British Flag on Independence Day

[MrsDuck]

...not a big deal. At all.

 

[okeydokey]

It's a great big world under one sun. DW is an International destination. I would not be offended in the least.

 

[WDSearcher]

I would be irritated by this. I would feel that the union jack was put there, on that particular day, as a show of disrespect towards our country.
with that being said, I know that there is nothing that I could have done to change it. therefore, i would have just moved along and not have made a scene.
This disrespect for our flag, our symbol of freedom, is happening more and more often. Even the shriners, fly a Canadian and a Mexican flag at the same height as the American flag, during the opening ceremonies of their circuses.

Actually, that's proper flag protocol.

According to the US Flag Code, when the US flag is flown with flags of other countries, "the flag of one nation should not be flown above that of another nation in times of peace." Additionally, "When flags of two or more nations are displayed, they are to be flown from separate staffs of the same height". The American flag should have the place of honor in the formation, but it's not supposed to be higher than the Canadian or Mexican (or any other) flag presented with it, and it would be considered improper to have the US flag on a taller staff.

The Shriners are doing it correctly.

 

[reiella]

No big deal, if these were guest balconies. UK guests have just as much right to their national pride, regardless of what day it is.

In related flag irritations though, I'm a relatively recent (1 year) transplant to Texas, and it's a continual source of annoyance to me that the state flag is plastered everywhere, usually without the US flag, and NEVER the other way around. The identity of folks down here seems to be "Texan first, American second," and it feels unpatriotic to me.

Wait until you hear the justifications explaining why Texas is the only state that can have it's flag at the same height as the US Flag.

 

[okeydokey]

I would be irritated by this. I would feel that the union jack was put there, on that particular day, as a show of disrespect towards our country.
with that being said, I know that there is nothing that I could have done to change it. therefore, i would have just moved along and not have made a scene.
This disrespect for our flag, our symbol of freedom, is happening more and more often. Even the shriners, fly a Canadian and a Mexican flag at the same height as the American flag, during the opening ceremonies of their circuses.

The Shriners fly the flags of all countries they operate in:

http://www.ehow.com/facts_7146853_shrine-flag-protocol.html

 

[larryz]

In related flag irritations though, I'm a relatively recent (1 year) transplant to Texas, and it's a continual source of annoyance to me that the state flag is plastered everywhere, usually without the US flag, and NEVER the other way around. The identity of folks down here seems to be "Texan first, American second," and it feels unpatriotic to me.

You'll get it in time. Or you'll move away. That's just how it is down there. Remember, they were Texans before they were Americans. How many other states can claim to have been "Republics"?

I apologize if somebody else has brought this up already.

As for the British flag flying, I say it's just a symbol of how they are glad to be in "Ameriker" on its national holiday, and showing solidarity with the principles on which our great country was founded --

Go to WDW and spend money!

 

[alice99]

*
HI! Okay, well I have never EVER saw a British flag or any other flag hung over the balcony before. It's just odd they would hang a British flag on a very specific USA Holiday. Brunette

I think they were just simply hanging out their flag. The fact that it's the 4th of July is probably just coincidence.
If they were visiting in any other month or day they probably would have hung the flag the same way.

 

[WDSearcher]

Well, I thought how "I" felt was at least implied throughout this thread but seeing as how you request it, I'll express that now!

Well, you did say up front that you were "wondering how others felt about this before I let my feelings known!" So, while maybe implied, you hadn't really said specifically how you felt.

First, my own take. I wasn't bothered by it in the least. I heard some grumbling on the monorail which I couldn't quite make out but am pretty sure, was negative. I didn't think much of it, until DH said how he felt about it at which point, I had mixed feelings but still didn't think much about it.

After reading these responses, especially some of the thoughtful and intelligent ones, that is how I feel: "it's no big deal".

I was however, irritated by it hanging over the balcony however, not because it was a Union Jack but because of how it looked.

The purpose for writing this post (take note please those with the snarky remarks..) was simply by request of DH who was offended but wondered if he was being "unreasonable". Again, after reading the "better" responses here, he realizes that sums up his reaction.

When he first saw it, he was offended.

