A cartoon showing two people taking a St George's flag off a lamppost. Photo: Courtesy of Hugh Palmer.
A tool for the job: Hugh Palmer on a new Quaker gadget
‘How do we feel when we see a flag?’
How do we feel when we see a flag? We may feel indifferent, excited, feel that we belong, or that we do not belong. How much does the meaning of these symbols depend on context, on intention? How do we feel about the nationalist flag displays that flutter proudly from our lampposts? For the activists who have busied themselves placing Union and St George’s flags along our roadsides, they may be a righteous call to arms, for a return to what they might term ‘traditional values’. For some of the most vulnerable members of our society (and those who wish to support them) they are both a threat and a challenge. The sight of them in and around Oxford has been especially hard to stomach. Our city is by tradition famously multicultural, and holds the title City of Sanctuary for its work with generations of asylum seekers and refugees. The knowledge that Oxford has been targeted by these groups – not despite, but because of, its liberal traditions – has moved some Quakers to seek a way to do something, other than wring our hands in the comfort of our homes. It was clear, from the bullying tactics of the flag-raising gangs, blocking roads, flaunting their illegal activity in broad daylight, that confrontation was what they desired – it was indeed a major component of their campaign, fuelled by the publicity that resulted.
