This story is a continuation of earlier reports that called attention to Islamic schools in Britain where girls as young as 11 are made to wear face veils on trips to and from the school as well as during the day. More damning revelations appear below.
The whitewash of these problems within Islamic schools, which has gone on despite the impact on the lives and health of students and the long-term impact on British society, speaks of denial motivated by fear: fear that the problem could be so widespread and pervasive, fear that reality could be so distant from politically correct fantasies, and fear of the consequences of confronting such schools. After all, someone might get offended, and as a result, become that much more "radicalized."
The situation is not going to get any better through continued denial and downplaying of the problem. Indeed, one could say that for many things along these lines. "Ofsted praises Islamic schools which oppose Western lifestyle," by Andrew Gilligan for the Telegraph, November 6 (thanks to Zulu):
An investigation by The Sunday Telegraph has established that the education watchdog has published positive reports praising Muslim schools for their contribution to community cohesion -- even in the case of a school which openly states that Muslims "oppose the lifestyle of the West".
The Ofsted inspector responsible for many of the reports, Michele Messaoudi, has been accused of having links to radical Islamist organisations.
This newspaper can reveal that another recent Ofsted inspector, Akram Khan-Cheema, is the chief executive of a radical Muslim educational foundation, IBERR.
Its website describes Islamic schools as "one of the most important factors which protect Muslim children from the onslaught of Euro-centrism, homosexuality, racism, and secular traditions".
Ofsted has also passed the inspection of dozens of Muslim schools to a new private "faith schools watchdog", the Bridge Schools Inspectorate, which is co-controlled by Islamic schools' own lobbying and trade body, the Association of Muslim Schools.
The Bridge Schools Inspectorate allows Muslim head teachers to inspect each other's schools.
Among the schools directly inspected by Ofsted was the Madani Girls' School, a private Islamic school in London's East End.
Its Ofsted report, written by Mrs Messaoudi, said it made pupils "aware of their future role as proactive young British Muslim women" and left them "well-prepared for life in a multicultural society".
However, the Madani Girls' School's own website openly states: "If we oppose the lifestyle of the West, then it does not seem sensible that the teachers and the system which represents that lifestyle should educate our children."
It says that under western education "our children will distance themselves from Islam until there is nothing left but their beautiful names".
Last month, this newspaper revealed how girls at the school were being forced to wear the Islamic veil, a fact that was not mentioned in its 2008 Ofsted report. The Madani School declined to comment last night.
Ofsted also inspected the Tawhid Boys' School in Hackney, north London. Its Ofsted report, written by Mrs Messaoudi, said the curriculum was "good ... broad and balanced in Key Stages 2 and 3".
However, the school's prospectus says that the curriculum is kept strictly "within the bounds of Sharia [Islamic law]." Its art syllabus bans pupils from drawing human beings, animals and objects that Islam deems "unlawful". The school did not return calls.
Mrs Messaoudi also wrote the Ofsted report cited by Ed Balls, the then schools secretary, as "clearing" schools run by supporters of the racist, extremist sect Hizb ut Tahrir.
The schools, the Islamic Shakhsiyah Foundation establishments in Haringey, north London, and Slough, Berks, received more than £113,000 of public funding and became the subject of national controversy after being exposed in The Sunday Telegraph.
One of the Foundation's trustees, Farah Ahmed, who is also headmistress of the Slough school, wrote a chapter in a Hizb ut Tahrir pamphlet attacking the National Curriculum for its "systematic indoctrination" of Muslim children "to build model British citizens".
She criticised "attempts to integrate Muslim children" into British society as an effort "to produce new generations that reject Islam".
She described English as "one of the most damaging subjects" a school can teach and attacked fairy tales, saying that these "reflect secular and immoral beliefs that contradict the viewpoint of Islam".
She also attacked the "obvious dangers" of Shakespeare, including "Romeo and Juliet, which advocates disobeying parents and premarital relations".
Mrs Messaoudi's Ofsted report on the Haringey school said it was "satisfactory." [...]
Unlike "mainline" Ofsted inspections, which are carried out entirely by professional inspectors, BSI inspections of Muslim schools are often done by a team of three which always includes one head teacher of another Muslim school.
The BSI report into Bury Park Educational Institute, a mixed but gender-segregated Muslim secondary in Luton, claims that "the quality of education is good" even though the report itself admits that girls at the school get less teaching than boys.
"Some aspects of National Curriculum subjects are in a few respects currently less for the girls than for the boys," it says, and there is not yet "full, equal access to National Curriculum subjects" between girls and boys.
