I mentioned that I may do a guest post this evening. The old man asked me not to be too lurid, which I assume means not to be as needlessly provocative as I am on Facebook, so here goes.

http://www.eureferendum....ogview.aspx?blogno=83329

I accept without argument your central thrust Peter.

While we are dismayed at the political charades and faux solemnity of remembrance day, Hitchens has some valuble thoughts on the egregious but purposeful laxity of the powers that be and the two are [imho] intertwined. Sleepwalking into tyranny, with the plot to pacify us plebeians and bread and circuses is all it is.
Dear God almighty what a country, Hieronymus Bosch would weep tears and thinking that the real hell on earth: is Britain in the C21st.

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Other random [maybe pertinent] musings come into my conscious thoughts.

When Bliar turns up at the Cenotaph, on the 11 day of November - the shameless wear your grief on your sleeve parody is complete.

Why are we 'celebrating' [not my choice of verb] the commencement of the Great War? I think back to the bicentennial Trafalgar commemorations [under a Labour government - barely a shout even a murmur was heard] - a re-enactment involved, not the French, Spanish and British navies but teams of green red and blue. So what of the Great War 'celebration, which colour will the Hun wear?

When did we ever 'celebrate' the beginning of hostilities? =+ POLITICS - the EU and mendacious collaboration with the colleagues - mind you some call the cameroons - Vichy Tories.


Children are expected to attend, though have not been taught the history of the rise of the German 'machine'?

In the end, how could anyone [who was not there] be able to contemplate the physical and mental horror of the trenches? And isn't that why, we are silently grateful for those brave men who gave their all? In the end, grief, remembrance and personal tragedy are set way too deep to share with anyone - how many times have you heard the story - "he fought in the Great War but never spoke about it" They couldn't, they didn't want to 'go back to it'.


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Do you recall, that some people were actually beaten and harassed up for not showing du' respek innit to the Diana 'public grief fest'?

Just an anecdotal contribution here.....as a fan I follow a particular Sunderland football blog...normally the usual gentle reviewing of footballing events of a weekend....which may occassionally get a little heated......until this Sunday that is.

One of our young players, of Irish Republican origin, refused to wear the printed poppy on his shirt on Saturday as all the players normally do.Well that kicked off a huge debate on the blog, the likes of which I have never seen...it even got a bit exciting at one point.


The fellow who runs the blog eventually intervened and closed the discussion when insults started flying and the tempers started to fray. He also stated that he had thought hard two or three times about posting the thread,probablly realising that it was going to get a little heated.


Point is there was much evidence of this "offended" mob on display in what normally is a rather tame venue.I found myself wondering what all the fuss was about,....some folk really need to get a grip.

Edited by user 13 November 2012 08:58:31(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Where I live there isn't one shop that's been selling poppies.







Smokers know all about the tyranny of the moralists.

Edited by user 13 November 2012 11:58:37(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Thanks for the post - it's a shame we don't hear from you more often.
People cannot resist twisting events, history, commemorations for their own political purposes. Remembrance, as it is such a powerful and emotional event, will always be included in these efforts.
I was at a remembrance service in Oxford a year or two ago. The gathered crowd had been provided with a script which included the word 'mankind'. The woman leading that part of the service replaced the word with 'personkind'. Thereby distracting her audience and hijacking a solemn event to make room for a cheap sixth-form-debating-society feminist point. A minor thing compared to the infractions you mention, but it's telling when even those leading the service can't restrain themselves from taking advantage of remembrance for a bit of pathetic point-scoring.

Football matches do bring out the worst in some....aided by a mix of booze and misplaced tribal loyalties.Seen it many a time myself.Though there is extra something added to the Celtic/Rangers sectarian divide that is an even more inflammable ingredient....seems this young man overstepped the mark.

Edited by user 13 November 2012 12:40:56(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

If only people could be sent to prison for abusing Scottish bagpipes and bangra drums in a public place. Then we will have builded Jerusalem in this green and pleasant land.

LGTB? Have to admit my first thought was were Light Gun Torpedo Boats the equivalent of E-Boats? Suffice to say don't google for pictures and 3 view drawings.

Noooo! Not the Bagpuss bloke! Godammit, is there anything left to believe in?