The English Flag

First, there was this piece of guff from Joseph Harker:

Is it just me, or is anyone else slightly worried about the number of St George flags flying from road vehicles right now? Of course, these displays of patriotism are to be expected in the build-up to next month's World Cup - which England enters with more confidence than at any time since 1970. This time, though, the flags seem to be on show earlier than ever.

In fact, they started appearing the day after the local elections on May 4. Apart from the Labour meltdown and the Tories getting their first respectable vote for 14 years, the big story of the election was the rise of the British National party, which gained 28 seats, nearly 20 in London alone. Could it be that many of the England flag-wavers are in fact supporters of this racist party, glorying in their "victory" and celebrating their racial pride?

Then, there was this:

Patriotic students have been banned from bringing the St George's flag into college during the World Cup - in case it causes offence.

Teachers are refusing to allow teenagers at Palmer's College in Thurrock to get behind their team and have ordered them to leave their England flags at home.

The decision has caused anger among students with many feeling it's political correctness gone too far.

continued...

Borough youth MP Danny Nicklen, who tried and failed to display a St George's flag on a college noticeboard, said students were frustrated at the ban.

Chairman of the borough's Asian Association, Yash Gupta, is backing Danny.

And finally, this. Labour run Blackpool Council's, decision to ban the flag of St George from taxi's.

The recent flood of flags on cars, in pubs and and in shops has led to an all to familiar response from the PC brigade. But, the language used and the sentiments involved this time, are showing the real motive behind the veneer.

Unfortunately, the Union Flag has been used by far-right groups like the NF, for many years. The left could hide behind the 'it's been hijacked by skinheads argument', when they attacked usage of the flag. There was also the highly dubious claim that it could be associated with the British Empire. Why people, who were not even born when the British Empire was around, would associate the two, is a mystery to me. But, hey that's the thinking of the left for you.

However, the St George's flag hasn't got the same connotations. Yes, it may have been used by some on the far-right, but to nowhere near the same degree. Many provos waved the Irish tricolour during the troubles, but who today sees that flag as the flag of the IRA? When I see a person waving that flag, I see a proud Irishman. When I waved the Ddraig Goch, it did not automatically make me a member or supporter of the 'Sons of Glyndwr'. There is a useful analogy from one of Harker's commenteriat:

Imagine, for one moment, a column in the guardian which explains how, as the cresent moon is a symbol of islam, and alqieda are islamic then every use of the cresent moon is a symbol of support for alqieda. Imagine further that the writer supports this assertion by asserting that those displaying are brown skinned fat and wearing ugly clothes. That he could not help but wonder when he saw the crowd watching pakistan play england at cricket about how many are secretly terrorists. I hope that the guardian, and all of its readers would dismiss such a column, and its writer as bigoted and racist. Unfortunately mr. Harker can spill his own personal bile and bigotry without censure because his targets are white and working class. Any attempt to counter the rise of racist and fascist politics in britain is condemned to fail in advance if it simply dismisses as irredemially racist anyone who dares to support their national football team.

The question is therefore, 'what is it about the flag of St George, that so offends these lefties'? The answer of course, is that to them, any feelings of national pride are shameful, and they must make us all feel that way. The Daily Express' Chief Political Commentator Patrick O'Flynn, calls it 'internationalist extremism'. I call it treason.