Poppy Fascism?

[CDX_EIRE]

david-avfc - 11/11/2013 17:15

I don't think that he should have been allowed to not wear a poppy, I don't think being told to wear it is a violation of his freedom, but instead its allowed him to turn an emotional and sensitive issue (which has nothing to do with Britain-Ireland relations) of those who have given their lives for the greater good of the entire world into a political protest against the UK.

Some Irish do hate 'the brits' but its very few mostly those who are not very intelligent... We've had our issues but in this day an age its ancient history as we need to stick to together...

The second part I highly disagree with I get maybe you have some relations who did the deed back then but how does his choice impact you? You know what Im saying my motto in everything is do what you want so long as you dont hurt another human being... It might cause you a little emotional pain but ultimately I think its a freedom he should be fully entitled to...

I just had a right chuckle at the article when I read it last night and Id agree with Coyle its an embarrassment to be asked that... Considering the fella got death threats last year IMO its a bit irresponsible on the journalists part to drag it up...

 

[david-avfc]

CDX you are right it doesn't impact me and it shouldn't bother me. But what annoys me is there was no need to do it - he could have worn it no big deal, how can one take offense to Remembrance Sunday? But he's used this annual event as a political protest. It's no different to when the EDL tried to have a march through wootton Bassett - these sort of things should not be used as a platform to project your political beliefs on a national scale.


My point that she should have been forced to wear it is nothing to do with freedom, it's because it was always going to cause an outrage, the guy received death threats, and for what? A silly little protest that doesn't even make sense? It's not worth the agro to go out of his way to not wear the specific shirt and get all of the abuse (and I don't know if this had anything to do with his downfall from a promising player into Sunderland reject) for basically no logical reason, and someone should have told him that.

 

[Villan Of The North]

Wurzel - 11/11/2013 23:44

The Fear - 11/11/2013 20:55

BBJ - 11/11/2013 20:25

Wurzel - 11/11/2013 18:35

I have a democratic right not to vote if I feel the candidates are trash.

In that situation, I would spoil my vote. I might even write something on the ballot paper to the effect that the choice of candidates left me with no option but to vote for none of them.
I just think that a spoiled vote is better than not voting.
I think there is a fair chance that I'll end up doing this next time round as I am utterly unimpressed with what's on offer at the moment.

Yup. Same bbj. I guess those not voting are also expressing their apathy, but I would much rather, personally, a spoilt 'vote' as an expression.

Spoiling a paper does nothing it isn't a non of the above option. It is a secret ballot, and as such I am entitled to not vote just as much as to vote. Anyway there are many reasons why people cannot vote, not just apathy. Under our present system it does not deny people from having an opinion, just ask Russell Brand:-)

Actually the number of spoiled ballots is also recorded so if enough actually do this the authorities have no choice but to see it as a protest.

 

[BodyButter]

I see some news presenter has recieved death threats for not wearing a poppy on the telly. I guess all those people didn't die for her freedom.

 

[OnMeHeadFred]

BodyButter - 13/11/2013 09:47

I see some news presenter has recieved death threats for not wearing a poppy on the telly. I guess all those people didn't die for her freedom.

This kind of justifies the accusation of fascism.

What I really don't like about the whole poppy thing is that it seems to be just another example of how the British establishment offer sentiment and pageantry as a cheap substitute for decent pensions for ex-service personnel and proper support.

Whenever I read the name Haig on the poppy it always makes me mad because while the slaughter was going on, he was in a château miles from the front living a luxurious life, and then when he got back, he got handed a pension of a £100k, while the ordinary Tommy got sweet FA.

So what it looks like is that the ruling classes took the country to war and then handed over the responsibility of supporting the broken men who returned to the general population.

You can't actually say it is much different now as Blair rakes in his millions and the soldiers are having their compensation cut and are expected to rely on charity from the general public.

The poppy has too many reminders of the worst aspects of the British not to be questioned.

As was said in Alan Bennett's History Boys, the memorials and ceremonies are all designed to deflect our thinking away from the responsibility the country had in starting the war in the first place.

It is impossible to disagree with that.