The Flags/Heraldy/National Symbols Thread
 

I like cryptic layers of symbolism, and just symbols, so let's just see how far this thread gets.

I live on Earth:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...symbol.svg.png

In Europe*:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...Europe.svg.png

In the UK (Yeah, unicorn on our royal arms suckahs):

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ingdom.svg.png http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ingdom.svg.png

In England:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ngland.svg.png

In Gloucestershire:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._Cross.svg.png http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...rshirearms.PNG

In Cheltenham.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...at_of_arms.png

Overall I think I got pretty lucky. A good pair of flags and some quite nice arms.

Your turn everybody! I presume Americans will have seals rather than arms.

Actually, having seals for arms sounds awsome. You could juggle beach balls.

Anyway, on with the thread.

*The European Union may not be Europe, but it is most of it.

There have been many arguments over the course of my life about the possibility of changing the Australian flag.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...tralia.svg.png

They tend to focus on the big Union Flag in the corner and are often held in parallel with pro-republican sentiments. I don't feel especially strongly either way about the current flag, but I do feel strongly that any other option chosen by our government/population will almost definately be worse. Most of the proposed options seem to include a stylised kangaroo on there, for some wierd reason.

I do like the inclusion of the Southern Cross, as it's definately part of our national identity. The star on the bottom left is the Federation Star, which has seven points to represent the six states + the territories.

I do like the coat of arms though. The kangaroo and the emu are there as native creatures who (according to my prep teacher) can't ever walk backwards. The shield has each of the state emblems (the one with the Southern Cross and the crown is my state, Victoria) and the branches are the Wattle, the floral emblem.

EDIT: Oh, and I never noticed before that the Federation Star is on there too.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...at_of_Arms.png

Scotland are talking about becoming independent (Seriously this time), so we'll have to come up with a Union Flag without the white-on-blue saltire. Maybe Wales will finally get a look-in. Could end up with something like this:

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/7409/unledsq.png

I also like the fact that our flag is easy to draw in MSPaint.

GUESS WAHT CONTRY, GESS

http://theairdb.com/img/country/400/FI.png

You going to give us any more than that?

Fixed that for you.

Nate already posted the Australian stuff, so here's the New Zealand flag and coat of arms (my dad and his family are from there):

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ealand.svg.png

Basically it's the Australian one with red (and less) stars. The coat of arms is more interesting:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ealand.svg.png

It's got a white woman and a black man, and some ferns (which New Zealanders seem to love), and a big crown.


Through my maternal grandmother I'm descended from the Leslie clan. I'm not sure how many generations back you have to go find an actual Scot, but I don't think it's too far. I think the Leslie crest is pretty cool:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...Leslie.svg.png

Grip fast.

If you don't know what the Canadian flag looks like you're probably blind.

Useful advice, that.

EDIT: That was at 'Grip Fast'. Speedy shit.

Not to be patriotic or anything.

But I personally think that Wales has the best flag. IT HAS A DRAGON! and that makes it cool. Just look at how awesome the Welsh flag looks compared to something boring like Ukraine.

Or Gadaffi's Libya. That was ridiculous.
Bhutan has a good dragon on it.
The Nepalese flag is awesome.
EDIT: Posted in case anyone wonders what we're making a fuss about:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._Nepal.svg.png

That is awesome! It's funny how every flag is a rectangle and they just decided to be unconventional.

http://www.internetbusinessdirectory...-coat-arms.jpg

Trust and Fear not, the nicest of all the home counties!

http://www.scotchcorner.com/clan-crest/wallace.jpg

My family crest.

Blahblahblah

http://i.imgur.com/kuOpz.jpg
Lanarkshire

http://i.imgur.com/uiO92.jpg
Glasgow

http://i.imgur.com/Heh6l.jpg
University of Glasgow

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...lyRFC_Logo.jpg

My rugger club.

