Thoughts on this flag (Czech / Slovakia / USA hybrid)?

[draggar]

I was working on some graphics and I came up with this, thoughts? Would anyone easily find it offensive?



I wanted the primary to be the Czech Republic since they kept the Czechoslovakian flag, secondary on Slovakia's flag and third the USA flag.

I also did *not* want the US flag to be in between the two - I figured some (many?) would have taken that the wrong way.

In case your curious, here are the 3 flags, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and USA:

[Hanka]

Funny ! Hi hi, maybe some nationalist will kill you

[Silvester]

Yeah Hanka, that´s my opinion also - especially Americans completely don`t like such jokes with their national symbols...

"Draggar" - i think you know this, for you are living in USA ... ?

[Rona]

Just to be on the safe side, I'd change the shape

[Vaiva]

You should also check the laws This might be against them I guess in some countries

[draggar]

I am in the USA and I am not concerned about how the average American feels about it - it's for a vlcak community so the people in it would know the references.

This was NOT intended (in any way) to be a joke, BTW.

[Mikael]

Originally Posted by Hanka

Funny ! Hi hi, maybe some nationalist will kill you

Ha ha ha... Yes this is how war starts

Draggan, I think the flag is OK, but in Sweden it is illegal to shage/ mix whit flags... One can make a new one, but not shage or mix, I do not know how it is in the USA, but I would not hang it higher than the US flag if I was you

Best regards / Mikael

[draggar]

Good call, Mikael and in some research I found out that the Czech flag is actually a violation of their own constitution!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czech_flag#cite_note-0

When the Czech and Slovak Republics separated in 1993, the Czechs adopted a flag identical to the former flag of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic, in direct violation of the constitutional act that explicitly forbids former federal symbols to be used by the two successor states.[1]

Cite: http://www.zbierka.sk/zz/predpisy/de...42&Rocnik=1992

As for law, the only thing I can find is:
Czech Republic: http://www.flagspot.net/flags/cz-law.html

Section 4d

Any use of the state symbols of the Czech Republic, which would show disrespect for these symbols shall be prohibited.

And with this symbol I mean no disrespect, but the opposite. The unity the two nations have with the breed and the US trying to follow their example.

Slovakia:
http://flagspot.net/flags/sk-law.html

I don't see anything that is relevant.

I am 99% sure it is not illegal in the USA to modify the USA flag - if it was many people would be in jail considering the variants that are out there, many are not government sanctioned.

[yukidomari]

"The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing of any nature." (Flag Code, Section 8g)

[draggar]

Yuki,

Looking at the code many of what is considered extremely patriotic is against the code:

c: The flag should never be carried flat or horizontally, but always aloft and free.

d: The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery. It should never be festooned, drawn back, nor up, in folds, but always allowed to fall free. Bunting of blue, white, and red, always arranged with the blue above, the white in the middle, and the red below, should be used for covering a speaker's desk, draping the front of the platform, and for decoration in general.

j: No part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform. However, a flag patch may be affixed to the uniform of military personnel, firemen, policemen, and members of patriotic organizations. The flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing. Therefore, the lapel flag pin being a replica, should be worn on the left lapel near the heart.

[GalomyOak]

LOL - I think wolfdog.org is in violation of the law! Our American flag has been cut diagonally in half and attached to half of the British flag to mark the English section of the forum on the homepage - I am sure my early American grandfathers would be rolling in their graves!

I think - as Americans - maybe we don't see too much of a problem with blending marks on a flag (in violation of flag etiquette, albeit) - since most of us are made up from many nationalities originally. My sister was adopted from Romania in the 90s - we own MANY 1/2 American, 1/2 Romanian flagged/flag colored items - she has citizenship to both countries. I myself am German, Scottish, British and Shawnee (native American). We are really quite proud of our "mixed breed" heritage.

But, I think it's necessary to realize not all nationalities have this heritage, and don't see things from the same perspective as us - which is normal and fine!

In any case, I don't know if mixing all 3 flags together - especially keeping the traditional rectangular flag shape - is necessary, in the context of talking about dogs. With regards to wolfdogs, I certainly don't see myself on equal terms of knowledge or experience as breeders/clubs in CZ or SK, as this flag might suggest. But thank you all for giving me a great idea for my art students on perception of symbolism.

[buidelwolf]

Classic Tiramisu
Ingredients
6 egg yolks
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1 1/4 cups mascarpone cheese
1 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream
2 (12 ounce) packages ladyfingers
1/3 cup coffee flavored liqueur

1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting
1 (1 ounce) square semisweet chocolate
Directions
1.Combine egg yolks and sugar in the top of a double boiler, over boiling water. Reduce heat to low, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and whip yolks until thick and lemon colored.
2.Add mascarpone to whipped yolks. Beat until combined. In a separate bowl, whip cream to stiff peaks. Gently fold into yolk mixture and set aside.
3.Split the lady fingers in half, and line the bottom and sides of a large glass bowl. Brush with coffee liqueur. Spoon half of the cream filling over the lady fingers. Repeat ladyfingers, coffee liqueur and filling layers. Garnish with cocoa and chocolate curls. Refrigerate several hours or overnight.
4.To make the chocolate curls, use a vegetable peeler and run it down the edge of the chocolate bar.

Enjoy!

[yukidomari]

Originally Posted by draggar

Yuki,

Looking at the code many of what is considered extremely patriotic is against the code:

Perhaps to you? Anyway, I never claimed everyone had good flag etiquette.. just that there are guidelines and codes regarding it.

[Rona]

Originally Posted by buidelwolf

Classic Tiramisu
(...)
Enjoy!

[Hanka]

Draggar, create some special flag for us: wolfdog people on all World.
This Flag can be for all US, Evropian and Asian people. We can use it on our www.
Good idea?

[Vaiva]

Originally Posted by buidelwolf

Classic Tiramisu
Ingredients

Amazingly subtile and correct

Draggar, you should understand, that these kinds of "games" with flags still might look insulting for some people. Maybe this could suit for some community of Czech and Slovak people in USA, but maybe not for a dog breed

[draggar]

Oddly the most negative reception has been from people in the USA (where people tend to modify the flag more than anywhere else). I'm seriously considering scraping this project.

But - I still like the graphic with the 3 flags side by side. I think that still sends the same message (just in a larger graphic).

Originally Posted by Hanka

Draggar, create some special flag for us: wolfdog people on all World.
This Flag can be for all US, Evropian and Asian people. We can use it on our www.
Good idea?

Does anyone have a "sketch" of a CsV I could use for this?

[Silvester]

Originally posted by draggar:

Does anyone have a "sketch" of a CsV I could use for this?

Well "draggar" , this is a little difficult question to answer ...

May be you can use a photo of a Csv (from side- view) and put the stars and stripes flag around the belly , the Czech flag round the head and shoulders and the Slovakian `around the tail ??

Or the other way round ? (Certainly i don`t want to offend the people from Slovakia!)

But ok - that´s only my strange kind of humour...

Best regards , Silvester

[AMERICANI]

Hey Draggar, what do you think about the original Czechoslovak Flag next to ours (maybe crossed on poles w/ ripples in each)? If you think this is a no-go, tell me.. If you think I should toss around some ideas, tell me this too. I am an artist, and I understand some of these people being uncomfortable with the present flags. So, since the breed was developed back in the 1950s, I feel there is a certain level of appropriateness to using the flag of that era. Email me!.. Jason

[draggar]

The Czech Republic took the old Czechoslovakian flag - that might send the wrong message to Slovakia (who has "guardianship" over the breed standard). If it's flags, it should be all 3 (like the one I still have in this thread).

Silvester - I think the US should be around the *ahem* tail end.