It's offensive for some reason

From the Sun:

FIREMEN have been banned from flying England’s flag at their station during the World Cup.

Stunned crews were told the Cross of St George could offend ethnic minorities.

If anyone can work out why the national flag might be offensive to ethnic minorities please email me. If anyone can work out why banning the flag might be offensive to, oh I don't know, a whole nation please mail the London Fire Brigade.

Lance Dragon, over on the COSG forums, makes this observation:

These kinds of twats who ban the English flag are making a statement - if you belong to an ethnic minority there is no way you can ever consider yourself to be English even if you want to be.

They are certainly sending out that kind of message, or at least they are in danger of having it interpreted that way.

Scott get's on the case:

Can you think of any other nation in the entire world in which a display of the national flag would be prohibited for fear of causing offence? Is there any society as craven as this one? I am, for once, rendered almost speechless.

No Scott, I don't think that I can. Frankly it's an offensive position to want to prevent the flying of the national flag.

From the comments at Scott's place:

The problem is that the St George's Cross flag was hijacked by hooligan football supporters some years ago and respectable people began to shun it.

Yes, right, and that's the reason why they want to stop it flying. So it won't offend the moderate football supporter.........

Posted by John at May 5, 2006 12:45 PM | TrackBack