"Not yet." A true watchdog group would demand to know what the holdup is, and by which date it will be fully resolved.
Girls, says the report, are sometimes denied the opportunity for PE, "which they say they miss". There is no suggestion that Bury Park teaches separatist views or opposition to British society.
Lovely: Vitamin D deficiencies caused by staying indoors and being shrouded in a face veil -- and these are well-documented where severe forms of veiling occur -- get compounded by a lack of exercise and all of the health problems that stem from it. In addition to the damage to the female students themselves, there is the preventable public health cost which will be passed on to the rest of society over these backward practices.
One of the BSI inspectors who wrote the report into Bury Park, Ibrahim Hewitt, is chairman of the controversial charity Interpal, which is banned in the United States having been accused of supporting the terrorist group Hamas.
Interpal insists that it does not support Hamas and the Charity Commission has cleared Interpal. Mr Hewitt is also a headmaster of a Muslim school in Leicester and a senior member of the ruling "shura", or executive committee, of the Association of Muslim Schools. [...]
Ms Stuart, of the Centre for Social Cohesion, said: "A whole generation is being brought up to at the very least suspect, and perhaps even despise, the society they will have to live in. This is deeply worrying for the future of community cohesion.
"By whitewashing these schools, Ofsted and the Charity Commission are being negligent in their responsibility to protect children in their formative years."
There is much more. Read it all.
"She also attacked the "obvious dangers" of Shakespeare, including "Romeo and Juliet, which advocates disobeying parents and premarital relations"."
I wonder how she would teach "Othello"? The Moor who murdered his faithful wife because of his sexual jealousy. Now, where would Othello get the idea that such behavior was justified?
That's what she'd call an 'obvious danger', teaching Muslim kids that Islam has a record of misogyny.
Ibrahim Hewitt, a "revert", no doubt.
One who takes his new-found religion seriously. Like Yusuf Islam.
The whole school system seems buggered. Just like Al BeBeeCeera, where staffers openly admit that they are firmly on the Karl Marx Express but despite all promises to remedy the biased crap the train keeps steaming along......
...praising Muslim schools for their contribution to community cohesion -- even in the case of a school which openly states that Muslims "oppose the lifestyle of the West".
'Community Cohesion' is British PC doublespeak for Muslims behaving badly: http://crombouke.blogspot.com/2010/02/community-cohesion-and-muslims.html
Anyone out there have the Queen's phone number or an email?
Is she dead or just stupid? I knew that Grt. Britain had many ignorant officials, but this is off the charts.
There shouldn't be any muslim schools. The only way to teach a child how to get along in any culture is for them to actually live & learn in that culture or society. All muslim children should be in regular British schools.
Wake up Brits!! You're dying a slow death.
"All muslim children should be in regular British schools."
But that won't do any good in the long term, because the Muslims are demanding that all 'un-Islamic' subjects such as music, representational art and evolution should be removed from the national curriculum for all children: http://crombouke.blogspot.com/2010/01/islamic-infiltration-and-subversion-of.html
once again we have the same pattern.
someone lifts the lid on obvious and abhorrent islamic practices.
the next thing you see, hey presto theres unknown financiers
setting up, some foundation, some council, etc etc....
to SELF regulate that particular area, provide reams of B/S
apologist paperwork.
ofsted reports, CSC reports, even that lame organisation
civitas, ALL say the same thing, once again its comes down to wilful ignorance.
check out, if you haven t already
youtube.
islamic schools controversy / newsnight reports
it cannot be put more incisively
sadly this is old news indeed
I knew the sun had set on the British Empire, but what ever happened to the 'Great' in Great Britain?
If someone doesn't take action really soon it will be too late for the UK. Especially England.
At least the rest of the UK stand a chance because they still cling on to their own respective common cultural identities & languages (Scottish, Gaelic, Welsh) or even if they are only united in their hatred of the English.
If you take the Church of England and the English Monarchy away from England what do they really have left to bind them together? They exported most of their best ideas back in the days of empire ie parliamentary democracy, the English language, their education system, English cuisine etc (ok, the last one was a joke).
I challenge anyone to name 3 things that are culturally unique to England (not counting the C of E and the English Crown)???
It's no coincidence that Londonistan is in England rather than Glasgow.
Great Britain has lost its Great.
I think next up, the UK is losing it's U and it's K. It won't happen overnight, but it looks like things are heading in that direction.
'It says that under western education "our children will distance themselves from Islam until there is nothing left but their beautiful names".'
