Would you fly the union jack?

[cloudtree]

So after almost a decade of living in our house and wondering what on earth the large concrete post with two manacle type things hanging from it is for, we've realised it's not to hold down a dragon but to hold a flag pole.

DH is now toying with the idea of putting up a union jack. He is really keen and says it makes him think of village greens, the military, sporting events and sunshine. The problem is that I'm worried that the union jack has been appropriated by the far right. Perhaps not to the same extent as the George's cross, but I am worried it now has negative connotations (unless its a Royal wedding week).

House is not in a normal location in that we're rural and the house and a flag would not be able to be seen from the roadside, but neighbours and visitors to the house would see it. The house is big with large grounds. For context, there are a couple of big houses in the nearest village that frequently have the union jack flying.

Would you assume someone was probably racist (or a UKIP supporter - or both!) if they had a union jack flying? I'm concerned, DH says that if the union jack has been appropriated by the far right then its about time we re-appropriated it!

We have a flagpole
It’s actually ds’s
He loves flags and has loads, and will put one up if it’s a special day in a certain country
He’s mostly only got flags of countries he’s been to, although his sister has sent him NZ and Australia flags
He flew the Union Jack at half mast after the brexit vote!

Unless you live in a castle I’d assume ‘wanker’.

I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be unkind.

Applies to anyone with any flag, not just the Union flag. Pirate flag maybe at a push, or EU just to annoy the brexiteers. It’s generally making a public statement whatever you put up there, and drawing attention to yourselves. Which is fine if you like that sort of thing I guess. But it’s not for me. And I would judge.

The only family I know who fly a flag from a flag pole are absolute bigoted wankers.

NB - youvecat - except your DS. I only apply it to adults. Who don’t live in a castle.

My inlaws fly the union flag. On a pole they installed in their front garden. Outside their 2 bed mid terrace...

They have ukip leanings.

@ohforfoxsakereturns

Seeing a Union Jack out on normal days would make me slightly worried about the people who live in the house. We are currently house hunting and have been turned of two places already because we saw flags (in the window) of neighbours. I'm European, my DH South American, and it just makes us feel we might not be that welcome in the neighbourhood.

I don't know what the etiquette is on flag flying in the UK though. I'm my country almost everyone has a flag pole. But there are strict flag flying etiquette rules that most stick to. The country flag can be raised on national holidays, royal occasions (birthdays, births and weddings of royalty), and during big international sporting events. The country flag can be raised half mast during national mourning.

Only government and royal buildings fly the country flag all days of the year, this way you can always identify a building as a government office. Flying the country flag on normal days if your not a government office is not illegal but very much frowned upon.

I like this way of flag flying (But then again I'm very biased). I think it keeps the flag special, something that is treated with respect, and when you see all the flags out on special occasions it really gives a sense of unity in the neighbourhood.

Any flag couldn't be seen by any passers by. The house is set well back from the road. The only people who would see it are us, couple of neighbours if they use our back driveway to access the back of their land, postman and other visitors.

Closest house might just about be able to see it if there are no leaves on the trees and they peer out of their attic window.

I think there are enough negative responses though to avoid the union jack unless theres a big national event on though - royal wedding and GB gold medals in the olympics only.

I think it's really sad to assume racists live in a house where they are flying the Union flag. Really sad. We should appropriate it as a symbol of togetherness instead. There are quite a few flagpoles I drive past every day - several fly a variety of flags including the Olympic flag during games and the county flag a lot of the time.

its not just the british flag though. In france if you flew a french flag at your private residence, youd be likely thought to be front nationale.
When you have a larger country that is thought to be oppressive to smaller states etc, then it has different connotations to fly that flag as opposed to flying a flag of a smaller country that has been enveloped by the larger one.

One is about resistance, one is about superiority

Is it a large older country style house? if it is and it dh is set on a flag, how about researching his family coat of arms and have that put on a flag??
x

I think it's really sad to assume racists live in a house where they are flying the Union flag.

Sadly, the union flag and cross of St George have been appropriated by extreme right-wing political groups since the 60s, and for many people that association has stuck.

I'm sure people are aware that the swastika is an ancient religious icon from India, but 80 years on it is still connected with the nazis and will probably always be so.

The very fact that political correctness has gone so far as to make people think that the flying of the nation's flag is a racist act is one of the reasons for the Brexit backlash, tbh.

No, I wouldn’t fly any flags.

The very fact that political correctness has gone so far as to make people think that the flying of the nation's flag is a racist act is one of the reasons for the Brexit backlash, tbh

Brexit is one of the many reasons why I would find this flag so distasteful!

It's not 'a racist act' to fly the flag - but flying the flag is the sort of thing racists do.

Nope, I wouldn't hang any flag though I'm not keen on them.

It's not a Jack it's a flag unless it's on a boat.

No way, much too afraid people would assume I'm a kipper or something.

You could get a set of nautical signal flags and put up secret messages?

I would go with pirate flag. To give the impression that you are actually pirates.

Live in Glasgow so the UJ is known as the Butchers Apron and appropriated by certain fans of a certain football club and used as intimidation etc - look up the words for a song called The Sash and you'll understand why.

As with a fellow poster- Catholic in West of Scotland so Saltire here would be flown or lion rampant but no union Jack.

Ps - Black flag with red Dragon would be cool for you!

I'm really interested in our history, love our countryside, beautiful villages all the good things that our little island has achieved and I'm 100% not a ukip supporter, but it pisses me off that any sort of patriotic pride is, automatically, thought of as racist. Fly your flag op and stuff what people think.

When you see the Americans on TV, the stars and stripes is up all over the place, their kids pledge allegiance to the flag and I think, good for them.

When I hear Churchill's speeches or Shakespeare's Agincourt, it really gets to me. Our countryside is stunning, the folklore of our past is fascinating and slightly bonkers, our history buildings and stories of aristocracy is interesting to me and I am a royalist.

All these things are my opinion and I don't give a flying fuck if folk don't share them, but I know, in my life and deeds that I am not a racist for having these opinions.

How ridicously tragic it is that flying our national flag is seen by so many as racist. Just totally fucked up.
If you have enough land why not go for a United Nations look - fly every possible flag?

Years' ago on holiday in Denmark we saw many national flags fluttering on holiday homes, we thought how nice. Perhaps more innocent times. Anyway if your DH wants to fly a flag why not, I would probably get a selection and alternate, so not just the Union Jack.
I like the Scottish Lion Rampant.

Here's the thing though- it's seen as racist because a lot of people who do it are racist. That doesn't mean that everyone who is patriotic is racist, or there is anything innately racist in the flag- quite the opposite.

For a long time, people who were v patriotic didn't have a tradition of flying flags. Then- possibly copying how it's done in other countries- a minority of people started using the flag to symbolise their own, often anti-immigration, political views. As a result, a lot of people feel wary when they see a George's cross or Union Jack on a non-sporting event/royal wedding/etc, that someone is using it to symbolise their politics, not their patriotism. It's not people's fault for identifying the connection, the issue is that now it's been hijacked in this way it's quite difficult to reclaim it. So I think being annoyed about 'political correctness' is directing your ire in the wrong direction.

It is unfortunate this has happened, but as has been pointed out, it's not like the UK is the only country where flag flying is often associated with a far right politics outlook. There are countries I've been in where I don't make assumptions about the flag being displayed, but sadly the U.K. Is one where there are often reasons to be cautious.

Another vote for the pirate flag!