General News

:open_mouth: WTF

Very good article.

Ok, but are poppies only to remember British deaths during conflict? I always thought the poppy was a poignant symbol used to pay tribute to all of the fallen, regardless of which side they were on. It just so happens that it’s inception was on Flanders Fields during the most horrific war of them all (so far anyway.)

This lauded article states “FIFA consider this a political gesture, a stance that in turn outrages those who feel it is vitally important that football — more than any other industry, apparently — remembers the dead of two world wars,” Samuel wrote.

“Except poppies are no longer just about those wars. They commemorate other, less popular conflicts, too. What if England were playing Argentina, Ireland or a country from the Middle East?

Well so what? Or are we saying that FIFA should blanket ban all commemorations rather than potentially include people in remembrance who we don’t like very much these days? Death doesn’t distinguish between sides and I’ve always held the belief that poppies were a symbol of the futility and tragedy of war in general; to remember the dead ( and not just the friendlies). At least that’s what wearing a poppy means to me.

Why did wearing them as a matter of course become a thing for football teams? Wearing them should mean something, not just something you do because they’re part of your “uniform”.

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That’s kind of the point though imo. That’s what it means to you. That might not be what it means to others. What us Brits see as rememberance might seem like glorification to someone whose nation has suffered the the hands of British armed forces. And it’s not just applied to us, the same goes for other nations. With the amount of war in this world there is so much potential for one nations commemoration to rile people from other countries. It’s best to just keep anything on do with war away from international football. To my knowledge everyone seems to be fine with this rule of FIFA’s, apart from a section of British society.

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Game was in March and are now opening disciplinary proceedings? (They had UEFA’s permission also) Lol FIFA.

I don’t see a problem with poppies being displayed in a match between two British sides, but (and I appreciate this may not be popular) I broadly agree with FIFA’s stance on political symbols. What a symbol means is a matter of perspective and outside of this country, a commemoration of British war dead is a political statement that would be divisive where sport is meant to be inclusive.

As for ourselves, we might consider looking more closely at our national obsession with remembrance and what it really means. I think there is a big problem with the way that particularly the First World War is looked back on in this country with almost a sense of nostalgia. Those who died in the war who overwhelmingly didn’t go to “defend their country” were exploited by a government that cared nothing for them, and subsequent governments have exploited their deaths to glorify military service. These people did not “give” their lives, their lives were taken. Just as much by the government who sent them to war as the enemy who killed them in fact.

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Apparently England and Scotland used it as a defence and then FIFA decided to act against it. :joy:

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Lol FIFA being FIFA. I don’t actually particularly care too much for the debate around the poppy, it’s just something the press can use to kick up a fuss over.

Still, anything that pisses off fifa is all good with me.

This poppy thing will be the most talked about thing in this bloody awful group.

fucking hell. Trump looking likely to win :open_mouth: :worried:

Can’t believe it. :cry:

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They elected Bush twice, tbf.

Japan earthquake: small tsunami strikes Fukushima coastline after 7.4 magnitude quake

Once :wink:

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Everyone who can now see your entire internet history, including the taxman, DWP and Food Standards Agency

Internet providers will be forced to keep a full record of every site that each one of its customers have visited

Reminds me of this.

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Kenny :cry:

Yeah well done Kenny. Sell your story to the sun on christmas eve and upset your kids and their familes on christmas day.
Poor you though eh.

He needs someone to check him into rehab. If he can’t do it himself. Alcohol addiction is one of the more difficult addictions to recover from, even worse than heroin…

Poor fucking bloke. Have a heart @Stroller mate.