Is it time to stop flying the flag?

Flags are curious things aren't they? One of my early memories is of sitting on my paternal grandfather's shoulders while he waited for one of the small fishing boats to come into dock. There was fish on the boat that we would have to eat that day.  I don't know how he knew that but, while we waited, he told me about the importance of the many flags flying around the docks. 

No, I don't remember everything he told me then. I was much too young for that. I must have been around about two years of age. It is quite possible I didn't understand much of what I was being told at all but I knew flags were important. They "told people things". 

Flags should still do that. Everyone has a flag of some sort, a national flag. Even "stateless" citizens will have a flag of sorts, the one they they would like to be living under. Flags are reminders of the past and often hope for the future. They can be protected by law or prevented by law. In some countries it is an offence to damage the national flag. In any country it will be offensive to some to damage the national flag. 

There has been legislation passed in this country to prevent the flying of the "Nazi" flag (and the display of any Nazi memorabilia). I hope it stops the use of such offensive and abhorrent material.

But why do we fly other flags that some find offensive or, at very least, inappropriate? Our local council would not dream of flying the Nazi flag but there is increasing use of two flags some people do find offensive. One is the "Aboriginal" flag. The other is the "Pride" flag. 

It may surprise some people to know that the "Aboriginal" flag, adopted in 1995, is not accepted by all aboriginal people. They find it offensive.  It's not "traditional". There were no flags before white settlement. It doesn't represent all aboriginal people by any means. Many aboriginal people would prefer it was not flown but it has been imposed on them by "activists" within their own community and by others who support them out of a desire to be seen as "not racist" and "politically correct".  Others say that, if it is to be flown at all, then it should be kept for special occasions.

Then there is the "Pride" flag. I was interested to see a report saying there are places in other parts of the world where it is no longer acceptable to fly it, if it ever was. What it represents goes against the beliefs of some religious groups. They find it as offensive as most people find the Nazi flag. Others simply don't feel comfortable with any overt displays of sexuality. Some find it simply ridiculous. Still others believe it is wrong that a very small group in the community has managed to garner so much attention. That an even smaller group in the community is using it to cause what is increasingly being seen as physical and mental harm makes flag flying even more offensive.

And these flags are not there to "unite" people. They are there to represent "difference". They divide. As a friend pointed out recently, "There is no flag for all disabled people." True, there is a recognised "access" sign which is sometimes shown as a flag but it is not a flag flown next to the state and national flags.

On occasions of celebration or mourning then perhaps we should be flying other flags. For the rest of the time should we revert to simply flying the state and national flags?