My comment on flags yesterday attracted attention. I was asked to discuss it on Times Radio last night, but it was too late, and I felt I was too tired to do the subject justice, so I declined.
An interesting comment did come in this morning, though, from a commentator called Joanna, who said, and I have edited slightly:
Were I in the UK now, here's my suggestion. Don't just sit there pretending nothing is awry – fly something. Say your piece, give your response. A dove. A multicoloured family holding hands. Something you believe in.
Here is my response:
Where am I from?
Earth.
One planet. Populated by people, all with common ancestors, and all related, and all of whom have a duty to share this place so that we might, in common, survive.
Earth is where I live.
Earth hosts the human population that matters, and for whom I have concern.
Earth is what unites us.
Earth, and all it is, has been, and might be, and all and everything upon it: that is what I care for.
That would be my flag.
Note: the image was generated by ChatGPT at my request, based on the image from Apollo 8 in 1968.
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A picture paints a thousand words……………………………………
I had that photograph, taken on Xmas Eve 1968 from Apollo 8, on my bedroom wall as a teenager. I believe it could be the most influential photograph ever taken. Why ? Part of the answer lies in its historical moment. 1968 was the year of the Tet Offensive in the Vietnam war – and the realisation that despite its military might America was losing to local fighters with few resources, but huge determination; it was the year of the Prague Spring, when the people of Czechoslovakia asserted human rights against the military might of the old Soviet Union; and in western Europe too student and worker protests had brought France to the brink of revolution – the president was evacuated by helicopter from Paris to a French army base in Germany. It was a time of turmoil – but also of tremendous optimism and hope.
But the historical context is only part of this story: more important was our emotional response to the photograph, perhaps harder to recapture now. Never before had anyone seen an ‘earthrise’ from behind another celestial body. To see our own world in this way – as aliens might see it, a precious little ball of life in the dead vastness of space – was a deeply moving experience. It played its part in the sudden overflowing of youthful demand for a better future, evidenced at Woodstock the following year – but moreover, it led, I believe, directly to the modern environmental movement – driven originally not by the science of climate change, but the revelation that the earth really is a terribly fragile home.
Agreed
As a sailor, ensigns and courtesy flags are a real-life issue.
Flying the Red Ensign is (technically) a legal requirement… but sailing round Ireland I chose to fly a “Celtic Ensign” (combining Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Cornwall, Brittany etc..) or none at all.
Courtesy flags (a small flag flown of the place you are visiting) is simple in Ireland (the tricolour). Also, straightforward in Scotland (the Saltire or Shetland/Orkney flags when appropriate)…… but what about Northern Ireland? Both the Irish flag and the “Red Hand” seemed wrong so I flew an EU flag.
Interested to know what others might have done.
Thank you, Richard – and a great choice of flag.
And well thought, Clive. Flags being visual communication for those of us at sea, as a fellow sailor I would like to draw attention to the following internationally recognised flag signals on offer:
‘My vessel has stopped and is making no way through the water’
‘I am altering my course to Port’ (I like this one)
‘Stop carrying out your intentions and watch for my signals’ (a possible choice at a protest – I wonder whether this would get one arrested…? )
Man overboard …
I feel there is potential here.
Living with a view of the River Tay, I am appalled at the number of ships coming in flying the Union Jack and not the Red Duster. Please excuse the diversion from the purpose of the blog.
I like Richard’s idea of a flag. Certainly as close as a flag could get to representing my views.
I should point out that only registered vessels in the UK, crown dependency or British overseas dependency should fly the red duster. It does extend to unregistered vessels if they are or their owner are considered British. The Merchant Shipping Act 1995 defines its use, when it should be used, etc.
In my view, the greatest photograph ever taken. I had a 3 foot poster of it on my wall at work for over 30 years. My flag too.
Possibly the most profound photograph in history? If it does not make us stop and think then we are truly doomed.
I have added this to my Peace symbol of a Dove as these Chinese characters are universally recognized as a well known Chinese saying about universal love and acceptance: 天 下 一 家
Tian xià yī jiā Literally translated this means “Sky Under one Family”; we are all one family under the sky or throughout this earth.
