The Dead End of Multiculturalism

[Gunslinger]

Following threats by extremist Islamic group, several corporations, chain of pubs ban England flag
Modi Kreitman

Following warnings by extremist Islamic group al-Muhajiroun, in which the group said that the red cross in the England flag symbolizes the 'blood thirsty crusaders' and the occupation of Muslims, some of the largest companies in England have ordered their workers not to wave the flags.
 
The flag has recently appeared in England on everything from bikinis to cars, and sold in endless versions in stores.

But the Islamic protest forced some corporations, such as cable companies NTL, Heathrow airport in London, and even the Drivers and Vehicles Licensing Agency to ban the flag in every form due to fears from reactions
of Muslims.
 
The Sun tabloid newspaper has in recent days launched a campaign to bring back the flag, and has published a blacklist of companies preventing their workers from expressing their patriotism at work.
 
The Sun said that a large pub network has banned drinkers from entering with symbols of the national team.
 
The hero of the day is a two year-old toddler, who was thrown out with his parents from Leicester, because he wore the England team's uniform.  
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3258613,00.html

Why do you few accross the pond put up with this crap.  I'd be outraged.  I'm not posting this to flame anyone's country but to wonder why this is tolerated?

[beet1e]

GS - there's a forthcoming sporting event, which you may or may not have heard of, called the World Cup. Unlike certain other sporting events which contain the word "World", this one really is open to the world. The USA even hosted it in 1994.

Anyway, there are concerns about clashes between rival groups of football supporters, as there have been in the past. Don't take it out of context.

[Tarmac]

I don't see the context at all.  While few care about the world cup in the US, it seems akin to prohibiting the US flag at work during the Olympics because you don't want to offend the fans of other countries.  I can't see any reason for that, whether it be hoodlums, terrorists, or aliens.

[beet1e]

Originally posted by Tarmac
I don't see the context at all.  

If you've never been here, I wouldn't expect you to understand.

[Tarmac]

I spent a summer studying at the University of London; I hope that qualifies as having been there.

[Kermit de frog]

What he probably means is that there are usually fights that break out.


Kindof like Raider fans and Charger fans, but worse I imagine.


P.S., I once saw thousands of charger fans leave their own stadium at the start of the 4th quarter only that have what seemed like the whole stadium chant "Raiders" and security broke out fast.  Only a few fights started but were quickly put down.

Plus, soccer is a huge sport in most countries.  Bigger than the olympics.

[Momus--]

I expect the Pakistani (Muslim) family who live across the street from me with england flags on their house and car in support of the national team in the world cup didn't get the memo about flying england flags. Same goes for the bangladeshis who run my local curry house, or the scores of asian muslim kids I saw dressed in england football strips I saw in the Trafford Centre this weekend. Or the burka-wearing mother with a baby in an england sun hat I saw at Sainsburys last night. I guess they didn't get the memo either?

Taking into account their pitiful record of ethnic relations and inability to get on with their nearest neighburs, I'm not sure that a bunch of Israelis are quite qualified to comment on the state of british multiculturalism.

[Ack-Ack]

Originally posted by Gunslinger
Why do you few accross the pond put up with this crap.  I'd be outraged.  I'm not posting this to flame anyone's country but to wonder why this is tolerated?

I think you should have read the article in The Sun that explained why the little brat was kicked out of the pub.  The pub has a ban on football shirts of any type, the kid wore one and his mother was asked to turn the shirt inside out, which she did.  In fact, they were never kicked out of the pub and instead had lunch.

The ban on the flag has more to do with the upcoming World Cup then offending any Muslim sensibilities.

The Sun article


ack-ack

[Captain Virgil Hilts]

I used to play soccer, for several years. I eventually grew to despise the game, and the fans even more so. Drunk rednecks at a NASCAR race are no where near as ill mannered, bellicose, arrogant, or obnoxious.

[Gunslinger]

I understand the whole football thing and the violence that comes along with it....BUT, it seems like this team is using the english flag for its bannor and now all of england has to suffer...

And is this paragraph just a smoke screen to keep the world cup out of it

Following warnings by extremist Islamic group al-Muhajiroun, in which the group said that the red cross in the England flag symbolizes the 'blood thirsty crusaders' and the occupation of Muslims, some of the largest companies in England have ordered their workers not to wave the flags.

?????????????????


I can see where pubs don't want fights for football colors but it seems like the flag itself is now off limits.

[Ack-Ack]

Originally posted by Gunslinger
I understand the whole football thing and the violence that comes along with it....BUT, it seems like this team is using the english flag for its bannor and now all of england has to suffer...

And is this paragraph just a smoke screen to keep the world cup out of it

 

?????????????????


I can see where pubs don't want fights for football colors but it seems like the flag itself is now off limits.

Yes it is, since the corporations that have asked their workers not to fly the Cross of St. George were asked to do so as to not inflame the soccer fans from other countries.  The only news article that claims it's because some terrorist group made threats comes from that Israeli site you posted the orginal link from.


ack-ack

[Pooh21]

Following warnings by extremist Islamic group al-Muhajiroun, in which the group said that the red cross in the England flag symbolizes the 'blood thirsty crusaders' and the occupation of Muslims


Ohh I am gonna go out and buy Stuff with the St. George cross just for this reason.

[Hangtime]

Kinda like flying a Confederate Flag in Harlem, enh?

The reality of the situation doesn't excuse the stupidity of it.

[john9001]

ban football, fly the flag.

 i guess this says allot about your "world cup".

friendly competition between nations.....lol

[RTSigma]

Just wait til this comes to the U.S. We're gonna have to ban our flag because the red stripes equal the blood of those that the U.S. has killed in her quest for world domination, while the white stripes reprsent the blatant racism that only whites are meant to rule the country. The blue square? The representation of the Pacific and all the Indians we relocated in order to complete our Manifest Destiny.

The stars? Well, one should be removed because we overthrew a Hawaiian queen and took it over.



The above doesn't represent my feelings, but I'm sure that theres going to be an extremist that will find SOMETHING wrong with ANY flag.