Red Poppies

[mirrorshard]

It's that time of year again, with a poppy-seller on each corner[1], and it seems somehow morally wrong not to be supporting the war dead and their survivors. I don't disagree with this in principle, it was - and still is to some extent - a terrible human tragedy. It just makes me feel twitchy to wear something connected to war, even though this one isn't a political statement.

Now, if only they sold white poppies...

[1] http://www.poppy.org/ for those of you who are living Elsewhere and don't understand this traditional British custom of wearing a small paper and plastic poppy on the lapel at this time of year. http://www.poppy.org/About_Poppy_Appeal/History.html explains why a poppy.

Comments

[malvino.livejournal.com]

oops, that was from me

[claudacity.livejournal.com]

yes, I realised that, but what I thought was interesting was the marked difference in the way singapore remembers her experience of war. admittedly, there is a difference in the experience itself- almost nothing at all of WW1, and occupation by the japanese in WW2- but the contrast between charity and well, what happens here, is quite stark. singapore takes Unsentimentality to new heights.