Military AircrewA forum for the professionals who fly the non-civilian hardware, and the backroom boys and girls without whom nothing would leave the ground. Army, Navy and Airforces of the World, all equally welcome here.
Location: The Burrow, N53:48:02 W1:48:57, The Tin Tent - EGBS, EGBO
Posts: 2,083
Shame on the RBL?
Support a poppy drop over London
We want a plane to fly over London and drop poppy petals on armistice day I've just heard some really shocking news. The Royal British Legion are not selling poppies in certain areas on Nov 11 this... .
The above is part of an email sent to me in which it is alleged that the RBL has said it will not sell poppies in certain areas to avoid upsetting a minority of the population. The person who sent it is a member of an ethnic minority and supports the idea of the poppy drop (not sure it's feasible myself). Does anyone know anything about the alleged refusal of the RBL to sell poppies in certain areas? If this is true then the RBL should be ashamed of itself.
Location: The Burrow, N53:48:02 W1:48:57, The Tin Tent - EGBS, EGBO
Posts: 2,083
AA, I couldn't reconcile it with what the RBL says it does. It all seemed very odd to me. My friend sent the email as a request to join the campaign for the poppy drop, which, as I say, I don't think will be feasible at least not this year given the number of hoops which will need to be jumped through to satisfy the CAA.
I have no idea if this story is true or not .. however ..methinks you should rethink your gut reaction ....
The RBL is not some mythical beast or autonomous organisation with a life of its own .. it is made up of people, many of whom are elderly ex-servicemen and women. Its "poppy sellers" are either the aforementioned members, or kind volunteers.
Why, just WHY, do you demand that they be put in the position of being abused and deviled by the, admittedly, few idiots that do exist and will make trouble ??
If, big IF, the RBL have actually made this decision it is probably based on fact and research, which is far more than your blatant ringing of the outrage bus bell.
Of course, as you won't be subject to the possible abuse, I guess your "outrage" at the "RBL" is fine ... I just wonder how a three letter acronym can be ashamed of itself ... as you put it.
Notwithstanding the alleged reluctance of the RBL to sell poppies in certain locations, have we not seen the BBMF Lanc dropping poppies over London before - or did I just dream it had happened..? Or was it only for the Bomber Comand Memorial unveiling ceremony?
In any year ever - wouldn't they choose where to sell & not sell based on numbers of volunteers & the possibility of getting good return on the work of the volunteers.
Does every act these days have to be a Daily Mail outrage piece and chance for a war?
Location: The Burrow, N53:48:02 W1:48:57, The Tin Tent - EGBS, EGBO
Posts: 2,083
Calm down dear, calm down. Your histrionics are more in keeping with posts on JB than here. Go and make yourself a nice cup of tea and have a little sit down. Then, if you read my post carefully, nice and slowly, you will see that I'm not demanding anything. If the refusal is true (and I find it difficult to believe it is) I would like to know if the prospective collectors for the areas in question were asked how they felt about whether or not to collect there. I posted here in the vain hope that I might receive the usual, knowledgeable, reasonably well thought out responses such as AA's. I too would like to see the poppy drop but have no idea who is organising it or which aircraft they have in mind. Indeed, it might be good if there were several such drops over other cities not just London. Edited to replace the inadvertently deleted "n".
Thread drift (sort of) but does anyone know if anything special will be going on at the Bomber Command Memorial in Green Park on Remembrance Sunday. I'm in London on the day and rather than tag on to the back of the ceremony in Whitehall I thought I'd go and pay my respects at the new memorial at 11 o'clock. Guess I won't be the only one, but does anyone know if anything official is planned?
Not difficult to work out where this is coming from. Try a web search for We want a plane to fly over London and drop poppy petals on armistice day I've just heard some really shocking news...
It's an obvious stunt, and one which degrades the poppy.
It would be astonishing if anyone has really applied to the CAA for the necessary permission with any serious intention of dropping poppy petals. A genuine application would have gone in months ago.
In any case, what is the relevance to such a plan of the supposed reluctance of the Royal British Legion to sell the poppy in certain areas? Is it intended to drop the petals on such areas?
What public good would be served? How exactly would it honour our British and Empire dead?
As far as I can see, the only reason for getting the outrage bus out of the hangar is that anyone should be punting this kind of nonsense.
As Baffman said, a quick search shows this site...
Quote:
collected September 2011
Messages spreading across social networking site Facebook assert that the Royal British Legion - Britains leading charity for people and families involved with the Armed Forces - are not selling poppies in certain areas because it would offend minorities.
The rumours are totally false and have circulated both in 2011 and 2012 as Armistice Day approaches. There is simply no evidence or verifiable sources to back up the claims made in the rumour. In fact the rumour bears a striking resemblance in how it is worded to an earlier hoax that circulated during the run up of the World Cup in 2012 that claimed England fans were being banned from wearing England football shirts because it was offensive to minorities. This rumour was also totally false.
There was an incident in 2011 where the Royal British Legion were unable to collect money in certain areas of Birmingham but this was because of licensing issues set by the local council which were eventually resolved, nothing to do with minorities. Also in 2011 various stores were criticised for not allowing their staff to wear poppies as it did not adhere to uniform codes (here and here.), however those high profile cases were also resolved, and again at no point did any of these cases have anything to do with minorities.
The above is part of an email sent to me in which it is alleged that the RBL has said it will not sell poppies in certain areas to avoid upsetting a minority of the population. The person who sent it is a member of an ethnic minority and supports the idea of the poppy drop (not sure it's feasible myself). Does anyone know anything about the alleged refusal of the RBL to sell poppies in certain areas?If this is true then the RBL should be ashamed of itself.
Where, exactly, is there any suggestion of the 'outrage bus'? A perfectly reasonable QUESTION was asked, on a forum hopefully devoid of spotters, followed by a perfectly reasonable remark clearly prefaced with the word 'If'.
Methinks that OmegaV6, dallas and even you, twelve year old salad dodger, need to revisit yourselves for a bit of re-winding!
Last edited by parabellum; 10th Oct 2012 at 04:44.
Reason: Still can't spell.
DXW was sent an email. DXW didn't bother to check it out. Looks like a load of BS to most on here. DXW didn't manage to figure that out. DXW clearly clueless about anything Mil, but likes to come and post BS. Sympathy? It's in the usual place.
I don't know how qualified the OP is to infer the RBL should be 'ashamed' of itself, given all of it's work over many many years - even if the word 'If' is inserted thus:
Quote:
If this is true then the RBL should be ashamed of itself.
... a Daily Mail outrage piece and chance for a war?
Why is it that the Daily Mail is always the default vehicle of condemnation whenever someone wishes to pour scorn on a statement or allegation that, as often as not (no idea about this case though), it has said nothing of? A word to the wise, others have used the same tactics throughout history to scapegoat others and so draw attention away from their own actions or failings. Not to be emulated IMHO. Condemn them for what they say (often no doubt well deserved), not as the whipping boy for what others have said.
Because the Daily Mail is the pre-eminent example of outrage journalism, it's MO is to stir up it's readers, create stereotypes and to instil bigotry, fear and reaction against the Mails perceived enemies.
If the refusal is true (and I find it difficult to believe it is) I would like to know if the prospective collectors for the areas in question were asked how they felt about whether or not to collect there. I posted here in the vain hope that I might receive the usual, knowledgeable, reasonably well thought out responses such as AA's. 
