P U L S E

This is brilliant. I need to re-read it a few times I think. I dont know much about John Pilger, going to find out more.

Few days ago, while I was commuting to work I saw a young lady wearing a “white poppy” which had “Peace” written over it, and this triggered a curiosity in me to find out more about it.

I will post the links here FYI.

http://www.whitepoppy.org.uk/ Click on FAQ for answers to your question. ... Read more

The store of white poppy:
http://www.ppu.org.uk/whitepoppy/tale3.html

I think their stance is commendable and I would love to see more people with white poppies pinned up to their dresses rather than the red ones.
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Source: www.whitepoppy.org.uk

The White Poppy symbolises the belief that there are better ways to resolve conflicts than killing strangers. Our work, primarily educational, draws attention to many of our social values and habits which make continuing violence a likely outcome.
From economic reliance on arms sales (Britain is the world's second largest arms exporter) to maintaining manifestly useless nuclear weapons Britain contributes significantly to international instability. The outcome of the recent military adventures highlights their ineffectiveness in today's complex world.
Now 89 years after the end of the ‘war to end all wars’ we still have a long way to go to put an end to a social institution, which in the last decade alone killed over 10 million children.

Britain's recent lunatic and illegal activities in Iraq and Afghanistan inevitably entered into the Legion's fund raising message; while not actually bellicose nonetheless the Legion supports the view that war is a proper function of the state.

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Earlier today, I sent white poppy website the following message and also copied a link to your recent article on Pulse.

Everyday I see people wearing this Red Poppy and I hardly see anyone wearing the White Poppy for Peace. In my opinion it has not been campaigned enough and that is why a lot of people are not even aware of it.

There is also this propaganda going on in which we see this Red Poppy being associated with current illegitimate war to gain support in which millions of poor and innocent civilians have died and we hardly see any sort of remembrance or meaningful concern for these people in general and specifically in mainstream media where everyone who appears on screen is made to wear a red poppy.

As far as a red poppy is concerned, I subscribe to what Robin Yassin-Kassab has so rightly expressed in his excellent article; “I Refuse to Buy a Poppy”.

“I refuse to buy a poppy for remembrance day, because Britain hasn’t remembered anything at all. Sentimental rituals such as poppy-wearing only help the collective amnesia.”

Excellent article!

Ya Queen Elizabeth (1st) had her own special sea 'traders' ... finally the constant thieving by the brits forced us into a war with spain .... when the dominant force takes - it is adventure, taking oppertunity, doing business ... even under cutting the third world through 'free' trade ... yet when the under dog tries to get what they can by ... Read moresimilar means then it is criminal ... same with israhelli/american self defence and pre emptive defence ... anybody else ... they are rogue nations/dangerous thugs/evil extreamists or the usual 'terrorists' the wording severely annoys me as there is constant subliminal brain washing going on ... even when you try to be aware ... it creeps in ... :(

A sane analysis of the growing chaotic situation in Pakistan.
As much as I detest seeing civilians being blown away all over Pakistan, I also think that the situation has only been exacerbated due to Government's failure to resolve the issue through political dialogue, and rather indulging its army to kill its ow...n people in war which many believe is an American War.

The article ends with quite an apt conclusion: “Pakistanis are acutely aware that before 2002 there was no terrorist threat, and they remain equally convinced that the threat will vanish once U.S. forces withdraw from the region. But before that happens, some fear, Pakistan will have compromised its long-term stability”
... Read more
Also, a very interesting comment by "Rumple Stiltskin_24" on Pulse blog.