Non - James McClean (again!)

Is MacLean aware that thousands of Republic of Ireland men died in WW1 and WW2 fighting In the British Army, Raf and Navy? Although Eire was neutral in WW2 thousands crossed the border to enlist in Belfast, knowing that Hitler would eventually target their country too!
Many of the Aussie and Canadian forces were Irish descendants. He could worn the Poppy for them...many of them were ' fenians'.
 
The annual poppy circus is such an odious situation. It's nice to wear one and remember those that sacrificed their lives for liberty, but of course the very liberty that they died for (i.e. the freedom not to wear a poppy) must be respected as well.

The problem is, those that then don't wear it (i.e. McLean) come out with some pretty stupid justifications when asked why they aren't participating. I think they shouldn't be asked at all - but if asked, I'd hope that more people would have the good sense to keep their mouths shut.
 
I wonder if McClean might have considered he gets baracked because he's a thug with some talent?
Everyone is titled to their beliefs, no problem with that.
 
As far as I’m concerned the poppy is about remembering people who died in war, and to an extent, the horrors of war.
Hopefully that will help make sure that future generations are left in no doubt about the consequences.

Due to the fact that it is on the whole a British (allied) act of rememberance I can see why those who are not British and even more so those that have been on the receiving end don’t want to be involved and that’s fine by me.
That said I think I’m right in saying there is zero celebration attached to it which I think needs to be made clear.
 
I'm sure (and as we've seen) McClean is not the only football player, or vaguely public figure generally speaking, who wishes not to wear a poppy (be it red or whatever).

There must be a reason why each year it's him around whom the biggest kerfuffle seems to occur.

As an aside, as mentioned above it's worth remembering in this general discussion that lots of RoI men enlisted for the British army and Allied cause in both World Wars.
 
If many of the Stoke fans are not happy about it...it's also 'their ' choice/freedom or entitlement to either barrack him in the name of their beliefs of boycott the games if he plays... Stoke people ( some of best fans I've known) .I would urge them to protest. Why should a Stoke worker on £9.00 an hour spend £50.00 on a Saturday to watch a player on Many Thousands per Month while he disrespects what this Country has always stood for...being a major player in keeping the World......and Ireland..... Safe!
 
BillMcgarrycherry said:
If many of the Stoke fans are not happy about it...it's also 'their ' choice/freedom or entitlement to either barrack him in the name of their beliefs of boycott the games if he plays... Stoke people ( some of best fans I've known) .I would urge them to protest. Why should a Stoke worker on £9.00 an hour spend £50.00 on a Saturday to watch a player on Many Thousands per Month while he disrespects what this Country has always stood for...being a major player in keeping the World......and Ireland..... Safe!
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Keeping Ireland safe? He's literally protesting about this country killing Irish people Bill.

Anyway this is all a very unedifying distraction from what should be a thoughtful time of year - our thoughts should be about the sacrifices rather than James McClean or any of the other bellends that love to politicise Remembrance. You're in danger of falling into that category too bill unfortunately.

Just let people remember or not. Us as individuals should worry about how we want to remember these things not how other people do.
 
Remembrance Day is observed on 11 November in most countries to recall the end of hostilities of World War I on that date in 1918. Hostilities formally ended "at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month" Many countries have a 2 minute silence at 11am on the 11th to remember those that were lost. Some countries have a public holiday.
220px-H._Piffard_-_The_Thin_Red_Line_-_restoration.jpg

The end of WW2 is celebrated on the 9th of May, many countries put a candle in their windows on the night of the 8th to remember those that had died during this war.
 
Well said.

Getting well and truly sick of this poppy ******************************** each year. As has been mentioned above, it's a time for reflection, not a witch hunt for those not wearing it.

I can't remember when this all nonsense started - why is it such a recent phenomenon? - especially as we move further away from the two world wars?
 
McClean hijacking this for his own political agenda again.

Judging by his latest actions he won't be playing for Stoke for much longer. I get the not wearing a poppy thing (although It didn't stop the whole German national team wearing them last year).

He also apparently disrespected the minutes silence by ambling around from the tunnel to the bench completely ignoring it, he's abused a load of his own fans and quoted some complete nonsense from a dead terrorist. Stoke fans don't suffer fools gladly.
 
red_house said:
McClean hijacking this for his own political agenda again.

Judging by his latest actions he won't be playing for Stoke for much longer. I get the not wearing a poppy thing (although It didn't stop the whole German national team wearing them last year).

He also apparently disrespected the minutes silence by ambling around from the tunnel to the bench completely ignoring it, he's abused a load of his own fans and quoted some complete nonsense from a dead terrorist. Stoke fans don't suffer fools gladly.
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The guy is a dickhead - and an awful lot of the reprobates abusing him are cut from the same cloth. How these numpties manage to drive the narrative on armistice every year is a real shame.
 
SlowDownDerek said:
Keeping Ireland safe? He's literally protesting about this country killing Irish people Bill.

Anyway this is all a very unedifying distraction from what should be a thoughtful time of year - our thoughts should be about the sacrifices rather than James McClean or any of the other bellends that love to politicise Remembrance. You're in danger of falling into that category too bill unfortunately.

Just let people remember or not. Us as individuals should worry about how we want to remember these things not how other people do.
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I dont protest about the Irish killing our people during the 'troubles'.
It was their cause for their reasons. I'm not too bothered if it becomes a United Ireland one day....Ulster is more nuisance than its worth!!!! So that's another 'category' I could ' fall into' and would upset many Brits...just seems common sense to me!
But the Irish did kill our soldiers.. and civilians in Birmingham etc. I was in Belfast in 74...I was very lucky being in the fairly safe Dockyard area on Hms Maidstone..but it was a nervy time travelling about!
I know several ex Soldiers and Marines that bear no grudges towards the Irish but do against Politicians on both sides. There are many angles to view it from.
 
while he disrespects what this Country has always stood for...being a major player in keeping the World......and Ireland..... Safe![/QUOTE said:
I hope if someone ever steals everything you own, burns down your house and murders your entire family, you'll have the common decency to thank them for keeping you safe . . .

Because, you know, for a not insignificant portion of the world's population, not least Ireland, that's pretty much what British guaranteed safety involved.
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BillMcgarrycherry said:
I dont protest about the Irish killing our people during the 'troubles'.
It was their cause for their reasons. I'm not too bothered if it becomes a United Ireland one day....Ulster is more nuisance than its worth!!!! So that's another 'category' I could ' fall into' and would upset many Brits...just seems common sense to me!
But the Irish did kill our soldiers.. and civilians in Birmingham etc. I was in Belfast in 74...I was very lucky being in the fairly safe Dockyard area on Hms Maidstone..but it was a nervy time travelling about!
I know several ex Soldiers and Marines that bear no grudges towards the Irish but do against Politicians on both sides. There are many angles to view it from.
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Fair enough Bill - it was the part where you were suggesting that an Irish republican should show gratitude to the British army for keeping Ireland safe that lept off the page as ludicrous tbh.

You'd be well within your rights protest or bear grudges against the IRA yourself in my view. That said we should all try to look to the future on these things rather than let whoever is pulling McClean's strings or people like Tommy Robinson capitalise on historic trouble.
 
No respect, thats the problem with him.
The English have buckets full of it.
I will always remember when driving behind a hearse in heavy traffic. People stopped and bowed their heads and the cars pulled over to let us through. That's respect.
 
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