Previously, on alt.atheism, Kevin Anthoney in episode
<MLWdnVz_8sAuzx7ZRVnyuQ@pipex.net>...

Fred Stone wrote:

This is just sad.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3258613,00.html

England afraid to fly its own flag

Following threats by extremist Islamic group, several corporations,
chain of pubs ban England flag
Modi Kreitman


Following warnings by extremist Islamic group al-Muhajiroun, in which
the group said that the red cross in the England flag symbolizes the
'blood thirsty crusaders' and the occupation of Muslims, some of the
largest companies in England have ordered their workers not to wave the
flags.


The flag has recently appeared in England on everything from bikinis to
cars, and sold in endless versions in stores.


But the Islamic protest forced some corporations, such as cable
companies NTL, Heathrow airport in London, and even the Drivers and
Vehicles Licensing Agency to ban the flag in every form due to fears
from reactions of Muslims.

Given that the DVLA is based in Swansea, Wales, where they'd rather
stick pins in their eyes than support England at anything, I think a ban
is a bit superfluous. Maybe they're worried about the place being
burned down when a flag gets torched. The pub chain ban is a bit
strange, unless they're trying to act as a haven for people sick to
death of the World Cup. The rest is more likely to be corporate
must-project-a-professional-image killjoy stuff than anything to do with
Muslims.

According to the BBC:

"A pub chain has withdrawn its ban on licensees flying St George's flag
during the Euro 2004 championships.

"Arena pub managers were told the banner had 'connotations of football
violence' and could put off customers."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/3732249.stm

Um... wait, Euro 2004?

Okay, let's try again...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/4461795.stm

"A shopkeeper has been ordered to remove his flags celebrating St George
by council officials who say they breach health and safety rules."

Oh wait, that's 19 April, 2005.

Still looking for rampant, current bans because of Muslims. Um...

Well, there was one:

(http://makeashorterlink.com/?Q17E6263D)

"Food store Tesco has been forced into an embarrassing U-turn after
banning delivery drivers from displaying England flags in their cabs.

The decision - just eight days before the start of the World Cup - was
greeted with derision before senior supermarket bosses admitted having a
're-think' about the ban...Yesterday's Tesco row began after the firm told
its drivers to stop displaying football flags.

"Bosses said they might offend other workers, possibly of different
nationalities and ethnicities, who might then have to drive the vehicles."

That was this year. A ban by a company that was almost immediately
reversed.

Oh, wait, look at this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_England

"In 2006, a week before the start of the World Cup, The Sun newspaper
claimed that all over England, people were trying to ban the display of
the England flag in case it offended foreign visitors, particularly
Muslims."

Hm... a tabloid. And, whaddya know, the ynet story says:

"The Sun tabloid newspaper..."

"The Sun said..."

Next up, "The National Enquirer reports..."

I also found this:

http://www.nationalvanguard.org/story.php?id=6299

"The soldier submitted his story to the BBC Leeds Online forum and said:

"'I have recently arrived home, in Leeds, from work to be confronted by
two police officers, who according to neighbours have been calling back
and forth most of the day and at one point sat outside my door for over an
hour during which time a number of neighbours were quizzed as to my
whereabouts and 'what sort of person I am'. Many of whom thought that
perhaps I had committed some heinous crime.

"I have flown the national flag of England on my property for the past two
years since we bought this house, and I have been told, in no uncertain
terms, that I risk arrest if I continue to do so."

Submitted to an online forum eh?

Hm.

Oh this incident is being reported by a very interesting bunch:

http://www.nationalvanguard.org/nv/

"What We Want

"We can have a clean, orderly, progressive, safe, and incomparably richer
and more beautiful nation if it becomes a proud White nation again."

"To do that we must begin by restoring White community and White racial
consciousness among our people. We at National Vanguard are doing that by
building world-beating new media for Whites and by getting out on the
street and meeting our neighbors and showing them what we're all about."

Which leads into this interesting story:

http://makeashorterlink.com/?H1CE5663D

"A school head has banned teachers and pupils from having England football
flags and car stickers during the World Cup because of the area's links to
the British National Party.

"Karen Healy was concerned that the flag of St George was becoming a BNP
symbol and she did not want the school or its members to be construed as
supporting the party."

On the other hand:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/5019980.stm

"Although our policy has been to not allow non-school badges and
discourage flags unless in relation to learning, we are changing this
policy due to it being seen as not supporting the World Cup rather than
being in relation to behaviour and uniform."

Meaning it wasn't a new ban to begin with. They have a uniform code.

"Reports suggested fears of the rise in support for the British National
Party in the area had prompted the ban on the St George's flag. Mrs Healey
said this had been "a side issue"... Chris Keates, general secretary of
teachers' union NASUWT, said: 'The BNP's attempts to exploit the English
flag for their pernicious purposes are wholly unacceptable and must be
challenged at every level.'

"'I have every sympathy with schools striving to distance themselves from
the BNP. It is, however, essential that we do not surrender to those with
a racist and fascist agenda or stifle national pride in the achievements
of a multicultural England football team which is representing a
multicultural nation.'"


I *still can't find anything supporting the ynet.com contention that this
all is happening because of al-Muhajiroun. In fact, most references are to
soccer violence and concerns over attempts by white supremacists to co-opt
the St. George's flag.

Nor does there seem to be all that much going on in the first place.
Unless you believe the tabloids and the National Vanguard. Myself, I'm
leery of tabloids and self-proclaimed white supremacists as "news"
sources.