| Just went past a community centre… 17:52 - Sep 7 with 6875 views | Chris_ITFC |
… with Union Jack bunting up. Hard to know whether to smile at a friendly, welcoming venue or frown at a place run by a bunch of massive racists these days.
Could conceivably be either, with very little alternative in between.
Very confusing for my little brain to process.
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| Just went past a community centre… on 17:59 - Sep 7 with 3791 views | FromReuserWithLove |
depends what colour your skin is i guess. |  | | |
| Just went past a community centre… on 18:02 - Sep 7 with 3794 views | DJR |
George Orwell once wrote.
"In England all the boasting and flag-wagging, the ‘Rule Britannia’ stuff, is done by small minorities. The patriotism of the common people is not vocal or even conscious." |  | | |
| Just went past a community centre… on 18:08 - Sep 7 with 3735 views | Churchman |
Well, I was having a look at the Rathaus in Marienplatz Munich on Thursday. Outside it was a few streamer banners. One with the German colours, one for Bavaria, a flag of Israel and one for Ukraine. Nobody was weeping, screaming or protesting or saying ‘where’s the this one or that’.
In fact people were just eating, drinking, hanging out, doing the tours or watching an odd little man with leather trousers and a silly hat playing an accordion very badly.
Very confusing for my little brain to process, so flags and stuff are best ignored apart from at sporting occasions as far as I’m concerned. Always felt that way. My national identity is what it is and I don’t feel the need to show it. [Post edited 7 Sep 18:09]
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| Just went past a community centre… on 18:33 - Sep 7 with 3594 views | bluejacko |
Blimey if you are going to be triggered by national flags for gods sake don’t come to NI you might well have a heart attack! |  | | |
| Just went past a community centre… on 18:43 - Sep 7 with 3541 views | Ftnfwest |
| Just went past a community centre… on 18:33 - Sep 7 by bluejacko |
Blimey if you are going to be triggered by national flags for gods sake don’t come to NI you might well have a heart attack! |
Doesn't count. NI, Wales and Scotland are just all proudly nationalistic. We're just Nazis. |  | | |
| Just went past a community centre… on 18:47 - Sep 7 with 3516 views | gtsb1966 |
Tell me why a Union Jack means someone is a massive racist. |  | | |
| Just went past a community centre… on 18:50 - Sep 7 with 3490 views | Illinoisblue |
Very different here in the U.S. where from an early age people are taught to proudly love their country and where flying the Stars and Stripes is seen as a normal thing to do. |  |
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| Just went past a community centre… on 19:09 - Sep 7 with 3352 views | Swansea_Blue |
| Just went past a community centre… on 18:50 - Sep 7 by Illinoisblue |
Very different here in the U.S. where from an early age people are taught to proudly love their country and where flying the Stars and Stripes is seen as a normal thing to do. |
Although it’s certainly abused nonetheless.
When we were over there, our kid’s elementary had a flag raising every morning and lowering at the end of the school day. They were taught how to treat the flag, how to unpack it and attach it and then how to fold it at the end of the day. The kids were all on a rotor, so everyone got involved. As you say, they were taught that loving your country (what the flag stood for) was normal. It’s surprising how many people then go on to forget those lessons. |  |
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| Just went past a community centre… on 19:22 - Sep 7 with 3298 views | Guthrum |
| Just went past a community centre… on 18:47 - Sep 7 by gtsb1966 |
Tell me why a Union Jack means someone is a massive racist. |
Problem is, the racists mostly don't use distinctive flags any more. They've stolen ours to brandish in their activities. Which, sadly, casts doubt upon those displaying it honestly. |  |
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| Just went past a community centre… on 19:22 - Sep 7 with 3286 views | FromReuserWithLove |
| Just went past a community centre… on 18:47 - Sep 7 by gtsb1966 |
Tell me why a Union Jack means someone is a massive racist. |
The problem is that massive racists have laid claim to the Union flag. The best thing to happen would be for good people to embrace it and claim it back. Would be magic if the London pride march was full of flags etc. | | | |
| Just went past a community centre… on 19:50 - Sep 7 with 3151 views | Dubtractor |
| Just went past a community centre… on 18:50 - Sep 7 by Illinoisblue |
Very different here in the U.S. where from an early age people are taught to proudly love their country and where flying the Stars and Stripes is seen as a normal thing to do. |
How is that panning out?
