Cambridge Uni students reject Remembrance Day

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It also scrubbed out the notion that the ‘general valour, courage and heroism of serving and formerly serving members of the British armed forces is deserving of our sympathy’.

reading this line in the article really annoyed me. Everyone is free to choose if they want to wear a poppy, everyone is free to choose to remember or not in their own way. But to say there not deserving of our sympathy or perhaps a better word Respect really wound me up as an ex serviceman.

The whole thing us made worse when you consider it's the 100 year anniversary this year but we are also entering a generation that barely learn about or understand wars before the more recent conflicts
 
My opinion they are bang out of order - but because of sacrifices made by many everyone is entitled to their opinion which is the way it should be
 
No easy answer, I lost a couple of great uncles as young men in WW1 amd my grandfather won the Military Medal at Ypres but these days I don't choose to wear a poppy or attend any armistice day events or make a point of observing a minutes silence at 11 on the 11th (is it?) either though I've no objection to observing it if others want to. Not intentional, just how it is. I did the flag carrying for Scouts and laid wreaths on behalf of my school back in 80s but there were still a lot of WW1 veterans alive then and memories for the older generation of the day ran stronger I think, plus I just did what I was told, I don't think there's any left now. I don't particularly agree or disagree with the Cambridge students, but how long do we keep doing this? I can see the reasoning for it and I'm not offended by that.
Every conflict that the UK has been a part of since WW1, and there's been quite a few, have now climbed on the WW1 remembrance event bandwagon it seems. Being a former military power in the world is hard to let go it seems.
The normal rhetoric of 'we've got the best armed forces in the world' you hear on tv on repeat just rings a bit hollow for me tbh, just sounds like usual spin we've heard for decades. Every country that loves to fly its flag and chest beat claims that. I did empathise with the Irish McLean footballer who got castigated for his views on not wearing a poppy as it symbolised/glorified British military. Personal choice should be respected too.
War is grim, it's civilians, women and kids who suffer most and the fact human being as a species cant seem to get beyond war and tribalism is a sad reflection on us all. Any kind of celebration of it is going to be divisive. At some stage you have to move on.
In summary I'm a bit indifferent to it, attend Armistice events and wear poppies if you wish but don't force it on people and now we've reached 100 years anniversary is it not time to stop?
 
Liverpoolphil said:
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/metr...ce-day-as-imperialist-propaganda-8030829/amp/

So do these students need to understand they have their free speech because of the people you are supposed to be remembering or has it now got to the stage where people can’t stop associating it with recent wars ?
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Doesn't the very fact that you mention free speech give them then the right to choose whether they wish to accept or reject it. It almost sounds like a contradiction in terms that those who went before fought for the right for others to then have something enforced upon them or for them to be criticised about how them see it.
 
RandG said:
Doesn't the very fact that you mention free speech give them then the right to choose whether they wish to accept or reject it. It almost sounds like a contradiction in terms that those who went before fought for the right for others to then have something enforced upon them or for them to be criticised about how them see it.
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Yep everyone is entitled to free speech but you would expect the very least people could do is for one day show a bit of respect to the people 100 years gave up their own life so that people could have free speech , they also stated something along the lines of “they don’t deserve our sympathy or respect” - now that to me crosses the line into being disrespectful.
 
People are free to commemorate in their own place and time. It shouldn’t be put on people in the work place or places of education. I fully agree with their decision.
 
Liverpoolphil said:
they also stated something along the lines of “they don’t deserve our sympathy or respect” - now that to me crosses the line into being disrespectful.
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Agreed, that is of course if that's what they actually said, rather than that's what has been printed or alleged to have been said.
 
As much as I’m in favour of freedom of choice, that freedom comes with a responsibility to use it wisely.

Is it a wise choice they are making? I think it is a very short sighted choice for one main reason. If there was a war tomorrow they would expect the current services to leap to their defence. If they want the armed services to defend them they need to respect the previous sacrifices.
 
Wolf said:
It also scrubbed out the notion that the ‘general valour, courage and heroism of serving and formerly serving members of the British armed forces is deserving of our sympathy’.

reading this line in the article really annoyed me. Everyone is free to choose if they want to wear a poppy, everyone is free to choose to remember or not in their own way. But to say there not deserving of our sympathy or perhaps a better word Respect really wound me up as an ex serviceman.

The whole thing us made worse when you consider it's the 100 year anniversary this year but we are also entering a generation that barely learn about or understand wars before the more recent conflicts
Click to expand...
That’s the problem these young people are not taught about the history of war.
They probably know who Henry vlll is but not Douglas Barder.
There’s no correct answer
Wear a poppy if you want , don’t if you don’t!
 
Hobbit said:
As much as I’m in favour of freedom of choice, that freedom comes with a responsibility to use it wisely.

Is it a wise choice they are making? I think it is a very short sighted choice for one main reason. If there was a war tomorrow they would expect the current services to leap to their defence. If they want the armed services to defend them they need to respect the previous sacrifices.
Click to expand...
The armed services are doing a job. I expect them to defend me because they’re paid to do it.
 
Did anyone actually read the link?

“But a final vote later saw it scrapped altogether – including the original – with members saying the amended motion was too vague. Neither motions were supported.”

Therefore they had a debate and nothing changed, non-story in my opinion.

Free to choose. (y)
 
maxfli65 said:
No easy answer, I lost a couple of great uncles as young men in WW1 amd my grandfather won the Military Medal at Ypres but these days I don't choose to wear a poppy or attend any armistice day events or make a point of observing a minutes silence at 11 on the 11th (is it?) either though I've no objection to observing it if others want to. Not intentional, just how it is. I did the flag carrying for Scouts and laid wreaths on behalf of my school back in 80s but there were still a lot of WW1 veterans alive then and memories for the older generation of the day ran stronger I think, plus I just did what I was told, I don't think there's any left now. I don't particularly agree or disagree with the Cambridge students, but how long do we keep doing this? I can see the reasoning for it and I'm not offended by that.
Every conflict that the UK has been a part of since WW1, and there's been quite a few, have now climbed on the WW1 remembrance event bandwagon it seems. Being a former military power in the world is hard to let go it seems.
The normal rhetoric of 'we've got the best armed forces in the world' you hear on tv on repeat just rings a bit hollow for me tbh, just sounds like usual spin we've heard for decades. Every country that loves to fly its flag and chest beat claims that. I did empathise with the Irish McLean footballer who got castigated for his views on not wearing a poppy as it symbolised/glorified British military. Personal choice should be respected too.
War is grim, it's civilians, women and kids who suffer most and the fact human being as a species cant seem to get beyond war and tribalism is a sad reflection on us all. Any kind of celebration of it is going to be divisive. At some stage you have to move on.
In summary I'm a bit indifferent to it, attend Armistice events and wear poppies if you wish but don't force it on people and now we've reached 100 years anniversary is it not time to stop?
Click to expand...

Imo we should never stop remembering people who are willing to put their life on the line to allow us all to live in our freedom. People didn’t stop defending us as soon as WW1 finished
 
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