Poppycock

Now it's over I feel free to comment without causing too much offence. This year Remembrance Day (also known as Armistice Day and Poppy Day) actually fell on a Sunday. More commonly the nearest Sunday to the 11th November is chosen for the laying of wreaths and remembering the dead of imperialist wars. It cannot be held mid-week because the majority of people are working. So year after year we buy our poppies and spare two minutes of silence on a Sunday to pay our respects to those who sacrificed themselves for their countries, an event started after the First World War. Although most church and Cenotaph memorial services concentrate on the British dead it should never be forgotten that the 'enemy' also had armed service personnel who paid the ultimate price so that certain unspecified individuals would grow richer.

Remembering the dead is a comforting thing for those who have lost loved ones in conflict. It does not bring the fallen back but it brings some comfort. Let it not be forgotten though that it is almost 100 years since the First World War started. Poppy Day has outlived its purpose. It has become an industry with all the failings of industry. I will buy no more red poppies in remembrance of people I never even knew. The oldest person on earth can probably not remember anyone who fell in the First World War. This year's poppy is the last.

This year's poppy

This year's poppy fell apart, like last year's poppy. Without superglue it would be lying on the floor somewhere obscure, the red fibre flower, green fibre leaf and green plastic stem separated for eternity and I would be compelled to buy another, as I had to do last year. I have no doubt this is deliberate. I came across an artificial poppy stem last  week when out walking the dogs detached from its other two parts. Everybody I spoke to on Sunday said the same thing about poppies coming apart. They are not made to last. They are deliberately not made to last. They are a glaring example of planned obsolescence.

Perpetual remembrance

Why does the media perpetuate Poppy Day? We do not remember the fallen from the Napoleonic Wars, the Crimean War, the Boer War or any previous war to the First World War. It is a good industry and those who know a good thing do not want to see it disappear from the market-place. Television, all channels, pins poppies on everyone on chat shows, political shows, news programmes, sports programmes, any programmes where those taking part do not have to move too much. Because if they moved too much their poppies would fall apart and that would not look good for the image. Some of us can remember a time when Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer were too fast for anyone to stick a poppy on them. Now they just sit there compliant with the global television policy of 'if it doesn't move stick a poppy on it'. It's all poppycock!

There was nobody, without exception, not wearing a poppy who appeared on a television programme this year. What does that tell us? Somebody has an interest in perpetuating this event. Who? Why? Those who want to perpetuate Poppy Day are those who own the media. Those who own the media also want to perpetuate war. For what reason? Global domination and people manipulation. This blog has frequently mentioned how certain items of news, like the names of Julian Assange's accusers in Sweden, and the circumstances of how he was set up, are not allowed to be mentioned in the media. It is in the interest of these same people who want to wage war on Iran that Poppy Day is perpetuated.

There is another poppy - a white poppy. I try to get one of these every year too but was unable this year. The white poppy stands for peace. I usually wear the white poppy together with the red poppy on Remembrance Day. If you want to remember something next year remember that the red poppy is an imperialist industry based around the perpetuation of war. The white poppy offers hope. White poppies can be purchased from the Peace Pledge Union. This is the way forward. Join me next year in wearing white poppies only and kick the obsolete red poppy, and its warmongers, into touch.