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I think it's a different idea of what's an appropriate time to wave flags. Most British people are used to seeing this on certain very special national occasions only. The rest of the time, the only people who go in for it are violent neo-nazis. So there is an unfair and perhaps unconcious presumption that people who wave flags a lot are neo-nazis.

or, as Kipling put it, "jelly-bellied flag flappers."

In context: "The Flag of Their Country" (Stalky & Co.)

It predates WWII, or WWI even. The Brits are just more restrained, it has to be a major event before they'll let go with an orgy of patriotism.

So there is an unfair and perhaps unconcious presumption that people who wave flags a lot are neo-nazis.

Yeah, tell me about it. I get a little sick of hearing that America is "looking like Nazi Germany". But I've noticed that many liberals have a lot of trouble making distinctions between one thing and an entirely different thing. It's all the same to them.

There were a few lefties here, screeching that country singer Toby Keith had threatened them all with death on Thanksgiving Day. What did he do? He sang "Courtesy of the Red White and Blue" during the halftime show of a football game. With a flag behind him somewhere.

They took those lyrics personally. And they find the flag extremely threatening. Three guesses why.

Transnationalism is going to be a lot more dangerous in the end than nationalism, in my opinion.