That has all gone. And which is why we find it hard to understand the role of the US Flag in everyday life. Europeans have a different take, IMO, on what individual freedoms mean. For us, it is more to be oneself, to aspire to express individual feelings, and to appreciate diversity in others. Yes, we have that 13 starred EU flag
You'll see flags in Finland on special days - it is the job of the building caretaker to have it up and down at the right time. You'll see flags if Finland win the world ice hockey championship again. But it is just a picture - something that stands for far more than a state. You can't be me, I'm taken
On 8 December 1955 the Committee of Ministers adopted this as the European flag. "Against the blue sky of the Western world, the stars represent the peoples of Europe in a circle, the symbol of unity. Their number shall be invariably set at twelve, the symbol of completeness and perfection ... just like the twelve signs of the zodiac represent the whole universe, the twelve gold stars stand for all peoples of Europe - including those who cannot as yet take part in building up Europe in unity and peace." The Council of Europe from the beginning desired it to be used by other regional organisations seeking European integration.
http://magyar.org/uploaded/images/20040331-145419_6.jpg
Very fetching!
BTW, just today I noticed that he took off the flag, when he put up Christmas lights (yes, that energy-wasting madness is creeping over here, too). *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