If only.......
The Muslim hatred of fairy tales, Romeo and Juliet etc does show up one of the few weaknesses in the armor of Islam.
Muslim clerics are paranoid about 'contamination' by aspects of Western culture such as fashion, music, toys, theatre, cinema, art, science etc, which they refer to as 'Westoxication'.
Maybe we should do more to stir up this paranoia until they go totally nuts, and look ridiculous even in the eyes of their own followers.
"Wake up Brits!! You're dying a slow death."
Uh, looks like it's approaching fairly rapidly to me.
Any group that condemns Shakespeare is dangerous and intellectually deficient.
"I challenge anyone to name 3 things that are culturally unique to England."
Morris Dancing
Warm Beer
Driving on the left
Unique sense of humour
Language
And if you think our cuisine is a joke, you've been eating in the wrong establishments.
'Hatred of the English' is mostly a media invention. A few individuals does not make a nation. Banter, however is widespread. I take the mickey out of my friend from Lancashire because I'm from Yorkshire (Wars of the Roses) and he does the same to me. I've lived in Ireland (no hatred), Scotland (no hatred there either), visited Wales extensively (I live just over the border) and have friends and acquaintances from Wales, Australia, Jamaica, Scotland, Ireland and more. Nope, no hatred.
What we do have is a problem with is the metaphorically blind, the idealists who refuse to see what's in front of them and the zombiefied masses who are content with X-Factor and Strictly Come Dancing shows and other pap on TV. Oh, and liberals, of course.
I have watched the non integration of first generation Asians change from ignorance of British ways and culture to brazen arrogance and drive to change us from their sons and daughters.
I am sad for my younger working class British compatriots,their children and grandchildren who in time will not know anything better than conflict or dhimmitude.
The horse has left the stable.
This was from 2005
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/muslim-schools-fail-to-teach-tolerance-ofsted-chief-says-487143.html
As a result of Mr Bell’s comments, this is what happened in 2008 :
http://archbishop-cranmer.blogspot.com/2008/02/faith-schools-to-get-own-inspectorate.html
Which has made impartiality into a joke, and has furthered the aims of Islamist educators.
Andrew Gilligan is a courageous advocate for the truth and is a credit to the Telegraph.
Jean Murphy – you have it wrong, my dear. Writing to the Queen is of no use whatsoever. If you knew enough about the British governance system, you would realise that the Queen is merely a figurehead and can have no real influence on matters of this kind. People power is the answer. So many Brits just do not bother to monitor their Members of Parliament, and make sure their MPs get off their backsides and work for the money the British public pays them, so they in fact enable the sorry state the country is in.
For you Brits who are reading this – get on your computers or whatever, and write to your elected MPs by accessing
http://www.writetothem.com/
Write to Them is a dedicated organisation which makes sure your MP does answer your concerns.
And even after reading all this, the average British man or woman will still keep quiet.
They prefer to be politically correct than protect their own nation from disintegration.
But if mainstream media changes its stance and courageously publishes news stories for its truth content rather than its pro-islam/anti-islam content, there might still be a chance for UK.
OT:
I came across this photo of an 8-year-old Somali girl.
My question: Why is she holding a large portable radio? I don't get it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Little_Somali_girl.jpeg
Those Americans who criticise the British educational system should take a close look at their own. Most American parents would be horrified if they had enough information to join up the dots and realise the full extent of Islamic subversion and infiltration of American schools.
If we oppose the lifestyle of the West, then it does not seem sensible that the teachers and the system which represents that lifestyle should educate our children.
Life is all about domination and submission. D&S is an offshoot of bondage and discipline (B&D). Thus, Zarathrusta, the belief system of Islam is little more than a sex kink.
*** 33:51 ***
You may have whomever you desire; there is no blame.
I sure hope these Hairy Masculine Moslem Men are wearing condoms when they have pedophilic sex with these underage girls in the teacher's lounge. I envision their hairy backs heaving as they take little girls for a ride, in the name of their fellow pedophile, the Last Prophet, Tim Russert's Holy Prophet, Mohammed.
Praise Allah.
Yes MrsJ, and Language wedded to a keen eye for detail. .at the risk of digressing, in the Asterix and Obelix cartoon books, the English character was portrayed as a Druidesque figure on his knees, trimming his lawn with a tiny scythe. .the kind of mindset that resulted in some of the finest collections, fields of enquiry and preservation of history in museums and libraries , the like of which is unique in itself. . Jefferson, still waters run deep and MrsJ, add Intelligence to your list if you will;-)
MrsJ, you said:
"Morris Dancing
Warm Beer
Driving on the left
Unique sense of humour
Language
And if you think our cuisine is a joke, you've been eating in the wrong establishments."
