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Flagman’s world of flags

American flag burnings outrage US veterans

May 25th, 2008

I see this over the net, most flag related stories are from the US, and more of them seem to involve people bruning them, for whatever reason.

http://www.examiner.com/a-1407158~Veterans_furious_over_Manassas_Park_flag_burnings.html

Manassas Park, Va. (Map, News) - The burning of American flags on the doorsteps of Manassas Park veterans has outraged the men on the eve of Memorial Day weekend.

The city’s police department and fire marshal reported three flags were burned in recent weeks.

“Everyone I told was infuriated and out of their seats. That’s like fighting words, to burn the United States flag,” said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Thomas Kaess, whose flag was reduced to ruins by a blaze.

“I’ve been reading on some blogs on the Internet and there are people afraid to fly American flags. It’s a shame,” Kaess said.

He returned from a weekend of reserve duty to discover his flag was missing. He thought it was swept away in a rainstorm, only to learn later the pole was smothered in soot.

Kaess bought a new flag that night.

He hasn’t been the only one forced to buy a new version of Old Glory.

“I have a lot of respect for the flag and I don’t have any respect for people who don’t,” added Willie Leal, a veteran of nine years of duty who works for the Department of Homeland Security.

“For someone walking on my property to my house and light my flag is very disturbing,” he said. “I don’t know what message they are trying to send, but it is not welcomed.”

Because the flag was mounted to the Leal family’s house by the garage, the fire could have spread to the house’s vinyl siding had a larger fire engulfed his 3-foot by 5-foot flag.

“It didn’t fully ignite, seemed like they were trying to burn it with a lighter,” he said.

Both men described the vandalism as out of place for the community.

“We’ve never had any problem. Nobody drives by fast, there’s no loud music. For this to happen, it’s very surprising,” said Leal, who bought a $20 flag Thursday evening.

While Kaess said he was warned that replacing the flag could draw the vandals back, he didn’t hesitate.

“I got a cotton one. It’s not going up as easy as the satin one.”

Norwegian flag back on the nations football kit

May 25th, 2008

From the Norwegian news site Aftenposten  

http://www.aftenposten.no/english/sports/article2441562.ece

Flag back on soccer uniforms

After thousands of sports fans cried foul over its removal, the Norwegian flag will once again grace the front of the uniforms of players on the national soccer teams.

This is the new insignia that set off an uproar among sports fans in Norway. They didn’t dislike it, but didn’t want it to replace the flag.

PHOTO: LISE ÅSERUD/SCANPIX
Related stories:
Flag may fly again on national team uniforms - 22.05.2008
New soccer uniforms don’t sport the flag - 21.05.2008

Massive outcry clearly took the Norwegian soccer federation (Norges Fotballforbund, The Football Association of Norway, NFF) by surprise. Officials had expected they’d be able to introduce a new design for players’ jerseys as they saw fit.

They thought wrong. Reaction was strong and largely negative to a new insignia that replaced the Norwegian flag with a dragon-like design meant to signify Norway’s Viking heritage. A smaller flag insignia was relegated to the back of the jerseys.

Players, govenrment officials and sports fans alike were highly offended, not least since a popular Norwegian motto runs along the lines of “playing with the flag on your chest.” The Norwegian flag is a cherished symbol of national unity among most Norwegians, and they wave it often.

The government minister in charge of culture and sports, Trond Giske, was among the most high-profile critics of NFF’s decision, taken without input from outside its boardroom. “This is not NFF’s team, it’s Norway’s team,” Giske pointed out on national TV earlier in the week.

NFF officials appeared humbled on Friday. “We just have to accept this criticism,” said NFF secretary general karen Espelund. “We have been much too poor at listening.”

It remained unclear exactly how a new flag insignia would look, and one NFF official hinted it may still incorporate the dragon design. Others want just the flag, pure and simple.

Newspaper Aftenposten reported Friday that the main reason NFF had sought a new uniform design was because the old one was too easy to imitate. They were frustrated by counterfeit national squad jerseys on the market.

Remove racist flag England motorist told

May 25th, 2008

All the papers are carrying this story but I just hesitate because I personally doubt he was told to remove it for being racist, more likely he was told to remove it because it obstructed his view.

Here is the story as told by the Express:

A football fan says police ordered him to remove an England flag from his car – because it could be deemed racist.

Ben Smith, 18, was pulled over for a routine spot check by an officer who inspected his tyres and road tax.


But the labourer was stunned to be told that a St George flag covering his Vauxhall Corsa’s parcel shelf was offensive to immigrants.


He initially thought the officer was joking until he was threatened with a £30 fine if he refused to remove it from view.

Mr Smith, of Melksham, Wiltshire, said: “I honestly could not believe what the police officer was saying.


“He wasn’t rude about it at all. He was just very matter-of-fact about the flag being racist and offensive to immigrants.”


Mr Smith, an avid England football fan, said he used the flag to cover up a new set of speakers, which he wanted to hide from would-be thieves


He said: “I just thought he was joking and started to laugh, but he looked at me very seriously and said that I would have to pay a £30 on-the-spot fine if I refused.


“It was really strange and I drove home quite shocked.”


Tory MP Philip Davies, who campaigns against political correctness, said: “If this is the case then it is disgusting and totally outrageous and the policeman ought to be ashamed of himself. 


“How on earth can it be racist to fly your own flag in your own country? 


“It is this sort of politically-correct thinking that has helped to create the problems we have today. I would like to see the Association of Chief Police Officers make it clear that anyone flying the Union Flag or the flag of St George will not be prosecuted.”


PC Dave Cooper, of Wiltshire Police, could not confirm details of the incident as it had not been logged. 


But he admitted there might be situations where a police officer considered the displaying of a flag as an inflammatory act.


He said: “It all depends on the context. If they are going past a lot of Polish people, for instance, and abusing them, then we possibly would ask them to take the flag down.”


He said the officer involved in the incident could have been based anywhere in Wiltshire. The fact there was no log of Mr Smith being stopped indicated there was nothing wrong with his car.


But Chief Inspector Charlie Dibble, of Wiltshire Police, believed the issue was more likely to be one of road safety. 


He said: “The officer asked him to remove the flag from his parcel shelf, where he admits it was covering his speakers.


“Road safety and the ability to have a clear view at all times of what is behind you is of great public importance.


“Officers are encouraged to take positive action in this regard and this would apply if there was any object obscuring the driver’s view.” 

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/45503/Police-told-man-to-hide-racist-St-George-flag-

 

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