Fwiw, I think it is genuinely sad that the first thought of many when seeing a flag here is 'are they racist', even if i understand why. We really do need to reclaim the George cross in particular. |  |
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| Just went past a community centre… on 20:22 - Sep 7 with 3022 views | ReusersTown |
| Just went past a community centre… on 18:50 - Sep 7 by Illinoisblue |
Very different here in the U.S. where from an early age people are taught to proudly love their country and where flying the Stars and Stripes is seen as a normal thing to do. |
Which is one obsession I find very fecking weird. | | | |
| Just went past a community centre… on 20:59 - Sep 7 with 2881 views | gtsb1966 |
| Just went past a community centre… on 19:22 - Sep 7 by FromReuserWithLove |
The problem is that massive racists have laid claim to the Union flag. The best thing to happen would be for good people to embrace it and claim it back. Would be magic if the London pride march was full of flags etc. |
It is. It's full of rainbow flags. | | | |
| Just went past a community centre… on 21:35 - Sep 7 with 2790 views | blueasfook |
| Just went past a community centre… on 18:43 - Sep 7 by Ftnfwest |
Doesn't count. NI, Wales and Scotland are just all proudly nationalistic. We're just Nazis. |
Wait. Isn't nationalism bad? Oh im confused. |  |
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| Just went past a community centre… on 22:50 - Sep 7 with 2639 views | Ftnfwest |
| Just went past a community centre… on 21:35 - Sep 7 by blueasfook |
Wait. Isn't nationalism bad? Oh im confused. |
Probably I don't know. Raving fascist me | | | |
| Just went past a community centre… on 22:52 - Sep 7 with 2627 views | Plums |
I understand your confusion. I drove through part of Derbyshire today. Quite a few flags, clearly put up by the same person or people as they were largely the same flags cable tied at the same height on the lamp posts.
There was definitely much distress in the town though as all but one of the Union flags was upside down - the mark of a true patriot.
I'm extremely confused by the need to write 'England' on the Cross of St George. Can anybody explain it? |  |
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| Just went past a community centre… on 06:56 - Sep 8 with 2458 views | textbackup |
How very ridiculous |  |
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| Just went past a community centre… on 07:48 - Sep 8 with 2302 views | Chris_ITFC |
| Just went past a community centre… on 19:22 - Sep 7 by Guthrum |
Problem is, the racists mostly don't use distinctive flags any more. They've stolen ours to brandish in their activities. Which, sadly, casts doubt upon those displaying it honestly. |
This.
Can only assume the downvoters didn’t under the OP. | |
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| Just went past a community centre… on 07:54 - Sep 8 with 2271 views | Mullet |
| Just went past a community centre… on 18:47 - Sep 7 by gtsb1966 |
Tell me why a Union Jack means someone is a massive racist. |
In fairness he wasn’t on a boat so not sure that’s relevant |  |
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| Just went past a community centre… on 07:56 - Sep 8 with 2266 views | Mullet |
| Just went past a community centre… on 19:50 - Sep 7 by Dubtractor |
How is that panning out?
Fwiw, I think it is genuinely sad that the first thought of many when seeing a flag here is 'are they racist', even if i understand why. We really do need to reclaim the George cross in particular. |
Been saying it for years. I thought Euro 96 might have done that, but I was only a kid. | |
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| Just went past a community centre… on 07:57 - Sep 8 with 2264 views | Pinewoodblue |
If you genuinely believe Union Jack bunting at a Community Centre must be racist then you are part of the problem. |  |
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| Just went past a community centre… on 08:00 - Sep 8 with 2240 views | noggin |
| Just went past a community centre… on 18:33 - Sep 7 by bluejacko |
Blimey if you are going to be triggered by national flags for gods sake don’t come to NI you might well have a heart attack! |
Yeah because there's no hatred of other communities over there, is there? |  |
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| Just went past a community centre… on 08:01 - Sep 8 with 2232 views | Mullet |
| Just went past a community centre… on 07:57 - Sep 8 by Pinewoodblue |
If you genuinely believe Union Jack bunting at a Community Centre must be racist then you are part of the problem. |
Aren’t we all part of that problem though? As Guffers puts it quite well in this thread, we’ve allowed the neo Nazis of the past few generations to steal it from us. Now the suspicion and association runs deep. | |
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| Just went past a community centre… on 08:26 - Sep 8 with 2116 views | Pinewoodblue |
| Just went past a community centre… on 08:01 - Sep 8 by Mullet |
Aren’t we all part of that problem though? As Guffers puts it quite well in this thread, we’ve allowed the neo Nazis of the past few generations to steal it from us. Now the suspicion and association runs deep. |
Yes in as much as we all make assumptions based on our prejudices.
Prejudices we may not even be aware of. | |
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| Just went past a community centre… on 08:35 - Sep 8 with 2070 views | DJR |
| Just went past a community centre… on 07:56 - Sep 8 by Mullet |
Been saying it for years. I thought Euro 96 might have done that, but I was only a kid. |
One thing I think has changed is that the use of England flags in connection with the England football team no longer has the same racist tones that it had forty odd years ago.
I am not an England fan but living in London I went to quite a few England games at Wembley after work back in the 80s.
That was at the height of football hooliganism and to attend an England game in those days was in my view like attending a National Front rally. [Post edited 8 Sep 8:39]
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