Surely a troll.

Otherwise you're a dickhead.

didnt the anzacs fight for the freedom to burn the flag as bill hicks would say

its totally fucked these rednecks wont let him march with the flag on anzac day

Well, Obs, you actually agree with John Howard. He thinks people should be free to burn flags. Millions of others disagree.

It's totally pointless giving this kid the opportunity to carry a flag on Anzac Day. The silly little prick did 3 months in juvenile detention and apologised to the RSL. Let the issue die.

The stupid State RSL president should have known he'd piss off substantial sections of the community and his own membership. It might be a hard concept to understand but some people actually think it's an honour to be asked to carry a flag, ergo this is giving the kid a reward.

fuck off, nationalism is up there with religion as the cause of war and suffering throughout the world. flags are fucked.

a flag's a flag. it's if it's made to represent something fucked, that's what's fucked.

Fuck off yourself. How else would anyone know where it was safe to swim at beaches?

"Well, Obs, you actually agree with John Howard. He thinks people should be free to burn flags. Millions of others disagree.

It's totally pointless giving this kid the opportunity to carry a flag on Anzac Day. The silly little prick did 3 months in juvenile detention and apologised to the RSL. Let the issue die.

The stupid State RSL president should have known he'd piss off substantial sections of the community and his own membership. It might be a hard concept to understand but some people actually think it's an honour to be asked to carry a flag, ergo this is giving the kid a reward."

you sound like John Laws, steve price or any of those knobjockets.

The RSL have been attacked for being archaic and sticks in the mud and they finally take some actions to show they are up with the times and take a positive step towards resolvign some of the ugliest behaviour in the history of the country and i think most of the country agrees except a minority of ugly racist rednecks get on their high horse and undermine it.

I think it would be a very strong symbolic gesture and i can undertstand your point of view regarding the "honour" thing but it i really feel this is was a really good opportunity to heal a little bit of the sore that remains.

What if he got bashed and that incited another racist flair up?

ah, I thought I'd never see the day when the RSL were considered 'soft', 'pinkos' and pariahs in a country that falls over itself to align itself with its veterans. hilarious.

Well. I must say that I've rarely heard anything as fucking stupid as having this kid carry the fucking flag on Anzac day or whatever.

Still. This incident really did show one thing.

Only one third of Sydney residents have both parents born in this country. No wonder no one really gave a shit.

I do think that I've rarely heard anything as disgustingly weak as Bondi council or whatever taking the Australian flag down from Bondi Lifesavers because they didn't want to "offend anyone".

THAT is pathetic.

P.S. Thumb, do you have any idea how fucking stupid your initial post is?

you sound like John Laws, steve price or any of those knobjockets.

Don't give a fuck who I sound like. Do you worry about that sort of shit when you express a point of view?

I'm expressing an opinion and it's this: it would have been a stupid, provocative action that was unneccesary. The guy did his time. Let him get on with life.

He was also 17yo when he did the crime, so what do these (probably) well-meaning old dopes mean to achieve by revealing his identity? Get him beaten up?

ah, I thought I'd never see the day when the RSL were considered 'soft', 'pinkos' and pariahs in a country that falls over itself to align itself with its veterans. hilarious.

What about a bunch of silly old cunce totally out of touch with broad community opinion? I'm kinda fond of that generalisation.

I do think that I've rarely heard anything as disgustingly weak as Bondi council or whatever taking the Australian flag down from Bondi Lifesavers because they didn't want to "offend anyone".

THAT is pathetic.

Fuck BA, I'm actually agreeing with you...

... and that criticism's aimed more at Peter Debnam and Carl Scully. Barman's talking sense. would be a nice gesture, but a bunch of redneck idiots would most certainly make a point of pounding the crap out of the kid.

this reminds me of that crazy lawyer in a futurama episode that defends zoidberg for eating the flag

HAR HAR HAR!!! Eat it fucking sideways Barman. You have joined the ranks of those who say "Fuck BA, I'm actually agreeing with you..."