You refer to driving on the left as something that is culturally unique to English, as kilts are to Scotland or rarebit is to the Welsh. Let me pre-emptively save your life by warning you that, should you go to Wales or Scotland, driving on the right is a bad idea!
I agree with you about the cuisine, though. In terms of excellence, restaurants in the UK in general have been outstripping France, if not every other European country with the exception of Spain and Italy, for a few years now. Even in Northern Haggisland.
Objection to Shakespeare? Who goes to live in the U.K. and objects to the teaching of Shakespeare?
Nobody in their right mind, that's who.
Which would explain a lot.
Khushi you write "But if mainstream media changes its stance and courageously publishes news stories for its truth content rather than its pro-islam/anti-islam content, there might still be a chance for UK."
What do you mean "truth content"? The Telegraph is one of the few British papers that prints the truth about all sorts of things, whether we like what we read or not.
It seems you have a problem with stories about Islam - it's a shame, because Islam and Islamism, together with what they represent to democratic societies, is one of the main things occupying the minds of Brits - I would say second only to the economic situation in the UK. What "chance for UK" are you talking about? Should we forget about Islam and Islamism (which are indivisible) and the dangers to our way of life they represent - just ignore it and hope it will go away, or should we only report the perceived wrong doing to Muslims in the UK? We do that, already. Statistics are alarming regarding the number of racially motivated attacks on non-Muslims by Muslims, reports of which never make the headlines.
Khushi you may not like the kind of truth about Islam the Telegraph prints, but it's part of the democratic process we still work for in this country, thank God.
As for the "average British man and woman not doing anything" - you're dead wrong, there. Brits are waking up and challenging Islamism on all fronts. The only people not in touch with public opinion in the UK, for their own spurious reasons, are the government, the Islamists and their liberalist fascist dupes.
You refer to driving on the left as something that is culturally unique to English, as kilts are to Scotland or rarebit is to the Welsh. Let me pre-emptively save your life by warning you that, should you go to Wales or Scotland, driving on the right is a bad idea!
Thanks for the warning, Bunty! :-)
Once upon a time, the whole world passed each other right side to right side (on the left) because in a violent feudal world that was mostly right-handed you needed to keep your sword arm closest to your enemy, but countries that had a revolution and were anxious to cast off old colonial habits changed to left side to left side (on the right). England never had such a revolution, so kept the tradition. Scotland, Ireland and Wales had to keep suit because by then they were ruled from Westminster.
Actually, dozens of countries drive on the left, the vast majority of which were once British colonies.
So, although you could argue that driving on the left is not uniquely English, it most certainly originated here.
BTW, Welsh rarebit is not actually Welsh. It was originally Welsh Rabbit, and was an insult implying that the Welsh were too poor to buy meat. Alas, forsooth! 'Tis but meager English fare from ye 18th century. The great French chef Escoffier changed the name to rarebit to emphasise that it didn't contain meat.
For you Brits who are reading this – get on your computers or whatever, and write to your elected MPs by accessing
http://www.writetothem.com/
I did. He ignored me.
This is from a an American friend who taught ESL for a number of years in several Muslim countries. Kohana
"I noticed when I was in Saudi Arabia that, as maniacally pious as some of the men are, a lot of the women aren't very religious at all. I taught for a while at a private girls' school which was, of course, subject to inspection by the Ministry of Education. One of the requirements was that we wear black robes and cover our hair on our way in and out of the building. In fact, inspectors from the Ministry used occasionally to observe the gate into the school from a distance. The women teachers on the bus that went around to collect us all (remember, women can't drive there) used to sit on the bus in their street clothes until just 2 turns from the school, then suddenly pull all their gear out of their bags in time to arrive thoroughly cloaked and walk in through the gate properly--and then rip it all right back off, because males weren't allowed in the building. On hot afternoons they were even funnier: they would sit on the bus and endlessly harangue the poor driver about "Why do we have to wait for Fatma? She's late. The bus is stifling. Let's get going so we can get some air in here," "come on, just go around the corner so we can take these awful polyester robes off" and "What do you mean you can't turn on the air-conditioning while the bus isn't running?" Some of the men take something like women wearing black robes as a big moral issue or something; the women mostly perceive such things as darned nuisances they sometimes find it expedient to put up with.
