#343

is it common to get bullied for not wearing a poppy? I’ve never had it mentioned once

1 Like
#345

wankers

2 Likes
#346

I agree with what he’s gently suggesting here, which is that it might be time to wind down this whole poppy thing now that the veterans of the two world wars are mainly gone, but obviously there’s too much infrastructure around it to do that now, and I suppose it’s just going to degenerate further into this sort of gobbing in the eyes of people who don’t put up the requisite decorations or display their ‘patriotism’ fervently enough.

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#347

But whatever the intent behind Remembrance Day, “never again” is not the message that those most enthusiastic about it seem to want to convey

This is my biggest issue in a nutshell.

37 Likes
#350

i reckon if Scotland went independent there’d be a load of Question Time audiencers wanting to declare war on them within about 2 weeks

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#351

Don’t think he really is suggesting that, although probably he’d like it if it did. If anything he’s suggesting that the hijacking is going to get worse and nothing’s going to stop it.

#352

I drew that inference from this paragraph-

And the passage of time clearly does change the meaning of such things. We no longer go out of our way to remember the victims of the Crimean or Napoleonic wars: they’re simply too long ago. There must come a point when even the horrors of the world wars will be so far in the past that commemorating them feels an affectation. We may not be there yet – but surely it can’t be far off.

#353

Note that he’s not suggesting that when commemorating them feels an affectation that it will stop.

#354

I see that. I don’t think he’s outright advocating for it, but he’s drawing a parallel

#355

I mean for me it already feels like an affectation.

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#356

In my view it’s a perfectly reasonable argument, but it’s not terribly original. Maybe there’ll be a bit of a remembrance revival after the next world war.

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#357

Perhaps the real tipping point will be not when the last of the WWII veterans are gone, but when the last of their relatives who remember them are. The main lasting tinge of poignancy about it for me relates mainly to remembrance of what my grandparents did during the war. So perhaps give it 20 or 30 more years, during which time it will probably have been bastardised out of sight.

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#358

In 20 to 30 years it’ll be mandatory attendance at state military parades

I’m being daft, but who knows where this stupidity ends

#359

Perhaps being a bit optimistic about my life expectancy there anyway.

#360

Yes, reckon after the next World War all twenty humans will be well into remembrance

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#361

Titanium poppies to remember the fallen Boston Dynamics Robosoldiers

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#362

I know of a prison where the inmates make chairs for dfs. The prison get £5 per chair and give 50p to the inmates per chair. Also some call centres ‘employ’ prisoners.

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#363

Payment for work done in prisons really depends also on whether the prison is state-owned or privately owned. In private prisons the rate of pay is generally far lower and the options for work and courses are fewer. This obviously has a harmful effect on offender rehabilitation, but is done in the name of cost-cutting. This is one reason why outsourcing prison services to the likes of G4S is a net bad thing.

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#364

The prison service is on its arse. This isn’t the place for this though as this is a thread about white poppies. Totally agree though that outsourcing prison services is a bad thing. HMP Birmingham for example.

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#365

Thank you joke for reminding me this happened :joy: I’ve just told my mum I posted here and 31 people liked it, she’s mortified

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