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Should the BDO Ban The Flag?

by Andrew Tijs - January 22 2007
photo by Ros O'Gorman

Patriots froth at the mouth upon news that the Big Day Out are "discouraging" flag-wavers at the Sydney show.

Following racist incidents at last year's Sydney Big Day Out, the organisers have clarified that, while they're not "banning" the flag for this year, they are actively "discouraging" it.

Right-wing pundits and even the Prime Minister have criticised the Big Day Out's stance. The organisers specifically changed the Sydney slot in 2007 so that it didn't fall on its traditional Australia Day date. This was due to Cronulla-riot hangover violence at last year's event, including incidents where nationalists reportedly demanded that punters kiss the flag or get punched.

Understandably, the Big Day Out is a ticketed event and they may stipulate what gets brought onto the grounds. It's reassuring that an organisation with the profile of the Big Day Out has recognised the recent fascistic use of the national symbol.

Since there's no definitive way to tell the difference between nationalist knuckleheads and genuine music fans, banning the flag as a racist symbol is one way to reduce a divisive atmosphere. But alcohol is almost always a factor in these incidents, and it will be more effective to crack down on racist drunken louts, regardless of what they're waving.