cup. You know that big sporting event taking place at the moment. Something a pub is likely showing.

Scaffolders always have flags up that isn't anything new.

When we visited America several years ago my dh said how nice it was to see their flag flying everywhere it brings a sense of patriotic and we should do this. I agreed.

Noone is saying people seeking genuine asylum should be refused but there has to be a limit. Were such a small country. Australia doesn't have small boats with deceased men women and children arriving. Children being squashed to death by grown men. Is that who we want coming over really? Men who put themselves first before children?

I see where you are coming from, but am recognising that quite a lot of people, by putting their English flags up, are already trying to do that.

While the “so many of us” believe that it symbolises the far right (a thought strengthened by this country’s media and far-left), it will continue to symbolise that, unless we change the narrative.

I wonder what the Scots or Welsh feel like when they proudly display their flags? I think that’s what I want to feel when displaying mine (hint: I don’t automatically think that they are racist).

Maybe we should start a campaign to fly St George’s flags together with a companion flag advocating for tolerance, respect and friendship to all?

That have a St Patrick's Day at The Cheltenham Festival, when they deliver the Guinness in tankers. My husband goes every year

They literally say they are fine with normal flag flying but this current demonstrating (which has been openul
anto immigrant) makes them feel crap. Weird that isn’t it 🫠

YANBU, but I would have left them. It's a battle you won't win.

Well wonder no more - I'm not OK with that.

I'm a Catholic living in Northern Ireland. The union jacks that are put up here especially in mixed areas have always been contentious and division fuelled. It can also be very intimidating. If I was to cut down a union jack in Northern Ireland I'd be putting myself at huge risk of being knee capped (or worse). My neighbour puts up a union jack every July to celebrate the 12th even though it can be offensive to some and it's there for 2 months. If we were ever going to sell our house it would never been in July/August especially as we live in a nice mixed peaceful residential area. Equally I would never put a tricolour flag up because you know it can be divisive and offensive to people. I'm thinking no flags except for public holidays etc. I totally understand that in England it's different and that in the past a union jack is not a political statement however from what I've read and seen on the news the increase in flags has taken a sinister turn so I applaud you OP and can you bring your scissors over to NI next summer. 😂

Since when has "groping woman" and "assaulting the police" been racist ?

This has been (unfortunately) carried out by perverts and pugilists for years.

You do realise that people walk into and out of a stadium on roads too?

It is simply propaganda from the authorities. Why do you think Saturday’s march with a couple of dozen arrests had its attendees demonised by the police and media yet the Palestinian march with nearly 1000 arrests wasn’t?

Indeed what about the Notting Hill carnival with 500 arrests 50 knife crime incidents and dozens of sexual assaults, that was called a “vibrant celebration”. One commentator even claimed it was a positive that there weren’t any murders this year!

Have a look at Susan Hall’s question about protests to the Deputy London Mayor earlier this week. It neatly encapsulates the issue and shows the bias in no uncertain terms.

They will indeed be "imploding" but not for the reasons that you suggest.

We've seen the polls. We already know that there are lots of evil people out there and others who are stupid enough to follow them. We also know that those people will keep trying to shift the responsibility for their abhorrent choices onto those who speak out against them. We've seen it all before.

It will be devastating, of course, to see the country which we love choosing an act of such self harm, but there is already a sense of inevitability about it. It's like watching a car crash in slow motion.

Some of us will be planning our exit strategy. I personally don't want to hang around to watch the shit show unfold. Some will feel that it is their duty to stay behind and resist. Some will feel a degree of schadenfreude at the prospect of the idiots realising what they have unleashed. Others will feel nothing but pity for those people who have been so cruelly manipulated.

We know what may be coming. Some of us still hold on to the hope that decency and common sense will triumph in the end. Some are resigned to the inevitability of it. But we are not going to stop speaking out just because some of the malign actors try to argue that we're making them do it. Of course they would like us to be silent, but some things need to be said.

Actually this thread is just like the old Brexit stuff - very divisive. And of course Brexit has been such a success. How much has it cost our economy and therefore us? Oh yes and that was another Farage pet project wasn't it? Funny how now that has failed to make us the rich happy country that he promised he has moved onto demonising people with different coloured skin instead of Europeans. I wonder how many of the current flag supporters also voted for Brexit? Frankly with reports that a significant proportion of those arrested in the southport riots had convictions for DV it's the men outside the hotels I would be afraid of.

You should see Sadiq Khan’s posts on X. Couldn’t get his fill of Notting Hill Carnival, let’s just ignore the rampant crime that goes on there every year.

No you're just lacking understanding of social psychology.

I am sure that some people have become more racist and that some have even become racist when they weren't before due to what's going on, but initially this started due to concerns over uncontrolled immigration, and for most that's still the issue.

When valid concerns are shut down and people can't discuss them without being labelled as racist that has the effect of actually causing some people to have more extreme views than they did before.

Of course people walk out of stadiums. Which is why I referred to crowds before/events. You aren't the only one who has been to large events you know. You aren't a better counter than the authorities. It's laughable to be honest.

Please read your post back slowly. Are you serious? ‘Evil people’? You’re saying 30% of the population (with a Reform voting intention) are evil and/or stupid?

I imagine you may well know some of them. They just haven’t told you who they would like to vote for.

@CandidOP And of course Brexit has been such a success. How much has it cost our economy and therefore us?

The general consensus is that Brexit is a mixed bag -

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdrynjz1glpo

The faux naivety of people saying "why does a flag offend you?" is becoming so infuriating.

If you're offended by the UK flag on a public building or people waving England flags at a football match then yeah - you're being silly.

But I don't want to see a flag draped on every lamppost and tree - if nothing else they soon look tattered and dirty and a complete mess! Why should the rest of us have to put up with our landscape and surroundings looking like this? I want to see a tree looking like a tree!

A country that takes pride in its history and landscape doesn't do this to itself.

Except you are, when you try and argue that it’s “just a flag”.
The words buying and selling have a figurative meaning as well as a literal one. But I’m sure you know that and it’s just your faux naivety at work again - the same one that makes you say it’s just a flag.

Well done OP. There are loads round my area too. I know of a bloke who has had one up in his garden for years but has took it down recently because of what it how represents. All the faux ignorance of people saying ‘why does a British flag in Britain offend you’ - it doesn’t. What it’s being used for right now offends me, which is to create division and intimidation on the orders of wankers like Tommy Robinson.

If people have the free will to hang them up then you have the free will to take them down.

Talk about double downing on the point I was making!

The biggest issue many of those on the left have is the total inability to take an objective view on anything. It’s their way or no way.

The Sun Tzu quote comes to mind:

• "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle".