The President’s Address: Are Poppies Moral?

Our President

The subject of the Poppy has, of late been pretty controversial. Student Officers around the country have been declaring their feelings about Remembrance and the Poppy. Some have stated their support for the day, discussing the need to remember the sacrifice made by others, to allow us the freedoms we enjoy today. Others talk about their feelings of betrayal at seeing national leaders stood up commemorating the dead while sending yet more men and women to the same fate.

I think throughout this discussion, what’s been missing is the acknowledgement that remembrance can be a deeply personal and sometimes complex matter. Both of these positions make sense to me. I attend remembrance service and have done throughout my life. I choose through remembrance to recognise that people sacrificed their lives and that, because part of my heritage is Jewish, this has allowed me to live. But I am also angry when I see Politicians on Remembrance Day and not because of the poppy they’re wearing. I am angry because that poppy supports a charity whose job is to look after those who make it back from war.

Surely a government that sees fit to send people to war should take on its responsibilities to those who return instead of leaving it to charity to support them? I am angry that throughout history Governments, on both winning and losing sides have sent their people to be slaughtered without giving them any say as to the necessity of war. I am angry that we ever get to a point where it seems like war is the only option.

In spite and because of this I choose to remember, because it seems much better than to forget.

Next Time: Are the AUSA Presidents roles and decisions actually relevant to the average student’s life?