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And why is this being related to rascism? It's not like people are burning the flag of other countries in videos.
Racism masqueraded as patriotism and showing support for the Lionesses beating Spain in the football.
Same with the flags on lamposts, it's all really protesting about the migrant hotels.
If you watch it on the news, look at the protestors - it's always the mouth breathing morons who complain about immigration being too high and that they should be kicked out, but then they'll get taxis, takeaways, use the NHS etc and not even realise their own hypocrisy
I haven't seen much of this in my area but there is a footbridge over a dual carriageway which has the union jack hanging on it. I don't if whoever did it selected that flag on purpose or just did it slightly wrong.
Probably just a little bit less racist?
Flags on lampposts are normal in Northern Ireland.
Usually the ones I find complaining are about illegal immigrants. Not immigrants in general who abide by the law
Usually the ones I find complaining are about illegal immigrants. Not immigrants in general who abide by the law
This is a wild thing to say when I know you're aware of the recent pogrom that happened in Northern Ireland that was targeted at those perceived to be 'illegal immigrants'. Like, do you think these people aren't just tarring all immigrants they don't like as 'illegal immigrants', like what happened in Ballymena?
In Ballymena, a large portion of immigrants were deliberately not targeted. It was mainly due to antisocial behaviour, which just so happened to be coming from a group of foreigners. Things like this happen to antisocial white people all of the time and it doesn't make the news.
And should go without saying, but no, I'm not defending it. It's just that what the media pushes out isn't reality.
"I'm not defending their actions, but their reasons were right" is such a cop out of an answer. Have you not considered that racists are going to hold racial minorities they don't like to a different standard to everyone else, and that maybe the Roma's behaviour wasn't so exceptionally bad? Or are you just going to blindly believe the words of people happy to violently remove racial minorities from their town?
a large portion of immigrants were deliberately not targeted
But it wasn't down the 'illegal/legal' dichotomy you say are these people's primary concern, was it.
antisocial white people all of the time and it doesn’t make the news
No it doesn't, if it did the Reform/DUP lot wouldn't shut about it. Or are you comparing a single person or family being ostracised to an entire racial group being pushed out of a town.
When did I say "their reasons were right". The whole time I've been saying that the media is oversimplifying it. And also that the police should have done something before it descended into violence.
And yes, this does happen. And the DUP do talk about these events.
I have several first hand contacts in Ballymena. They said this was one family. One used to work in a shop and had to ban them as they kept stealing stock. I also know another Romanian who deliberately avoided this other group of Romanians, to the point of crossing the road.
I've learned to trust first hand witnesses over the media. You'd be surprised over how wrong the media can be at times.
Many things that are normal in NI have their roots in sectarianism. Painting the kerb in union Jack or tricolour colours is also normal, but has roots in racism.
If they are complaining about immigration, it's about legal and illegal. People they meet are always the good ones. It's the imaginary ones that love a life of Reilly on a pittance that they hate. Everything is too expensive, even when you work, while simultaneously, migrants like refugees who get basic money to live are the problem.
They're always complaining about those 'nasty immigrants' who are both here to simultaneously steal their jobs whilst claiming all of the benefits going.
The simple translation... racists... they're all racist, xenophobic wankers and this country would actually be better of without them in it rather than those seeking a better life and are willing to work hard to get it.
In reality, Northern Ireland is a lovely place. A lot of our culture may have bad roots but most people are quite relaxed about everything.
Yes, it's great. Parts of the culture that are steeped in racism are not the good parts.
Not causing waves is not the same as being relaxed. I wouldn't complain about the colours in either community for my own safety there. People wanting to move on is purposely ignoring the bad parts to allow healing. The bad parts still need to go, over time.
I think people can learn mutual respect over time without attacking traditions.
Yeah, the racists like to say that, then they refuse to differentiate between the two. Almost like it's not the legality party they were concerned about.
Dunno if I'd like to assume that. I know other immigrants who don't like the boats either.
I think most rational people can think "stop the boats" without being racist
I once tried to explain to an American about how English/British flags are seen over here, and they really couldn't understand what I was talking about.
