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Original poster

Why are we the only country who CAN NOT be patriotic or express their opinions?????

244 replies

EvesMama · 08/06/2006 08:44

where i live there is uproaor about a local pub daring to display the england flag across the front/top of its building...told to take them out of charity shop windows etc..now on t.v this morning..some scottish people are filmed asying they HATE English and will be supporting trinidad and tobago in world cup...????

we cant so much as think anything like that..and now this close to home?, were both part of britain FGS

if that was and english guy/gal saying that ther'would be a whole heap of trouble?

again where i am from..crime in the surrounding towns is high and statistics show that a high % is caused by people our country have given asylum too, who we allow to live in our country who receive help from US and if anyone dare say they think it is unfair, we are racist?

i just cant get my head round it?
the world is going mad.

expecting some 'good' replys on this, but im sorry i just think some people take the P out of us because they know it'll be us in botherSad

OP posts:
foxinsocks · 08/06/2006 18:16

zippi, I was gutted for Cisse aswell. Happened to turn over as it happened poor bloke - our 'pool supporting friend said 'we'll never be able to sell him now!!'

I think people need to lighten up a bit. The majority of people who get England kits for their kids or put out flags are just having a bit of fun and joining in a sort of football-related-English-bonding exercise. I'm sure there are some louts for who it takes on a more sinister nature but they really are not in the majority.

Blandmum · 08/06/2006 18:18

haven't read all the posts, so sorry if I am repeating anyone.

I have been very intereted by my response to the St George flags.

First up , I am Welsh and have chosen to live in England. I have no issue with people flying the flag of St George at all. However seeing them does remind me that I am not living in my 'country of origin'.

I just spent a week in Wales and was surprised at how happy I was to see the Welsh flag flying, my reaction quite surprised me! As others have said, there may be something 'tribal' in all of this.

Seeing the flags, and having felt a little like an outsider, has made me think a little how immigrants might feel. And I look like a local, have the same mother tongue, and cultural upbringing.

It is quite interesting.

misdee · 08/06/2006 18:19

\link{http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/5058132.stm\flying the flag may incite racisim} but only if you do it in wales.

edam · 08/06/2006 18:19

Sorry Harpsi/Gomez, of course WWII defining moment for the UK, not just England. And of course massive part played by the countries of the Empire and all the Allies/Resistance.

But there is an undeniably powerful story there about an island nation standing alone against Hitler, when the rest of Europe had fallen, and the US still hadn't decided which way to jump. OK, we had an Empire, but we didn't have the war machine that the Germans had. We didn't have enough food for instance, which was why the North Atlantic convoys were so important (and so terrible for those involved...). And the sheer effort of fighting WWII impoverished this country and led directly to us losing our status as a world power. Which may have been a good thing in terms of empires being bad, but still plays a part in that narrative of self-sacrifice.

And all this is just as important in our culture as the Revolution is to the French.

HarpsichordCarrier · 08/06/2006 18:20

eaxctly so fis. There is a real hunger for a collective experience in this country, imho. hence the "excitement" over the Golden Jubilee Grin
during the 1990 (i think) World Cup (the one with Nessu Dorma as the theme tune) I was in the queue at the supermarket and someone started humming Nessun Dorma and everyone standing in all the queues joined in. It was quite a spine tingly moment actually.
and, let's me be clear, I don't give a flying fig about football.

edam · 08/06/2006 18:20

Quite tempted to get my Welsh flag out, tbh - inherited from dh's father and never flown.

SenoraPostrophe · 08/06/2006 18:21

but no-one is saying that flags mustn't be flown, misdee.

misdee · 08/06/2006 18:22

"He said that displaying the flag was not illegal but that in Wales it was a "matter of courtesy and of decent behaviour" for England fans not to do so"

tbh i dont really care.

SenoraPostrophe · 08/06/2006 18:22

I agree, edam.

it could be done withut gloating though. and the war has eff all to do with football.

HarpsichordCarrier · 08/06/2006 18:23

yes, edam that is what I was trying to say (badly). that is the "narrative" about the second world war, and it's very powerful too.

edam · 08/06/2006 18:24

Well, not directly, but it does in terms of the world cup stirring up nationalism.

HarpsichordCarrier · 08/06/2006 18:25

god misdee that is an infuriating story Angry
what a load of old toss, really.

Blandmum · 08/06/2006 18:27

we have only two flags in out house. A small welsh flag that ds insisted I buy him last week, which he now takes with him everywhere. And a Kuwaiti flag which was thrust at dh, when he visited immediatly 'post liberation', by a Kuwati man who hugged and kissed him repeatedly, much to dhs shock! Smile

Don't think we will have either out over the next few weeks Grin

edam · 08/06/2006 18:27

My grandad was in the RAF (and grandma in the WRAF) and hated any discussion about WWII in person or in the media. Wanted it over and done with. Thought Remembrance Day was wrong - jingoistic.

SenoraPostrophe · 08/06/2006 18:27

ok didn't read that bit. the man is a cretin.

Blandmum · 08/06/2006 18:29

Misdee, it is an englishman saying this, all the Welsh people quoted in the story seem to be saying that his comments are silly and unhelpful.

zippitippitoes · 08/06/2006 18:29

I think that news story makes the point very well that it is ill advised people making assumptions about people's feelings in respect of flying flags and supporting a football team who cause the problems if there are any to arise in the first place

misdee · 08/06/2006 18:31

mb i never said anthing about the man s nationality, the thing is he says flying the flag in wales could incite racism. i never mentioned if he was welsh or english.

foxinsocks · 08/06/2006 18:31

I quite like the fact that (certainly in London) we get to see other nation's football shirts and some houses with flags other than the St. George flying. Reminds me how nice it is to live side by side with people from other countries.

Original poster
EvesMama · 08/06/2006 18:33

no that was not to you jessa jam

OP posts:
Blandmum · 08/06/2006 18:34

No, but my point is that I don't think that Welsh people have said that they think that it will.

It is rather like the bemused responses to Walsall councils 'Winterval' rather than Christmas lights. It was done my white eglish councellors to avoid insulting the muslim and hindu communities, who both thought that the idea was toatly daft.

This guy is saying that he thinks it will provoke racism, and the Welsh people are saying that they disagree, and have no issue with the Flag of St George being flown.

Original poster
EvesMama · 08/06/2006 18:36

SenoraPostrophe..carry on posting and ignoring the initial seperate questions, ill just ignore your misguided and spiteful opinion of me, you dont know me.thanks for your delightful comments though..facinating

OP posts:
HarpsichordCarrier · 08/06/2006 18:37

quite right mb of course they wouldn't
they would have to pretty sensitive little flowers to be offended, and well theyre NOT.
generally

SenoraPostrophe · 08/06/2006 18:37

what initial separate questions?

zippitippitoes · 08/06/2006 18:41

Hundreds of events will be taking place all over the country during Refugee Week 2006 (19 -25th of June).

\link{http://www.refugeeweek.org.uk/Events/\ Refugee Week events}

and for a wealth of material about \link{http://www.refugee-action.org.uk/about/default.aspx\ asylum and refugees}