International Peace Day

The day for me is one of reflection and positive action - I gave a talk today about peace and as an illustration I described how, as a family, we responded to my son in law being killed in action in Afghanistan by fostering two Afghan teenagers. You can call it posing or virtue signalling jingl - but my (albeit limited) understanding of 'virtue signalling' is that the term is applied to people who talk about, but take take no action in, making things better. There is a clue in my name; I would say that I am a peace activist jingl - and marking this day is part of my activism.

Sorry; I forgot to answer the question about where the money from sales pf peace poppies go.
'Money raised over and above the cost of producing, publicising and distributing the poppies goes to fund our education and campaigning work, thus promoting nonviolent approaches to conflict and challenging militarism.'
www.ppu.org.uk/whitepoppy/01white_faq.html

You're an inspiration grannyactivist

Very much so....

I'm all for action where one can make a difference for others. Not so keen on the talking bit. It seems a bit missionary-like and I'm never sure enough that my viewpoint is the right one to start trying to get others to join in the activism by doing stuff like giving talks.

I still love my convent school motto: Action Not Words. I suppose the nuns thought praying was action too, though I have never thought that. Deep thought and meditation maybe... if it helps one to get off one's butt and do stuff.

I hope your talk about peace did some good grannyactivist. I, however, believe that there can come a time when war is necessary.

I myself like that saying, "The greatest pleasure in life is to do good by stealth and have it discovered by accident". Nonetheless, congratulations on all the amazing good things you do.

ga, Changing the subject slightly. How did you feel when your daughter married a military man? I only ask because I come from a military family on one side and pacifists on the other. It has led to discord in the past which is in danger of rearing up again now that our eldest DGS is thinking of following his father into the Navy.

grannyactivist may I ask you if you know what the the white poppy people suggest doing about the destruction of Syria and it's occupants, and the likelihood of the same thing happening to Yemen?

Hear, hear to Alexander Pope's "Do good by stealth and blush to find it fame".

It seems advertising one's doing good is the fashion now though. That doesn't sit well with me and I can't help thinking "virtue signalling" (it's like an ear worm that phrase!) when I encounter it. That and "blatant attention-seeking".

Sorry, but that's the truth, especially on a public forum like gransnet. Talking to one's very close friends about what one's doing is different and okay, I reckon.

Nothing against promoting International Peace Day, btw, but in a more general and non-personal way such as telling people when it is, what events are on and why.

Like jings though, I think that unfortunately there are times when military action is the only option. Extremists do not want to negotiate; they want to cause mayhem, terror and destruction and to sieze power.

jingl maybe the white poppy people would suggest that we don't sell arms to the Saudis or anyone else for that matter?

Wearing white poppies accomplishes nothing.

Though I have no objection to anyone wearing one, or wearing anything else, for that matter.

Symbols don't accomplish anything on their own, it's what they stand for that is important. If they were worthless, there would be no corporate branding of anything - cars, political parties, charities, the list is endless. If by wearing the white poppy ga has made even one person question the reasons why, then it has achieved something. A drop in the ocean maybe, but definitely something.

Agree with your post of 17.10 thatbags. I'd also add all those 'signed' posts re petitions.

Of course it's fine to post a link to a peition, but we don't need to know who's signed it, or who signed it ages ago somewhere else and it won't let them sign twice...

I agree with your post, dramatic.

Have to say though, I have never seen anyone at all wearing a white poppy....ever.

Yes. That'll fix it, just like that Dramatictessa.

"A drop in the ocean" really won't do it.

Oh shite! The 'Pollyanna' thread's been deleted!

Back to this thread! Sorry.

If we all pee in the ocean it could add up.
Although I can tell who wouldn't.

The money from buying white poppies goes to spread the word of all the peace groups.

What's wrong with people like grannyactivist reminding people that it is International Peace Day on a forum like this?
I seem to recall that's exactly what those of us who wear white poppies were told to do, to wear it on International Peace Day and not on Armistice Day.

The 'Pollyanna' thread's been deleted!

Sigh

Been in the garden this afternoon so didn't read any of the more recent posts but I'm getting sick and tired of being treated like a five year old.

Yes, they're really getting controlling over at GNHQ these days aren't they?

It'll soon be 'only fluffy threads allowed'...

British forces have been involved in one conflict or another every year since 1914.
Time for peace?