We're standing with you, Britons!

I thought Jay Leno did a good thing in his comment last night. You know, when we had our 9-11, people in countries all over the world were grieving for us. I am pleased to see that we are not to ethnocentric to do the same for them in their hour of trial.

This might get moved to the politics forum, but I was watching Charlie Rose last night and one of the guests was arguing that we need to soften our policies to make ourselves less of a target for terrorists. Regardless of where one stands on Bush's foreign policy, I believe that to react to terrorists in any way serves their purposes.
1. If we attack, they are successful in gaining more support for their cause amongst their own. Terrorists tend to take a victim stance that justifies their actions against other innocent victims.
2. If we soften our policies, the next time anyone believes in a cause more than they value human life, they will remember that killing innocents worked once and might work again. In psychology, the most difficult behaviors to extinguish are those that are only intermittently reinforced.

I feel for the British, but I'm not going to put a Jack on my back. Nothing personal.

I'm pretty sure this will be moved. I don't like the way Bush has done a lot of things.

Anyway, I just don't have a Union Jack handy.

I feel for these people, and I just leardned that a group of Santa Cruz residents were on an organized trip to England and were running late for their next stop. They missed that train by just a few minutes. Kinda makes you wonder, doesn't it? This ****ing war is doing more bad than good it seems to me...

Ah, so if we leave Iraq and Afghanistan, then maybe al-Qaeda will get all friendly-like and stop killing Americans, Brits, Spaniards, Aussies, Indonesians, Hindus, Shiites, Sufis,...

Good thought !

We have to leave Iraq and Afghanistan or we'll be building another "V" in DC within 10 years. The real war starts once we leave and whoever wins is anyones guess.

I feel for them, but it's not my plan to wear the Union Jack either. It means something else to us in the USA, so I'm not inclined to go that far for our British friends.

Again, my condolences to England for their tragedies. I feel just aweful for them.

Koffee

You probably already know this Koffee, but the Union Jack and the Confederate Flag are quite different to the careful observer. They sure do look alike to the casual glancer, however. I'm not wearing one either, but my thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims.

Yeah... they're a little different, but still close enough to not get me enthused enough to walk around with one.

Why do we call it the Union Jack when it's the Union flag?

Koffee

Its only a Union Jack when flown from the Jackstaff of a naval ship

apart from that you are right Koffee it should be called the Union flag not the Union Jack

(thanks for the kind thought Kf5nd)

I agree with you on this one. For perhaps slightly different reasons.

That just might do it. But it's a whole lot more fun doing, "I bomb you, you bomb me". Gee we could do this for oh??? Twelve more years.

Anyone who cant tell the difference between the Union Jack and the confederate flag is a complete imbecile.

As if there's not plenty of those running aroung America.

They are very different.

I've seen punks and skinheads wearing both. Looks like this thread is nearing the end of its downward spiral now.

Look who is the figurehead of our country.
'Nuff said.

I think your heart is in the right place.
I remember after Sept 11 the support shown by people in Australia (and I suspect many other Countries) by wearing T-Shirts with USA Flags, and "I Love NY" T-shirts was overwelming.
Of course many clothing companies capitalised on the idea, but the people wearing them were so to show their support.
Steve.

There are, but whats your point? You think these 2 flags are so similar that its hard to tell the difference?

I think anyone who's seen 'austin powers' can tell the difference, which would include a large portion of that moronic audience you are talking about. Everyone can choose how they show support, of course, but I'm hoping people have a reason for not flying the union flag beyond 'it looks a teeeny tiny bit like a confederate flag'.

We'll all find our own ways of supporting each other, attacks like this breed fear, and solidarity is the best way to make sure that fear doesn't win.

peace,
sam

To each their own. I like CE's idea of the shirt. After 911 there were a whole slew of people, from different countries, wearing the "I love NY shirts" showing their support. People could do the same here with I love London shirts, for theirs. Wearing a "flag" can be a pretty bold statement, depending, and like I said, to each their own. I love the Brits and I would do anything for them but I wont wear their flag just as I wont wear the flag of the US.

Well, actually, I have the British flag on a purse I bought last year in Europe. Maybe I'll pull that out and sport it for a bit... but not wear it as a shirt.

Koffee

I decided when Bush was re-elected that, being of British ethnicity, I considered myself a Brit expat rather than an American, so I would have no problem wearing one. This might not make me Mr. Popularity, but I don't give a ****, America has let Bush destroy our Constitutional Rights, and every stupid trait of Americans has been magnified tenfold since 9-11. If we can't unite except to fight, then **** American ideals.

Have a nice day!

Im a born here USA'er and being familier with Britain circa 2005 and circa USA 2005
I would have to now say we would have been better off losing the Revolution.

I didnt know the United States and England were divided.....
As far as the rest of your post, I would have to strongly agree.


About my flag statement....I think I had better retract that. I just remembered I have a reebok shirt I wear that has a very small Union Jack on it.