There's nothing inherently racist about flying a flag and showing a bit of pride, but for as long as I've been alive, I only ever see racists flying flags (outside of World Cup/Coronation etc). After decades of racists flying flags, I can't help but think that you're a racist if you're flying an England flag. Everybody in England kinda knows this, and the ones who disagree are suspect. It's a shame I suppose. I think if we really wanted to reverse this, IMO, you'd have to do something like fly an England flag but also fly a pride flag on the same pole. It's definitely NOT going to be reversed by a guy who calls himself "Andy Saxon" who used to be part of the English Defence League. That's gonna make it worse.
As an American I can assure you that the vast majority of people flying American flags here are bigots. American leftists would easily understand your point about English/British flags.
I would say anyone not explicitly right wing in America would understand the point
Lip-service libs fucking love the flag so the point isn't as clear
Andy Saxon?
Bloody Normans coming over here, establishing our parliament and codifying the rule of common law that our modern judicial system is based upon!
#stopthelongships
That sounds exactly like what it is like in the states with the US flag as well. Kinda surprised they didn’t get it.
To be fair it was years ago, I guess the whole MAGA thing has changed the landscape
Yeah, nationalism is on the rise everywhere unfortunately.
You see flags everywhere in other countries when you travel. You see Indian flags, New Zealand flags, Canadian flags, Mexican flags, EU flags, Spanish flags, French flags, Croatian flags, South African flags, Irish flags, Scottish flags, Welsh flags. All showing pride in their country or themselves and nobody bats an eyelid.
Yet somehow the English and UK flag has to be put up by a racist. 🤷
I get that it has been unfortunately coopted by the far right and I'm not excusing that. But people also get gleeful when they have an opportunity, any opportunity, to brand someone a flag shagger or white van man. It's just where we are as a country right now.
On the internet, I agree with you, everybody jumps on one another at the slightest chance. It sucks. In the real world, people have a lot more nuance. I'm not gonna immediately throw a milkshake at somebody for having an England flag up, and most people probably wouldn't bat an eye.
I'm not gleeful about the flag thing at all. I like it when we win the Euros and I can fly a flag and be proud for a short while. I once went on holiday in Portugal during the World Cup and had little England flags on my car and a few people shouted "Inglaterra!" at us and it was great.
This rule absolutely works in Germany. In the US i would argue it also applies to an extent. Anywhere else it just means "nationalist" instead of "racist" which is only slightly better. States arent something to be proud of. Your state apparatus doesnt care about you and never will. Lots of people see their country's flag as a cultural symbol, but thats just misguided imo. Legally speaking the flag is a state symbol, not a cultural symbol. Flying a state flag means endorsing that state. This becomes apparent when a state turns bad like Israel. If you fly an Israeli flag people will assume that you endorse Israels genocide. Doesnt matter if there are a bunch of people living in Israel that dont endorse the genocide, the flag is the state and the state is the flag.
Ulsterisation.
As the right gropes towards power it will look for models of non-state violence and it has settled on the unionist terrorist paramilitaries.
In northern ireland, they'd paint the kerb stones red, white and blue as well as putting up the flags and bunting in areas where there was a working class protestant majority. They couldn't enact pogroms like they did in the 1920's with impunity so this slowly strangling intimidation became the vogue for the capture of territory and constant enforcement of sectarianism on the entirety of both communities. As a catholic growing up there, those areas did not feel like public space but pits of self harming fear and rage.
why is this being related to rascism?
Displaying a nation's flag is, by definition, a nationalist act. Nationalism and racism are very strongly related. A venn diagram of racists and nationalists is very nearly a circle.
Could they at least do this over the potholes.
Nah, they will just clean it with water
Because it's a certain type of person painting them.
Also, it's pretty disrespectful to the flag, it'll be driven, walked and cycled over.
It's also against the law to mess with road markings. Road markings need to look like they're supposed to look; how they look conveys their meaning. You can't just let anybody with a tin of Dulux and a Very Important Cause go around making up their own road markings.
Highways authorities are required by law to remove vandalism like this, and the groups responsible will inevitably use this as an excuse to cry about being censored.
It is. Painting it in the first place on the ground is the disrespect. After that it's nothing more than graffiti.
Is it the EDL doing it?
Meanwhile all the Brits hiding in mainland Europe: Speak English!
That's proportionally so wrong, it looks more like a St Patrick's Saltire (when viewed diagonally).