I asked one of the teachers once whether she was bothered about the message we were presumably giving our students (who were riding on the bus with us and seeing this charade twice a day): only follow rules if you might get caught. She didn't quite see why that would be a problem. Her answer was on the order of "Um, yeah. So?" When the rules are too strict (like, I don't know, no alcohol) I guess we all quietly get used to breaking rules of some sort all the time (e.g. the aisles in the grocery store mysteriously fill up with crates of grape juice in resealable glass bottles).
Anyway, Saudi Arabia has a number of mosques that don't admit women. This is surprisingly un-Islamic: the Koran is quite specific that women should pray, and that they should do it in a separate area in the mosque. I never heard of a Saudi woman complaining about this, though: they mostly didn't seem that keen on getting into mosques, shall we say.
the best protection from westernization of islamic values is to have islam stay the f out of the west
In this photo of an 8 year old girl, taken June 2010, she looks very worried, sad, and about to cry. Her finger tips and around her nails are red, blood? Maybe the radio is a bomb about to go off?
As a Brit I'm getting a bit fed up with Americans saying 'wake up, Britain' over the growth of Islam in the UK. One of the things that fuels the Left's love affair with Islam is the constant guilt over the negative image of the British Empire. Because we have a history of tyranny, the need is felt to side with anything other than what is typically British. People in England feel uncomfortable seeing Union Jacks outside houses, whereas I understand it is commonplace to see the stars and stripes outside an American house. The love of anything unBritish includes supporting Islam over Christianity.
America is a partner with the Left and with Islam in continuing this anti-British industry. Every July 4th you celebrate your release from British tyranny and the Hollywood movie industry has become quite racist in always using British actors to play the baddies. I asked an American actor from 'Star Wars' why he put on an English accent when playing one of the Generals on the Death Star. He said the Evil Empire was meant all along to be British. I can give hundreds of examples of American movies portraying the British as evil, including children's films like 'The Lion King'.
Maybe if you could find it somewhere in your hearts to portray the country that gave you your language and the Beatles in a positive light, it might contribute to the British feeling they had something worth holding onto.
how very dare you?
Something culinary unique? Well how about tripe and onions?
Or pig's trotters (tried and hated both but my ancestors had little choice). The pig's trotters? Well perhaps they should be fed to the burgeoning Muslim population of our prisons.
Then again we have Roast Beef Sunday lunches. Our French friends disparagingly call the English "rosbif" much as we call them frogs. They call Belgians farts!
Much as I love French food a roast beef Sunday lunch is my favourite. Along with Lancashire hotpot and Cumberland sausage and black pudding and faggots. Need more?
Thanks for posting that. I don't get the radio, either, but the expression is like none I've seen on an 8-year-old American girl. There is a striking look of fear, tension, and also an alarming lack of vitality in her face. What immediately comes to mind is what this girl has already been subjected to, or what awaits her.
I suppose one fringe benefit (for them) of these U.K. Islamic schools' prohibition on graven images is no school pictures, capturing no terrified little windows to the soul.
All very worrying indeed, but what I find MOST worrying is that these bastards and Muslima bitches have infiltrated bodies like OFSTED which enables them to pursue their filthy Islamization agenda. The UK, along with most of the Western world, has become blind, deaf and liberal to the extreme.
Agreed. Time for a Wat Tyler? Mmmm I'm old and no longer have anything to lose. Perhaps
"It's no coincidence that Londonistan is in England rather than Glasgow."
I'm sorry to have to tell you that the virus has spread north. A relative of mine (via marriage) is from Glasgow and was there last year to visit his parents. He said the number of heavily-veiled Muslim women was astounding, especially in comparison to his previous trip there, when he said he had not seen even one...and that had been only two years earlier! He said he saw the same phenomenon in suburbs of Glasgow such as Hamilton, etc.
I also recall reading an article online a year or two ago about Muslim attempts to change some Roman Catholic elementary schools in Scotland to Muslim schools.
"I challenge anyone to name 3 things that are culturally unique to England."
1) Morris Dancing
2) Warm Beer
3) Driving on the left
4) Unique sense of humour
5) Language
1) Morris Dancing? Ok, I'll give you benefit of the doubt on that one.
2) Warm Beer? Sorry but they've got the same thing throughout the entire UK and Ireland. Another cultural export from England.
