I like how one can choose to identify as "international", but I was wondering if it would be possible to identify as "European", with the flag being that of the EEC:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_Europe.svg

At the moment, I am not happy with either choosing the French, German or English nationalities, since I have both English and French nationalities and have been living in Germany for three years now.

I do understand that not all European countries are part of the EEC, and those from those countries who would want to identify as European might not agree with this choice of flag.

On the other hand, the flag is quite good looking, and would at least perfectly fit those people from EEC countries.

Many thanks for taking this proposal into account.

Note also that the flag of the EEC is in fact also the flag of the Council of Europe which includes a really wide range of European countries, including Turkey and Russia, but excluding, sadly enough, Belarus (hopefully not for long).

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Council_of_Europe.png

For more info on the Council of Europe:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_of_Europe

I would be very offended if the EU flag was to take it's place besides the flags of true sovereign nations. The EU is NOT a nation, it is a political project .. a  top down, artificial construct which has been forced upon the peoples of Europe without any democratic mandate whatsoever!!! And a failed project at that.

Jo

I do not understand why you would feel so deeply hurt, upset, or angry over the use of a flag by people who identify themselves as European rather than of any particular nationality.

Note also that Europe exists quite apart from the EU, and that this flag is not that of the EEC only, but also that of the Council of Europe.

It is therefore not necessarily associated with the project you so decry.

To all intents and purposes, the Council Of Europe is aligned to, and is in cahoots with the EU Project. For example .. all member states of the EU must belong to the Council of Europe, and must  sign up to the European Convention on Human Rights.

The European Union is NOT repeat NOT a country .. as much as it behaves lie one. And therefore as such .. it has no right to a 'national' flag, and no right to claim national flag status on this site ( and neither does the Council of Europe!). The 'circle of thorns' is an emblem .. nothing else. And a much hated emblem among many peoples of the Europe at that.

It has no more standing than the pennant of my local cricket club! (Or perhaps I should demand that that worthy sporting establishment's flag is displayed next to my name?)

It would not claim national flag status, since the EU, as you rightly point out, is not a nation.

Re. your assertion that it is a hated emblem (by you? others?), may I respectfully point out that the Union Jack that you sport on your profile is itself much hated by some of the nations that constitute the UK. 

Therefore, you should maybe, by your own logic, be offended by the use of the Union Jack and insist on using the Welsh/English/Scottish flag as per the nation you belong to (sorry if you are Northern Irish, you do not get any official one sadly).

In fact, most of your arguments seem to apply to the Union Jack. I think you ought to feel very offended to be assigned that flag against your will.

As for the flag of your cricket club, I would invite you to suggest it to the administrators of this website and see if they go along with your suggestion, or if you can gather enough support for it.

The Union Jack is the national flag of Great Britain. Great Britain is a Sovereign nation. My point is that the European Union is not. 

If you can't make up your mind who or what you are, why don't you simply adopt 'International' status? That way passionate believers in freedom, democracy and the supremacy of the nation state won't be offended.

Thank you.

Great Britain is an island

As I explained, I know perfectly who or what I am: I am a bi-national of France and the UK now living in Germany, and I also spent some years in the US, Canada, Hungary, Mauritania. I am way past the outdated notion of nation-states and their supposed "supremacy".

Note that the EU law actually takes precedence over national law of its member countries:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supremacy_(European_Union_law)

The UK (not "Great Britain", as Great Britain is the name of an island, not of a nation as you ignorantly seem to believe), is therefore in some sense, less "sovereign" than the collection of nations that constitute the EU.

Well, if you want to play pedantics, lets give it is proper title then .. The United Kingdom of Greatt Britain and Northern Island, Okay? GB for short.

You wrote: "Note that the EU law actually takes precedence over national law of its member countries"  

Yep. And not one person in Britain has ever been asked if they minded.

And you wonder why it is so hated and why so many of us are so offended by it's detestable emblem?

I think it's pretty cool

Well said calico... I admire people who refuse to be ruled by unelected bureaucrats that conveniently ignore the history and cultural preferences of a proud nationality.

New World Order communist conspiracy!  Chess.com is a fine American company and would never fly this flag.  God Bless America, God Bless Chess.com.

too subtle

Oh, my apologies, I had mistaken your post for a charicature containing a cleverly disguised social commentary on the British empire which I thought would go right over calico's head . Except, no, you're real 

The EU is a joke.
I don't really care if the flag appears on chess.com or not but, on the bright side, I'll be able to identify anyone bearing it as an idiot if it is added.   For that reason it might not be so bad.

Still waiting for that Pangea flag...

The European Union is a 'top-down' political construct that has been forced upon the peoples of Europe without any democratic mandate. It is run by an unelected and unaccountable clique of fat-cat bureaucrats, and  along with the obsequious and self-serving puppet governments of it's member states .. has ridden roughshod over practically every democratic principle and process known to the western world. It is a clunky outdated monolith which is long past it's sell by date and should be consigned to the scrap heap of history.

It is not just UN-democratic it is ANTI-democratic .. and why anyone should want to boast its hateful emblem next to their name is beyond me.

Long live the Nation State! (And God Bless America too! )