VJ day

Nuclear is a never-ever-to-be-used deterrent. An expensive one. But IS would show no mercy if they ever had the means to use it on the West, knowing there could be no comeback.

Nah POGS. Posters and lurkers read so I will carry on.

So.
The UK gets rid of nuclear first. Ready for us to be blasted.

Or
Everyone gives them up all at the same time. Like that is going to ever happen.

But lots of us left for different reasons, Bez, and many of those are going back because they find Corbyn trustworthy.

I have been watching the service of rememberence and I have to smile at the sight of Japanese , Asian tourists smiling and taking photos of the Queen as she travelled to and from the service. People standing side by side from nations who once were enemies. Says so much to me.

Thank goodness our generation has been able to move on to a degree from the terrible actions and losses which occur during war. It would be impossible for some to forgive, the same as it is possible for some to forgive. Personal forgiveness is not something any other person should expect/demand of another.

The injury/forgiveness can be found in a national way and I think that has been successful over the period since the war and we forget just how monumental a situation that has been, given war is so abhorrent .

I have read all the posts and to be honest I find it ironic that whatever your view both sides of the divide want peace and it is only the format that an individual believes is the right one is the issue. There will never be agreement on that as long as you have a hole in your head.

There has been so much coverage of VJ Day I am reassured by the words spoken by those who served in both the Japanese and British Forces , our governments and the peace and respect shown by those whom I have heard speak so elequently to make me think the time has come for everybody to remember the atrocities but live with the past and 'accept' the actions of today have healed the wound and the only way forward is to respect the past, accept it was WAR and we carry on in today's fashion of learning to live with those who have been our enemy in the past, whilst not betraying our respect and understanding of those who fought for our country or lost their lives during the war.

I don't want to fuel animosity but want to respond to Annie's suggestuon that we Brits never apologise for anything. Apologies for our involvement in the slave trade and colonialism have been made and repeated unless I'm imagining that

And didn't Tony Blair apologise for the Irish Potato Famine?

Cameron

Bloody Sunday

Which countries which were under colonial rule have we apologised to?

Blair didn't apologise for the potato famine, little point in apologising for an act of nature. He did say those in power in London had failed their people and the result has left deep scars

Cameron did say his party had got it wrong on apartheid when he met Mandela in 2006, he laid the blame on thatcher but not a mention of him working for a company which opposed sanctions in South Africa and his view that him flying out to S A for the company was just a jolly

Any apology for Bloody Sunday is a disgrace, if there was true regret those guilty would have been brought to justice but they are still protected. Same with Hillsborough, big apology no one yet faced criminal charges though

Aren't apologies meaningless if the people doing the apologising aren't the perpetrators? And isn't it dangerous for people to bear grudges forever and not move on, especially when countless atrocities were done in the name of revenge afterwards anyway . All we can hope for is that lessons have been learned on all sides. [not bracketing Hillsborough in this, by the way; I think that's a different issue].

I still think it's a lovely image.

I suspect that the same people who disdain to accept this apology as worth anything would be among the first to demand apology when they take offence at some perceived verbal slight on someone else's behalf. Hey ho.

Demanding an apology is pointless, and if a person chooses to apologise for any misdeed because they truly regret their words/actions only the person hurt can accept it.

Anniebach

I have no desire to cause upset but you are confusing me with your last post which seems at odds with yourself.

I have noted not only on this thread but at other times you bring in the British Empire with , shall I say it politely, distain, mentioning no apology has been made as though that is what you desire.

Your last post is a conundrum .

POGS, no upset caused , if one joins a discussion then expect disagreement, questioning etc.

No apology for the atrocities carried out to the colonies is just stating we do not apologise yet great delight from some that Japan has again apologised, just discussing who has apologised who hasn't

My post you are now questioning is my view on what an apology means to me

I witness someone hurting you and they apologise to me I have no right to forgive on your behalf.

If someone hurts me and they are asked to apologise it means nothing

No distain for the British Empire, just willing to accept we like many countries have carried out atrocities , some cannot or will not accept the fact. I believe people in glass houses etc

If someone says sorry, according to the Bible, we are supposed to forgive them.
And if they repeat the mistake, and say sorry, we forgive them again.
[They are not supposed to repeat the mistake or bad behaviour on purpose though].

soon

sorry

(it was the repeating the bad behaviour on purpose. Can imagine the scenario...)

soon, Christ teaches - if someone hurts YOU then forgive , not grant forgiveness on behalf of others , this was in reply to Peters question on forgiveness was it not ?

By the way the Hillsborough investigation is still going on Annie and exp ted to take at least another year. There is a sod is list team of police officers sifting through the evidence etc still.

Yes Bez, the police yet again investigating the police

I agree Anniebach.

I gather they are not the normal run of police working on Hillsborough but from those neither involved in any way nor working on normal duties for years. I think it likely that it will be allowed to be a whitewash.

Bez, I think it will definitely be whitewashed