Anyone for flag burning?

Has Martin Allen, the manager of Brentford Football Club lost his mind? He’s decided that the English flag is racist. Or perhaps that the words "Born in England, Live in England, Die in England" are racist.

Just where does he think the references to race, colour or religion are?

The Manchester Evening news broke the story:

A WAR of words has broken out between soccer club bosses after a fan unfurled a St Georges flag with the words "Born in England, Live in England, Die in England ."

Brentford manager Martin Allen said he felt the words on the flag were racially offensive.He spoke out after his side's FA cup match against Oldham Athletic at Boundary Park .

Two weeks ago the same flag was flown when Oldham played Brentford in a league match at Griffin Park and police ordered it be taken down.The flag has now been banned from the ground while an investigation takes place.

Mr Allen explained the London club has a number of black players in the squad who took great offence at the message.

Complaint

He said: "Sadly, very sadly, that flag has racist undertones and we made a complaint about it then."

Although it was removed it came back out again near the end of the game and nothing was done about it."It made it a difficult afternoon."If we see it again at our ground I will find the person responsible and burn it in front of him."There is no room for it in society or in football."

Following its reappearance in Oldham he complained to club officials who promised to look into the situation.

But Oldham manager Ronnie Moore, said: "How can that be racist? Maybe if it was being flown at a match in Wales or Scotland it could be considered racist but I can't see how that it is racist here - I don't know what he's going on about."We have foreign and black players on our team and none of them said anything or complained to me."

A spokesman from the Commission for Racial Equality, said: "Flying the St Georges flag is not viewed as racist, but racism in football and racist comments directed against players and fans should not be tolerated."

Should this St George's flag be burned to combat racism? Have your say.

And the Beeb followed suit. But thanks go to the ever watchful Gareth at the CEP for the tip off yesterday.

Curiously enough, we British are not really that big on flag burning. Not like the Americans where it is almost a national sport. There are whole websites devoted to it and whether laws against flag burning are unconstitutional.

It even made it to the Simpson’s! In a brilliant parody of the Schoolhouse Rock classic "I'm Just a Bill," an edisode featured an anthropomorphic Flag Protection Amendment singing about flag burners having too much freedom.

[Little Boy] Hey, who left all this garbage on the steps of Congress?

[Amendment] I'm not garbage
I'm an amendment to be
Yes, an amendment to be
And I'm hoping that they'll ratify me
There's a lot of flag-burners who have got too much freedom
I want to make it legal for policemen to beat 'em
'Cause there's limits to our liberties
At least, I hope and pray that there are
'Cause those liberal freaks go too far

[Little Boy] But why can't we just make a law against flag burning?

[Amendment] Because that law would be unconstitutional
But if we change the constitution -

[Little Boy] Then we could make all sorts of crazy laws!

[Amendment] Now you're catching on!

[Little Boy] But what if they say you're not good enough to be in the constitution?

[Amendment] Then I'll crush all opposition to me!
And I'll make Ted Kennedy pay
If he fights back, I'll say that he's gay

[Congressman] Good news, amendment! They ratified you!
You're in the US Constitution!
[Amendment] Oh, yeah! Door's open, boys!

[Lisa] So it's true. Some cartoons do encourage violence.

You can listen to it here. Some people (particularly the manager of Brentford Football Club) really should lighten up!

Category: England_, Football_