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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" align="center">=====================================================<br>
<b>L O W L A N D S - L - 18 July 2010 - Volume 06<br>
</b><a href="mailto:lowlands.list@gmail.com" target="_blank"><span style="" lang="FR">lowlands.list@gmail.com</span></a> <span lang="FR">- </span><a href="http://lowlands-l.net/" target="_blank"><span style="" lang="FR">http://lowlands-l.net/</span></a><br>
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<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal">From: R. F. Hahn <<a href="mailto:sassisch@yahoo.com" target="_blank">sassisch@yahoo.com</a>><br>
Subject: Vexillology</p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal">Dear Lowlanders,<br>
<br>
Again Snorre Björkson responded privately to our thread. I’ll attach his
message at the end.<br>
<br>
One of the things he says is that the white horse flag of Kent is not
old. This begs at least two questions. When and why was it chosen? Is it a
coincidence or is there a connection with Saxon territory on the continent?<br>
<br>
Personally I keep feeling quite uncomfortable with a <b>new</b> regional flag that uses
the cross design, Nordic or otherwise. It is probably true that nowadays the
average North European does not clearly thinks of the cross on flags such as
those of the Nordic Countries, Britain
and Switzerland
as screaming “This is Christian land!” However, to the average non-Christian,
especially from outside the area, it does scream that and it implies, “Expect to
be tolerated here, at best.”<br>
<br>
Yes, there are numerous flags with religious symbolism throughout Eurasia and Northern Africa, and in many cases the message is
intended even nowadays.<br>
<br>
I am emphasizing “<b>new</b> flag,” creating a flag at this time when we fancy
ourselves as being more enlightened, tolerant and open.<br>
<br>
Please do not understand this as a specifically anti-Christian or
anti-religious expression on my part. I am concerned about choosing <i>any</i>
religiously based symbolism in regional flags in this day and age of rapidly
developing universal communication and mobility, especially in the face of
reemerging zealotry and strive based on religious affiliation or association.<br>
<br>
In the case of the North European Lowlands there are further reasons for my
feeling of unease with the cross motif:<br>
<br>
(1) As I mentioned earlier, Saxons and Slavs of that region were conquered and
brutally treated and their cultures and languages came to be suppressed, most
of this officially in the name of (forced) Christian conversion.<br>
<br>
(2) The cross was <i>the</i> symbol of the Crusades that resulted in
unspeakable atrocities in Europe and the Middle East,
something that remains vivid in the minds of Jews and especially Muslims. Yes,
the cross <i>is</i> <i>the</i> Christian symbol, and there’s nothing wrong with
that, of course. But on a regional or national flag it comes with considerable
baggage, especially as seen from the outside.<br>
<br>
(3) As happened throughout Europe, those that practiced religions other than
Christianity (in the Lowlands case mostly “Pagans” [“witches”], Roma and Jews)
were persecuted and slaughtered for centuries, most of the time in the name of
Christianity, and anti-Islamic sentiments are still strong there and elsewhere
in Europe.<br>
<br>
In the case of Germany,
to which a large chunk of the Continental Lowlands and the largest chunk of the Saxon area belongs, there is the added
fact that in recent years Judaism was made into a state religion alongside
Christianity. (Let’s not go into discussions about the possible reasons for this
and for excluding Islam, the religion of a far larger percentage of the
population.) I just feel that this adds weight to the argument that a Christian
symbol ought to be avoided <i>in this day and age</i>, no matter how
nonchalantly the average resident may think about it.<br>
<br>
But that’s just little <i>moi</i>.<br>
<br>
Regards,<br>
Reinhard/Ron<br>
Seattle, USA<br>
<br>
Snorre’s message:</p>
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<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);" lang="NL">Dat Sassenpeer in dat Wappen van Kent is neet oold.<br>
<br>
Wat spietelk - man offizieell is dat eerst dat Teken södder 1930 or 1933.<br>
<br>
Ik meen, dat witte Peer is dör de Personalunion na Ingland kamen.<br>
<br>
Herford hett dat swatte Teken van den haidschen Widukind as Teken.<br>
<br>
As een Minsk, de in Neddersassen bi to leven is:<br>
<br>
Dat witte Peer is för mi een "Amtsschimmel". Sien Knööv is verlüstig
gåån.<br>
<br>
De dammeldösige Flagg van Neddersassen (wat ja egens keen egen Flagg is,<br>
<br>
is blots de bundesdüütsche Flagg met een Wappen upp) hett ook dat witte Peer.<br>
<br>
Wåår is denn de Ünnerscheed! Nej, dat schall dat swatte Peer ween or beter går
keen.<br>
<br>
</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);">Snorre</span></p>
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