The Black Poppy-my first blog

[knowledge_of_self]

Hi all. I have just written my first blog ever. It's not much, but it is something I feel very strongly about. So I thought I would write it down and see what happens. Here it is. I've also posted it as a blog on myspace. here is the link.
http://www.myspace.com/knowledge_of_self

THE BLACK POPPY

By Nina Shirazi
November. 7, 2006

For the last five years I have not worn a poppy on Remembrance Day. This year, I will wear a poppy but it will be black. The black poppy will represent a different idea, for I see that humanity does not "remember" anything about the wars of the past.

For if they did, there would be peace right now on our planet instead of genocide, occupation, murder, famine, and bloodshed. You see, humanity not only does not "remember", if anything they have FORGOTTEN. They have chosen to forget what does not 'feel' good about their existence; that which most can see all too well, but choose to ignore. Yes, I am talking about Fascism.

Fascists are here! They are the people that are ruling in America and Canada right now. You look to the past to remember what fascism was, well take a good hard look to the present because it is here again. And not only do you not disregard it, you embrace it with all it has to offer with silence. You choose to join the militaries; you choose to pay taxes to governments who fund militaries and weapon manufacturers. You choose to not educate your children about the oh, so forgotten past. About all the wars that preceded World War I and World War II.

How many must die? How many must parish before we start to remember? How many must suffer before we start to ask why? How many must lose their children, their mothers, fathers, and people that they love before we demand an answer and start to act?

What will you remember on this Remembrance Day, when your son or daughter has just died fighting a war with no sense. What will you remember on this Remembrance Day, when you know next month you will be shipped back to war to kill another family?

All that I say is all that I see in this world. People act as if World War I and World War II are ancient history, and nothing of a sort is currently happening today. Well wake up People and look at the wars in the Middle East.

You have the MASS occupation and genocide going on in Palestine that has been going on for more than sixty years by Israeli forces.

You have the occupation of Lebanon by Israeli forces from 1982-2000 and then, a newly sparked conflict that transpired in the bombing of many civilian homes and cities in South of Lebanon by Israeli forces (with the help of American manufactured bombs)

You have the unwanted occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan by American and Canadian forces for the last five years.

You have America, Iran and Israel all talking about nuking each other to Kingdom come.

You have North Korea testing Nuclear weapons and America responding with threats because of fear of nuclear configuration.

We are facing nuclear extinction on our planet TODAY!! Tell me what have we "remembered" from Hiroshima and Nagasaki? What have we learned from Vietnam? What have we learned from our ugly past? What have we learned, if we keep doing it over and over again?

And I guess this is my answer. That humanity has learned nothing and remembers nothing of its ugly past. For if they had, there would be peace on our planet today. So, this year if you want to 'celebrate' Remembrance Day. Do it by remembering everyday this year all that is going on in this world, and inform others of it too. Help others remember the forgotten past, and face the truth about our present state. For if we don't by next Remembrance Day, there may be nothing left to remember.