Europe
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...SLgonfJ_0yCR-g

Northern Ireland
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...HoIUc1fbuSClFw

Derry
http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...cLDrHCEZRcRCzA

Those are the official insignia. I would much prefer the following:

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...R5yGpzDmXSwTSg

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...Z2SKDJnVEwRGfY

Mine is so much cooler, even if I'm a couple of generations from anyone who even had the last name Leslie.


Also, going a bit further back on my dad's side (his grandparents or their parents, I think) you find yourself in Cornwall! Cornwall is awesome, even if I've never been there (coolest flag I have ever seen).

Flag:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...rnwall.svg.png

Coat of arms:
http://www.ngw.nl/int/gbr/c/images/cornwall.jpg

Come on Anthony, don't be one of those sectarian cunts who think that the tri-color should belong in Northern Ireland when it doesn't. The tri-color is for the republic and the Ulster Banner is for Northern Ireland. I thought I knew you better than that.

My preference for the tri-color is because it's more appealing to look at. Also, it represents green for nationalists, and orange for unionists, and white for peace. People who wave it around yelling 'up the ra!' don't even know what it represents. I had assumed you knew that.

Also, having a flag that looks like England's with an ugly red hand in the middle is a bit gay. Just like Mexico having an Italian flag with a bunch of shit skewered stupidly in the middle.

I think we should argue with our compatriots tomorrow why the IRA is comparable with Al-Qaeda.

I know what the tri-color means, it's just because of the reason you stated it has lost it's meaning and has been reduced as a mark of anti-protestant areas. And I fucking hate arguing with sectarian bastards, that goes for Bomb as well. He is so fucking closed minded and such a hateful bastard whenever he gets his teeth into that subject. But he never has anything to back up his stupid claims.

Aye. You know me, I wouldn't have posted such a thing with the intent to provoke sectarianism. I had just stated what I did, to bring people around from both communities and embrace the flag for what it truly represents, and not a cultural deterrent for protestants.

I also agree with the whole Bomb thing, given we both have attempted to make him see the bigger picture and the fact that his deep anti-British sentiment is a pile of jargled shite, of how one minute he can support IRA's actions of murdering innocent civilians and claim they were justified, then sit there and say, "I like this person," and wow, guess what? They're British. Hypocrisy in his case would be a vast understatement.

Also, deleted Facebook comments because he doesn't want to seem like a moron.

http://ec.europa.eu/education/img/flags/canada.gif

Forever

That crappy SVG (looks like it was drawn as one, anyway) makes it look like a tree.

I was born in Australia:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...tralia.svg.png

Within the state of New South Wales:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._Wales.svg.png http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._Wales_coa.png

I carry the lineage of Clann Caomhánach:

http://www.kavanaghfamily.com/images/familycrest.gif

As well as Clann Ó Cionnaoith:

http://www.heraldry.ws/gif/kenny.gif

Alcar...

Oh yeah, states. Queensland, so...

Another crown:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...nsland.svg.png

And another:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...Queensland.gif

No, it's his claims that he is a fan of the IRA and wants to join the IA even though they made the IRA disband. It's the irony I enjoy the most. I think he figures he'd be able to have a crack shot at a British militant/civilian if the opportunity arises.

I don't think I've ever been angrier than I have been when I'm listening/reading garbage coming from the idiots.

I was just searching for the comment which had the stupidest thing on it ever, I couldn't find it but I'll see if I can remember it well enough;
It took all my self restraint to not post up how stupid he is and how she was paying respects to those who died. Not too mention that the atrocities weren't even commited by her or by her command.

Can we please leave the sectarian/bitching_about_someone_who_cares_about_
sectarian_discussion discussion for elsewhere?

Is that "Trust and (Fear not)" or "(Trust and Fear) not"? Because the latter sounds a little unpleasant.

I agree with this.

I'm from South Australia.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ralia_flag.png

Also, Australia is one of few countries to eat all of the animals on our coat of arms.

Yeah. Lions are tasty.

It's unfortunate that kangaroo and emu taste so nice.