A chara, – In this decade of commemoration we seek to do justice to history. When discussing history we should choose our words carefully lest they be misunderstood and it is our duty to be clear and concise.
Symbols such as poppies, lilies and so on are not clear. They are vague in what the convey, hence the current debate.
How is one to know that a poppy-wearer commemorates only soldiers in the world wars but not those involved in Bloody Sunday? Or a lily-wearer only those involved in 1916 and not those involved in Bloody Friday? Symbols are blunt objects that do not immediately communicate the bearers’ well-considered intentions.
Why remember with symbols? Why not with books, debates and a conviction that the Great War and the Troubles should never happen again? – Is mise,