"Flying a dodgy flag in Newcastle" Topic

From Newcastle's Evening Chronicle: link

As one neighbour puts it with a high degree of understatement, "It's offensive – it's naughty, it's very naughty."

The flag flyer saying, "I was a bit concerned I would upset people. I was worrying with it being a dodgy flag – and it doesn't get much more dodgy than that." Really? You don't say!

Ezza

Doing that here ( Germany) could get you int jail!

This is totally unacceptable and utterly tasteless!
What would have Mr.Hilter have said?

Mr.Hilter in Great Britain

He could change to a flag with a Z instead of a swastika.

Und das heist Erika…

Never put down to malice, that which can be adequately explained by stupidity!

…and I think it's flying upside down.

There is--used to be--such a thing a freedom of expression, though I'll grant you in this case you might fire a few rounds claiming you thought he was an enemy invader. (Might do the same thing with someone flying Mexican flags in California.)

But how long before everything offensive is forbidden, and everything not offensive is mandatory?

If he's rotating them out, which he seems to be doing, then what's the problem? He flew a Sierra Leone flag for a while, doesn't mean he agrees with their policies either.

Instead of getting all bent out of shape, people can use it as a teaching moment for their kids.
"Oh my, that's a naughty flag son. Let me tell you about it."
Instead of "That guy's a naughty <censored>. Let's burn his house down."

The whole process seems to be a pretty good example of a free society. He was free to fly that flag and no governmental authority acted to force him to take it down. At the same time his neighbors were free to express their distaste and so long as no illegal threat or use of force was involved, he was free to either maintain the flag and accept the negative social consequences or decide those social consequences be it critical comments or social isolation were unacceptable and take it down. You are free in a broad context to use your property as you wish however if you act like a tool, you have to accept your neighbors treating you like one.

Wait what happens when he finds an AFC Sunderland flag in his mail box.

Oh poor Billy Brown, what have you done?
Hundreds of flags are on their way right now…

Now, where do I get an 'IRA Undefeated' flag…

Do many Yazidi women live in Newcastle?
I mean, an IS/Daesh flag would be fun too.

Arjuna

My initial thought was that he had put a Sunderland FC flag up, but this one is worse.

Redcurrant,

I think the reaction would have been even more fierce if he had indeed flown a Mackem flag.

Ezza

(Might do the same thing with someone flying Mexican flags in California.)

Not to mention American flags in Mexico.

I think the difference between this flag and the Sierra Leon flag is that there were no planes with Sierra Leon markings dropping tons of bombs on the UK. That said I think McKinstry has the right take on the situation.

Reading the article he doesn't seem to be the sharpest knife in the drawer…

the flag is the wrong way around anyway….hes hardly a rocket scientist.

That is the reverse of the flag. Most flags look different when the hoist is on the right.

This is one of those examples of free speech giving you the right to say something, but should go with the sense of knowing when not to say it.