Greg's time on breakfast

[John]

Remembrance Sunday is about 1 week away. With that in mind I'd like you to take 5 mins out to read this poem...

"Please wear a poppy," the lady said,

And held one forth, but I shook my head,

Then I stopped and watched as she offered them there,

And her face was old and lined with care;

But beneath the scars the years had made

There remained a smile that refused to fade.

A boy came whistling down the street,

Bouncing along on care-free feet.

His smile was full of joy and fun,

"Lady," said he, "may I have one?"

When she'd pinned it on, he turned to say;

"Why do we wear a poppy today?"

The lady smiled in her wistful way

And answered; "This is Remembrance Day.

And the poppy there is a symbol for

The gallant men who died in war.

And because they did, you and I are free -

That's why we wear a poppy, you see.

I had a boy about your size,

With golden hair and big blue eyes.

He loved to play and jump and shout,

Free as a bird, he would race about.

As the years went by, he learned and grew,

And became a man - as you will, too.

He was fine and strong, with a boyish smile,

But he'd seemed with us such a little while

When war broke out and he went away.

I still remember his face that day.

When he smiled at me and said, 'Goodbye,

I'll be back soon, Mum, please don't cry.'

But the war went on and he had to stay,

And all I could do was wait and pray.

His letters told of the awful fight

(I can see it still in my dreams at night),

With the tanks and guns and cruel barbed wire,

And the mines and bullets, the bombs and fire.

Till at last, at last, the war was won -

And that's why we wear a poppy, son."

The small boy turned as if to go,

Then said: "Thanks, lady, I'm glad to know.

I slunk away in a sort of shame,

And if you were me, you'd have done the same:

For our thanks, in giving, if oft delayed,

Though our freedom was bought - and thousands paid!

And so, when we see a poppy worn,

Let us reflect on the burden borne

By those who gave their very all

When asked to answer their country's call

That we at home in peace might live.

Then wear a poppy! Remember - and Give!

by Don Crawford

[Lucinda]

Nice poem.

I don't think I'll be doing anything for Remembrance Sunday this year, but last year I went to a service in military kit and celebrated it army style. I think it is something we should definitely all remember.

[John]

Even if you dont do anything, i think its an idea to take a minitue out to think about

[Kelly]

We always hold a minute's silence on Rememberance Day.

My great grandad fought in WWI. He was actually in the Somme. Thankfully he survived, but I know there were other great men out there that didn't and they really need to be remembered!

[DC]

if i can i always take part. but i dont think there is any scare of forgetting what happened. anyone normal thinks of it frequently, and just take a look around sky/cable. there is always somthing on about the first or second world war, including bbc 1, 2 itv and so on the occasion.

but it always makes me wonder. if the soldiers of world war one and two could see this country now, before they went to war. would they of bothered fighting? i am glad they did, but i bet the guys who are still alive now who fought think now and again if it was worth it.

[Jono]

If I can I'd like to jepordise this topic a bit. I'm going to do a column this week on it for my weekly newspaper column.

What do you think about all this political correctness nonsense. Will it kill Poppy Day in the end? Your views needed!

http://express.lineone.net/have_your_say_story.html?sku=35

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006510307,00.html

http://express.lineone.net/news_detail.html?sku=660

[John]

I really hope it doesnt. These men and women did there absolute best to fight and win for our freedom. They have the right to be rememberd by us. It sickens me to hear that people want to take that away. PC is going over the top

[Jono]

Here be my column. Tell me what you think. Copyright Jono Read, etc.

Now take a deep breath and put down your coffee, the next sentence might shock you. This week I’m going to be proving that the youth of today do care – by writing about Remembrance Day.

For as many years as I can remember I make sure I am wearing a poppy at least in the lead up to Remembrance Day - a day about remembering those who died in both of the world wars, as well as the current conflicts going on in the world. But there’s more that I think can be done to get the youth involved so the true meaning of Poppy Day isn’t forgotten.

