Are you a flag waving thug?

[bobleponge]

Heard a very interesting debate on the radio this morning about the waving of the Cross of St. George, attaching to cars etc.
The general premise of the debate was that if you drive around during this upcoming footballing jamboree with said flag on your car, you will generally come from a small social group, cropped hair, tattooed, beer belly and of a lower than average intelligence.
Whilst I understand totally the programme was designed to be provocative, it certainly is a stereotype that I have heard more than once before.

Although I live abroad, if I was in England, I would most certainly be having a flag on my car to show support for my national football team during the upcoming world cup (which IMHO we have no chance of winning). I have cropped hair, am covered in tattoos, am certainly in danger of expanding slightly in the lower belly department and am not really sure if I am of lower than average intelligence or not, but Stephen Hawkins I certainly ain't.
I know, however, that anyone that knows me would testify that I am no thug.
I simply feel its time that national pride, including waving the Cross of St George, manifests itself as just that, with no other implications of my way of life.

I would also like to say that I feel much more comfortable posting this now, than I would have a couple of weeks ago!!

[HeyWayne]

You missed out racist.

[bobleponge]

Is that an insult or reminding me of something I missed from the programme?

[HeyWayne]

So they didn't say that you're racist if you fly the George!?

Crikey - that's progress for you. It's been the case every other time the flag thing's been debated.

[bobleponge]

Sadly I only got about 20 mins of the debate, but I didnt hear the race issue being discussed.
I feel fairly sure it would have been at some stage, there is no doubt that even as little as 10 years ago, the far right had captured the flag as their own, but I dearly hope that this is no longer the case.

[Alison]

We usually have one in the front bedroom window during World / Euro tournaments but it's not up yet. There's one of the blokes up the lottie put a flag on his shed a couple of weeks ago and felt the need to tell us that he wasn't supporting the BNP in the recent election it was just early for the football. Very sad that he felt the need to say this and people should be able to show support for their country if they so wish in a truely global tournament.

[piskieinboots]

I'm a flag-upper - especially during the 6Ns

I don't have cropped hair, I don't have any tats - I'm saying nothing about the belly or the intelligence

[Bigmallly]

Well I'll be flying 2 flags. They came in pairs..........

[piskieinboots]

Bogof

..............

[cupcake]

I like to think that we reclaimed the flag back for England in the last world cup. There were alot of flags on cars in Brid on St Georges day this year. (Makes a note to look out my flag) Of course my Scottish husband is rather down in the mouth about the tournament.

[HeyWayne]

I don't fly flags.

Not really a 'sporter'. Don't do it for football, don't do it for rugby, cricket, tennis, badminton, curling, chess.

Got a 'tweet' from the Keep Calm crowd earlier. Look quite good I thought.

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON

[lizzylemon]

Well trying to cross the road, a red car with a about 5 blokes (and it took ages to choose a usable description for them as 'adult' 'growups' and 'men' didn't fit) all hanging out of the windows jeering, with about, oh, 50 union jacks hanging off / plastered onto said car as it screeched past me and the dort as we waited for them realise the pedestrian crossing was in our favour.......it was about 11am on Monday morning

Sadly they're not a just a sterotype, they're real and already using it football/flags as a sheild to act as complete morons and be aggressive whenever it suits them. Even worse in my mind is they weren't young lads, they were 30+, but yes they were nearly all shaved heads, all looked a bit fat and probably had tattoos as well.

Personally I hate footie, always have and always will - I just dont get the concept at all HOWEVER I do feel for everyone, regardless of looks, who will have these season spoilt by the pr*ts who use it as an excuse to act aggressively. Seems to me these are the hooligans of the '80s older but certainly none the wiser.

[broadway]

I won't have a flag but I will wear my polo shirt with England across the chest for every England game when I visit the pub. I will be cheering on the black white yellow pink players with England shirts, even the gooners (for you Bob)

If certain people label me as a thug and racist then that's their problem, I live in Tottenham, how can I be racist?

[piskieinboots]

....even the gooners ....

oh I say, steady on - that's going a bit far isn't it

[broadway]

oh I say, steady on - that's going a bit far isn't it

Someones waving a flag at you Bob