The poppy, racist?

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

There are always a few, thank God, but it seems, to this Old Fart at least that there are so many more of the other kind. I admit that back 1963 I came within inches of becoming a Can-a-dian. Vietnam was not even vaguely close to where I wanted to be and today I'm more bitter than I was then about the total waste of it. The rant is building....
Going to shut up or Chris (with good reason) will be pimp-slapping me.

I'm going to pimp slap you for choosing to ignore the hundreds of thousands of kids that have served, fought and died in Iraq and Afghanistan over the last 16 years. Hell I was one of those 23 year olds.

There are far more good decent tough kids out there than you think, and far less of the "other kind", but I guess you are one of "those" people that I was talking about in my post above?

This thread is not going to go anywhere...

 

[mikewint]

Chris, by no means whatsoever did I not include ANY person who served in any war/conflict I deeply respect them and you and your/their sacrifice to the same country I served. I thank God every day for people like them/you. I just seems to me more and more every day that this whiny PC culture is getting more and more control, such as the flap in the Halloween thread about "correct" costumes and now it spreads to the Poppies of Flanders fields.
Guess I'm too old and have seen too much

 

[Greg Boeser]

Also remember though....right now there are 18-20 year olds in deserts that they would prefer not to be in but know they have to be there.

That was me about 14 years ago, but I was in my thirties.
Now two of my boys have donned the uniform and will probably get their turn soon.

 

[parsifal]

There are soldiers who commit crimes in the name of service, and I believe they should be punished or at least held to account. This is separate, and completely unrelated to the issue of military service and sacrifice.

There are nations that commit crimes in the name of the "public good" or the majority interest. These nations should be held to account for their national crimes.

I understand that. I support those notions. Always have. If that makes me a left wing liberal, then im guilty as charged.

Wars are ugly. Any of you that have served and been in harms way will know that. Wars don't often end up being constructive but rather are often just necessary. Sometimes humanity has to commit evil to prevent greater evil. Sometimes our soldiers are called upon to commit acts that are not pretty, to protect us and our nations interests.

We should separate between the immoral for no good reason, and the immoral for good reason. Those called upon to carry out their duty which leads to violence on others in the name of serving their country for a greater good should be honoured. A symbol of respect and remembrance is the wearing of a poppy, we in Australia also wear rosemary to signify remembrance. Those who are within the category of honourable service should be honoured and remembered for that service.

Ive said this before about myself. My wife is Russian, whose grandfather was one of Zhukovs 'siberians'. He fought with distinction in a terrible war. Im proud of that. My stepfather fought for Germany, at Stalingrad, and was decorated for that. He is 96 years old and long ago admitted that the germans as nation were guilty of aggressive war. Apart from that, he fought with honour and served his country well. He was decorated with an iron cross for his efforts, the equal of a poppy, but destroyed the medal long ago because of the guilt that he felt. .

My grandfather (on my natural Dads side) was a light horseman that fought through WWI, was mentioned in dispatches twice and decorated four times. He hated the fuss of Anzac day, because it was too painful for him to remember. I chose, and choose, to honour his memory and march on anzac day, remembering him and all the military honour amassed by my various family forebears. Some of those forebears were mortal enemies at one stage or another. That is irrelevant to me. I march to remember and honour the sacrifices they made on behalf of their country, and the nobility they all displayed in the service they provided.

 

[at6]

My nephew was one those killed Iraq when in 2005 his Humvee hit an IED. Needless to say, his funeral was closed casket. He died in the cause of freedom so that some emotionally fragile panty waist can cry about being offended by what ever. I was brought up to either chew bubble gum or kick a$$. I've always been out of gum.