Ask yourself these three questions. In schools are assemblies really enough to get children involved and aware of this day? When out and about are the youth of today going to remember to stop at for a two minute silence? And are teenagers really prepared to wear a poppy alongside their golden chains and outrageous tops? For me, whilst I was at secondary school, some awareness assemblies on an early Monday morning may have been thought-provoking, but by the end of the week when Poppy Day had come around the effects of this assembly had soon wore off. On either the 11th of November or the Remembrance Sunday itself, I would acknowledge a silence if it interrupted my viewing or radio listening, but never have I sat through one of those live events on BBC One. But I always make sure I am wearing a poppy, even if few others in my school did. But how can more teenagers get involved? I have read many reports from other counties that schools are encouraged to compete in fundraising events to see who can sell the most poppies and raise the most amount of money for the Royal British Legion charity. I’ve not witnessed this before in school. Whilst schools are more than happy to show off what work they do for charity, not many put so much effort into creating posters and advertising this important day despite all our families somewhere along the line having been affected by war.

With little creativity being used to make people aware of Poppy Day locally, and nationally, it seems that this is giving people reason to belittle the event.

Just a quick look through some of the newspapers recently shows some negative attitude towards it all. In Yorkshire veterans have been told their event can’t go ahead unless organisers take out public liability insurance, carry out a risk assessment and organise stewards dressed in fluorescent jackets to police the event. Whilst £300 for the insurance isn’t much for the council there, it’s still more crazy health and safety regulations spoiling things. Since when did 80 year old war veterans become a danger to society? One story from Kent claims fire chiefs banned firefighters climbing a ladder to fix a flagpole for the day because it wasn’t an emergency and it would go against health and safety regulations. Meanwhile poppy sellers have been told they cannot pin poppies on to people incase they are sued and volunteers are forbidden from shaking collection tins at people as it might be seen as harassment. And there are plenty of stories of thefts of collection boxes from shops. Shocking isn’t it? So you’re probably reading this, tutting or sighing. You might even be reading this thinking you do enough already. But if you’re reading this with a bit of guilt, make sure the next time you pop into a shop that you pick up a poppy and do your bit.

[Lucinda]

Looks good.

Health and Safety is ruining everything.

[fathomer90]

Sorry to pick on one person on this forum- but this white poppy thing is annoying me now!

There is a time and a place for white poppies- and this isn't it. The red poppy represents the fact that following World War I the bombed out fields of Ypres and Northern France became perfect breeding ground for poppies. i.e after the death and destruction of WWI came peace and nature (represented through the red poppy).

Aside the fact that Rememberance Sunday has nothing to do with gloryfying war- it is a about REMEMBERING the people who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Sunday is a day to stop thinking WHY with the Iraq war- but the people who have lost their lives in this conflict.

[Serin]

Er, no. The white poppy is just as relevant, I think you'll find. Not only does it remember the soliders who fought in WW2 (and died), but is part of the movement for the end of all wars.

http://www.ppu.org.uk/poppy/white_index.html

[stupid_sexy_flanders]

I agree totally with Serin here.

I am going to put a quote up from someone I know on another forum but is very apt here:

Yeh...PC...bloody modern ideas...load of shyte...

I assume, then, that you guys don't know that the White Poppy for Peace was introduced in 1933 by the Co-operative Women's Guild, the alternative poppy having first been suggested in 1926 by the No More War Movement who asked that "No More War" be displayed in the centre of the red poppy?

Thought not.

just about the normal bandwagon jumping and howls of "PC gone mad"

it is true, the first sight of anything like this and everyone jumps on the PC gone mad bandwagon.

[DC]

i just stick with the red poppy becuase it's what i know.

[fathomer90]

That website link is all well and good. Peace is obviosuly a good thing.

But this isn't what Rememberence Sunday is about- its about Rememberance. Obviously.

The fact that you are using the peace poppy is misinterperating the original message.

So wear the red poppy until tomorrow. Then wear the white poppy for the rest of the year.

The white poppy is using an act of rememberence and morphing it into the means it wants to create. Lets wear a poppy for cancer treatment! Aids!...

[Jono]

Lets wear a poppy for cancer treatment! Aids!...

I'm alright, I don't want aids.

[Serin]

That website link is all well and good. Peace is obviosuly a good thing.

But this isn't what Rememberence Sunday is about- its about Rememberance. Obviously.

The fact that you are using the peace poppy is misinterperating the original message.

So wear the red poppy until tomorrow. Then wear the white poppy for the rest of the year.

The white poppy is using an act of rememberence and morphing it into you cannot tell me what to do, thanksthe means it wants to create. Lets wear a poppy for cancer treatment! Aids!...

I think you can wear whatever you want as long as you feel that it is remembering those who fought and lost their lives on whichever side of the battlefield and those who were innocently killed. I know what you're trying to say, but for me, red poppies remember only one aspect of two complex wars and refutes peace.