My blog post of yesterday provided an interesting but sadly inevitable reaction from some of my more vocal left-wing social media followers.
Yet as I waded through the usual annual vitriol accusing it of being racist, pro-war, etc, etc, it occurred to me that much of their disdain for the poppy stems not from the idea of remembrance or even the fear of causing some outdated imperialistic upset, but because of something much more fundamental.
For the more I read, the more obvious it became that the reason why so many of them seem to have an issue with the poppy is because they regard it as being right-wing. And perish the thought that they could or would show any kind of support for anything which doesn’t sit within the ‘left is right and right is always wrong’ idealism which underpins everything they think.
In many ways, this is why so many of them have been screwed up by the abuse scandal currently rocking, well pretty much everything.
For whilst the socialists have happily ranted at Trump or May for anything they could consider even remotely dodgy (and it didn’t even have to be true) they now face the quandary of having to react to the fact that so many of their own are being exposed as being ‘at it’.
This is especially true of the entertainment industry where they’re now even turning on their own such is the fear of being dragged into some scandal or other. Speaking as an interested observer, I have to say that this almost Stalinesque implosion is highly amusing to watch although I have to say that the hypocrisy we’re seeing from certain quarters is beyond shameful.
However, to return to the more important issue of remembrance, speaking as both a veteran, a patriot and as someone who firmly believes that the poppy is and should always be firmly beyond politics, I would urge those on the left who have an issue with the poppy to think about what it actually represents as opposed to what they think it does.
Because the truth is that the poppy is a symbol of remembrance and that’s all it is. And left or right, we all owe the men and women who’s names are engraved on stones and monuments around the globe the courtesy of affording them a little respect by honouring their sacrifice.
As some of you may be aware, I’ve been beavering away on the sequel to Billy’s Log for some time now and am currently publishing extracts online in ‘Billy’s Blog’.
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poppy, remembrance, right wing, left wing, Britain First, veteran, army, RAF, Navy, Cenotaph, author, screenwriting, ebooks, self publishing, indie film, football
Well said Dougie, we’ll proudly march next Sunday to show our respect to the poppy. But then we’re all veterans and appreciate what previous generations have done for our freedom. Modern culture quickly forgets the sacrifices made on our behalf to keep us free from tyranny and suppression. Worse still the white poppy is now being worn as antithesis to the red poppy and to show that the wearer’s don’t agree with it. Sad refection on modern life that the past should be remembered in that way