Editor's Blog July 26th 2012 - Flagging About
The humble flag, a piece of coloured cloth stuck to a pole, has more power to unite, divide and ignite people than any incendiary comments uttered by anyone anywhere. Flags represent identity, culture and dominions. They are a source of pride. Take the USA as a prime example.
School children are required to pledge allegiance to the flag every morning before lessons commence. The American national anthem (The Star Spangled Banner) is all about their flag and what it represents. Every government building in America is bedecked with tens of flags and usually flies a giant bed sheet of a flag from its rooftop flagpole. Many houses in suburbia, and beyond, fly flags from flagpoles in their gardens or from the roof of the porch. This is not an indulgence in cliché; this is anecdotal, seen first-hand on many an occasion. America is covered in flags; just in case the people in the streets suddenly forget which country they’re in!
The issue of flags is very near to our hearts here in Gibraltar too. We love our red and white with castle and key. We’ve recently shown some real love for the old red, white and blue of the Union Flag – if only to thumb our noses at our neighbours, in a sort of passive aggressive kind of way, in answer to their recent hostility. The safety of some Spanish-crest-kissing visitors was recently put into jeopardy because of some flag antics. There was uproar several years back when the Union Flag that overlooks the Moorish Castle and, by extension, the whole of Gibraltar, was removed and replaced with a Spanish flag by some crafty visitors from across the way.
So imagine the gravity of the international and diplomatic incident that occurred during yesterday’s Olympic women’s football game between North Korea and Colombia, when, during the warm up, the South Korean flag was displayed on the big screen next to the North Korean players' photographs. Flag faux pas? Flag f@%* up more like it!
Of all the nations in the world with which to confuse flags, this one has got to take the biscuit. To say there is rivalry between North and South Korea would be the understatement of the century. They hate each other. In fact, they hate each other so much that they are officially still at war with each other! So, little wonder this flag situation exploded with angry gestures from the players and team staff followed by a complete refusal to participate in the game until it was rectified and an apology issued. Naturally, this was promptly done and everything returned to normal within an hour – albeit with some really riled up North Koreans and some red-faced genuflecting Olympic Organising Committee members. Such is the power of that coloured piece of cloth – The Flag!
Be proud of yours and the freedoms and identity that it stands for.
Chiselled into stone tablets by Eddie.
For a bit of fun, check out this Eddie Izzard / Lego clip about flags:
