I'm not a fan of the poppy.

[Pat Mustard]

Seeing as what's in tomorrow and all, I'd just put it out there that I'm like James McClean.

Whatever about it's origins (I've heard the poppy was originally thought of by an American pacifist, but I don't know the veracity of this story) it has now morphed into an ugly sign of jingoism and violent nationalism (again look at what McClean has to suffer annually for his conscientious objection to the symbolism of that flower) an attempt to force people into shouting for war and excusing barbarism.

On a brighter note, here's a song which better exemplifies what war is (sung by an Irish band, and written by an Australian musician)

[vorlon13]

I'm currently suffering greatly from opiate induced constipation.

My view of poppies has rather declined of late too . . . . . . . . . .

[Cyberman]

It's an inconsequential price to pay to signify the memory of those who paid the ultimate price for the freedoms I enjoy.

[Pat Mustard]

It's an inconsequential price to pay to signify the memory of those who paid the ultimate price for the freedoms I enjoy.

Did they? The main focus of the poppy is world war one, a squalid squabble between rival imperial powers whose shared goal was to absorb the colonial empires of their defeated enemies.

[Cyberman]

What would happen if we forgot?

[Pat Mustard]

What would happen if we forgot?

Not talking about forgetting, I'm talking about glorifying.

And stuff like the poppy is forgetting. It speaks about glory and honour and victory, but says nothing about the mucky stuff, the death, the seeing your best friend having his leg sawn off because he was hit with too much shrapnel to do anything else. It forgets the back room deals between governments, the corrupt contracts to weapons suppliers the inadequate provisions and rotting uniforms. It speaks about an ideal while trying to supress the reality.

[vorlon13]

What would happen if we forgot?

Sets a precedent for forgetting other things I'd rather not.

[brewer]

The thing that irritates me is that it's been donation commercialized. I'll bet I get hit up three or more times tomorrow. Only one of the three will be for veteran's. 

On a side note, now I got this stuck.

[Cyberman]

What would happen if we forgot?

Not talking about forgetting, I'm talking about glorifying.

And stuff like the poppy is forgetting. It speaks about glory and honour and victory, but says nothing about the mucky stuff, the death, the seeing your best friend having his leg sawn off because he was hit with too much shrapnel to do anything else. It forgets the back room deals between governments, the corrupt contracts to weapons suppliers the inadequate provisions and rotting uniforms. It speaks about an ideal while trying to supress the reality.

Maybe for you. Personally, that's the kind of stuff I do remember and honour; the servicemen and women, the civilians, the children, the senseless destruction and waste. I honour those who had to face that and give thanks that I don't have to. Because the moment we don't pay homage to the memory is the moment they suffered and died for nothing. Matter of fact, I've never come across anyone who doesn't feel the same, for the same reasons.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Endless spins on dead soldiers. You can't all profit from their demise.