Flying the Flag - Which Country is the Most Patriotic?

[akmacca]

We all know that Americans are very patriotic and this was reinforced on my recent visit to the lovely New England town of Mystic, Connecticut. The town abounds with historical New England houses, each with a nameplate out front with the date of construction, the original owner and the owner's occupation. Every other house flies an American flag and some have stars and stripes bunting on the fence or porch to often compliment some other patriotic signage. The town shops display Americana in their windows and in the centre of town is a huge flagpole flying a huge American flag. Can anywhere else in the world compete in the patriotic stakes?

 

[AisleSeat]

It's nowhere near what you see in the USA, but I'd add Denmark to the list. The 'Dannebrog' is everywhere; flagpoles on houses, outside cafes, little flags inside stores etc.

 

[robtemt]

I have to admit (being from the USA originally), I do love seeing all the flags flying outside houses. I'm not talking about in Alabama where they also have a confederate flag as a curtain in the front window and a "Make America Great" sticker on the car.... I'm talking about "normal" people in "normal" neighbourhoods. Most of my friends have them, many are former military, current serving police/fire/EMS (or friends and family of them), many just love the fact they live in a free democratic society that can elect a total idiot as president..... Im taking my partner to the USA in a couple of weeks, for his first USA Fourth of July. We will be in Vail where they still have the town parade with parents pulling their kids in little red wagons behind the fire truck and in front of the high school marching band.

I do love how Americans take such pride, and demonstrate appreciation for the lifestyle and liberties they have. I just wish some (now so many) of the whackos didn't take it so far. My mother being one of them, complaining about having to wait so long to see the doctor "cause of all the mexicans". I remind her she lives in California, which was owned/occupied by Mexicans until 1850, and that she lives 40 miles from the boarder.......

I truly think Australia is another of the most patriotic countries there is. Even immigrants like me, take such pride in the culture, the sense of community, and the appreciation for our freedoms (and stand together in the struggle of paying 100% more for Ralph Lauren polos than in the US )

I remember Sweden having a lot of homes with the flag flying. I stayed at a farm as part of a homestay exchange (ages ago), and the family had a huge flagpole with the Swedish flag on it.

 

[OZDUCK]

We were both surprised about the number of flags etc in eastern Canada. There were numerous private houses with flags out the front - at least 100 times as many as you would seen in small Australia towns. Plantings of "patriotic" flowers in red and white were also common. It also surprised me how much play was made of the War of 1812, especially the fact that the USA forces invading Canada were turned back. There were numerous memorials commemorating this war - which I understand many inhabitants of the U.S have no knowledge about.

When you get to the old "Acadian" areas of New Brunswick, PEI & Nova Scotia the Canadian flag becomes less common and various Acadian or similar flags appear. Quebec was an entirely different feeling than anywhere else..

 

[kpc]

I was in DC on the 4th July last year...wow!

 

[Isochronous]

Taiwan - they have the flag everywhere on the streets and in public.

 

[alieninperth]

That all depends on what you mean by patriotic. If its just flying the flag and appropriate coloured bunting then I would say that my old stomping ground would be up there. I'm not sure that you would get agreement from the different flag (or fleg, as we call it) flyers as to whether they're patriots or treasonous. Pics for reference. One side, (normally augmented by red, white and blue painted footpath kerb stones https://i2-prod.belfastlive.co.uk/incoming/article10902710.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/JS41311797.jpg) and the other (normally augmented by wall murals https://i2-prod.belfastlive.co.uk/incoming/article11072658.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/humphreyflag2.jpg)

If by patriotism you mean upholding the beliefs and norms of that country, then I would struggle to nominate good old Northern Ireland, but I think that most places would struggle to meet this ideal. Is the US truly the home of freedom? Do the French display liberty, equality and brotherhood? Do Australians display mate-ship and a fair go?

I'm not saying they don't, I'm just making the point that flags and flag coloured paraphanalia are not necessarily the best displays of patriotism. Nationalism, absolutely; jingoism, possibly; patriotism, I'm just not sure.

 

[amaroo]

Cronulla Beach

 

[Forg]

Cronulla Beach

Are you referring to the Lebanese flag? Have they really started staking that claim visually?

A lot of Scottish flags in Scotland. I’m guessing the recent discussions regarding secession from the UK and thence Brexit have probably stirred-up people’s thoughts in those areas.

 

[JohnK]

Thailand is very patriotic.

Patriotism in Australia is spreading thin. I'd worry if Australia was ever involved in a conflict.

 

[RoMambai]

I think most people are proud of the country they live in. More so for places that fought for their freedom and therefore earned it the hard way. Ie most of the colonial world.

As we are an immigrant country and so young, our identity is still being cultivated. I look forward to a time when we will all have an agreed national story to own and feel a part of. As a non WASP, much of our current mythology has little resonance to me personally or to the millions like me who arrived on these beautiful shores post Whitlam.

 

[Forg]

Thailand is very patriotic.

Patriotism in Australia is spreading thin. I'd worry if Australia was ever involved in a conflict.

We should just send everyone overseas for a bit, it’d pep-up patriotism for Australia quick-smart!

 

[drron]

Though patriotism isn't all good.
Read Silent Invasion by Clive Hamilton.

 

[Isochronous]

I think most people are proud of the country they live in. More so for places that fought for their freedom and therefore earned it the hard way. Ie most of the colonial world.

As we are an immigrant country and so young, our identity is still being cultivated. I look forward to a time when we will all have an agreed national story to own and feel a part of. As a non WASP, much of our current mythology has little resonance to me personally or to the millions like me who arrived on these beautiful shores post Whitlam.

That's very sad if you feel no affinity for your adopted country.

 

[RoMambai]

That's very sad if you feel no affinity for your adopted country.

I didn't say I don't feel an affinity for Australia. This couldn't be further from the truth. I love Australia and I have served on operations for this country. Instead I have no affinity for celebrating our national day on a date that is deeply insensitive to many Australians and nor can I square (despite trying as hard as I can) a national story that glorifies imperial folly on distant shores on behalf of an empire that no longer exists.

I respectfully acknowledge that many Australians do and I applaud them for it but at the same time, many are alienated by it. Your Australian-ness is not dependent on the length of time you've lived here. This country belongs to all of us. Therefore I think we need to refresh our mythology to one that is acceptable to all and that is more inclusive and forward looking. The US, NZ and others seem to do it a bit savvier than we do and I'm not entirely sure why we struggle with in the way we do.

 

[Cossie]

The most patriotic places I think I have been to recently are Catalonia closely followed by Sardinia.

Catalonia flags are everywhere in the north east of Spain, often with the added saying "Catalonia is not Spain".

In supermarkets Sardinian produce is marked with a Sardinian flag, the local beer has the Sardinian flag on it and the locals well tell you upfront that they are Sardinian and definitely not Italian.



Then of course there are the kiwis, a vast majority of which don't seem to own any item of clothing or luggage which isn't black nor without a mention of the ab's or a silver fern on it somewhere.


As an aside, from a few posts above, I was talking to a guy in Canberra at a car show, he had a very strong Irish accent and said he was from Belfast originally. His car had a Republic of of Ireland flag on the back window, I asked him why and he said in his opinion Northern Ireland didn't exist and the whole island was Ireland.