Remembrance of wars - past and present

It looks as though there will be rather more awareness of the Remembrance Sunday parades this year - with increased awareness of death tolls in Afghanistan and Iraq.

I'll be wearing both red and white poppies again this year. As far as I am concerned, the red poppy commemorates all those who have died or suffered in wars on all sides - not just the soldiers. And the white or 'peace' poppy (and I have a few available if anyone wants one) is to highlight that war is not a solution - for example, it is rapidly becoming obvious to everyone that the 'war on terrorism' will not be won by military means.

In Morpeth, Morpeth Town Council are taking on full responsibility for the main Remembrance Sunday th Nov) parade and service for the first time (though they have run smaller parades in Morpeth in the past when the Castle Morpeth Mayor attended a service elsewhere). There'll be a lot of people attending - so let's hope it goes well. We are still not allowed to lay a wreath of white poppies though - because the British Legion considers that this would be a 'political act' - and Remembrance Day is supposed to be apolitical.

Then on Weds 11th -Armistice Day - there is the two minute silence at 11am. Over the past few years, there's been a campaign by the British Legion to turn this into a mini-Remembrance Day service. And, the Town Council will be making a civic event of it at the Town Hall. I disagree with this - for me, the two minute silence should be held, but it should be held as a simple pause in the middle of the working day.