In my 55 years of life, I had never until yesterday seen a flag which was a saltire on one side and a union jack on the other. Yet last night thousands of them were distributed free at the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony. I have been told they are being given out at the swimming today, and possibly at other venues too.
Such flags do not normally exist. They had to be specially commissioned, and somebody had to pay for them. Who paid for them? Is it public money?
There is no doubt why these unique flags were commissioned, and why they are being given out free at considerable expense. It is to provide TV images of Scotland combined in the union, and to make sure that Scottish medals are greeted with media images of union jacks being waved with the saltire.
In the context of the referendum, only a hardened liar could claim that these unique flags were commissioned without a view to the campaign. This is enormous hypocrisy by the unionists, who have been bombarding the media for weeks with warnings to Yes supporters not to “politicise” the Commonwealth Games.
The BBC informs us that “political flags” are not allowed inside games venues. So saltires with a Yes will be confiscated. The BBC report states:
Well hold on, some flags will not be allowed to fly. Political flags.
Both sides of the independence debate have agreed not to use Glasgow 2014 for political gain anyway.
But even if you wanted to, well, it’s against the rules.
Glasgow 2014 Venue Regulation 6.18 states that no flags are allowed to enter a venue – or the vicinity of any Games venue – if they are normally associated with causes, affiliations or organisations.
Nobody can possibly argue that, at this time, a Union Jack combined with a Saltire is not an image strongly associated with a cause or association. So the rules are being quite deliberately broken, and somebody is funding that breach and doing it on a massive scale. It is vital that we know: who is paying for these flags?
Actually I am not sure why union jacks are allowed in at all. The rules are very clear. If you try to take in a Palestinian flag or a Dutch flag it will be confiscated. Again, to quote the BBC:
You are not allowed, however, to bring the flag of a country not competing in the Games
The United Kingdom is not competing in the Games. So there is a very respectable argument that union jacks should not be allowed in at all.
What is absolutely certain is that the two-faced union jack and saltire flags are very strongly associated with a political cause or affiliation. If they are allowed in, then Yes saltires should be allowed in too.
If thats the best comeback you have got then you better not bother.
Just Saying
So much for free speech in an Independent Scotland.
Ivar the Boneless @Methinks Anon is very wrong. Things seem to be moving steadily towards a yes vote.I wager you 10 pounds the vote is no, If I lose can I give you the £10 Clydesdale Bank note I have been trying to pass on to traders all over the Wirral [with no takers yet] they all genuinely think it is “funny money”. Honestly.
People like Anon should read up about Edward Bernays. Jewish (am I allowed to say that? and nephew of Siggy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Bernays
Surprising how powerful visual images are. Why are billions of £s and $s spent on PR and advertising they should ask themselves.
Not surprised in the least at seeing these flags, every possible attempt is being made to play-down, dilute and spoil the absolutely normal bog-standard support that Scots provide to their home athletes. From dual-sided flags to the watered down blue of the Scottish athletes clothing. The 2-sided “butchers saltire” is an utterly bizarre bastardised attempt at this and fit only for arse-wiping (on one side obviously).
Seems a reasonable bet that the flags are being paid for by some group like NoBorders or other naw-bag supporting outfit. Not going to be near the venues myself, but if anyone can *courteously* ask those who are handing them out *on whose behalf they’re doing so* …would love to know what the response is.
In the meantime get these Yes saltires, badges and bags out there on full display. No-one should fall for the story that the Naw campaign aren’t going to politicize the event to the max. The Queen, Cameron, the Red Arrows, GSTQ, union-jack’s and we’re not even 24 hours in. Bite back folks !
Harry Law, funny money eh? Says more about the juvenile English psyche than it does about the Scottish one. VOTE YES 2014!
“People like Anon should read up about Edward Bernays. Jewish (am I allowed to say that?”
Of course you’re allowed to say that, Mary. Don’t be shy! But you should also tell us why you think it is relevant.
The Ingerlish bastards are watering down our bluuuuuuuuu!!!
“The Queen, Cameron, the Red Arrows, GSTQ, union-jack’s and we’re not even 24 hours in. Bite back folks !”
All of that would happen even if there wasn’t a referendum taking place, Paul Martin.
Only ones i see who are politicising the games are the unionists and their brit sponsors, despite them warning the Yes side and the SNP not too! Hows that for stinking hypocrisy? How desperate they must be, time is running out for them and this so called “union” and they know it. Great thing is most Scots folk can see through this orchestrated unionist bullshit.
Dear “anon”. The only folk seeking to dilute and subvert perfectly natural domestic support for the home nation, are those UK unionists who are in a position of power or influence to do so. Whether they’re English or Scottish is completely irrelevant – they’re just British nationalists (“proud” Brits I’m sure). The 2-sided flag sums that mentality up, its an abomination. I’m one year younger than Craig Murray and in my 54 years of life I’ve never seen such an absurd chimera as that flag.
Seriously, who would want to live in a country where you sad b@stards are the majority?
