...the few...

I don't get angered by things much these days but a few days ago, I saw an article on BBC news that stirred me.
In short, the UK based Christian and Theological "Think Tank" group Ekklesia (there's no fucking way I'm going to link to their page.... so google it if you must) wants to put forward the production of white poppies as well as the usual red poppy because it supposedly supports the more Christian idea of peace through non-violence means whereas, they say, the red poppy is more symbolic of peace through war.

Bollocks.

Since when was the wearing of a red poppy anything to do with the war itself? As far as I was aware, the poppy was a symbol of rememberance of the sacrifice the people made so that we can be living the lives we do today. How the fuck can these people, supposed intellects that are part of a think tank even suggest that this is about celebrating war?
Remember this?

The gratitude of every home in our Island, in our Empire, and indeed throughout the world, except in the abodes of the guilty, goes out to the British airmen who, undaunted by odds, unwearied in their constant challenge and mortal danger, are turning the tide of the World War by their prowess and by their devotion. Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few. All hearts go out to the fighter pilots, whose brilliant actions we see with our own eyes day after day…

Isn't this what it is all about?

The charity involved with the Red Poppy Appeal collects for ALL ex-servicemen and their families and in particular they support all of those who have lost vauable members of their family who might otherwise be supporting them. Fathers, Sons and Brothers who have lost their lives to defend their country and in modern times defending other countries and their people, leave behind people who need help and support and this is what the Red Poppies are about.
For a moment, let's forget the rights and wrongs or war; we all know it is wrong. Let's forget about the mess in Iraq because that isn't down to the individuals who fight the war but instead lies on the shoulders of those who tell these men to go into battle. Instead remember the idea behind it all; the idea that these people are fighting to defend the rights of the free man; of you and me and that part of their job is knowing that they might die on our behalf.

The idea that some pompous group out there wants to quibble over the colour of a poppy and what it might mean really pisses me off and smells like nothing more than wanting to get attention for themselves and thereby belittling the actual significance of the Red Poppy.


Ok..... and now for some more reasonable response.
In all fairness, the White Poppy has been around for a long time and was first introduced to symbolise peace; that's fine but why draw attention to it here and now when there is the much greater importance of the charity behind it?

I do see the modern problem here in that at a time when people are required to be religiously invisible, there is a certain belief that the red poppy is a christian symbol when it is not. This is where the white poppy is seen to have a role; that is to be a symbol of the rememberance AND a symbol of Christianity and Peace. Of course, if public speakers are asked to not wear crosses and crucifixes, what's the point of having the White Poppy made more available if it is to represent a Christian stance? According to the BBC news site, the white poppy has also been closely associated with the Anti-War movement which again, by itself is not a bad thing but again, this kind of debate and argument over the colour of a symbol is taking away attention from the important thing here; once again, that of the work of the charity.

I say, leave the Red Poppy Alone.

Give people equal choice between a red or white one?
Ok... but that's assuming that the average Joe out there knows the differences between the two. To the 90 % who don't know, it is literally meaningless and it is just a difference in colour. With this in mind, what's the point of making a point?

You can make an anti war statement 365 days of the year but we only have one day every year where we make a point of remembering the sacrifices of the few so for god's sake, don't take this day away from them.