mikewot

Don't understand that one.

It is the Soldier, not the reporter
Who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the Soldier, not the poet,
Who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer,
Who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.

It is the Soldier, not the lawyer,
Who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the Soldier, who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protestor to burn the flag.

Charles M. Province, U.S. Army

archie159

Remembrance Sunday service today in Abu Dhabi, 6pm, St Andrews Church. Was very full last year so arrive early.

scrubbedexpat141

Hmm I don't either. Was hoping some of the Irish contingent could fill us in.

Assuming there is more to it than just British soldiers in Ireland.

Meow

Anyone who thinks that the wearing of a poppy is supporting military actions is an idiot. It's a simple act of remembrance for the sacrifices of so many, no matter whether you agree with the politics.

I was wearing on on Friday and was asked about it my quite a few non Brits, including a lot of Arabs. Everyone thought it was a lovely idea.

weasel decentral

That is from the brain dead supporters in Parkhead in Glasgow, who knows what they are thinking.
However if the fans are Northern Irish based I am sure it is a reference to lots of shooting carried out by the British army in Derry and Belfast. They are associating the poppy with glorifying the army rather than its narrower association with WW1

scrubbedexpat141

So it is that simple then. Idiots at work.

Shame.

mikewot

But the banner clearly says Iraq, Afghanistan etc. So go figure. and, of course, it was only the British soldiers who were shooting, bombing and kneecapping in NI oh wait!

weasel decentral

Well to a degree anything old firm related defies logic but I am sure anyone who has had friends or family or whatever shot in the north by the army (For example in the bloody Sunday incident in Derry) isn't going to separate the soldiers of WW1 as different to the ones they have encountered.
Perogative to protest and all that, just as enshrined as the perogative to wear a symbol of something.

weasel decentral

I am explaining the reference my old son, not agreeing with it. Nobody is claiming that there is logic at work here.
The Derry issue related to shooting civil rights protesters, not the IRA. Again not justifying anything here as the hypocrisy levels are off the charts on both sides in the north.

Meow

The wearing of a poppy is not just to remember the fallen of WW1. It's for any fallen soldier (or airman, or any participant), in any conflict. It's not a judgement of the politics or about which side you are on.

Armistice Day is not the time to be political or to raise protests about specific conflicts. Using the symbolof the poppy as a protest in that way is just plain wrong.

weasel decentral

I am not disagreeing with any of this, I was just trying to give an indication of the thought process behind the banner. Its pretty immaterial to me, wear one or not, protest about it or not, its low on my upset-o-meter.

if it makes people think about the pawns that soldiers are then its a good thing and of course people should remember that they are just people doing a job. if it makes people question why they were doing this job in particular countries and that governments shouldn't casually deploy their servicemen, then this is an even better thing.
Much better to not to have to remember fallen soldiers imo

scrubbedexpat141

Agree, the old firm stuff gets ridiculous.

Indeed, I'm sure there are plenty of folk in Ireland and NI who feel aggrieved by the thought of a British soldier....much like the families of British soldiers killed in Ireland feel vice versa.

You're 100% correct that people have the perogative to do as they wish whether I agree or not. In the instance of things like this though, you'd wish people would stop and think if it is actually going to help any cause or just be controversial. Much more useful to come up with a poppy-like symbol of support raising money or awareness of something positive instead of trying to cause offense.

commander

All members of society with a brain knows that the wearing of a poppy is not political, religious or anything apart from a show of respect and rememberance to those who have fallen in all conflicts.

Serving or vets, it is OUR time to reflect, whether it was 30years ago in the Falkland Islands, last week in Afghan or 9 years ago in Iraq. We have memories and images that will remain forever. For the lucky ones, time moves on.