After Charlotte Cripps wrestled emotionally wit her daughters’ newfound love of the England flag, our readers had their own views on patriotism, pride, and who really gets to fly the St George’s Cross
England’s run to the World Cup semi-finals has turned even reluctant households into flag-wavers, and for Charlotte Cripps, watching her young daughters become overnight patriots has stirred up some distinctly mixed feelings.
Writing about her 10-year-old’s newfound love of St George’s Cross, Cripps admitted she wasn’t sure how she felt about a symbol she’s more used to seeing at far-right marches than on her own car window.
It’s a tension Independent readers clearly recognise. Many pushed back on the idea that patriotism needs an apology at all, arguing that loving your country is no different from any other kind of pride.
Others said the discomfort makes sense, given how hard Reform UK and the far right have worked to make the flag their own – and saw this summer’s tournament as the perfect moment to take it back.
It’s a debate that goes well beyond football. Here’s what you had to say:
There is nothing wrong with being patriotic when it’s for the right reasons. At its best, sport unites people, especially when fans and players show good sportsmanship. Wimbledon is an excellent example of this: the country can put all its hopes into one of our own players, but when they are beaten, we still cheer and applaud the foreign player, and are genuinely happy for their success. England is a great country and we should be proud of it… but we also have a responsibility to behave in a way that demonstrates to others that this pride is justified.
I thought Charlotte’s article articulated the reasons behind this quite well – patriotism has been the realm of the flag-waving right in the last decade since Brexit, and not much this country has done since 2016 has given us much to be excited about, even if you take out the hatred that seems to exist in the dark corners. It’s nice to be excited to be English again, even if that feeling can only last a little while.
The English won’t reclaim their flag until the middle stops passive-aggressively looking down their noses at anyone who flies it.
It will stay the preserve of the far right while that continues.
Supporting your own country should not be controversial. Flying the St George’s Cross during an England match is not hatred, extremism, or a threat to anyone – it is simply pride in your country and support for your national team. Yet it always seems to be the same section of political opinion that has a problem with it: happy to celebrate every other identity, but not this one. Patriotism is not prejudice, and no amount of sneering will make it so.
You can buy England flags with ‘Football Not Farage’ printed across the horizontal bar. I got a couple for my neighbour’s kids.
There is nothing wrong with being a patriot. Why would or should you feel uncomfortable with the notion of patriotism? How have we become so contrarian that we have to feel ashamed to love the country that made us what we are and we call home?
My son’s next-door neighbours are Glaswegians, and they bedecked their house with Saltires. As soon as Scotland was knocked out, these were immediately replaced by St George flags. Brilliant people!
Strange how the Scots can be proud of being Scottish and fly the St Andrew’s Cross. Strange how the Welsh can be proud of being Welsh and fly their national flag. Strange how every country in the world, apart from England, can be proud of its national heritage – but woe betide an Englishman who is proud that his ancestors abolished slavery and brought parliamentary democracy to the world: the country that invented the concept of a government bound by its own laws, and most of the innovations necessary for the modern world.
I don’t think there is any harm in fervent displays of patriotism every few years, based around international sports tournaments. The danger is kids secretly accessing dodgy extremist websites – because we all know where that leads.
Patriotism? I’ve never quite understood pride in an accident of birth. I’m proud of some of my modest achievements, and I’m proud of my children, but it ends there. How does one take pride in something we have no control over?
Have an honest conversation with your kids. Flags, patriotism, nationalism – how to reckon with it isn’t simple. You aren’t supposed to present it unmuddied to them. Help them navigate it by giving them information, and help them start thinking through symbols and choices, and which ones to care about.
Some of the comments have been edited for this article for brevity and clarity.
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