I am sure you will have noted the FIFA ban on the England team wearing poppies at the weekend friendly against Spain. I tuned in to the BBC’s Nolan show this morning (Stuck in traffic and I’m a masochist!) and who was the guest expert commentator? Why none other than my old pal from the Sunday Morning Live green room, the former Biship of Hulme, Stephen Lowe. (You will recall my slight verbal altercation with him yesterday in connection to the wearing of poppies, he being somewhat conflicted about whether to wear a Red Poppy.) Can you guess the view the former Bishop was advocating to the fury of quite a few listeners? Yes, that’s right, he heartily approves of the FIFA ban on the England players and feels that the Poppy is somehow devalued if everyone wears it. He also made a passing reference to the “Empire” origins of the Poppy. Now, I have no issue with this socialist cleric holding the views that he does, after all we live in a democracy. But I do wonder WHY the BBC seems so keen to provide him with platform after platform? Is it because his views resonate with them in the same way as my views appall them? Where is the balance?
THE LOWE DOWN FROM THE BBC
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Imagine that he will be the Charlie Chaplain that they`ll be wanting to bless the expense claims that they will offer by way of sacrifice to HRMC on April 6th.
His internship and on the job training seem to be going swimmingly-that Good News/Trendy Wendy Bible of his will surely stop Choudhurys grand desk from wobbling…for Anjem is a shoo-in for the post of Grand Mufti of all faiths and fates Salfordian.
No doubt the Thought Pod/Creative Rainbow of the Faith swivels each and every way…yet funnily enough, they will ALL be soon fixed towards Mecca…`elf `n safety” you see.
Shoo-in…more shoe bomber?…and Lowes sandals will undoubtably be offered if Blue Peter gets to work on how best to hide the Semtex!
Hulme has thrived in Stephens reign…Ernie Bishop was my candidate way back!…even dead, he exhibited more Christian virtues that our Stevie.
The original Stephen was stoned…reckon Lowe has read his Anarchists Cookbook and drawn the wrong inference..
Yes; a busy November for BBC-NUJ: politically campaigning against the remembrance poppy (via Choudary and Lowe), but for strikes, occupations and revolutions.
The bbc’s use of the local bishop reminds me of the old joke about the handyman. He couldn’t provide electrical, plumbing or any other useful service, but since he lives closeby, he’s handy.
It would appear that the past 9 years of indoctrination by the Beeb thought police has amended their poppy views since 2002
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_2430000/newsid_2438300/2438319.stm
Perhaps then, despite Bliars diversity spiel in full force, it had not yet completely infected the Beeb.
Latest why do people wear poppies? at bottom, just has to mention white poppies:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/events/remembranceday/
Damian Thompson has this lot summed up nicely:
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/damianthompson/5694498/On_Remembrance_Day_spare_a_thought_for_the_despicable_White_Poppy_appeal/
balance???? el beeb cannot even spell the word
……in every pore, every corner, it is there like a festering bad smell
a prime example to tie in perfectly ie poppy
sat, 8.20am bbc 1
news, reviews the papers,
“no poppies on england shirts” all of a sudden out of nowhere, the reviewer,
well…”.if an Arab team wanted to have anti Israel slogans on their shirts”,( in such a condecending tone), THEY WOULD BE PREVENTED from doing so…(he then spits the dummy out)……WOULDN T THEY!.
he then repeats the same comment .
have to say, i was almost speechless…
WHAT!…..HELLO! ?? why the inference?? wheres the moral equivalence?? wheres the connection????
virrulent anti semitic hatred.(very high on el beeb agenda) or
trans national respect for memories of WW.1 – 2
white poppy pah! …simpering handwringing self loathing pussies
I wonder if he is there as part of a pincer movement on the poppy selling vets so nobly treated by the Occupy brigade at St. Pauls, now much beloved by Da..Ed Man Walking Miliband?
On is sure, post Falklands and Libyan desert, Aunty’s cracked squads will be on hand to assist with propaganda and flagging morale, if not useful intel… but to whom?
I think we all know where this is going, within a few years the BBC will be demanding NOT to display the poppy on the grounds that it insults other religions, this will of course be driven from within the BBC by the ever growing Islamic nut jobs taking the top jobs.
Regarding the FA, the gutless twats should just do it and tell Fifa to fuck off (I don’t apologise for the language here)
I couldnt agree more Martin – sod them. Either that or make a permenant change to the football stip to get round their stupid rules.
What are FIFA going to do if England wear the shirts, cancel the match ?
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the England team had the guts to do it. I might even start supporting England !!!!!
Thats’ saying something for a Scot, Grant!!!!! (I mean someone from Scotland, not a Scott/Dez) 🙂
Reed,
Except on the few embarassing occasions when England play Scotland, I support England at cricket. I think they have a fine team who are great role models for youngsters. I can’t say the same about footballers, alas !
Did Nolan mention what the Bish said to you yesterday, David. Namely, that he is a proud socialist and Labour Party member?
Just curious – full disclosure and all that.
Could it be anything to do with your piece yesterday DV telling us he’d prefer to wear the white poppy?
Might be, that’s what he said
I thought the poppy symbolized remembrance for the sacrifice of the fallen, full stop, and wasn’t advocating war or conquest or Empire? Am I missing something?
