Cross of St. George

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Wed, 2002-06-12 23:24

Cross of St. George

What's the level of nationalistic pride evident in your neighbourhood? Where I live, Rickmansworth, about every 6th or 7th house has a huge flag draped out the top window (as I do myself) and little window flags are to be seen on loads and loads of cars.

But in Ruislip, where we used to live, and is only down the road, you'd find it hard to find a house without a St. George Cross hanging outside, and practically every single car has a flag.

I personally have a little flag on the aerial, a window flag and a huge 6X4 laid across the parcel shelf. This is, in fact, a good touch, because with the sun-roof open it billows upwards creating quite an effect, or so I've told.

As explained, this is not unusual for where I live. But driving home from Reading today, a 37-mile drive I enjoy twice a day, it suddenly hit me that there was a severe lack of St. George Crosses. In fact, there weren't any. I was amazed and started looking out for them.

It was a whole 1.7 miles of urban driving before I spotted my first flag hanging out of an upstairs window. A further 3.2 miles and I noticed a window flag on a car. 3.2 MILES! I couldn't believe it. And it was to be another two and a half miles before I saw another flag.

What on earth is going on with Reading, man?

Are some areas of the country just not caught up in World Cup fever? What about your area?

Sat, 2002-06-15 14:42

Emily

It's when the likes to the BNP use the flag that it becomes racist, but that doesn't mean it's not nationalistic to use it for football and, in my opinion, too much support for your own country leads to the idea that it's better than other countries. If that gets out of hand, surely it can lead to racism and xenophobia?

Thu, 2002-06-13 09:40

ely whitley

There's only one flag in my street and it's not my house I'm afraid as my house is in constant turmoil being rebuild/decorated/prepared for sale. saying that. There's not a lot of evidence of flags generally here in my bit of surrey (Byfleet, next to weybridge/walton on thames/ woking etc) which is a shame because on the roads there are a lot of flags on cars and it makes me feel just grand

Thu, 2002-06-13 09:41

markbrown

Does anyone remember seeing people fly St Georges Cross flags before about 1996? I don't. Generally, the more working class an area, the more red and white flags...

Thu, 2002-06-13 10:08

Karl Wiggins

The joy about the Cross of St. George is that it has in recent times been adopted to represent England, especially in footballing terms, thus taking the power away from people who support the BNP, who would otherwise seek to use it as a symbol. They'll find another symbol, no doubt, but they can no longer the St. George Cross.

Thu, 2002-06-13 10:09

Ari

Loads of flags round here - mostly England flags, a few Union Jacks, and one Brazilian flag. My dad had a Cross of St George on his car, but apparently it got blown away in the night. heh. My bus-stop is festooned with little english flags, and looks almost as festive as it does at Christmas, when somebody drapes it with old tinsel and broken fairy lights.

Sat, 2002-06-15 15:36

iceman

The Jam used to play with a back drop of a union flag at some of the early gigs. I think it was a reaction against the nihilist chaos of other new wave bands. They wore suits and after a while got tagged as a mod band. I used to have a union flag pinned up on my wall above my bed. And my Gran used to put out the union flag when we visted her. iceman

Thu, 2002-06-13 11:46

tony_dee

Plenty of flags in Beckenham. I haven't got one, but was madly cheering each car/van with one after the Argentina game. What a great tournament, as previously posted, I think it's going to be the best ever. ENGERLAND!

Thu, 2002-06-13 11:46

tony_dee

Thu, 2002-06-13 11:48

#10

Ari

Tony, don't you mean INGERLUND?

Thu, 2002-06-13 11:51

#11

Andrea

No flags in MY street...

Thu, 2002-06-13 12:28

#12

Lordhimm

I used to live in Reading, 22% of the poplualtion do not regards them selves as English or British, try going there when Paskistan are playing cricket and count the number of flag you will see then. now I am in Dorset and things a slightly different. there are loads of St. Georges' crosses flying here. during the Jubilee shops in Christchurch wanted to fly the Union Flag and had to pay a fee to he local authority to do so. perhaps that might begin to explain why we don't see as many flag flying here as in say the USA where almost every other home flies the Stars and Stripes on a daily basis.

Thu, 2002-06-13 12:48

#13

tony_dee

Ari - like it. INGERLUND!

Thu, 2002-06-13 15:32

#14

gabrielle

There a large number of Irish flags around here... (Lewisham) mainly on cars (and white vans) Not many in houses. The ingerlund ones are on cars and vans as well but not many in houses.

Thu, 2002-06-13 18:00

#15

mississippi

My mum named me after St.George! Well she said, 'If it's good enough for 6 kings of England and a saint it must be good enough for my dear sweet baby'! I was gobsmacked!

Thu, 2002-06-13 18:06

#16

Andrea

At the time, George? You such a saint an' all....

Thu, 2002-06-13 18:10

#17

mississippi

Yes I know, what foresight my mother possessed.

Thu, 2002-06-13 18:46

#18

Emily

There seem to be quite a few flags around Exeter. One neighbourhood near me was almost unrecognisable underneath them. They had those yucky jubilee ones with the queen's face on as well. I'm not really watching the football (too busy) but I do like the sense of solidarity it brings. Everyone seems to be having so much fun, but I don't see why we have to get so patriotic. I know that it's fun because we're supporting our team, but... ugh, I just can't stand the sight of all these flags. I'm not sure why, does anybody else get that?

Thu, 2002-06-13 22:01

#19

Ari

They're a damned public nuisance - one blew off a house down the road today and landed on a little skating child. Actually, it was quite funny.

Wed, 2002-06-12 23:42

#20

iceman

My road has several houses with St George's flags flying, one is even on a flagpole made from an old tree. Quite a few cars and a lot of taxis are sporting pennants. iceman

Thu, 2002-06-13 00:05

#21

Karl Wiggins

You can't possibly live in Reading then, Iceman.

Fri, 2002-06-14 10:30

#22

ely whitley

Oh, ari, your anger doesn't last long does it? I know there has been talk that shoeing the St. George flag is deemed racist in some way but I don't agree. This is in a supportive role of a team which is, by definition, not British but English. I'd rather it was a British team but there we are. It's when the likes of the BNP use it that it becomes a nasty image, they should use the swastika (once a sign of peace now destroyed forever by the nazis) but they probably have trouble with all those lines!

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