Did he say why he was offended? Because that's still the big mystery to me. What part of that is offensive, considering our current and long-held friendship with England? And ... if seeing that flag on that day was considered offensive, would your DH also feel the need to, say, avoid the UK pavilion on July 4 because he would feel uncomfortable there? (Not trying to call our your DH specifically ... but he's the only actual 'subject' we have who we can interview! )

However, that changed after reading some of these responses and, the fact that the guests had taken it down during the holiday. So it would appear, that the guests did respect our tradition and hats off to them for doing so!

Or ... they checked out that afternoon and took it with them when they left.

I think that a lot of foreign guests -- Europeans in particular -- fly their national flags on their cars, from their balconies, whatever, to signal to other international travelers that, "Hey -- Brits over here!" or "Look -- Germans in this room!" It's an easy way of connecting with folks from your home country. It's the same reason that people wear t-shirts with their favorite sports team or display banners from their college -- they're hoping someone will notice and say, "Oh my gosh ... you went to University of Slobovia? Me too!"

People spend too much time trying to find reasons to take offense at things. As a nation, I think we Americans are quickly becoming the nationality most likely to blow things out of proportion.

 

[Lynne M]

My guess is that it was meant to be humorous. Just a friendly, cheeky little nudge from the 'other side' of Independence Day.

If it were me, I would have laughed and appreciated the humor.

People so often assume hostility where none was intended.

 

[brunette8706]

Well, you did say up front that you were "wondering how others felt about this before I let my feelings known!" So, while maybe implied, you hadn't really said specifically how you felt.


Did he say why he was offended? Because that's still the big mystery to me. What part of that is offensive, considering our current and long-held friendship with England? And ... if seeing that flag on that day was considered offensive, would your DH also feel the need to, say, avoid the UK pavilion on July 4 because he would feel uncomfortable there? (Not trying to call our your DH specifically ... but he's the only actual 'subject' we have who we can interview! )


Or ... they checked out that afternoon and took it with them when they left.

I think that a lot of foreign guests -- Europeans in particular -- fly their national flags on their cars, from their balconies, whatever, to signal to other international travelers that, "Hey -- Brits over here!" or "Look -- Germans in this room!" It's an easy way of connecting with folks from your home country. It's the same reason that people wear t-shirts with their favorite sports team or display banners from their college -- they're hoping someone will notice and say, "Oh my gosh ... you went to University of Slobovia? Me too!"

People spend too much time trying to find reasons to take offense at things. As a nation, I think we Americans are quickly becoming the nationality most likely to blow things out of proportion.

What measure of allocution from my DH would suffice for you? To admit he was wrong in spades?

What I can say about my DH as an asset, is his ability to admit when he's wrong (which he did). No formal written apology or admission is required as far as I'm concerned. He also has a measure of humility, which it is clear some others don't possess.

So when we have a response where the author of the post is stating how some "blow things out of proportion" appears so often and now, to be basically the pot calling the kettle black.

Thank you Searcher, for the soliloquy!

 

[lc1965]

I think it's just tacky, nothing more. As the recent transplant to TX noted, people do tacky, inappropriate things all the time. (Eeyore - they're still fighting the Civil War down here, you know.)

I'm sure people around the world (small 'w') get sick of seeing the American flag & I sometimes wonder how Disney's Americana obsession plays to guests from around the world. As an American & an American history wonk, I love The American Experience, but let's be honest ...it's a bit heavy-handed. When I travel around the world, I absolutely do NOT bring an American flag of any kind, so you have to wonder what kind of people these were in the 1st place! Perhaps it was premeditated tackiness.

 

[Planogirl]

Why are some of you so determined to drag Texas into this? I hope that none of my fellow Texans take the bait.

I agree that people from other countries often display their flag in some small way. I don't think that they mean any harm.

 

[Geoff_M]

My guess is that it was meant to be humorous. Just a friendly, cheeky little nudge from the 'other side' of Independence Day.

If it were me, I would have laughed and appreciated the humor.

People so often assume hostility where none was intended.

I agree... it sounds kinda like at the start of the Falkland's War my parents were initially horrified to see that someone had planted a Union Jack in the front yard of some neighbors who where Argentinian. Well, it turned out to be the work of another neighbor who was British (and good friends with the Argentinians) who decided to try provide some comic relief to the strange events off the coast of South America. It turns out we missed the best of it, the British neighbor had temporarily "blockaded" the Argentinian couple's driveway with his MG Midget and had marched back in forth in a pith helmet with the Union Jack before planting it in the front the flag in the front yard and claiming the property "In the Name of Queen Elizabeth!"