Which is why I always associate the White Poppy with some kind of support for the Nazi and Fascist regimes.
Maybe it`s that link between the White Rose Movement of Sophie Scholl etal at the end of WW2…and the Nazis that murdered her and fellow heroes at the time.
The BBC are only interested in white feathers and white flags…not white people.
This current set of moral grease guns would have had their concerns about Hitler until he invited them to a German themed fancy dress…that`s how Ed Balls started out after all.
Once he`d slipped them a Bratwurst and had a Blue Nun ready for the floorshow…they`d have invaded Poland as well as setting up the subsequent radio station there at the border for them too.
ROBERT BROWN;Fed up with these cowardly, lefty churchmen pontificating. The main reason these idiots disparage the poppy is because it was formerly known, and still is i think, as the Haig fund. Douglas Haig, field marshal, commanded the British Army in WW1, some of the younger site members might not know this, given the paucity of history teaching lately. He was, and still is, a hate figure of the Left and the BBC, uninterested in the real background of the man, they regard him as a ‘donkey’ who sent thousands to a pointless slaughter. I urge you to read ‘Mud,Blood and Poppycock’ by Gordon Corrigan, which neatly punctures the myths put about by the Left about the conduct of the war. The Roman Catholic priests also lost many of their number as they braved the trenches to administer to the men, of any persuasion. Very unlike their CofE counterparts, who mostly stayed in the rear. As for the Empire, not a few african states wish they were still under the British umbrella.
My father came halfway round the world from Melbourne in 1915. Because much of the Empire regarded Britain as the Old Country. He never told me what he went through over the 3 and a half years before he was wounded (again) on the Somme. He was seldom well thereafter.
I despise people who make light of the sacrifice by his mates who fell, and I would cheerfully thump anyone who deliberately insulted their memory.
John,
Well said.
My late father went right through the N. Africa campaign, the D-day landings and into Germany. I can only imagine the hardships.
These “protestors” would not be fit to lick his feet. They are vermin.
Have you any evidence for your attack on Anglican ministers at a time when the established church was known for its patriotism – as opposed, say, to the people behind the gunpowder plot?
Clerics are as entitled to their political views as any of us, but they shouldn’t be spouting them in their “professional” capacity.
If they want to be political, they should stand for election as politicians. Otherwise they should keep their mouths shut.
Does it not occur to these idiots that some of their congregation may not be socialists ?
Impossible for any sane person to take these buffoons seriously.
Well said, Grant. I despise these clerics who appropriate the pulpit to broadcast their own personal political views. They should stick to their scripture. As you so rightly say, if they want to do politics, they should run for office or STFU.
Reed,
And , of course, they are betraying their congregations who, I imagine, are mainly genuine believers. No wonder attendance is dwindling.
My, Christian, mother stopped going to church years ago whe the minister asked them to pray for criminals but didn’t mention the victims.
In her local, very old beautiful church, they have ripped out all the old wooden pews to “make the church more relevant “. This without even consulting the congregation.
Philistines and vandals !
Cultural vandalism, Grant. A dreadful thing to do to a historical building. These old churches belong to the nation. They represent our long and ancient history more than anything, and I say this as a non-believer who still has a deep fondness for the wonderful heritage of our old churches. We have many beautiful examples here in rural East Anglia.
“ Very unlike their CofE counterparts, who mostly stayed in the rear.”
That’s simply not true.
It seems that we must not cause offence to anyone, but anyone can offend us. Why are all our taditions offending to others?
Except they don’t – it is people like this ex-Bishop who decide what offends. It is his kind that take offence for others.
If anyone is waiting for the FA to make a stand on this please don’t hold your breath. The only thing they’ve got right in the last 40 years are their initials.
Re the weekend “friendly” against Spain –
Spain wants Gibraltar. The EU has already given Spain our fish, what’s next? Sporting, religious and broadcasting organisations get EU propaganda money. Now join the dots and spot the Common Purpose in the poppy ban.
This match will be as “friendly” as Eurovision.
Personally, if I were a player, I would pin a fecking great RED poppy on an arm band and urge all my team-mates to do the same. So they might fine you a bit – you can afford it – you’re a football player. I’d accept the fine with pride, too. Petty bureaucrats need to be ignored, it’s the ONLY way to deal with them. Hopefully EVERY England fan in the stadium will be wearing their poppies in solidarity, with a collective ‘fuck you’ attitude. Someone needs to put the word out!
I am trying desperately to understand why wearing a poppy in honor of armistice day is so controversial. Of course I couldn’t understand why wearing an American flag on the lapel was so controversial on this side of the Pond either…
You do wonder that a nation that obeys no-one or nothing will bow before Sepp Blatter and his cronies in Switzerland…tax benefits I`d imagine!
All these dads of thugs kicking each other senseless on a Sunday and hurling abuse at the ref just like Wayne or JT might….they meekly play seven a side for 25 minutes of so because FIFA have directed it…and Sepp and the other golden gods of Sport are NOT to be trifled with!
If FIFA told them all to wear pink shorts with lace trim…or to play on minefields in Iraq..these muppets would do it…and I bet Hansenand the like would STILL be happy to go out there to commentate!
Ah the Great God Sport…but sacrifices to the RMT/Bob Crow will assuage HIM so no further comments asked for -OK?