>>Here in England, every 5th car sports a pair of St George's Cross flags, fluttering from the back windows (I read somewhere that the - A15? - road has c. 3 every mile that have fallen off). Garages and £ shops have been doing a roaring trade selling them. Some housing estates resemble Loyalist estates in Northern Ireland with all the English flags draping from the windows.
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>>Is this only in England or have other countries who are taking part in the tournament experiencing a similar bout of "patriotism"?
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>Since 911 we have noticed a huge increase in the number of American flags being displayed. I think that they belong to right wing bible types and terrorists. The right wing wants to show patriotism and the terrorists use it to hid who they are. Confederates always fly the Confederate flag. If anyone here is displaying a flag to celebrate the World Cup you would not be able to tell.

Hi Tom

I suspect that Americans (and Canadians) are pretty patriotic anyway. In my travels in the north USA and Canada (pre 9/11) I've seen many flags proudly fluttering on flagpoles (upright and inclined), outside houses, public buildings, et al. Any increase I'd imagine is just consolidating this patriotism and is understandable.

This is something different. Brits are almost apologetic of displaying a flag. About the only places you see them are Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament. I don't recall seeing them even outside our town halls. But in the last months or so build-up to the footy they've been everywhere (not the Union Flag), hanging from people's bedroom windows, draped over roofs and, as I said, on cars. The places you WON'T see them are the public buildings.

The St George flag is only part of the Union Flag, and is never seen by itself except for sporting occasions (where England is competing as opposed to Great Britain).

Terry