yonk

You weren't here during Euro 2006 then? Thousands of extra gallons of petrol were used up by cars with little flags, houses draped in flags, etc, etc.....fortuanately, I only saw all this when I was on holiday then and won't be in England during the World Cup, when I expect it will be repeated.

daft batty

not here (england) either

OK, here goes for my 2d worth. The english flag has been hijacked by racists but it is being reclaimed by ordinary people who want to express their englishness. There are several festivals and fairs on for St Georges day, one brewery celebrates it with flags and red roses.

I like the idea i can have a flag separate to the union flag in the same way the scots, welsh. channel islanders, manx can. - i would also like an english parliament in the same way the scots have a scottish one but thats a whole new argument!

But: i dont think its polite to fly the flag of your coutnry of origin when you move to a new one, nor to have england stickers on your car, you may be proud of being english but it can manifest itself in being a good ambassador.

Hudman

I cant see that you should find anything I say personally offensive, all the things you are saying about your feelings about England are in your head so DONT project them on to me. If you are embarrassed about Britain thats your business.
If your identity or perception of England today is so wrapped up in a bit of cloth with colours on it then you Sir are looking the Arse.
My response to another poster questioning why he left was because of his obvious patriotic feelings and personal crusade to reclaim the Flag, which is not very well served in some province in Canada.
I have never been in a discussion where everyone disagreeing with me provides links, pictures etc that basically reinforce my only contention throughout about the FLAG, having been hijacked, not being an Englishman.
Why did your patch contain the words "Not Racist" unless there was some perception by some that it may be?
I also find it offensive that people like you pose and gesture hiding behind a flag, I have no English blood as I've said, but if you consider spending 2-3 years of my life unavoidably getting in skirmishes with right wing skins at practically every music venue in London and beyond, going on marches across London to try and stop these thugs, and trying to stop them promoting their "unpatriotic" views as I saw them, in places like Brick Lane under the Flag of St George, which at the time WAS NOT in popular usage.
Maybe I am patriotic whatever that means.

Bleech

Hang on, I'm not embarrassed about Britain or England, not sure where you got that from? I'm very proud of it. I'm sick to the teeth of being told that I should be embarrassed though.
The only link I need to provide you is this one, I took offence at the way you told someone that if they were that proud why did they leave. That's my disagreement with you.
The reason I showed the patch is to show people like you who grossly generalise that anyone showing a St Georges flag must be a racist, anyone with a skinhead must belong to the NF or BNP etc etc. I've got an England football shirt, does that make me a racist? It has a St Georges Cross on the shoulder, does that mean I'm a member of the NF or BNP?? No, of course it doesn't, just proud to be English, sporting the English Flag.
Now I'd never put a UnionJack or St Georges Cross up over here in Canada. I wouldn't of done that in England either. I prefer club football to country football anyway. But club Vs country isnt really a discussion for an Expats site
The last worldcup and the jubilee helped somewhat in getting people to be a bit more patriotic. It'll happen again in the summer, but only when the football's going well

Grah

I hope you dropped all your culture roots off as you crossed the border and adopted every single Canadian custom. Oh I'm sorry Canada is a multicultral society that is built on different nationalities living together or is that excluding the English?

A flag that's been around 1,000 years doesn't suddenlly belong to a dumb political party. English flag - British National Party make their minds up or what? As for Union flag tacky ask an IRA supporter if they find the union flag tacky.

Also go tell all those liviing in Quebec they are Canadians not french Canadians and see how they respond.

so much for cultral tolerance in your neck of the woods.

I could ask if you have no English blood in you and feel so persecuted why are you still there? but it doesn't matter, does it your living your life.


You seem to be missing my point complete,
YES all national flags and symbols have baggage, but to ban it and stop it's legitimate use is to act in the exact same way as you say the fanatics act.

You want to fight the BNP then don't give then ways to prove that the ordinary Englishman is being forced to change by intolerant newcomers. Pick up the symbol and use it to to promote new multicultural England.

On a side note - what symbol flag would suit you as a national symbol of England?

ikennedy

on the issue of flying the flag, and it being used by certain groups, we recently saw a car, driven by a black fella, with England stickers and the st george's flag on it. Does that mean that person is a member of the bnp or a rascist

There are many houses in canada with flags of different countries, flying just below the canadian one, I don't see why that is a problem, even americans fly their flags in canada. We have seen portuguese, italian, scandinavian, west indian flags around in canada.

what seems to be the problem here?

dbd33

I guess not. I didn't know there was one. The last Euro thingy with balls I noticed was when Greece won. I was in Greektown with Americans marvelling that the streets could be full of excited people celebrating an event so far away and so alien to Canada.

Grah

So are you saying you find all those people in England that have other nationalities stickers are being impolite and really shouldn't display their origin.

Could come overas a racist statement ot some but I understand what your trying to say.

JAJ

I believe the ordinary citizens of the Republic of Ireland are only now beginning to reclaim their own flag from the terrorists and murderers of the IRA and their ilk.


Not every Canadian in Quebec is French-Canadian, and many French-Canadians are strongly federalist. There are also French-Canadians in other provinces of Canada.




The fact that a particular flag has been hijacked by a fringe group - be it the BNP for the English flag or Union Flag, the Irish flag by the IRA, or whatever, is irrelevant.

When a particular flag gets used by an *official* regime that becomes involved in murder and genocide, then a new flag is a way for a nation to make a "new start" - the adoption of the current German flag in 1949 being a case in point.

However to suggest that a national flag should be changed simply because it has been misappropriated by an extremist group is to give these groups influence that they do not deserve.

Both the Union Flag and St George Flag have increased in official usage over the last 10-15 years. It's a positive development and one that should be encouraged.

dbd33

I'm not aware of any specifically Canadian customs, I have tapped a tree for syrup, is that what you mean ?


That flag has not been in common used by anyone but far right political parties for decades until very recently, there isn't a recent historical precedent for flying it.

I don't have one to hand, what do you think he or she would say ?

How is this relevant ?

I can't make head nor tail of this but I'm sitting in one of the more cultural tolerant cities of the world.

I'm not saying ban anything, I just think you should be embarassed to own such a flag.

I don't need a symbol of England but if you want one pick something neutal, don't try to change a symbol in current use to have the meaning you choose. How about a square steering wheel ?

ikennedy

This had me on the floor rolling

Butch Cassidy

Before I go any further let me make a few points here.
I am English, raised as a protestant and at various times (and for various reasons) have voted for all three 'major' political parties and some fringe parties as well.

My point however here is if you are going to say that the residents of the irish republic are reclaiming their version of the tricolour from the IRA (which started as a legitimate political organisation). Dont forget that the residents of the 'Mainland' need to reclaim the Union Flag and the red cross of St George back from the murdering b*st*rds linked to the orange men!!!

ikennedy

more important matters to worry about in the uk, how does a chav get paid this much?

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/showbi...ing%20Standard

dbd33

Thank you. I believe that'd be suitably self-deprecating.

acer rose

Pately Bridge. Yesterday (Easter Sunday). No photo unfortunately.

C of E parish churches are symbolic of many things, but not NF skinheads, in my mind anyway. However, I agree with the general sentiment that in the "old world" flying flags can have different meanings to different people. In England, nationalism is seen as extremist and undesirable whereas in other parts of the UK it is regarded as reclaiming heritage. After living in Belfast for a while, I wouldn't personally fly a flag of any description. Take me for what I am/say/do, not just the region/country/continent of my birth!