English Flag Offensive To Whom?

Thanks to Little Green Footballs for posting the following news from beyond the pale:

Race fears spark St. George ban

The flag in question is not the Union Jack, although that flag also sports a red cross (in addition to diagonal red stripes)... this is the flag of St. George. It is a white flag with crossing red stripes. It is the red cross that has some folks up in arms. Just take a guess who those folks are.

Chris Doyle, director of the Council for the Advancement of Arab-British Understanding, said Tuesday the red cross was an insensitive reminder of the Crusades.

Oh, yeah. Now was this a concern brought to Doyle by a British Arab citizen who was offended by one of these pins or was this a concern that came to Doyle on his own. (I suspect Doyle isn't part Arab or a practicing Muslim... although I suspect he is a practicing multiculturalist.)

The silliness doesn't end there, of course. (It never does.)

[Chief Inspector of Prisons Anne] Owers said: "Staff should not wear unauthorized badges or pins."

How can a pin of the flag of St. George be unauthorized anywhere in England, let alone a state prison? That's similar to saying that a pin of Old Glory is unauthorized at a prison in the US, or a courthouse, or a police station, or a fire department, etc.

"Muslim or Arab prisoners could take umbrage if staff wore a red cross badge. It's also got associations with the far-right. Prison officers should be seen to be neutral."

In what way is the flag associated with England's far-right? I don't doubt it (I mean, this story comes from CNN after all... whatever!), but is it too much to ask for a further explaination or some (God forbid) facts behind this statement?

Take heart, though. The sub-headline of the story reads a differnent angle.

British prison officers who wore a St. George's Cross tie-pin have been ticked off by the jails watchdog over concerns about the symbol's racist connotations.

Correct me if I am wrong, but if you go read the entire story there is no further discussion of prison officers annoyance with the jail watchdog.

Madonn', the second sentance associated with the news piece is the first and last mention of a key element of the story!

More proof of lazy news at best, and pro-multiculturalism (and Leftist) bias at worst.

Not only that, the CNN website also has a little vote for readers to take part in... Is it time for England to change its national flag? The question itself is a leading question. It suggests there might be a time for the flag to change... and that potentially outside influences might provide reasons for changing the flag.

EOW