coley
Well-Known Member
Who's advocating war? Just pointing out the absurdity of pointless symbolism, you don't agree with remembrance?fine don't wear a poppy, any poppy.
what no annual poppy bunfight thread?
- Thread starter Pingu
- Start date
coley
Well-Known Member
And until recently were regarded as traitors in the republic IIRC.
I'll be wearing a red poppy and I'm happy to discuss that's why I posted it here.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
I won't wear one. I'm not a pacifist but won't wear any kind of poppy, not while the British state and military remain what they are. I also will not support an organisation that does this to children:
I don't doubt that the British Legion does good work helping people who need help. But they are also a recruiting sergeant for the army. They are spokespeople for present and future wars and cheerleaders of militarism. No, they won't get my support.
I don't doubt that the British Legion does good work helping people who need help. But they are also a recruiting sergeant for the army. They are spokespeople for present and future wars and cheerleaders of militarism. No, they won't get my support.
Scutta
Live Fast Die Bizarre
Thimble Queen
Called away to another place
Yep that's right. That's what I said in my first post, I don't wear a poppy. Who said I don't agree with remembrance? Why do you think not wearing a poppy or wearing a white one equates to not agreeing with remembrance?
andysays
Love and solidarity
Surely the wearing of a red poppy is just as much a symbolic gesture as the wearing of a white one, it's just that you approve of the gesture of the former but not the latter, which is why you class the latter as a protest, suggesting that there is somehow something wrong with making a gesture aimed at both commemoration of those who died in the past and advocating peace in future.
Myself, I choose not to wear a poppy of any colour - would you categorise that as a symbolic protest, or just a decision not to engage in gestures of any kind?
Sea Star
have you ever explored your dark side?
Because I voted and felt that a post to back it up might be required! I've had too much unwarranted abuse fired at me over this so forgive me for being defensive!Then why bother posting it?
Thimble Queen
Called away to another place
What Andy said.
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
and we'll get treated to the solemn faces of 28k a year private school educated PPE graduate politicians who never had to and never will be at either end of the rifle (untill the day) as they do the annual sad face next to cenotaph ritual. Fuck them.
coley
Well-Known Member
It's the hi jacking of the poppy itself, I find mildly objectionable, by all means wear a symbol advocating peace
Thimble Queen
Called away to another place
Except the symbolism of the red poppy is being used for a real and damaging purpose.
coley
Well-Known Member
Aye, that not my post, PT seemed to be thinking I advocated war, nobody in their right mind wants war but sometimes it can't be avoided,
coley
Well-Known Member
But most pay for it and wear it,as a symbol of remembrance, no more no less.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
This man wasn't even responsible for the horrors of WW2 - he showed personal bravery opposing the Nazis - yet he felt the responsibility of a generation.
Maybe Milliband will take it upon himself to feel responsible for the war crimes of Blair and his associates.
And maybe not.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
yep. And I do not have a go at those who choose to wear one. I will not, though. And it's not a careless not wearing - it's a calculated one. If for whatever reason I were to be summoned to appear on the BBC during their period of compulsory poppy-wearing, I would refuse to, for instance.
andysays
Love and solidarity
I don't want to get all argumentative on your arse - you clearly feel strongly about this issue, whereas I, TBH, do not.
But how is wearing a white poppy hijacking anything? The British Legion (or whoever it is) don't own the image of all poppies, they use a red poppy. Other people have chosen to use a white poppy to symbolise something else (just as the red ribbon originally used to symbolise AIDS/HIV has now been adapted in various other colours to symbolise various other illnesses).
Just as it's up to you and all the red poppy wearers to chose to do your thing, surely it's equally up to the white poppy wearers to chose to do their thing, to chose their own symbol to convey their message.
coley
Well-Known Member
No problem with that, as long as you don't rabbit on about how people who do wear them are, in some way, war mongering.
andysays
Love and solidarity
And I've no problem with that, as long as you don't rabbit on about how all people who chose not to wear one, or chose to wear a white one, are rabbiting on about you who chose to wear a red one in some way war mongering.
Sasaferrato
Super Refuser!
I won't wear one. I'm not a pacifist but won't wear any kind of poppy, not while the British state and military remain what they are. I also will not support an organisation that does this to children:
I don't doubt that the British Legion does good work helping people who need help. But they are also a recruiting sergeant for the army. They are spokespeople for present and future wars and cheerleaders of militarism. No, they won't get my support.
Nowt wrong with soldiering, if that is what you want to do.
Recent conflicts, not our fight in the first place, and the consequences will be with us for a very long time.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
I don't. I will rabbit on about certain activities by the British Legion. But that's a long way away from judging everyone who wears a poppy. Wearing a poppy is not a war-mongering act. I won't have any part in this particular set of actions, and certain aspects of it, including the advertising campaigns by the BL, I find deeply objectionable. But I would have joined Willy Brandt in bowing his head, for instance. As I said, I'm not a pacifist, even though I admire pacifism in many ways, but this version of remembrance I will have nothing to do with.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
On this point, you and I disagree. I see the mothers beaming with pride at their sons' passing out parades as part of the problem.
I don't want a bunfight with you on this, though. I think you already know that's what I think.
andysays
Love and solidarity
Consider this a rhetorical question, because I genuinely don't want to get into personal arguments with people on this topic, but don't you think there is an interesting and perhaps ironic conflict or contradiction in the juxtaposition of those two sentences?
coley
Well-Known Member
Fair enough, I'm of a generation that knew and listened to those who fought in both WWs so I freely admit to being a bit jaundiced by the peace and love brigade,admirable thought their aims are.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
Properly principled pacifism, such as that of Gandhi or Martin Luther King, is hard.
coley
Well-Known Member
Totally agree, don't think I could even begin to understand how they maintained it.
Scutta
Live Fast Die Bizarre
dont you think people who fought in ww's would rather a bit more peace n love esp having seen the horrors first hand? i know my family who fought and played their part would
why rabbit on about middle class hippies then?
coley
Well-Known Member
Because at this time of year the media seems full of them going on about how terrible war is, without any of them having been anywhere near one, mebbes should have put "middle class types/politicians/celebrities"
Similar threads
- Poll
