Thread: National Flags

Originally Posted by sabang

There are some religions, such as the Jehovah's Witnesses, that refuse to salute a national flag, or sing a national anthem. I think the quakers too.

Can you sing your national anthem? I certainly can't.

I know there is going to be some sad twat who comments about how he can sing the Thai national anthem.

^ Our sad excuse for a national anthem is 'Advance Australia fair', and no I don't know the words. 'Our land is girt by sea', or something like that. It was decided to replace 'God save the Queen' with something more Australian- this was also about the time the modern Australian republican movement got going (although there has always been one in the background).

Most Aussie's I know, including this Ten pound Pom, wanted "Waltzing Matilda"- a song we knew, liked, and reflected the somewhat irreverent Australian national character. Instead we ended up with this pompous dirge 'cus Waltzing Matilda was considered too, well, irreverent.

Originally Posted by sabang

Most Aussie's I know, including this Ten pound Pom, wanted "Waltzing Matilda"- a song we knew, liked, and reflected the somewhat irreverent Australian national character. Instead we ended up with this pompous dirge 'cus Waltzing Matilda was considered too, well, irreverent.

Waltzing Matlida, a song about an Aussie bloke whom is forcibly seperated from his one true love, a sheep, and in his distress commits suicide...

Very apt I would've thought. It's either that or the Rolf Harris ditty about tying kangaroos down and performing all manner of indecencies upon them.








Ps. The NZ anthem's wanked too, don't mind the Maori verses but.

^ Oy, no sheep jokes from a Kiwi.

God bless New Zealand is really one of the most boring National anthems anywhere. Not sure why you lot adopted it, but I suspect you wanted something 'to be taken seriously', like the Aussie's.

I do like the Sth African national anthem.

Originally Posted by sabang

God bless New Zealand is really one of the most boring National anthems anywhere. Not sure why you lot adopted it, but I suspect you wanted something 'to be taken seriously', like the Aussie's.

I do like the Sth African national anthem.

Agree and agree. I sometimes catch myself singing along to the SA anthem actually. Particularly like the first verse in Zulu (is it?).

Originally Posted by pai nai ma

Should the symbolism a nations flag evokes for some give it special protection?

It is generally thought to be OK to insult The US and deface The US flag because it is the freedoms The US stands for which allows this. People think they are being brazen by insulting The US but really there is no risk to them at all. The same people would not dare insult Thailand the same way because they know there may be consequences. It is a small example of what freedom really is. Kaojaimai

Have a green

That's why I love "The Life of Brian." The shoe, the shoe!

Nothing wrong with being proud of yourself and where you're from.
I realize that's a foreign concept to some and they're worse for it.

A flag? It's a symbol. Of itself, it's a worthless piece of cloth, but people ascribe emotions to it.

I find it bizarre that some folks imagine outward displays of loathing or denouncing their country somehow infers a sort of independence. Like they're somehow superior for cutting the (uncuttable) ties to the nation of their birth. Quite funny actually.

Originally Posted by Texpat

Nothing wrong with being proud of yourself and where you're from.

Two distinctly different things, no?

Being proud of coming from a certain country seems rather silly to me, because the question can always be asked; 'So what did you contribute that made it so wonderful?'

^^ Well, I suppose if we didn't have flags, how could you tell the countries apart at the Olympics?

And War would be a right Balls-up.

because the question can always be asked; 'So what did you contribute that made it so wonderful?'

^^ My vote for Saddest TD post of the Year.

If you haven't done anything to make the place you call home better, perhaps you should be embarassed.

Originally Posted by Texpat

I find it bizarre that some folks imagine outward displays of loathing or denouncing their country somehow infers a sort of independence. Like they're somehow superior for cutting the (uncuttable) ties to the nation of their birth. Quite funny actually.

The old umbilical metaphor, eh?

I loath aspects of merkan culture and feel no compulsion to be silent about it.

We only differ in what we loath, tp.

Originally Posted by Texpat

If you haven't done anything to make the place you call home better, perhaps you should be embarassed.

Well, I once helped my mum at a special hospital with some spastics, but I didn't discover gravity or set up the NHS.

Also, I call Thailand home these days. Should I be proud of Thailand?
I did plant a tree at Muak Lek last week, so....

fuk the flag. if you wish to coddle something go directly to the principle of free speech.

green for the spaz helper.

Cheers....watdog, is it?

Yes, watdog.

Anyway, chosing US flags altered to incorporate Nazi symbolism as avatars and signatures is hardly an issue of 'free speech', it is willfully provocative, offensive and appears in every single post made by the guys.

Originally Posted by spiff

offensive and appears in every single post made by the guys.

There charming personality, and ever lasting wish to provoke and stir up shit....fuck the lot of them...

Originally Posted by spiff

it is willfully provocative, offensive and appears in every single post made by the guys.

yes it is, but silencing driving force requires sacrifice.

Some alternative Aussie flags-


Eureka Flag


The Aboriginal flag


The 'new colony' flag


The 'Down Under' flag


The 'we ain't a colony' flag.

Some other suggestions-






Yep, a vocal (and probably growing) minority of Aussies can't wait to get rid of the Union Jack from the Australian flag.

Here's one that has been mooted as the new NZ flag:



Very simple but I like it.

What you need a new flag for, the current one sums you perfectly.

I will not be spoken to that way by a mere serf of the English, a Welshman!