 

[Lynne M]

I agree... it sounds kinda like at the start of the Falkland's War my parents were initially horrified to see that someone had planted a Union Jack in the front yard of some neighbors who where Argentinian. Well, it turned out to be the work of another neighbor who was British (and good friends with the Argentinians) who decided to try provide some comic relief to the strange events off the coast of South America. It turns out we missed the best of it, the British neighbor had temporarily "blockaded" the Argentinian couple's driveway with his MG Midget and had marched back in forth in a pith helmet with the Union Jack before planting it in the front the flag in the front yard and claiming the property "In the Name of Queen Elizabeth!"

OMG, that's priceless. I love it!

The world would be a much safer, calmer place if more people looked at the world the way these neighbors do. A well-developed sense of the absurd is a wonderful thing.

 

[WDSearcher]

What measure of allocution from my DH would suffice for you? To admit he was wrong in spades?

What I can say about my DH as an asset, is his ability to admit when he's wrong (which he did). No formal written apology or admission is required as far as I'm concerned. He also has a measure of humility, which it is clear some others don't possess.

So when we have a response where the author of the post is stating how some "blow things out of proportion" appears so often and now, to be basically the pot calling the kettle black.

Thank you Searcher, for the soliloquy!

I'm sorry. I was just asking because I didn't understand. I wasn't expecting him to "admit he was wrong in spades" or give a lecture on UK v. US. I don't think I ever said that.

If you go back and look at my post again, I did say that "we Americans" as a group -- which would, obviously, include myself -- have a tendancy to blow things out of proportion more than any other nationality. And I did specifically say I wasn't trying to call out your DH, but that he was someone we knew felt a certain way and perhaps he could provide a little perspective from the other side.

You and I have chatted and bantered before on a number of other topics (always friendly, I thought), and I figured that the fact that we kind of "know" each other would help me not be misunderstood. Apparently... I was wrong and didn't explain myself properly.

My apologies to you and your DH for any perceived insult or lack of humility.

 

[minnie mum]

OMG, that's priceless. I love it!

The world would be a much safer, calmer place if more people looked at the world the way these neighbors do. A well-developed sense of the absurd is a wonderful thing.

Can't argue with that.

 

[CaptMarge]

Can't argue with that.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Some 230 years ago, the American colonies fought a revolutionary war against the mother country, England, for many reasons, but mostly a lack of respect England showed its colonies in the America with taxation and restriction of trade.

The result of this war was the birth of freedom and the rights of man, not only here, but in England, France and around the world. Today when a new nation wins its freedom, the documents that are used to model their own governments are the U.S. Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, U.S. Bill of Rights and the Rights of Mankind by the United Nations.(which by Mrs. Elenore Roosevelt's hard work, was passed)

Today England is one of America's best and finest friends.

Flying the Union Jack on the Fourth of July is totally proper, as though England lost that war, it helped win the rights of Man, at the same time.


One of my best stories involving America and Great Britain relationship now is by Queen Elisabeth II herself. Back in the 60's, the Queen and Prince Phillip was touring the US and visited Boston and the USS Constitution. (*old Ironsides*, the American frigate which never lost and battle and captured a number of British navel vessel IN THE War of 1812, to Britain's chagrin)

Many of the vessels gun were cast in England and bear the royal crown markings. During the tour the queen noticed that the guns were made in England and leaned over to the Prince, in a LOUD whisper, stated she felt that*in the future, they must be more careful of who they sell their arms to!*


I love that line and have more respect for her Majesty, in that she was able to enjoy the comic relief of the situation.

As Lynne M said......

The world would be a much safer, calmer place if more people looked at the world the way these neighbors do. A well-developed sense of the absurd is a wonderful thing.

AKK

 

[ttintagel]

“Then I trust that you at least will honour me with your company,” said Sherlock Holmes. “It is always a joy to meet an American, Mr. Moulton, for I am one of those who believe that the folly of a monarch and the blundering of a minister in far-gone years will not prevent our children from being some day citizens of the same world-wide country under a flag which shall be a quartering of the Union Jack with the Stars and Stripes.”

--Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, "The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor"

 

[AnOtHeRdIsNeYfReAk]

It was probably someone's beach towel being hung to dry. I drape my towels out to dry all the time, and yes, the kids have a union jack flag towel from a trip a few years ago. I wouldn't think anything of it.