Wear your Poppy with pride!

November 9th, 2007 Written by Biz

I notice with great alarm, that for some reason, there is a real dearth of people wearing Remembrance Day Poppies this year. To me this is inexplicable …and unforgivable! 

 

It would be bad enough if this despicable phenomenon were restricted to youngsters, but what seems outrageous to me, is that even the over 25’s have abandoned this simple mark of respect. Now anyone in this age bracket should have Poppy Day ingrained into their psyche. From the age of 4 until I left school, I could always be sure of two events; the annual Poppy Day collection and the annual Queen Alexandra Pink Rose collection. Although contributions were not compulsory, everyone seemed to automatically sense that it was the correct thing to do, to participate in these great traditions…and they were right! 

 

Let us not forget the reason for these remembrance Poppies…to remind us of the fallen Servicemen, Servicewomen and Auxiliaries that fell in all conflicts since the Great War and importantly, to raise funds to enable the Royal British Legion to continue helping the survivors of these conflicts. 

 

As an ex-serviceman myself, I am at a loss to fathom the decline in Poppy wearers this year, but if I were to hazard a guess, I would have to guess that it was a reflection on the growing unpopularity of our involvement in the Middle East and Afghanistan. 

 

This may be so, and everyone is entitled to their opinion, but that is no reason to take it out on vulnerable people who having served their country, now need our aid. Let’s not forget two important facts; our armed forces go where they are told to go and whilst there, do what they are told to do. More importantly, the poor bastards who end up getting killed are NEVER the same people as the stupid bastards that send them there (politicians)!! 

 

If anyone deserves our distain, it is the politicians who started this and every other conflict…let us take this on board and vent our fury on them and not on an old and noble institution. To illustrate who is truly deserving of our rancour, let me ask you a question: How many conflicts do you think there would be, if every politician who instigated one were forced to send a family member to participate in it? 

 

Exactly! 

 

There is still time…two days in fact. If you haven’t already done so, go out; buy a Poppy…and WEAR IT WITH PRIDE! 

Entry Filed under: Rants & Views