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I was listening to the Today programme last week and Giles Brandreth was offering his tuppence-worth about the decision to fly the Union jack/flag (apparently it doesn't matter, in the end, which term you use) from major public buildings. He said, and I agree with him, that it is just un-British to wrap oneself up in the flag. Unlike, say, the French or the Americans, whose states were founded on revolution and nationalism, we Brits have no need to show off the flag and it actually makes us uncomfortable becuase of the use of flgas as symbols of jingoism, war and oppression. It is part of the British political culture that we simply do not need to be reminded that we, er, are in Britain. Unlike those uncouth Yanks of course!


Of course, there has long been an element of British society that is racist, jingoistic and oppressive and has wanted to turn the flag into a symbol of white power. I find it odd that now, at the moment in time that British identity is most in crisis, that people have these campaigns to "reclaim the flag". Why?

PGC:


Terminology: "Union Flag" or "Union Jack"?


The issue of whether to use the term "Union Flag" or "Union Jack" is a matter of some debate. One view is that "Union Jack" should only be used for the flag when it is flown as a jack (a small flag flown at the bow of a ship), but it is not universally accepted that the "Jack" of "Union Jack" is a reference to such a jack flag and is only an educated guess. The Flag Institute, the vexillological organisation for the United Kingdom, stated that the term Union Flag is a "relatively recent idea". It also noted that "From early in its life the Admiralty itself frequently referred to the flag as the Union Jack, whatever its use, and in 1902 an Admiralty Circular announced that Their Lordships had decided that either name could be used officially. Such use was given Parliamentary approval in 1908 when it was stated that "the Union Jack should be regarded as the National flag".


ETA: got this from Wikipedia, so I leave it up to you decide on its veracity, and in a wider context, your position in this argument.


My own view is that it is perfectly acceptable to call it the Union Jack.

Jah Lush, indeed. And the flag could also be hung from poles over the front door of any home with frost glass pannels and plantation shutters! Certainly CitizenEd a multifunctional flag would seem to be the perfect plan.


I love the idea of organic fabric - but I fear that hemp may not flutter so well in the breeze, perhaps organic cotton?


I feel really strongly that we need a symbol to unite behind. Has anyone got any more suggestions for images that may be on our ?baby blue organic ?cotton Dulwich flaglet?

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