Some Poles burning American flag

Not much chance of that happening very soon, is there? :)
Why are they so worked up then?

sombody who want the world to be square

not sure...

i think for some it is just a day to run riot and damage people's property, fight the 'man' :eyes rolling:

im against nannystate and blind obedience - but im more against blind disobedience

if they could actaully protest PEACEFULLY id respect them more and be willing to listen more to there ideals (as it stands, the 'ideal' of riotting does not bode well with me(flag burnging or not))

Daf...do you experience this sort of thing in N. Ireland?

Yes, we 'would' have. it has calmed down ALOT in the past 7 years. Still some trouble but we all see it for what it is. 'scum' causing trouble for trouble sake, they are not the values of todays communities in N. Ire

fisz, why are you still saying, you're an American? Why can't you just admit who you are. It's nothing wrong with being Polish or Russian or just anyone else. You know, you got caught in the past using absolutely non-American expressions. I'm not looking for any argument at all I just don't appreciate people burning my flag and I'm definately not a blind follower of any politician including Bush and such I just believe that the flag stands for all of my nation and country and it bothers me when someone burns it. I'm pretty sure that most of the people on this forum feel the same. I'm not talking here about any rights, I'm talking about respect and understanding. I wouldn't burn any flag just because I disagree with someone or something. There are many other ways to express our disagreement.

Well, we had this all out in the US back in 1989-90 with the flag-burning law and the Supreme Court decision.

The Supreme Court found that a law banning flag burning, even of our own flag, in the US would be an infringement on our First Amendment rights to free speech.

However, the Supreme Court did not say that just because some idiots burn a flag, that the rest of us have to "listen" to what they are "saying". Seriously, it's so . . . done.

A flag is not "just" a flag to anyone with a decent respect for his country, which is why there is such complicated flag etiquette in all countries. This is precisely why flag-burning is done - because a country's flag is a potent representation of that country. However, at this point, people who have to resort to such an act to make a point only show their stupidity and say nothing about their own cause - its effectiveness has been blunted by a quarter-century of overuse, in the case of the American flag (show us something we haven't seen!).

great statement

why not?


he is a good american

right Meg


¿cómo usted le conoce es un buen americano?

if he is telling you that he is an american why dont you believe him?

lea mi cotización cuidadosamente. Explica todo.
You are required to post in english unless asking for translation - next time post will be deleted.

sorry admin, going back to English :-)

What are you talking about "non-American expressions"? LOL Give me an example. I'm Native American (more native to this continent than most). Anyway, I have nothing to prove to you.


You have all the right to be upset and I'm not saying that you shouldn't be. This is something I'm used to seeing, but it's not normaly practiced in the US. People burn our flag all over the world everyday.

Some Americans have even burned flags of other countries IN the other countries. Like in Canada for example. Look it up.

Listen......I don't condone these acts, but since when should we not have the right to speech?


It explains nothing.

you see, you're right about that one but burning a flag is ridiculous and doesn't change any policy, never did and never will. There are other ways to express our disagreement or disappointment.

Absolutely correct.

There are other ways, but people feel that this "hit's home" ( how's that for American) and may be effective in voicing that they're disgusted by our current policy.

It's better than carrying out attacks on our people.


Thanks Esp :)

the word "idiot" coming from you espana is rather a compliment than an insult, lol.


well fisz, you should know better that even when most of the Americans disagree with Bush, as soon as we see someone burning our flag we start talking the same language. So whatever they're trying to achieve, burning our flag is not gonna change anything at all.

If its a flag I bought or someone else did and they don't mind me burning it let it burn.
It was made in China anyway. Free speech. the USA Gov. does terrible things to people all over the world daily and it does good things too. Its just a piece of material. Yeah I have gotten weapy eyed seeing it especially as they folded it after draping it over my fathers coffin but he fought for our right, to have the right to burn it. I don't believe in the saying "My country right or wrong" And yes its been done and will be done again and again and again etc. ad nauseum. A country is not its flag.

Furthermore having a President like Bush representing America and the fact that many Americans elected him is far more offensive to the nation than burning the flag.

well said Kruk

but the flag stands for the country. I'm talking about the symbol and not the piece of material it's made of. If you guys don't feel that way that's I guess your right to do so but as you probably realize, majority of people, no matter where they're from don't share your opinion. I'm not talking just about the American flag, I'm talking about the flags as the national symbols.

the british have a very different relationship with their flag

Why ? I like Bush.

tell me about it please


I've met quite a few British and I had the impression that you guys are very proud of your country and your national symbols but I guess it's like in any other country, people are people, some love it, some don't care and some even hate it

for many brits the Union Flag is seen as a symbol of shame... as a symbol of overzelous british political correctness, an association with negative rather than positive...

an absolutely unexpected statement but thanks anyway for explaining it to me.

many of us are... 3 lions on the chest and all that... but the Union Flag has been associated with negatives such as racism and nationalism and become a symbol which some feel has negative conotations...

I don't see people in Europe hanging flags on their homes like they do here.

I drive around in NJ and see all of these American flags it makes me think that we're a little neurotic about it :)

THEY DO IN ENGLAND

had a quick google to see what i could find on the matter - this quote explains quite well i think

"Then however it was hijacked by the ultra right wing, becoming associated with xenophobia, cultural myopia and lager louts who eat their curry then abuse the waiter. Town halls could no longer hoist the standard without being accused of supporting imperialism and racism."

homepage.ntlworld.com/watson-jones/alphabet/union-jack.html


you are ;)

But mainly for big sporting occasions, like the world cups for football or rugby, which is a bit different. And it's not the Union flag but the Cross of St George. (ie English flag and not British). It's only in the last 6 or 7 years that this has happened. All of a sudden it's started to become fashionable to be proud to be English again. Maybe it was a reaction to the increasing independence of Scotland & Wales. Anyway we don't getting many people displaying the flag all of the time like in the US.

Yes...that's a must :) You have to represent your country at a football game.

Here's my flag:We don't have a football team though ;)