Why does St. George’s flag cause concern and Union Jack doesn’t?
Posted by aj_speaks@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 31 comments
People putting up St. George Flag along the streets kind of worries me, even if they are doing it for the right reason. I feel the flag has been misappropriated by right wingers and brings fear and worry for anyone not English.
Then today I read an article:
Why I am putting up union jacks on my high street https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2vl2nrn9zo
Union jack doesn’t invoke the same feelings. I even feel I can get onboard with this.
What are people’s thoughts?
Fun_Gas_7777@reddit
Union flag (the jack is only at sea) feels more inclusive as it is about unity, and the united kingdom with 4 countries represented. St George's flag focuses on England
Curiousinsomeways@reddit
Wales isn't on it.
Glittering-Water495@reddit
The far right are absolutely misusing it.
Saint George was a brown Roman soldier from Palestine. Everything they think they're against.
Amusing really, racists are never the most intelligent people
Ok_Cash5608@reddit
I fly a St.George flag as I’m proud of the country and our sports teams
Phil1889Blades@reddit
What are your views on immigration?
Ok_Cash5608@reddit
I think controlled immigration is great
aj_speaks@reddit (OP)
Welcoming people who bring value, skills and general love for all is great. Similarly welcoming people escaping genuine persecution from their home countries in conflict is good.
Open doors or lenient policy is absolutely not good.
Phil1889Blades@reddit
Or practical. What do you think the current situation is?
aj_speaks@reddit (OP)
I take my news from left wing and right wing media.
As I mentioned if it’s too lenient we need to reign the numbers in but it can be done without waving a flag in everyone’s face.
Phil1889Blades@reddit
Reign numbers in of all immigrants or just those travelling by small boats?
aj_speaks@reddit (OP)
Small boat crossings are a terrible thing for those poor souls who are just looking for a better life. And a terrible thing for us. We need to dismantle the system in place which provides this facility. They have increased sharply since 2018 so clearly a solid machinery of people are in place providing this facility. We absolutely need to destroy this machinery, not the people in those boats.
Ok_Cash5608@reddit
I think if we can help others without crippling ourselves then we should
Immorals1@reddit
Because we as British traditionally tut and are much more modest about flag waving and save it for either big events like a sporting event/St George's day etc, or doing it properly, such as on state buildings. The UK government is based in England, so we tend to use the union flag rather than St George's flag as we are representing the whole nation. Quite simply put, we as a nation think flag waving like they do in USA is over the top and a bit embarrassing, nothing to do with national pride, it's just not British.
This has never been an issue, meanwhile twats have been the biggest users of St George's flag, so chances are if you've seen an edl rally etc, football violence there tends to be loads of St George's flags.
Psychological-Ad1264@reddit
That's bullshit about the football violence. You might see it at an England men's game if there is trouble, but what other football matches would you see it at?
Immorals1@reddit
Living in Southampton for 12 years I saw a good amount of football shittery and there's usually been St George's flags involved.
Especially when Portsmouth came to town
Psychological-Ad1264@reddit
That's just utter nonsense. 99.9% of people going to a football match will not have an England flag.
A few away supporters might have a Union Jack or England flag with their team's name on it to put on seats or hang on barriers, but that's it.
Immorals1@reddit
Football violence isn't usually the fans going to watch the match though, it's usually twats using it as an excuse to get together and cause trouble.
I don't like football at all but my local had a load of home fans that always came in before and after the match who I got on well with, and when I worked in a pub in Brentford is ran into loads of nice fans
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aj_speaks@reddit (OP)
Whatever the criteria - surely this is not required!?
WowzersTrousers0@reddit
They both bother tankies - The average Internet Putinbot cannot even tell the difference.
Elongulation420@reddit
It’s all about context.
If the rugby is on then everyone gets it. If it’s someone going on about foreigners and waving the flag then you know damn well what their context is.
Phil1889Blades@reddit
If it’s rugby I just get bedazzled that no one on earth knows the rules.
dpr60@reddit
Because it has an association with tea houses, street parties, village fairs and the Queen.
tekkerslovakia@reddit
In the past the Union Jack had similar connotations to the St George’s Cross today. It was associated with the National Front in the 1970s and the British National Party in the 1980s, whereas the St George’s Cross was associated with football and morris dancing.
Over time that swapped, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it shifts back and forth again over time.
Psychological-Ad1264@reddit
You are absolutely correct about this. The flag gained popularity during Euro 96 as a national symbol that the far right hadn't at that point corrupted.
Minute_Eye3411@reddit
Flag ostentatiousness in not not what English nor British people tend to do outside of specific events or places.
Neither flag should cause more concern than another unless there is no reason to do so, which may be benign (sporting event, pageantry) or malign (sectarianism, racism).
There is nothing wrong with the English flag, the British flag, nor the flags of the constituent nations of the UK in the right contexts. Leave the rah-rah to those countries who aren't confident enough in their own identity without having to wave it about.
ChefPaula81@reddit
Union Jack hasn’t been hijacked the far right (yet)
scrotalsac69@reddit
All about context, they are mostly not doing it for the right reasons.
A further issue is that in a lot of places, they have done such a crap job it just looks shit. All at different heights in lampposts and just attached to random crap. Just looks rubbish
Beartato4772@reddit
It does.
Curiousinsomeways@reddit
The pearl clutchers dislike it too, but have to say otherwise.
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