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Flags in Politics

Last modified: 2023-07-15 by randy young
Keywords: politics |
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See also:

"Anti-" flags

Vexillographically, these consist usually of a well-known flag design with additional or subsituted elements.
António Martins, 20 November 2005

We have seen plenty of anti-American flags, a few anti-EU, an anti-Afghan, and probably an anti-Israeli one with a swastika.
Jorge Candeias, 20 November 2005

Are anti-something (mock and/or derogatory) flags (or flag designs) always political in nature? For example, while a hunting flag is (or may be) not political, is an anti-hunting flag always political? I'd say it is, based on a (broad) definition of politics.
António Martins, 20 November 2005

Yes, I would say that they are, too, because those that use them are trying to make a point and influence public policy, albeit sometimes in a broad context and a rather vague manner.
Colin Dobson, 21 November 2005

And I'd agree. Because if you oppose something enough to actively protest against it and fly derogatory flags about it, that means you want that thing suppressed or significantly changed that that's intrinsically political. Derogatory flags have always a strong political bend. They are flown when people flying them want an entity or activity suppressed, its policies changed, new restrictive legislation enforced against it or some other sort of major change about it.

There's an exception, though: when they are used as jokes. But even in that situation, the joke often satirizes political aspects about the target entity or activity. Not always, but often.
Jorge Candeias, 20 November 2005