White poppies on Sunday
November 10, 2008 3 Comments
Spurred on by challenging posts from other bloggers, the Belfast homecoming parade of last week, and probably by the giddy hopefulness of events in the US, I decided to purchase a pack of ten white poppies. Thankfully by the end of the week all ten had been taken by people. Sunday night in church felt much more uncomfortable than I was expecting, probably intensified by taking part in the music at the front. But I was glad I did it. Got asked one question about the poppy as well which was a positive experience.
I figured it would be hard not to feel a sense of misplaced pride at wearing a white poppy, the idea of sticking it to the establishment is appealing, but in this case, would have been wholly inappropriate and insensitive. Much better to wear any colour of poppy with prayerful humility.
On Saturday night I ended up watching United 93 on DVD. The story of the fourth plane on September 11th which failed to reach its intended target due to the brave actions of its passengers onboard. An amazingly intense film – and I was right there with the passengers as they challenged the hijackers, mentally cheering them on as they brutally bludgeoned the men to death while the plane careered to the ground, thinking that’s what I would have wanted to do to them as well. Conflict brings with it such epic contradictions. Great sacrifice, but such awful, unnecessary bloody carnage at the same time.
What am I trying to say? I don’t know. War confuses me big time. But I’d rather support a cause that seeks to prevent future wars rather than one resigned to the fact that they will always occur.
About Jonny
We’ll have to agree to disagree on this my friend. I am not a fan of the white poppies and the suggestion that wearing a red one means anything more than I am thankful for those who gave their lives for my freedom. Many thousands (millions) of brave soldiers may have died needlessly (lions for lambs) and I hope that there are no more wars to come. The fact that there will be does not change my hope, nor does it change the fact that some of those wars will be just.
This is all unusually serious for me. The comedy we will be forced to watch next week at Windsor will lighten the mood (or darken it further).
The question of “just war” is so hard to deal with. I’m not convinced that taking someone’s life -even in the context of war- is ever legitimate. Yet there are cases when nonviolent resistance doesn’t always work -for example acts of civil disobedience in one country can’t prevent people in another from being brutally murdered by an oppressive regime. And in that case you can’t just idly stand by… It’s an open question!
But when it comes to modern warfare, surely nowadays we have the technology to research & produce non-lethal weapons?
Some fair points Dawson and I share those thanks. Unfortunately there is so much baggage around remembrance day (especially in NI) that I think it does no harm to prod it (no pun intended) a bit.
I don’t think there are just wars (although I’m probably not best placed to make that call!). There are other means, but these don’t sit well with a whole range of global interests. But – that’s enough from me.
Welcome back to blogging by the way!
Tim – good point. I think then the responsibility lies with our leaders to act decisively. But what are the chances…