Generational Smoking Ban to Ignite Chaos for Retailers
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Today sees the widely-disputed Tobacco and Vapes Bill introduced to
parliament, making it illegal for anyone aged 15 or under to ever buy
cigarettes. *Me...
1 hour ago
12 comments:
Sorry, but white poppies are an insult to those who died or ended up seriously maimed or injured during war.
If you're wearing a white poppy you're not buying a red poppy, so you're depriving the British Legion of money to pay hospital bills for the crippled, blinded or maimed young men the media ignores in all it's reports about Iraq or Afghanistan.
If you bought white poppies there would be no need for red poppies
White poppies were introduced by the Peace Pledge Union in the 1930s. While the PPUs aims were honorable they supported appeasement and their publication, Peace News, was a consistent apologist for Nazi Germany.
Had the PPU been successful in its aims, Nazi Germany would not have been at war with Britain, and the extermination of the Jews would have continued remorselessly.
So while I admire the aims of peace, the historical record of the PPU does not make me want to wear a white poppy.
When I wear a red poppy, I think of all those who died in the trenches in WW1 because of military buffoons in charge, and those who died on the Normandy beaches and elsewhere so that the Nazis could be defeated, and Jersey's Occupation ended.
Presumably the international war record is better than achieving peace and it's good enough to support the wounded and their families on a charitable basis.
Strange world ain't it.
I don't support war in any way. But don't get me wrong I believe completely that the Government has a duty of care to the people it sends into a senseless slaughter (all war is a senseless slaughter).
I always make a donation to the poppy appeal but never wear the poppy and I only make the donation because the Government clearly isn't fulfilling its duty of care to the people it sends to be maimed or killed for no good reason.
I don't support war but I do support the troops.
I think some people need to look at the dubious fund raising items offered by the Jersey British Legion - refer to their website.
Cuddly teddy bears dressed up in military uniforms and called Sgt Braille or Slingsby are hardly to be considered as desirable - whatever the fund raising intention might be.
The white poppies have a serious and respectful purpose and a long pedigree in promoting peace.
Trying to create a market in "collectors" limited edition Jersey poppies (up to £500 each currently) seems also to be a particularly undesirable activity.
Just posted a historical piece on white poppies.
http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2009/11/white-poppies.html
Not quite sure why Tony is so obsessed with pre 2nd world war peculiarities and failings of the PPU and Peace News.
I've lived my life under the shadow of nuclear war and that has rather increased the need for peace initiatives and altered the agenda. The white poppy still provides a symbol for the peace movement but people can wear red poppies and respect the dead and injured and their relative at the same time if they choose.
There are problems with the Remembrance "business" just as there are in the Battle of Britain antics but we must pick out the best bits and try to disregard the less desirable motives of some.
Unfortunately the pursuit of universal peace does not suit all people and human beings do seem to be wired up with an aggressive gene. Somehow we have to learn to control it. As the song says - give peace a chance.
I'm not obsessed, it is just that the arguments used by the white poppy wearers often pick on the times when the red poppy has been linked to gung-ho- flag waving Sun reader behaviour (bet I offend someone with that, but I remember their Falklands coverage!), with the suggestion that the white poppy is peace and light; I just wanted to show that you can apply that argument from history both ways and "The white poppies have a serious and respectful purpose and a long pedigree in promoting peace." is not the whole picture. History is rarely black or white.
Incidentally, does anyone know where I can get a purple poppy? (yes they do exist- you'd be surprised what they represent)
Tony
On purple poppies
http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2009/11/purple-poppies.html
Not sure if this is a first for the Peace Pledge Union being represented in Jersey but today has demonstrated that there is lots of support as can be seen by the numbers of folk wearing white popies.
I cannot wear a red poppy because I cannot donate to any fund which was set up by Earl Haig. The man cared not a jot for any of the men who laid down their lives for their country.He was a self serving buffoon at best!
If Earl Haig's name and any association with this man was removed, many, many more people would gladly donate. I will not wear a poppy until this happens and I personally feel robbed of the opportunity to donate to the men and women who have selflessly served this country.
I feel the white poppy fund is well meaning but unfortunately I feel that it is perhaps disrespectful to the past generations who had little option but participate in the WW's.
I do not believe in War either in the past or in the present but I am a firm believer of being respectful of those people who have served or are serving in military conflicts.
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