Racist neighbours?

[sallycinnamon]

I live on a newish housing estate where everyone is white. Recently a Pakistani family rented the house next door. They seem like a really nice family and I personally could not care less about the colour of their skin or their religion. When I returned home from work this evening I was opening the windows of the upstairs to let some air in when I noticed that people whose house backs on to our next door neighbours have attached a union jack flag to their washing line. Is this simply a bit of proud patriotism or is it as I suspect there to make the new family feel uncomfortable? It seems to me to have been positioned so that our new neighbours cannot miss it when they look out onto their garden. Strange how this patriotism hasn't surfaced before! I feel deeply uneasy about this but don't know if DH and I are overeacting. Any ideas anyone? Really don't know what to do

So, is the flag still on the washing line, Sally?

The flag has now been moved from the washing line. They have nailed a flag pole to the fence that separates the 2 gardens so its proudly flying there now. Don't know what to think. Freckle I'm not saying that the new people would be offended by the flag, its the manner that its being used in that immediately made me suspicious. What a can of worms.

A flagpole on the fence between their garden and the new neighbours'? And the flag has only come out since the new neighbours moved in? I'd assume it was a racist thing, too, but as others have said, there's nothing you can do about it.

(And I'm from a country where everyone flies the blinking flag all the time, for no apparent reason. And if you mention it to Canadians, they say, "oh, it's much worse in the US")

Oh, I meant to ask, it's the back garden? Or the front? The front is less weird.

I'd leave as there can be no closure due to your interference. If you and dh felt like it perhaps you could visit new family and welcome them?

that was meant to read i'd leave it, not i'd leave!!!

Sally, as trefusis says, they could be Northern Ireland loyalists as today is July 12th. See if its still there tomorrow!

Yes its between their garden and the new neighbours. Have been talking to new neighbours this afternoon. They didn't mention it so neither did I. BTW its the back garden. I wouldn't have had the same reaction if it was proudly flying out the front.

if its a rented house you can do something about it - you can report them.

if you speak to your asian neighbours maybe you could suggest they put up a union jack too - that would piss your neighbours off

if it was an attack on the new family wouldnt they have done it as soon as they moved in? i would assume they have it up for the right reasons, maybe they are worried it will get nicked if they put it at the front?

And indeed I am in shock.

I am BLACK AFRICAN and do not think that hanging a flag is a form of racism. I would not care less if all my neighbours had the union jack flying outside in their front yard.

This is their country for crying out loud , they should be able to feel proud of it without thinking that "maybe people will think I am RACIST"

Come on people isn't this all racist thing being taken too far now?

I really don't think that you should have to think twice before you can even show patriotism.

This really saddens me .

makes me that flying a flag is seen as being racist. during the jubilee dh had a collection of flags over the front of the house and on his parcel shelf in hid car. he isnt racist, he is proud of his country. and isnt everyone full of admiration for london atm? after all we should be flying our flag proudly as we will beat the terrorist, we are not afraid.

HERE! HERE!

it is sad - never the less whether right or wrong the british and english flag does have racist connotations. it may not be right. but there it is.

my guess is that if your neighbours moved in then a flag pole went up in the back garden with a flag on it then they are trying to make some sort of social comment.

the british and english flag is different than that of the welsh or scots flag. in that they can be proud to be patriots.
if i envy the americans anything. i envy their ability to be able to be patriotic no matter what background they come from.

I don't think sallycinnamon was saying that flying the union jack was in itself rascist but that the circumstances surrounding this particular flag going up made her uneasy - and understandably so IMO.

maybe they didnt have a pole or anything to fly it from and the washing line is the easy option

I definitely do not think that flying a flag is racist. I had a union jack flying out the front of my house at the jubilee. What I am saying is that I had a feeling of unease when I saw where it was hung particularly now its been moved even closer so really only the new family can see it. Its a sad fact that our flag has been hijacked by the far right. I would really like to be proved wrong on this but I'm honestly telling you my gut feeling.

Well said, Norash.

Sallycinnamon, sorry if my post may have been seen as an attack on you. I was just commenting on the general state of things in this country at the moment.

its mor ethan mere coincidence that someone wants to assert their britishness just when an asian family moves in

Oh well!

Has the flag gone down, yet?

I was thinking about this last night, and it does seem a bit 'in your face' to have the flag on the fence, even if it's not meant to be offensive.

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If our neighbours did this the last thing I would think is that they were trying to offensive!