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I notice that English members are accorded the British Union Jack flag but Scottish members use the Scottish flag on their profiles. Surely this is irrational.

To my way of thinking either the English members should use the English flag ( just as Scottish members use the Scottish flag) or all British members should have the British Union Jack accorded to them.

It all depends on the individual, in addition the English flag (St george's cross) has been hijacked lately by far right nationalist parties and also our beloved football hooligans. The pictures of drunken fighting yobs swathed in this flag does tend to make people a bit wary.



What judgements do Americans make when they see a "rebel" flag flown as opposed to the Stars and Stripes?



Personally I consider myself English, then British but I have no particular worries about using the Union Jack

Thanks for the info Bothwell - I hadn't realized that the British flag had been 'hijacked' by undesirable elements of society. But would that not tend to encourage English people to identify with the St George flag rather than the Union Jack?

Americans are a nation of flag flyers as I'm sure you know and we are very proud of the Star and Stripes. The flag is flown widely from private homes in addition to public buildings on many different occasions.

Confederate flags are still widely seen across the 'rebel' states of the South but there is no acrimony attached to that. They are often accompanied by the national Stars and Stripes.

Even today though when I visit states like Georgia or the Carolinas my northern Yankee accent is easily picked up!

On re-reading #2 I see that it is the English flag which is being mistreated and not the British flag. What a pity. Every citizen should be able to be proud of their country's flag. Mistreatment of our national flag is quite a serious matter here although I've never witnessed an instance of it. It's virtually unthinkable to do something like that. Is the law as strict in England?

No you can do what you like basically. The hooligan element at the soccer game never ever disrespect the flag in fact quite the opposite they worship them, woe betide any opposing fan that thinks stealing one or mistreating it would be a laugh, in some cases such a fan would not escape with anything less than a severe beating.

The reason I asked about the rebel flag is that I have heard from SOME Americans that when they see it they will make a judgement about the person flying it.

Bothwell wrote:



The reason I asked about the rebel flag is that I have heard from SOME Americans that when they see it they will make a judgement about the person flying it.yes, Bothwell heard that from me.... i do consider the rebel flag an affront and "code" for the KKK or bigotry in general. i do judge people who have it plastered all over their muddy pickup trucks. can't help myself, and my opinion is usually borne out when i stop them for swilling beer as they drive.

I used to have a St Georges cross flag, but for some reason it was changed to the Union Jack, dunno why.

this is my tattoo, can't change it now!!

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I've got two 'union jack' t-shirts that are soooooooooo COOL!!

Actually it's only the union 'JACK' when it's flown on the mast of a ship. Other than that, it's the union flag.

Wales red dragon is pretty distinctive as well. Cornwalls flag is interesting. Black with white X, it kind of reminds me of the 'jolly roger'. But with Penzance being down there, it's no wonder!

The union flag is exactly that. It's the combined flags of England, Scotland and Ireland. Sts George and Andrew, and the Irish red X. Not sure if thats for Patrick or not. The version that flew over the colonies, was missing the Irish bit. Wales was already a part of England at the time of James I, who was already King of Scotland when he inherited the English throne. He's the one who adopted the union flag. It's been flying over the United Kingdom ever since. Not to mention alot of other places that Britain has gone. (america, to name one. :yh_bigsmi )

The English flag, St. Georges cross, was adopted by Edward I (longshanks), as he proclaimed George as the patron saint of England. St. David is the patron saint of Wales, and Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland.

i agree with bothwell about the hi-jacking of the flag but then at the same time i have to say that its fills me with such a unified spirit when good old england play football at their worst and we all fly the flags with such hope!!

its a wonderful sight walking down a road and seeing a flag hanging out of nearly every other house, its one of the only times everyone comes together

it even sends shivers down my spine

do i have a flag? im guessing not...... how do i get one?

ure right were not that bad at footy and the english spirit when were out playing is quite phenominal, something ive not seen any other country with

but then when it comes to the crunch we always seem to crumble..... i do love our guys though

nothing like a good england footy game with all ure friends round, food drink and a warm sunny day

have some really good memories of things like that

Winning the world cup!!!!

It would be great but I think not, managing only 2 goals against Azerjblahblah, rubbish.

Now on to a proper game where we are world champions (bit dogy lately though) Rugby, far better game, at least when they have set to it's not handbags at ten paces a la Bowyer and Dyer.

invented coz someone cheated..... tell me more

never knew that

not sure about rugby myself..... though i think the rugby shirt is nicer than the footy one!!!

as ive got older (not that im ancient or anything!) rugbys kinda grown on me, when i was 13 and my brothers were watching it i couldnt stand it!

thats what a lot of people say about it, they cant get into it coz its so stop/start

advantage of that though is you can nip out to make tea or get a snack!!

that too!!

im not a brilliant sports person but one other thing ive never quite got is how motor racing can be on a channel that has to interrupt it for adverts!! what if something really important happens while your on adverts??

kinda lost the flags thread here a bit!

Not sure that rugby is any more stop start than football.

What really ticks me off about fotball is that the merest hint of physical contact requires the"victim" to roll around in agony until the stretcher arrives and he is escorted from the pitch, he then springs lazarus like off the stretcher and back on.

Most rugby players will stay on until told to come off by the medics or the trainer, they will routinely be stitched up and straight back on.

you sound just like me!!!

sorry i missed you my laptop battery died

golf, yep the further you hit it the more you have to walk, and is it really a sport? you spend most the time walking around a field talking!!!

tho i guess you walk a long way!! tis more like a marathon!

agree with you boswell about the footy players rolling about on the floor! is so annoying all that flase diving etc, they should just get on with it and play a good game, they get paid enough!