Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington (Post 1154363)

Jason, the best thing you could do is bow out of this thread as you still do not get it.

The men who fought in those conflicts you mention were not given a choice. They were conscripted men.

If you are unsure of the impiications of this, then I suggest you look it up and find out what happened to those men who did not present themselves to the appropriate service centre at the required time.

These men did NOT fight because war was honourable...but because their country was, and it required this of them.
They fought for the freedoms we have today......now, from what you have written it appears that you cannot see this.......and I fear that it doesn't matter how many times it is explained, or how it is explained, you will not get it.......that is really sad because if you don't get it how can we expect the youngsters growing up to respect the sacrifices made by young men for their freedom?

Originally Posted by Barrie Yates (Post 1154376)

Sorry Margaret but I must point out that not all were conscripts, many were regulars who volunteered and since June 1960 (think that is the correct date), all who have been involved have been regular or reserve volunteer servicemen and women - no conscripts.

Originally Posted by Accyexplorer (Post 1154377)

Another thing I'd like to mention (before I bow from the thread :D ) is that It seems, increasingly, that there is a pressure on folk to wear a poppy especially if their in politics or on tv....can folk not respect all those poor souls who have fallen etc without wearing of a poppy?
In my eyes any sort of pressure that's put on folk surely takes away from the gesture and it becomes near on meaningless.

Originally Posted by Accyexplorer (Post 1154353)

I wonder how many of those who fought in WW1 & WW2 would do so if they knew that what they was fighting for wasn't freedom and helping to keep folk safe but for elite greed and power.

Originally Posted by Studio25 (Post 1154626)

Do you really think that the people who went to war one hundred years ago were thinking about the business and political environment we find ourselves in today?

Interesting.

I always thought they were protecting their loved ones from the relentless march of a foreign power that was happening at that very time.

It seems to me that you're equally as guilty as our media and politicians of using the bravery and sacrifice of previous generations to try and manipulate people's emotions.

As far as I can tell (and I have no evidence to support this other than my own observations), people who give money to the Royal British Legion do so to provide support to surviving members of the armed forces, and support to the families of those that didn't return, and for no other reason.

If you think our time is blighted with "elite greed and power" - get off your arse and do something about it. It was not their intention at the time, but the by-product of their sacrifice was that you - yes you - have the freedom of choice to accept the "elite", do something about it, vote for it, sit at your laptop griping about it or simply ignore it and hope someone else makes it go away. Do not sully their memory by claiming that the politicians have let them down, because you put those politicians in power, not the people who died in the world wars.

Originally Posted by Accyexplorer (Post 1154824)

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Originally Posted by Michael1954 (Post 1154831)

An interesting speech in the video, but what has that to do with wearing a poppy to remember the fallen?