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chimeracoder

For those who don't know the context of the reference to the poppy, it's from the poem "In Flanders Fields"

>In Flanders fields the poppies blow

> Between the crosses, row on row,

> That mark our place; and in the sky

> The larks, still bravely singing, fly

> Scarce heard amid the guns below.

> We are the Dead. Short days ago

> We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

> Loved and were loved, and now we lie

> In Flanders fields.

> Take up our quarrel with the foe:

> To you from failing hands we throw

> The torch; be yours to hold it high.

> If ye break faith with us who die

> We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

> In Flanders fields.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_Flanders_Fields

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And for those still left clueless: in Britain, around this time of the year, it is common to see people wear a "remembrance poppy" pin, to commemorate soldiers who have died in war.

One way of getting it is by donation to the British Legion.

As with most symbols with time, its meaning now also very much depends on the observer (nostalgic-imperialistic, pro-war, gratitude, sacrifice, etc).

> One way of getting it is by donation to the British Legion.

It the only way.

> It the only way.

Not at all! Today at a Remembrance Service my wife and I wore brooches produced by a local veterans' charity; a poppy superimposed over a local landmark. No connection with RBL.

You could also make your own, wear a real poppy or buy a diamond-encrusted brooch from the likes of Bradford Exchange, if you're into bling.

The RBL have a trademark on one particular pattern of poppy emblem ( two-petal, with leaf ); that's all.

...to commemorate soldiers who have died in war...

It's to commemorate British soldiers. And therein lies my problem. It implies that British soldiers are worth commemorating, and any others (Russian, German, Austrian, South African, you name it, it was a world war after all) not.

It's like visiting the holocaust museum in Jerusalem. Everywhere you turn you hear how the museum is there to make sure it doesn't happen again to Israelis.

9/11 is another fine anti-example. You only hear about that one every year because it's American.

Meanwhile Rwanda happens, and Burma, Kosovo, and Iraq, and Afghanistan, and so on. Nationalism gnaws at my arse. Badly.

The Royal British Legion certainly don't prescribe who you are meant to remember. This exact issue was discussed in depth on this week's Moral Maze on Radio 4 by the Legions' Head of Remembrance.

In Australia, they have a similar 'Rememberence Day' as well as a bigger "ANZAC Day".

In the ANZAC instance, they pay respect to all sides of the specific conflicts (Gallipoli being the main one) Australian, British, New Zealand, and Turkish.

I doubt (though don't know for sure) Remembrance day in Britain is not intended for ALL soldiers...

I'm currently watching the commemorations from London live on BBC1, and the ambassadors from the various countries of the ex-British empire countries (including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, South Africa, various Caribbean countries etc) are laying wreaths of poppies at the Cenotaph (the war memorial in the centre of london).

In order of precedence they lay their wreaths after the royals and the heads of the UK political parties, but before the heads of the UK armed forces.

I've seen Polish, Irish, and Dutch ex-soldiers today and probably other nations march in the past as well. Oh and the Gurkhas obviously (who are Nepalese, but part of the British Army).

So not only British soldiers get commemorated, maybe many people only remember the soldiers of their own country but that certainly doesn't lead to the conclusion that others aren't worth commemorating, only that people think of things that are close to home first.

It is also worth noting that wearing a poppy pin for Rememberance Day is also done across much of Canada. In fact the poem Flanders Field quoted above was written by a Canadian.

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