Red flag Totally Explained

Everything about Red Flag totally explained

Red flags can signify warning, martial law, defiance, danger, or left-wing politics. The earliest citations for "red flag" in the Oxford English Dictionary are from the 17th century show that at that time the flag was used by military forces to indicate that they were preparing for battle. It has been associated with left-wing politics since the French Revolution. The Labour Party in Britain and the French Socialist Party use it. The red flag became a symbol of communism as a result of its use by the Paris Commune of 1871. The flags of several communist nations, including China and Vietnam, have red backgrounds.
The earliest citation of "red flag" in the sense of a warning is dated 1777 and refers to a flag warning of flood.

History

As early as the 15th century, the red flag was used as a "flag of defiance." It was raised in cities and castles under siege to indicate that they wouldn't surrender. "The red flag is a signal of defiance and battle," according to Chambers Cyclopedia (1727–41).
   The red flag was raised over the Champ-de-Mars in Paris on July 17, 1791 by Mayor Jean-Sylvain Bailly as a symbol of martial law, warning rioters to disperse. Over fifty anti-royalist protesters were killed in the fighting that followed. Oddly inverting the original symbolism, the Jacobins protested this action by flying a red flag to honor the "martyrs' blood" of those who had been killed. In this way, the red flag became linked to the French Revolution and to left-wing politics.
   The banner of the Paris Commune of 1871 was red and it was at this time that the red flag became a symbol of communism. The Soviet flag, with a hammer, a sickle and a star on a red background, was adopted in 1923..
   The first verse and the chorus, the most popular part of the song, are as follows:
ť ::: The people's flag is deepest red,

   ::: It shrouded oft our martyr'd dead ť ::: And ere their limbs grew stiff and cold,

   ::: Their hearts' blood dyed its ev'ry fold. ť :::: Then raise the scarlet standard high,

   :::: Within its shade we'll live and die, ť :::: Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer,

   :::: We'll keep the red flag flying here. There are a number of satirical versions of the song, such as "The People's Flag is Palest Pink".

Modern red flag songs

Canadian punk rock group Billy Talent released a song entitled Red Flag which is about a revolution.

Laws to ban red flags

During the First Red Scare in the United States, many U.S. states passed laws forbidding the flying of red flags, including Minnesota, South Dakota, and Oklahoma. Most of these statutes have been repealed by state legislatures, but an Oklahoma statute still provides that flying "any red flag or other emblem or banner, indicating disloyalty to the Government of the United States or a belief in anarchy or other political doctrines or beliefs, whose objects are either the disruption or destruction of organized government, or the defiance of the laws of the United States or of the State of Oklahoma" is a felony with a possible 10 year prison sentence and a $1,000 fine. The constitutionality of this statute is in question but hasn't been tested in the courts to date.

Other uses of red flags

"Waving a red flag" is a euphemism for incitement; the metaphor comes from the sport of bullfighting, in which the matador provokes the bull by waving a red cape at it.
   A signal of danger or a problem can be referred to as a red flag. In many countries a red flag is flown to signify that an outdoor shooting range is in use. The United States Air Force refers to its largest annual exercise as Operation Red Flag.
   Red flags are used for various signals in team sailing races (see Racing Rules of Sailing).
   Red flags are used in some forms of auto racing to indicate a stoppage.

Further Information

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