h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Has anyone put up a St. George' Flag today?
If so, has there been any form of comment from others?
If not, is there a reason why not?

I purchased an Old English Full-head claret-red rose today, which I am wearing with pride, and am getting a mixed response.
I am also sporting a pair of St. George Cufflinks, and have a St. George flag on my desk.
I have variously been called
a Nutter
an eccentric
A labour supporter
a typical Englishman

Only two people have said what a good idea, and where did I get it/them from.

Should an Englishman defend his right, in the way an American, or Breton, or Cornishman, to fly his flag as a patriot and with pride, without feeling awkward.

I'd appreciate any feedback.

Thanks.

Have you read F19585?thread=411790 ?

Yes I did, Ictoan which is why, as a Patriotic Englishman, I wanted to take the St. George's Thread further, without hijacking someone elses thread. My prime concern is that there is a form of apathy, as well as a touch of fear, in accepting the English flag, and being proud to fly it. In London, our Dear Mayor, Red Ken, has allocated ....wait for it....£100,000 for London to celebrate St. George's day
http://www.visitlondon.com
Meanwhile the Festival of Vaisakhi (the holiest day for Sikhs) is being celebrated in Trafalgar Square on Sunday.....being supported by...you've guessed it...Red Ken...
Isn't he generous to us long-suffering Londoners.
So I just want to have the facility to be English and proud.....

Not sure what being a patriotic english has to do with not highjacking things belonging to other people, But i get what you mean!

I still think there is a lot to do with the English being conned into believing that England = Britain. And, as I said in the other thread, a lot of the patriotism to do with national days in other countries centres around their independance from someone else (usually GB!). Don;t want to be accused of spamming as my thoughts may be seen on the other thread. But i think that the English identity has been squashed for an awful long time.
As for wearing flags and so forth, well, I'm afraid i'm one of those who doesn;t feel the need to go round shouting about their personal allegiances and so forth. And if others assume that means I am not patriotic or whatever then that is their assumption, and not a statement of the truth.

I can understand that. What I have a bit of a problem with is most other nationalities have their flag flying in their cars, or wear a symbol of their nationality on their person. If I fly the Union Flag or St. George's Flag, then I am deemed a racist, and a member of the National Front. Is that right? Why can one nationality be right and another wrong?
If a London Council want to fly the Union Flag they also have to fly the European Union Flag as well. Is this correct?

Very true. Indeed, as pointed out on one of the other threads hanging around somewhere, you cannot be stopped from flying the Union Flag. This was stated in Parliament quite a while back I believe. Unfortunately no-one yet seems to have raised a similar issue in the houses for the cross of St. George.

Wouldn't fly a flag because I'm not proud (or ashamed) of an accident of birth. I've no objection to your reclaiming the Union and St. George's flags from the far-right and football hooligan thugs who seem to think they own them.

I am ashamed to admit that I did not fly a flag or wear a rose, but that does not mean I am unpatriotic. I am proud to be English and resent haveing a goverment(it doesn't seem to matter what party)who are Hell bent on selling us out to Europe.

Gets of soap box

Just digging back through to see what happened whilst I was away over the weekend...

On Friday, as I was travelling to the airport, I stopped of at Waterloo to get myself a rose. I went to the florsist stall asked for a red rose, and was immediately served with a ready-made lapel rose, pinned to my jacket, no questions asked.

This is something I do, or try to do, every year...this year I am pleased to report that the process was error-free, and didn't even raise an eyebrow, which reassures me that in London, at least, it is considered a commonplace for people to buy a rose on St. George's Day.

RF

Sounds like there's hope for the old dog yet.

I think this is linked to old and new countries. It's really very rare for the French to fly their flag, although there has recently been a process of reclaiming it and the Marseillaise from the far right.

Belgians fly their flag for royal births etc in surprising numbers, but then their country is under some threat from being torn apart by Flemish nationalists...

Then in the US, in some places you see a flag on every porch...

sprout - European first, English second.

Then in the US, in some places you see a flag on every porch...>>

My favorite are the oversized pickup trucks that fly two huge ones on each side of the cab, like they're an escort to some white-trash royalty or something :P.

On the other hand, being American and about to expatriate, I'll likely have to keep myself from getting all emotional with gratitude on UK holidays and going overboard.

We have Fathers day Mothers day Granmars day No smoking day etc. etc.
So whats all the Hoo Har over haveing a bit patriotism and celebrating a flag day for our Mother Country??


FED UP WITH ALL THE DOUBTING THOMASES
SUPERGRANDAD

As I originally posited, I believe there is a natural reserve for the English to show their support for their Country. After proscribing anything indicating Scottishness to a Scot, until recently, and the same with the Welsh. These Nations have a very fierce (and I mean that in a non-aggressive sense) Patriotic passion, whereas we appear scared of declaring our Nationality. Unfortunately few have indicated here showing their patriotic colours on St.Georges Day.....

I did, I put a flag on top of my bedroom

BlackberryCat - I take it you are one of those that views the flying of the St Georges flag as a symbol of violent racist behaviour? I can assure you that I am not racist, but infact view others that complain about the St Georges flag to be.

I'm not at all patriotic, don't think flying the flag is necessarily racist. Just seems that the English are trying too hard - it comes naturally to the Scots and Welsh to get misty eyed over their homeland, but not us.

Just one point - I HAVE celebrated St George's Day once....when I happened to be in Greece on 23/4 - he's their patron saint too!

Is it a different St George though? Probably not, but it might be. I heard there were a few

An Egyptian St George
A Greek St George
A Coventry born St George
The list just goes on

The reason I'll fly the flag now and make a point is because we are seemingly frowned upon for doing so, when other nations representatives in this country are free to do as they will It doesn't make sense and stinks of wrongness, so I fly the flag and wish everyone a hapy day now

Think it's the same chap - armour, horse, lance, dragon.....

Sure that I read somewhere that St George was actually Turkish.....

I thought he was Palestinian. The crusaders "adopted" him and brought his story back to England (hence that business with the red cross on their tunics).

RF

Do you think he would he turned away at immigration as an asylum seeker these days?