They’re watering down our bluuuuuuuu!!! We was a prood Scottish navy bluuuuuuu nation before the Ingerlish bastards turned us into a sky bluuuuuuu!!!
Poor oppressed Scots forced into taking the flags, forced to wave them and not recognising the cross of St Andrew on both sides of the flag. As for not politicising the games, the timing of the vote was set for after the games intentionally to reap any winning afterglow. Scolympians and embarrassing Andy Murray have not helped Fat Eck so he was bound to try and step back from another debacle. He is walking scared (he wisely recognises the life span of a Scot in that area of Glasgow is less than Gaza and would not risk running).
Orange Order
Orange Order which means Glasgow Labour council knew . Celtic fans will be furious.
I was born in England to a Scottish mother, I am now a citizen of Australia. I am so disgusted at the way the Pommie parliament is acting. And to make things worse, the Thatcher loving right wing idiot we have as our prime minister is starting to act the same way.
I quite possibly will apply for a Scottish passport if your referendum is in the affirmative….
You’re quite right on this, Craig. Have British countries ever handed out Union Jacks at the games before?The UK has no identity in the games and therefore distribution of UK symbols is clearly politically motivated. I wonder how people would feel about the govt handing out EU flags at the event.
The author claims to be a Human Rights Activist.
What sort of human rights activist would even contemplate forbidding people to fly the flag of their nation?
Only a sad, sad man full of hatred.
It’s pathetic. Get a life.
I have been reading the comments on a piece in the Guardian about teaching Welsh in all British schools.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jul/22/welsh-taught-in-british-schools-scottish-independence-referendum-english-wales-Scotland
Its a great article because it upends the idea of Britain = England and reminds (introduces) the fact that Welsh is the original British / Brythonic language.
It is for this reason (Britain is not England) that I feel sad about Scottish / Welsh independence (as if its defeatist to have to be resigned to the hinterlands – as lovely as they are). Having criticised others today on another thread for day dreaming about ending empires it is perhaps a bit rich for me to argue for the return of a greater Brythonic Wales.
Anyway the Guardian article is a lovely read and what is astonishing is just how much it rattles the Guardian’s English readers (and its in the Guardian not Guido Fawkes). So maybe Craig is right and a Yes vote would really shake things up (but what then?)
Are you sure the saltire just isn’t attached to the UJ with bits of sticky backed plastic?
;p
The same flags were being distributed by the No Campaign in Perth on Saturday 19th July.So much for rules then.
Commented on this last night (FB) and was told by another committed Yes campaigner that the shockingly pro-union, obviously political flags were being handed out by ‘church groups’ at Celtic Park.
She was at Celtic park, saw them being handed out, and asked those responsible.
As the Orange Lodge keeps telling us it’s a ‘church organisation’, I suspect that’s who’s behind it – or a Lodge-sympathising church (and there are plenty of them in Glasgow, unfortunately.
Danny
People were forced to remove their Yes badges, and saltires with Yes were confiscated. I don’t actually mind people flying Union Jacks at all – they should be allowed to fly anything they like. Including Yes saltires. And Palestinian flags.
What I object to is one rule for the Yes campaign and a different rule for the Unionists, who are allowed to politicise it as much as they like.
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/exclusive-defence-secretary-intervenes-in-red-arrows-commonwealth-games-row-9625976.html
I don’t even think your Lodge march should be banned, Danny, don’t worry.
But that still leaves the question of who paid for all those Unionist campaigning flags.
You people are mentally ill.
God help my children when you crazy people multiply enough to take over with your lunatic ramblings.
The author of that last comment has the email address [email protected]. Can anybody trace the name of the particular stupid religious bigot who uses that email address?
In fact I strongly suspect that [email protected] was connected with the giving out of those flags, and thought it was hilarious to do it at that particular venue. Would you like to tell us?
Anyway, here are some obviously not crazy friends of yours to make you feel happy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmGjiokfQ2A
Oh here’s somebody else obviously not crazy you will doubtless enjoy
http://newsnetscotland.com/index.php/scottish-news/9495-anger-at-no-campaign-supporters-commonwealth-games-malaysia-slur
You say: “The United Kingdom is not competing in the Games. So there is a very respectable argument that union jacks should not be allowed in at all.”
Well, St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha use the Union Jack as their flag at these games.
PS> You also say that e-mail addresses will not be published, but then go on to post someone’s e-mail address. Absolutely shocking behaviour, that is probably illegal in some form.
I thought in this case the fact the man is employed in a position of official responsibility at Rangers Football Club was relevant and reveals something important. If it had been a private and not an official Rangers email address I would not have published it, as I am not publishing yours.
Actually I did not know there was a promise not to publish – must be a standard WordPress template. I can publish yours if you like, and then you can sue me and test the legality. But as I am in Spain and the blog is hosted in the Netherlands, I think you might have some problems of jurisdiction.
Shame you had no response to the fact that some countries ARE using the Union Jack as a legitimate flag at the Games.