North of the Tyne to the Scottish Boarder it’s the interlocking cardinal and gold strips of the Northumberland flag you see flown in gardens and allotments.
And I like that flag.
The new reform council in Durham tried to take down all the flags apart from the England and UK flags from all council buildings. They were quickly disabused and had to put up the Durham ones again.
My son and his family are on their way back from Denmark. His wife is Danish.
Many of the photos sent back from there have Danish flags, with flagpoles in the gardens. Whenever anyone in the family has a birthday, me included, a miniature flag is put on the table, starting at breakfast and all day.
I’ve never thought of it as an insult, just a tradition, which is quite acceptable to me. However, if an English flag was put on the table, I would feel affronted because of the implication. I wouldn’t mind an EU flag.
I have five grandchildren. Two are half Danish. One is half Spanish. The other two have a Norwegian grandfather and a grandmother who was born in the US but her family came from Czechoslovakia.
EU flag definitely suits, but I wouldn’t offend anyone by not flying their flag if they provided it, on the birthday party table.
Bravo – I totally agree. It is my “flag”. I am a member of one species currently dominating one beleaguered little planet struggling to survive our rapacious demands. The “righteousness” of our rule can be judged by the way we treat one another: abysmally. When I see the Union flag I see bars on a cage, locking me into a dark, suffocating space where nothing more can be seen than what is blocking the light from outside. We are cabined, cribbed and confined by nationalism: it favours our worst instincts.
I like my county flag, although unfortunately even the legend behind the emblem of the white horse gets appropriated by white supremacists. They can jog on though, it’s quite possible that it was the symbol of the iron age kingdom rather than the Jutish mercenaries.
I recommend watching Carl Sagan’s beautiful and moving little film The Pale Blue Dot . I like to watch it every year . It earths my perspectives.
https://youtu.be/wupToqz1e2g?si=q7LA-zkJBFvMo1VN
It is good, I agree.
What a beautiful short film. A wonderful thought provoking way to begin the weekend. Thanks for drawing my attention to it.
I have always liked the design of the English Heritage flag and the flag of the house of lords. I find the green of the commons too corporate and bland. I have some degree of attachment to the colour red and the portcullis.
One of the things I love about John Muir is that he could imagine something very like that Apollo 8 picture long before anyone got into space to photograph it:
`When we contemplate the whole globe as one great dewdrop, striped and dotted with continents and islands, flying through space with other stars all singing and shining together as one, the whole universe appears as an infinite storm of beauty.’
– Travels in Alaska by John Muir, 1915, chapter 1, page 5.
And one of the things I hate about Elon Musk is that he cannot see how much easier (though very difficult) it would be to fix the planet we have than to turn the dead planet Mars into anything in any way comparable.
Much to agree with.
When I watched Carl Sagan’s pic of the little pixel in the blackness and infinity of space I didn’t see the little dot at first. ..then spotting it hanging there all alone… I thought… that’s us.. And somewhere a huge rock intent on its path could be headed our way ..no flag to protect us… So remember Monty Python’s upbeat song…’Look on the bright side of life’…. Was he being executed as he sang?…
In the film? Yes, is the answer to that.
Agreed! We are extraordinarily lucky to have this Earth — so lucky, it truly boggles the mind. You can visit clusters of geothermal features (in places like Yellowstone), and you see only the tiniest glimmer of what is out there: extremes of cold, heat, pressure, acidic and basic environments; vast distances that an individual could spend their whole lifetime to cover and not even come close to the end. And yet somehow we were born to this Goldilocks world, perhaps one of the few places that can sustain intelligent life. We must take care of it, and ourselves.
I’m rather disappointed in your rather misogynistic refusal to consider that the current spate of St George crosses might not be connected to the imminent women’s rugby World which England have a very good chance of winning.
Why can you not accept that there might not be widespread support for a women’s team?
What utter nonsense.
For the record, I watched some of the match last night, but nothing can persuade me to enjoy rugby. I have not since school.
Can I suggest The Internationale by Billy Bragg to sing when we raise the flag…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LbziknNpCE