I regularly change my mind in response to others' arguments. Unfortunately, I tend to be less impressed by those who lazily assume I'm simply disagreeing with them because of a) my background and/ or b) some fixed obsession that I can't see beyond. BTW, when they start namedropping dialectical materialism I start to drop off. Stick to plain English, there's a good lad.Originally Posted by Rasputin
My argument- quite a simple one really, I don't pretend to feel that strongly on the issue- is that the Poppy Appeal is an effective and successful means of both honoring the dead and injured, and providing for their welfare and their dependents later in life. At the same time, I'm a critic of recent British governments' foreign and defence policies. To me, that distinction is hugely relevant. I also made clear early in the thread my discomfort with jingoism and the way the Military in Britain is becoming increasingly fetishised. Which part of that did you disagree with?Ive read your arguement and it is deeply flawed. Critical or uncritical supporter of the Poppy it is irrelevant it is the symbol it has become that is up for debate
Earlier, you suggested it wasn't a charity at all. Good to see you prepared to give and take in the argumentIt is evident it is far far more than just a charity it is essentially a drum to beat in order to fire up good old fashioned British Jingoism of "support our boys" which essentially white washs any criticism of their imperial adventures
If the intent of the jingoism we both mentioned is to whitewash any criticism of the Iraqi and Afghan Wars, then quite clearly it has failed- there has been consistent opposition to both in this country.
Er, yes. I made clear from the start that I was uncomfortable with its non-charitable aspects; you weighed in that it wasn't a charity at all! In other words, we partly agree, I'm just making the point a bit less aggressively.n concede in that point that it has become more than just a charity, was that not what this debate was essentially about?
The evidence I was quoted was clearly in aswer to the anecdotage provided by other posters, who seemed to be arguing that not only was the Poppy Appeal jingoistic, but commercially a failure. So it's obviously relevant to the thread even if not to whichever rant you plan to go off on next.So quoting sales figures and its income is irrelevant since I would state that
Got any evidence for that? Or are you just trying to be offensive for its own sake?a very large proportion of those sales and income come from ignorants buying into the British Nationalism that they trumpet and not from some altruistic notion of supporting wounded vets
They show that it's popular and successful. It's self-evident that it's a charity.High sales figures does not automatically correlate that it is a charity
Apart from when you described it above as "a very large proportion of those sales and income come from ignorants buying into the British Nationalism that they trumpet and not from some altruistic notion of supporting wounded vets", you mean? Your very obvious implication is that is warmongering in Iraq and Afghanistan.Also as an aside I never once argued about what British Nationalism is or should be
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