Although I like it best when it comes with a bit of "I hate to say this..." or "I never thought I'd say this, but I agree with BADALEX..."

Sweet moments like this make the internet that much funnier.

Anyway. Who cares? If someone says something that's correct, who cares? It isn't a mark against you to agree with someone you like, for example.

I quite like drinking beer, and eating pizza.

HOLY FUCKING SHIT. TWO MORE THINGS YOU'RE GOING TO AGREE WITH.

It's a momentary lapse on my part, BA. You still swill sperm

BADALEX, Bondi Council didn't take the Australian flag down from a pavillion in Bondi Lifesavers. There wasn't a flag there in the first place. There was a motion, however, to put a flag there, and it was initially rejected by Labor and Green councillors, but after some outrage they ended up voting for it. Big deal, really.

http://www.malcolmturnbull.com.au/news/article.aspx?ID=380

hmmm, I don't agree with that BA. food is for lightweights.

BA "Predictive Post Technology" (PPT):

Uhhh.... No, your mum does. You fucking douche.

hmmmmmmm fat? ha i don't think so...

and i don't even have a cunt. so that's 0/2 for you.

be proud fellow flag burners...i love living here, but i don't consider here to be "australia". australia is the political and social identity that is the masses in this country. and fuck that identity. so burn on...

so you love living here,yet you will happily burn the flag!?!

your a dipshit fuck thumb naill!!!!

no you're the dipshit.

here, is a very different thing to "australia". "australia" is a social construct, a human invention, whereas here is a very natual entity...which has little to do with the people...

you're a victim of your own short sighted-ness

I've noticed a bit of flag burning lately. It is a sign, or symptom, that 'here' is changing the way it sees itself.

just an interesting side note, the identity of the kid who did this was actually revealed, in jmag a while back, but i dont think anybody cottoned on to it.

I love living in Australia, I love being Australian and I am down with anyone who wants to burn the flag.

hey thumbnail how about i come over and burn your house down

so aussie!

That's just being stupid, cheezel, and you know it. Grow up.

its a free choice thing, what makes it controversial is the emotional investment people have with the flag as a symbol of nation, nationhood and authenticity of these things. there needs to be a balance between a certain current of positive, inclusive nationalism (if that is possible?) and a healthy criticism of this and debate as to whether it needs continual up dating, what aspects have become problematic etc. i know that this will be bring me in for criticism from both sides, but so be it people. as long as you continue to debate in emotionally invested, yet intellectually shallow terms no middle ground will be found. we need HEALTHY debate, not childish name calling and aggressive abuse.

And we need to change the flag to get rid of that stupid Union Jack. If the powers that be have no trouble merging football teams and expecting people to cop it, then they can damn well change a fucking flag.

i'm not having a bar of it.

fuck you artfags

FOOTY!!!

ha, you just prove my point cheezel. and i'm not even criticisng ONLY your viewpoint. there are people on the opposite side of the debate from you who i also believe could well do with a more restrained and reflective viewpoint. but, its not for me to attempt to force my viewpoint upon you.

people who belt on about "social constructs" are usually dismally myopic arts students with fuck all knowledge of anything outside the tutorial room.

i'm not an arts student, but thanks for your sweeping generalisation barman.

some people say that those who criticise arts students are generally those too fucking stupid to even get into uni...but i don't say that...

If you care about someone else burning a flag you are clearly a gigantic idiot.

Have you Earthlings designed an Earth flag yet? Best hurry up because the Borg are coming...

some people say that those who criticise arts students are generally those too fucking stupid to even get into uni...but i don't say that...

Hadn't heard that one about arts students being a protected species. (I was one once.) Stick to constructs.

Who cares? The Aussie flag is just something created for us by the queen. I'd happily wipe my ass with this imperialist tea towel. It inspires nothing in me when I see it, it's not in any way representitive of Australians.

it's such a loser flag. few silly stars and a nice big stamp of imperialism in the top left hand corner.