Flags, we have a bit of an issue with them currently, and maybe we always have, but with the coverage and reach of media these days, means we get to be aware of what occurs. Partly. Because in some cases it only occurs because the media is present to capture and report it so becomes a perpetual cycle. Something that would have been a certain way or would have perhaps run a different course, is altered by the observation of it, as much is.

And while we watch the generally strange mentality unfold in society, flags are being worshipped and wielded as though they hold great power, and psychologically, they clearly do. Many people choosing to publicly show their allegiance to something by way of a representative banner, wanting people to see which side they align with and support. Sometimes making people wonder whether they genuinely feel for the cause, or they just want to be seen to be involved and are part of something. It’s not always as simple as because they are there, they believe in the same thing. And we have had a number of different flags over the recent decades to start the ball rolling on it, to help get people behind a banner and a cause that requires ‘people’ to move it along.

Gay Rainbow Flag – created in 1978 as a symbol of pride. Now, most of my life I have not had a problem with it in any way, thinking it was nice using bright colours, and showing it at events as a friendly, happy symbol to show inclusion and acceptance. Things have changed somewhat over the last few years, in my ideas and my attitude towards it, see my article Rainbows for thoughts on that.

Transgender Flag – on the face of it, seems quite a normal concept for a flag. Pale blue for boys and pale pink for girls, and white for the ones in the middle or intersex people. Not entirely sure why that requires a flag, or needing people to ‘see’ what and who you are, and is what probably got me thinking more about why we need to ‘flag’ everything for others to be aware of. Like people who used to joke about all sorts of things and say ‘you wouldn’t put a big neon sign over your head advertising it, now would you?’ Well, these are now the times where people do indeed want big neon signs over their head announcing their intentions, their wants and needs, their triumphs, dreams and failures to a faceless audience.

NHS Flag – used for purpose during the covid debacle, to get people to focus their attention and energy on an institution which behaved in a rather strange way for quite some time during what we were told was a ‘national medical emergency’. However, seeing hospitals barricaded to keep them shut off, empty ward corridors and doctors’ surgeries, and choreographed dancing nurse routines being shown, somehow the response didn’t fit the claim. But in order to keep people focused, we had pot clanging for them, clapping, set times advertised to show your support and be seen to be doing it. With their flag being used as a beacon, to protect the health service from helping in an emergency to protect the people that it apparently is there to save. What a switch around, suddenly we were here to save the NHS, they were no longer here to save people. It was so twisted. Even more so that many didn’t see it, and lined up to worship and sacrifice themselves to ‘save it’. That same institution that had a bailout in 2020, with its entire debt wiped of £15.4 billion, then was crying poor again with a couple of years, I think it’s either well and truly saved, or way past saving at this point. And the flag may have been a small part of that, but when you have the numbers who are willing to ‘fly the flag’ for something, then maybe that’s when you know you can pull something off, so do.

Palestine Flag / Israel Flag – both of these flags have been weaponised in a very ugly and sinister way in the last few years, being used to represent either side of an unnatural disturbance. And if you view the basic history of that area, you can see that like with much else, plans set in motion many decades ago reach a boiling point and are moved into the ‘next phase’ of whatever that plan is.

The Union Flag / Union Jack – apparently, it’s only called the Union Jack when at sea, which I wasn’t aware of for most of my life so always called it that. But is supposed to be a flag that shows this kingdom is a united one, although each country keeps its own flag and we have both.

St Georges Cross Flag – this is the one just for England, and used to be seen as a symbol of pride towards this country. However, as the system tries to force through change, we see an attack on this particular banner of allegiance which appears to have a more sinister undertone about it rather than just trying to piss people off.

Pirate Flag – obviously not a modern one or at all common these days other than in films, and one I always thought was a bit odd, to show you are the enemy up front, seems a bit stupid in my view, but what do I know. And occasionally in the film, they would show a different flag, then once within range would hoist the real one and then the plunder would be on. Because clearly if someone could see your flag ‘from a mile away’ then they can just sail the other way. But maybe it was just in the movies you saw that because the idea that you are able to see who is your enemy and ally based on a flag, seems rather against our true nature as humans. To be upfront and so forthcoming about your position and intentions, in advance and from a distance, not at all what we are really like. But when it comes to trade and business, you have to be forthcoming to a point, showing what you are selling and such. And we should remember, that a pirate will be on the lookout for a ‘flag’ to be showing of something they want, so they can steal it, or abuse it, or just piss all over it. So, be a bit more discerning about which flag you are flying for all to see, ‘showing your hand before you have seen theirs’ kind of thing.

But it seems flags are used for purpose, they show when a place has been conquered or discovered, flag on the moon, flags in Antarctica showing show owns what, flags of nationality, a small piece of materials holding so much power it seems, that once it has been planted, no other can then do the same. Weirdly. I would have thought technically, you can just walk over, remove their flag and then put yours there, and now it’s yours. But it isn’t, is it? Because it wasn’t theirs in the first place, and that’s why people having a system of agreed upon Ownership is so important, so you can then take it off them and know they won’t try and take it back. Happening in many countries currently with various land grabs and indigenous people being used as the pawn in that, convincing them they have ‘rights’ to the land, so they can take it off whoever is there without a fight, and they in turn will have it taken off them. It really is just the same shit, different day…

(c) MKW Publishing