3) Driving on the left? Not only was that idea exported to the British commonwealth (and Japan), it also apparently originates from a (European) papal decree in 1300AD that pilgrims headed to Rome should keep left.
http://us2uk.tripod.com/drive_left.htm
4) Unique sense of humor? Again, I'll give you benefit of the doubt, but I can't really imagine English humor without the C of E and the Monarchy. Any good English Muslim comedians yet?
5) English language? Unique to England? I beg to differ. There's probably more people in India who speak English than there are in England.
"And if you think our cuisine is a joke, you've been eating in the wrong establishments."
I'm not saying you don't have good restaurants or food in England. What I'm saying is that the concept of 'English' food is incredibly vague compared to say Indian food, French food, German food etc. It's not immediately obvious what an 'English restaurant' in New York would put on the menu...
As for 'Hatred of the English', don't get me wrong, I'm not predicting civil war or anything.
I would refer you to the existence of the Republic of Ireland, the Scottish parliament, the Welsh Assembly and the Northern Ireland Assembly. Where's the English parliament?
I also found this interesting note about English ethnicity:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_people
Use of the word "English" to describe Britons from ethnic minorities in England is complicated by most non-white people in England identifying as British rather than English. In their 2004 Annual Population Survey, the Office of National Statistics compared the ethnic identities of British people with their perceived national identity. They found that while 58% of white people described their nationality as "English", the vast majority of non-white people called themselves "British".
Any good English Muslim comedians yet?
I was going to say Omar Djalili, but apparently he's of the Bahá'í_Faith.
As for driving on the left, that's been practiced in England long before 1300 AD.
English cuisine? Black pudding, Eccles cakes, Parkin, Yorkshire Pudding, a whole host of regional cheeses, pease pudding, jellied eels, various sausages, rissoles, pork pies, pork scratchings, lobscouse, Lancashire Hotpot, Bath Chaps, fish & chips, Dorset Knobs, Pea Fritters, Potted Shrimps, Potted Beef, pickled eggs, picallili, Welsh rarebit (yes, it's English), tripe and onions, biscuits, frumenty, hundreds of beers and ciders - and that's just off the top of my head.
More English dishes/food - steak and kidney pie or pudding, spotted dick, jam roly poly, jam, bread and butter pudding, cucumber sandwiches (sandwiches originated here), cheese pie.
The peasants in England these days are unemployed and living very well on benefits off the state. They would be impossible to incite to do anything more strenuous than getting their big fat a...s off the sofa and waddle towards the fridge. The middle classes are too busy working to keep the above mentioned lazy specimen and certainly don't have the will or inclination to revolt. What are we left with? The upper classes don't care, they are never affected by anything that the ordinary populace have to suffer. Hence, no Wat Tyler for us any time soon I fear.
'Jaffa_son', nice try son, but the moonlight just glinted on your raised blade. .
Touche MrsJ.
I threw down the gauntlet but now I concede and defer to your superior knowledge of all things English.
You are a credit to your country. It's a rare and true pleasure to be met with such pride in English culture and civilization in this PC multiculti day and age.
It seems my real point was somehow lost in the banter. The following quotes from ... above serve as an example of what I was originally trying to express regarding the strangely synonymous English/British cultural identity:
"People in England feel uncomfortable seeing Union Jacks outside houses, whereas I understand it is commonplace to see the stars and stripes outside an American house."
It's obvious to me what is being said, but only if I assume that the Union Jack is the English flag, which it isn't, it's the British flag.
"I asked an American actor from 'Star Wars' why he put on an English accent when playing one of the Generals on the Death Star. He said the Evil Empire was meant all along to be British."
Again, this only makes sense once you assume that English=British.
That was what I was trying to say regarding the apparent lack of a discrete coherent English cultural identity in modern Britain.
It isn't so much that people feel uncomfortable flying the flag (although we are sometimes made to feel racist for doing so), but that until 2006, it was illegal to do so without express permission from an individual's local authority.
The English flag is the cross of St George - and I have several of them. Mostly because I also sell them, lol. Other than the monarchy, I think few of the folk of any of the four nations ever took to the Union Flag. It's handy for sporting events where we compete as 'Britain' rather than the separate nations.
And finally, an example of that unique sense of humour:
English security levels have recently been raised from 'Miffed' to 'Peeved'. Soon though, security levels may be raised yet again to 'Irritated' or even 'A Bit Cross'. The English have not been 'A Bit Cross" since the blitz in 1940, when tea supplies nearly ran out. Terrorists have been re-categorised from 'Tiresome' to 'A Bloody Nuisance'. The last time the British issued a 'Bloody Nuisance' warning level was in 1588, when threatened by the Spanish Armada.