England, my England

[dangermom]

OK, I just wondered if there had been ‘leakage’ from one organization to another. For myself, the only thing I think of when I see a St. George flag is the Faerie Queene and Ivanhoe.

[Steve_Wright]

@Cervaise

Naturally, I immediately posted it everywhere as if it were true. After all, somebody told me it was.

Somebody used to maintain a web page (I think it’s one with the snows of yesteryear now) to which they would direct the overly credulous - it had two sentences on it. One said, in huge letters, “YOU ARE AN IDIOT.” And then, underneath, it said “You read it on the Internet, so it must be true.”

[chowder]

Like HAPPY CLAM I also know a fair number of patriotic Muslims and I also know an equal number that are fiercely patriotic toward England,they live here and are more than happy to support this nation.

By the same rule I know a small number that DO find the flag of St… George to be offensive and this is due in no small part to the fact that the BNP and other extremist political parties in the UK adopted the flag of England, possibly in the hope of gaining support from people sharing their same extreme views.

Believe me there are vitriolic extremists who see almost anything that they disagree with as an affront to them and their race/religion or whatever…this includes the flag of England

[Rune]

His dragon-slaying heroics have kept his legend alive through the centuries.

But the Church of England is considering rejecting England’s patron saint St George on the grounds that his image is too warlike and may offend Muslims.

Will George be slayed as England’s patron saint?

…duh

[chowder]

Cannot see St. George being kicked out to make way for some tatty upstart.

I mean c’mon think about it

[Pjen]

There was some trouble caused by the fact that apparently, flying any flag from a building except the Union Flag requires planning permission and is therefore illegal. I believe a government minister said that they would rush through an amendment to allow such displays, but don’t hold your breath- it will be forgotten over the summer. (Am I the only one who now assumes all government announcements are just PR fluff intended to tickle Daily Mail readers, and never meant to lead to legislation?)

[Nava]

@jjimm

This part of the universal “bloke said” rule. This rule is even more powerful than “they say”. In fact, only one thing tops “bloke said”, and that’s the subset “bloke down pub said”. The OP is already mostly covered by “bloke said”, but since the conversation described took place in a pub, I’m afraid it must be taken as unarguable.

And if I understand it correctly, although IANAL, “bloke down pub said” is even more assuredly true than “saw on TV”, which overtakes “bloke said” so long as the bloke wasn’t in a pub.

[rayh]

@Nava

And if I understand it correctly, although IANAL, “bloke down pub said” is even more assuredly true than “saw on TV”, which overtakes “bloke said” so long as the bloke wasn’t in a pub.

Ah, but where does “read it on the internet” fit it?

[Charlie_Tan]

And for the true post-graduate, handed-down-from-OG-on-stone-tablets, we have “my grandfather told me when I was a kid that…”