Sanctus Georgius, Ora Pro Nobis…
The centuries-old flag of England has been rejected by a local town council on the grounds that its design — a red cross on a white field — might be “inappropriate” and “offensive” to Muslims.
According to the Bristol Post, the town of Radstock in Southwest England has elected to pass on purchasing a new flag of England, correctly known as The St. George’s Cross.
Councillor Eleanor Jackson, a university lecturer and teacher, said the English flag’s used by troops during the Crusades raised the possibility it might offend some.
Jackson stated:
My big problem is that it is offensive to some Muslims but even more so that it has been hijacked by the far right.
My thoughts are we ought to drop it for 20 years.
She failed to acknowledge that the Crusades were a response to the initial Muslim invasion of the Holy Land.
John Clements, vice president of the national patriotic group the Royal Society of St George, branded the town council’s decision “nonsense.” He complained that “censoring” the national flag played into the hands of the far right.
Run Them Up the Flag Pole…
According to Town Council Chairwoman Councillor Lesley Mansell, there are already a slew of flags that have been authorized to fly over town hall. These include:
- The Union Jack, flown on Armistice Day.
- The In Bloom flag at the Miners’ Memorial Garden to celebrate Radstock’s achievements in the local gardening competition.
- The media-deigned Rainbow flag, the symbol of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender movement, which will be flown during the murkily defined “appropriate” times of the year.
Who Is this Far Right You Speak of…?
The most renowned group to be tagged by the left-of-center English media as the preeminent “far right wing” and “racist” organization would be the English Defense League, a patriotic association.
Somehow missed by Auntie Beeb and The Guardian is the EDL’s stated position on its official website, which gives the distinct impression the group if far from “far right wing” or “racist.”
A few examples include:
- We are an inclusive movement dedicated to peacefully protesting against Islamic extremism.
- We want an open and honest debate about Islamic extremism; about what we can do to stop it, and about what causes it.
- We believe that our country has done a great deal to safeguard and champion individual rights and freedoms, and that this is something of which we should be immensely proud.
- We believe that our service personnel deserve our respect for the sacrifices that they are willing to make in defence of our country (regardless of the criticisms that can be made of the conflicts that they have found themselves involved in).
- We believe in freedom and democracy; in opposition to all forms of extremism.
