Originally launched to help those that survived the first world war, isn't it time we banned this out-dated and irrelevant ritual?

There is no one still alive who served in the first world war !

Some will say it also helps those in later conflicts, but I fear that it simply perpetuates the whole idea of war - and glorifies it in quite a disgusting way.

Take a look at the poppy sellers - in their blazers emblazoned with rows of medals. They don't want an end to it - they are revelling in it !

The first world war was supposedly "the war to end all wars" but such displays only serve to keep the ball rolling.

The RBL were heavily involved supplying services for the DHSS.A friend refused to use them as they supported people with 'blood on their hands'.

I see the argument but for me............

The symbol is everything.

The poppy is known to grow where ever there is ground for roots. It isn't planted. It blows on the wind. It was the first sign of regeneration after the battlefields fell silent.

The symbol shouldn't be attacked.

The confusion nowadays is the symbol with the charity (OK so they are 100% linked, and the charity has decided to logo 'ise' the symbol), BUT....................

As a device to represent 'Rememberance' it is flawless.

PS - the First World War does still resonate...there are still sons and daughters alive who never knew their father............after all these years

Mr Reason wrote:
I see the argument but for me............

The symbol is everything.

The poppy is known to grow where ever there is ground for roots. It isn't planted. It blows on the wind. It was the first sign of regeneration after the battlefields fell silent.

The symbol shouldn't be attacked.

The confusion nowadays is the symbol with the charity (OK so they are 100% linked, and the charity has decided to logo 'ise' the symbol), BUT....................

As a device to represent 'Rememberance' it is flawless.

PS - the First World War does still resonate...there are still sons and daughters alive who never knew their father............after all these years

Well reasoned argument, Mr Reason.

It's not the "poppy" that I object to ... its the blazered, smug "veterans" who clearly would like the war run all over again so they have some purpose in life !

In The Know wrote:
Originally launched to help those that survived the first world war, isn't it time we banned this out-dated and irrelevant ritual?

There is no one still alive who served in the first world war !

Some will say it also helps those in later conflicts, but I fear that it simply perpetuates the whole idea of war - and glorifies it in quite a disgusting way.

Take a look at the poppy sellers - in their blazers emblazoned with rows of medals. They don't want an end to it - they are revelling in it !

The first world war was supposedly "the war to end all wars" but such displays only serve to keep the ball rolling.

I kind of agree with you on this one...

Heroin comes from poppies, and now where is ITK local Jobcentre ?

I may be too cynical on this but I always think poppy wearers are more keen on saying "I'm a good person, me, supporting charitable appeals" than in genuinely giving a shit about why dead people died. I bet many of those wearing poppies, ITK, are supporters of our tax monies being used to kill innocent women, children and soldiers in foreign places.

It's OK to kill people, just not OUR people.

I wear a poppy, and I have an interest in the First World War and its effects on the remains of the 20th Century.....in a historical context......

I guess you are suggesting the majority of the population are not like me?

In The Know wrote:
Originally launched to help those that survived the first world war, isn't it time we banned this out-dated and irrelevant ritual?

There is no one still alive who served in the first world war !

Some will say it also helps those in later conflicts, but I fear that it simply perpetuates the whole idea of war - and glorifies it in quite a disgusting way.

Take a look at the poppy sellers - in their blazers emblazoned with rows of medals. They don't want an end to it - they are revelling in it !

The first world war was supposedly "the war to end all wars" but such displays only serve to keep the ball rolling.

I always appreciate the way you 'shoot from the hip' ITK even though I very rarely agree with your opinions (but we won't go there! (lol)) but I really feel you should watch The Great War DVD set I have seen before you say anything more like this in public again. I do not mean that in an inflammatory way either just so we are clear - simply as someone who thinks that ANY reminder of the horror of World War 1 that serves to make the world of 2013 think again before engaging in war is a good thing. I have never watched anything so unreservedly awful and shocking as The Great War DVD set and while it is true now that there are no longer any survivors from that conflict still with us, the legacy of 'mans greatest abhorrent moment against self' MUST live on if we are to have any chance whatsoever of preventing it from happening again...

Respectfully,

Tony.

JK2006 wrote:
I may be too cynical on this but I always think poppy wearers are more keen on saying "I'm a good person, me, supporting charitable appeals" than in genuinely giving a shit about why dead people died. I bet many of those wearing poppies, ITK, are supporters of our tax monies being used to kill innocent women, children and soldiers in foreign places.

It's OK to kill people, just not OUR people.

A controversial post JK...

I think that you ARE being too cynical about why the majority of people support the poppy appeal but will concede that there are those who simply like to be seen supporting whatever it seems fashionable to support.

As far as your point about tax monies 'being used to kill innocent women, children and soldiers in foreign places' goes I'm not sure that people would connect the two at all. This is not because you are wrong to make that connection but because of our 'selective' reporting in this country these days. I don;t like to see ANYONE get killed but I also cannot hand on heart support our troops all of the time because I honestly don't think they should be deployed where they are and do NOT therefore see us as 'The Good Guys' all of the time. To me, some of the things we get involved with are rather like the story of The American Indians and the 'white man'. We are always fed the story of the Indians being the 'baddies' and the rest of the U.S. citizens and cavalry 'the goodies' but is that, was that really true? I don't think so - the native american indians were there first.

I think more should be done to remind the communities of today about EXACTLY what happened in the First world War and what it meant to the families and loved ones left behind. We are far too disconnected as a society today and the division is becoming wider not closer.

In The Know wrote:
Originally launched to help those that survived the first world war, isn't it time we banned this out-dated and irrelevant ritual?

Quite right, and may I praise you, sincerely, for never appearing as if you're obsessed with this issue with a painfully neurotic agenda?

I don't think any war is just, because it is simply down to one lot of rich and powerful people falling out with another lot of rich and powerful people. Don't forget that those who served in WW1 were then turned on by their same government in the general strike a few years later.

I also cannot support these current "wars" which are again about oil and where it seems our troops are generally killing brown women and children, and then say how successful those missions are. Maybe we need to think about them.

I support the comments from Mr May.

The whole political and social story of the First World War should be taught and appreciated by future generations as a lesson of how not to repeat history.

The social aspect of 1910's Britain is so alien to the modern citizen, that the appreciation of how politics have changed along with social change and (some may disagree, but....) social mobility has improved, it will all start to create the complex context of the times..........

I very, very much doubt there is any modern day appetite for a Pals Battalion...............

Tony May wrote:
I always appreciate the way you 'shoot from the hip' ITK even though I very rarely agree with your opinions (but we won't go there! (lol))

Life's too short, Tony

I know all I need to know about an event that happened before I was born - an event that the world seemed to have learn nothing from.

I find it all breathtakingly hypocritical - "We will remember them" - but I bet that not a single one of the blazered brigade could even name the LAST British soldier (killed only last week LOL !)