Flag Waving.

[the_great_she_elephant]

Is jingoistic flag-waving a just another crass  Americanism  we have adopted, or has it always been a facet of Australian Culture?

Today I found this little gem on my FB newsfeed:

I DON'T CARE IF I DO OFFEND ANYONE BY THIS!!! I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF AUSTRALIA AND TO THE COMMONWEALTH FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION INDIVISIBLE, AND JUSTICE FOR ALL! MY GENERATION GREW UP RECITING THE AUSTRALIAN ANTHEM EVERY MORNING IN SCHOOL WITH MY HAND ON MY HEART. THEY NO LONGER DO THAT FOR FEAR OF OFFENDING SOMEONE! ... ...... LET'S SEE HOW MANY AUSSIES WILL RE-POST THIS AND NOT CARE ABOUT OFFENDING SOMEONE

Well it offended me! What a load of codswallop! Mr. Elephant, who is his 70s says he never had to recite anything with his hand on his heart when he was at school, my kids, who are in their 40s say they didn’t either and , as far as I know, neither did any of my Grandchildren. The most any of them have ever done was sing the National Anthem at assemblies and I’m pretty sure most schoolkids do the same today.

This is a stupid piece of xenophobia disguised as patriotism that obviously started in America – and even there it is a big fat lie, an overwhelming majority of American schools still go through the pledge to the flag ritual every day.

I suspect whoever it was that said “Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel”  must have been thinking of this type of offensive hogwash when he made that comment. 

[para-sights]

Like the Star Spangled Banner usually only the first stanza is sung (if I remember correctly lol)

oops sorry thought you meant how could you sing all of it.... I guess I'm too young lol

[purple_haize]

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@izabsmiling wrote:

how could you have sung the Australian National Anthem ?

Advance Australia Fair was adopted as the national anthem (the 1st and a new 3rd verses, with modified lyrics) for the second time on 19 April 1984 by Bob Hawke's Labor government (after it was chosen by the Whitlam government in 1974, and later rejected by the Fraser government). Previous to this, the Australian national anthem was "God Save the Queen"

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The national athem when I went to school was God Save The Queen..................

This thread is not about that...........it is about flag waving.

[izabsmiling]

I see Purple .Was thinking you meant Advance Australia Fair .

[spotweldersfriend]

Do they sing Kumbaya at Nimbin Primary?

[**meep**]

She ele, that message resurfaces from time to time.  I have seen it in reference to banning halal food.   I think you should have given it the attention it deserved - none.

As for flag waving......I usually associate that with May Day parades....

[the_hawk*]

"Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrjZi7WIAOw

[**meep**]

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@spotweldersfriend wrote:
AND JUSTICE FOR ALL*


*Refugees excepted.

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That was the whole point.....

edit: typo

[ajarnjenny]

I agree. I spent the month of October with a friend near Washington and it seemed to me that every home and building had a flag. 

Some houses decals in the front window saying 'A Patriot Lives Here' and 'God Bless America'.

[ajarnjenny]

When I was at school, many, many moons ago we sang the second verse, but when we would get to 'Till he landed on our shore', we would sing 'Till 'e landed on our shore' and our teacher would go nuts and yell at us, 'Tilly didn't land on our shore, Cook did!'

[k0llectable5]

Honestly I dont see what the big deal is.  If you want to wave your flag and pledge alegience to it thats great if you prefer to be "quietly" patriotic then thats great too. So long as there is love in you for this great country thats all that matters IMO.  

Although, as an Australian if you are "offended" by our flag or those that wave it proudly in their front yards then chances are you are probably offended a tad too easily.

Not directed at you she ele becuase I can understand what you are saying in the OP.  I have seen the Americanisation of Australia over the years and I dont like it but a FB post like that is just trying to stir the pot, minus the hand on the heart bit ( admitedly I never had my hand on my heart but I definately remember the acknowledgement of the flag on rememberance and Anzac day though, because it was always at half mast) I'm a bit perplexed at what is so offensive.  I tjhink xenophobia is a mild exaggeration.  I'm just wondering where the "intense or irrational dislike or fear of people from other countries" applies to this post? Is it because of the "dont care if I offend anyone" rhetoric? I think that is probably the most Australian sounding part of the whole post.  Austrailians used to call spades, spades before the age of PC. We should be able to be equally as patriotic as we are misanthropic IMO. If we dont show love for the place what kind of example are we making to all the newcomers?